Lagos
Coronavirus: School reopening, worship centres, others caused second wave – Prof. Abayomi
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has attributed the reasons for the second wave of COVID-19 to the opening up of the economy, the re-opening of schools, large religious congregations, and social gatherings among others. A statement from the Lagos State Ministry of Health quoted the commissioner as saying this while giving an update on the State Government’s response against the second wave of COVID-19 at a press briefing held in Ikeja on Monday. The statement titled, ‘COVID-19: Lagos admonishes residents’, was signed by the LSMOH Director of Public Affairs, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo. “Abayomi attributed the reason for the second wave of COVID19 to include, opening up of the economy; general laxity, false sense of security and non-adherence to safety guidelines by citiz...
NPFL: Kwara United shock Plateau United on opening day
Kwara United recorded the first away win of the new NPFL season courtesy of a 2-0 win at Plateau United, while Nasarawa United, MFM FC and Jigawa United won at home. Kano Pillars were held to a 1-1 draw by hosts Adamawa United. The biggest result on the first day of action was in Jos, where home team Plateau United, who were top of the table before the league was called off because of the Coronavirus Pandemic, fell to two second half goals by Kwara United. Jide Fatokun opened scoring after 62 minutes, before Michael Ohanu doubled the visitors’ lead seven minutes later. In Lagos, MFM FC got off to a winning start thanks to Ebenezer Odeyemi and Muyiwa Balogun, before John Paul Chinedu pulled a goal back for Warri Wolves. Onukwube Stone was the match winner for Jigawa Golden Stars in Kaduna a...
Mohammed Gidado vows to lift Jigawa Golden Stars
Teenager Abubakar Mohammed Gidado has expressed his readiness to utilize every opportunity to showcase his talent and uplift Jigawa Golden Stars as the 2020/21 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) gets underway. Tipped as one of the young talents to shine in the league this season, the 15-year old star is set to make his NPFL debut for the Northern club side against Sunshine Stars in their home game Kaduna in one of the opening Match Day 1 fixtures. “This is an opportunity for me to prove my talent in the league and to the world; I would be glad to give all my best for my club,” a confident Gidado said matter-of-factly. Snapped from Kingsgrant FC of Lagos, Gidado is delighted with the quality of players and standard in display at Jigawa Golden Stars which has helped him to settle do...
Lagos governor recovers from coronavirus, urges precautions
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday announced his recovery from COVID-19 infection, having tested negative, following 14 days of treatment. Addressing State House correspondents at ‘Lagos House’, Marina, Sanwo-Olu said that he experienced moderate symptoms like headache, cough, among other COVID-19 symptoms. He thanked the people of Lagos and the medical team for their care, prayers, and concern throughout his isolation. “I was fortunate to have had a relatively moderate COVID-19 experience. About one in every 10 persons who contracted the disease in Lagos State were not so lucky; they have to go into intensive care, and some of them did not make it out alive. “For this reason, my gratitude is deep and profuse. And it is also for this reason, that I am here to app...
#EndSARS: Police arrest 67 for looting armoury, recover 6 rifles
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 67 persons for allegedly looting and burning Police Stations during the #EndSARS protest in the state. The police said six AK 47 rifles, and several ammunition which were carted away from Police armouries of Ebut-Ero and Ilemba Hausa police stations were also recovered from the suspects. Also recovered from some of the suspects were electronics and exortic cars hijacked from owners during the protest. The suspects were among 103 persons arrested for various criminal acts in the last one month. Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command , Mr Hakeem Odumosu, who paraded the suspects, said , many crimes were busted and many suspects arrested. He said the Command had put in place more strategies which are in tune with modern and international...
Governor Sanwo-Olu still recovering from coronavirus infection
Over one week after testing positive for COVID-19, Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is yet to make a complete recovery. The governor tested positive for the novel disease on December 11, 2020 after he was in close contact with an infected aide. The Lagos government reported that the governor was displaying mild symptoms and fatigue and was receiving treatment at home. While providing an update on the governor’s health on Monday, December 21, Lagos Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, said Sanwo-Olu is doing much better. However, he said the 55-year-old remains in isolation and receiving home based care. “We are waiting for a complete clearance of the virus so that Mr Governor can resume public activities,” he said. Abayomi urged members of the public to adhere to safety measures...
Airtel begins initiative to feed 5,000 displaced persons
Airtel Nigeria has announced the commencement of the 2020 edition of its annual ‘5 Days of Love’ Yuletide initiative with a focus on providing palliative packs to 5,000 persons across five Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the country. Speaking during a virtual press conference to announce the initiative, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, said despite the pandemic and a difficult year, Airtel would continue its long standing tradition of celebrating and empowering the vulnerable and underprivileged during Yuletide. “Our resolve to Nigeria and Nigerians is unshakeable. Despite a difficult year, we are committed to making lives better for many Nigerians and we will not rest on our laurels as we will continue to create opportun...
Dana Air offers free tickets to passengers after flight cancellation
Dana Air Sunday said it will offer passengers who were to board two of their aircraft that had snags weekend in Lagos and Abuja free tickets after rescheduling their flights. The airline however said those who don’t want their flights rescheduled will be given full refund. The airline Spokesman, Mr Kingsley Ezenwa confirmed this development. Ezenwa said ” Friday 18, and Saturday 19, December 2020, 2 of our aircraft became unserviceable in Lagos and Abuja respectively, compelling us to ground both aircraft in line with our strict safety standards and Global Best Practices “While our maintenance team have however been deployed to conduct proper checks on both aircraft, we wish to reassure our guests and crew that their safety will continue to be our priority in all circumstances and we would...
Governor Sanwo-Olu: Lagos can’t afford another total lockdown
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu says the state cannot afford another total lockdown amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19 on Friday said there were indications that the country had entered a second wave of the pandemic. “In Nigeria, the indication is that we have entered a second wave of infections, and we stand the risk of not just losing the gains from the hard work of the last nine months, but also losing the precious lives of our citizens”, Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, who represented Boss Mustapha, chairman of the PTF, said. Sanwo-Olu, who went into isolation last Saturday after testing positive for COVID-19, advised residents to adhere to health protocol and non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to help limit the ...
Akwa Ibom bans large gatherings as coronavirus surges
As a precautionary measure against the second wave of COVID-19, the Akwa Ibom State government has announced the cancellation of “all state government events requiring large crowds”. The Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, Emmanuel Ekuwem, who disclosed in a statement on Friday, said “test results from our PCR laboratory clearly indicate a sharp increase in the number of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our state”. The statement said Governor Udom Emmanuel has directed strict enforcement of COVID-19 guidelines and protocols at the Christmas village in Uyo, the state capital. The government said large political meetings are to be discouraged until the current spike of COVID-19 infections is reduced. It said the use of face mask and adherence to other COVID-19 guidelines and proto...
NIMC insists on deadline for linking of NIN to mobile numbers
File Photo Despite criticisms from many Nigerians of the two-week ultimatum for the registration and linking of National Identity Number (NIN) to mobile numbers, the federal government has insisted on the deadline. The director-general of the National Identity Management Commission, (NIMC), Aliyu Abubakar, in an interview with newsmen on Friday said there was no extension for the announced deadline. “Right now, the way it is, there is no extension. We should not be complaining, rather we should see how it can be done,” he said. “It is until after 10 to 12 days then we will see how far it has gone before we beg the government for anything.” When the agency issued a two-week ultimatum for the enrolment, Nigerians took to social media platforms to kick against such a deadline. “In the whole o...
Nigeria loses 250,000 babies to preventable, treatable causes annually – experts
Despite the global efforts to end preventable newborn deaths by 2030, through the Sustainable Development Goal 3.2, experts have raised the alarm that Nigeria loses over 250,000 babies yearly due to preventable and treatable causes, even as the country ranks second highest globally in infant deaths. According to a Professor of Paediatrics at the College of Medicine University of Lagos, and Clinical Lead, Newborn Essential Solution and Technologies, NEST360, Professor Chinyere Ezeaka, with current slow progress, it may take Nigerian 100 years to meet the goal. Ezeaka identified causes of newborn deaths in Nigeria to include prematurity, infections, birth asphyxia, congenital abnormalities among others, she said these would be reduced with the wide-scale adoption of comprehensive newborn car...
