Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Friday 27th March 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 27/03/20
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US Returnee Suspected Of Having Coronavirus In Ondo Tests Negative
A man named David, who came into Nigeria from Maryland, United States of America, and was suspected of having Coronavirus, has now tested negative for the virus.
This was confirmed by a senior staff of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ondo Town, Ondo State, where the man had been kept under observation all the while.
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The man had travelled into Ondo to visit family members when he fell ill and showed signs of the virus.
“His test returned negative. He does not have the virus” the source said.
With Thursday’s revelation, any fears initially raised by news of his suspected infection have since been erased.
Meanwhile, management of the hospital on Thursday announced a shut down of activities as a result of the continued spread of the virus.
In a statement, management of the facility said that all units except accident and emergency ward will be closed to the public in order to reduce the risk of patients and staff being infected with the virus.
Patients on admission, who are in stable conditions, have been advised to go home and continue with prescribed medication.
The statement said, “The management of University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ondo Town, has decided to partially shut down its normal activities as a precaution to steam the spread of Coronavirus.”
Nigeria now has 65 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and one recorded death.
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BREAKING: Nigeria Records 14 New Cases Of Coronavirus
The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control has announced 14 new cases of Coronavirus in the country.
According to the NCDC, 12 were confirmed in Lagos while two were confirmed in the FCT.
“14 new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Nigeria: two in FCT, 12 in Lagos
“Of the 14, six were detected on a vessel, three are returning travellers into Nigeria and one is close contact of a confirmed case.
“As at 7:35 pm 26th March, there are 65 confirmed cases, three discharged and one death,” the tweet by NCDC read.14 new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Nigeria: 2 in FCT, 12 in LagosOf the 14, 6 were detected on a vessel, 3 are returning travellers into Nigeria & 1 is close contact of a confirmed caseAs at 7:35 pm 26th March, there are 65 confirmed cases 3 discharged1 death pic.twitter.com/123vN6oNEB— NCDC (@NCDCgov) March 26, 2020
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Coronavirus: Police Brutalise, Teargas Traders, Buyers During Enforcement Of Market Closure In Osun
In trying to enforce the closure of markets as ordered by Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, the police brutalised and fired teargas canisters at traders and buyers at Ifon Market on Wednesday morning.
The governor had on Tuesday ordered the closure of all weekly markets in the state to curb the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
The government stated that only daily markets would be allowed to operate because they attracted small number of persons at a time.
However, in enforcing the order, the police in Osun embarked on extra-judicial activities by harassing and brutalising buyers and sellers at Ifon Market.
Some buyers caught in the melee, explained to our correspondent that they went to purchase food items but were attacked by policemen.
“Police officers stormed the market in large numbers and teargassed everyone both young and old.
“The market was filled with people from all over the state, we had to rush out of the place to escape beating from the police,” one witness said.
Another resident explained that her husband had to hurriedly go in search for money after the pronouncement by the governor so that they could stock some food items in the house.
She said, “What would people eat during the period of staying at home if they couldn’t get food?
“Why should people be dispersed with teargas while trying to get items to be used for a long time during the course of this epidemic?” a woman queried.
The residents urged the state government to revisit the order and give people the opportunity to stock their houses with food items before closing all markets.
“Yesterday’s act was not needed at this point where people live from hand to mouth.
“I strongly call on the appropriate authorities to look into this and check on those who might have been injured during the ruthless act by police officers,” one of the affected residents of the state said.
While speaking, another resident of Osun said, “Government and prominent people in the state should also help by providing materials and items which will help to alleviate suffering at this hard time.”
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Coronavirus: Stop Wasting Testing Kits On Politicians, AIED Tells NCDC
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The Advocacy for Integrity and Economic Development has urged the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to stop wasting “limited testing kits” on political office holders and government officials.
In a statement on Thursday by its Director of Media and Publicity, Comrade O’Seun John, the organisation said the unchecked usage of the scarce testing kits for COVID-19 on government officials and politicians is appalling and a disservice to ordinary Nigerian, who deserve to be truly tested.
The statement reads, “We have noticed with utmost dismay the unending wastage of scarce testing kits for COVID-19 on politicians and political office holders at the detriment of the masses.
“We find this endeavour as a disservice to the people of Nigeria who should be the primary focus of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Ministry of Health.
“From several reports, the NCDC conducts an average of two tests on governors, senators, House of Representatives and Assembly members, Chief of Staff to the President amongst other influential figures in the country.
“These individuals have been solely responsible for the decades of decay and backwardness our health care system is facing. They stood aloof and budgeted billions of naira for frivolous expenses while the citizens suffer in penury, they do not deserve to enjoy the benefits from magnanimous philanthropists who have inconvenient themselves to help Nigerians.
“It is also on record that most, if not all, of the cases recorded or perceived in the corridors of power have been caused by the sheer refusal to submit to simple emergency protocols and checks at the airports. Nigerians should not then be the ones suffering for the ego and pride of these few ones.
“While we acknowledge that not every Nigerian will get tested for COVID-19, it is extremely important that these testing kits are kept safely for the primary use of the average Nigerian.
“The present statistics of less than 200 individuals who have received testing from the NCDC is disgraceful for a population of almost 200 million people. NCDC must channel its resources on improving the testing rates for Nigerians.
“The NCDC should leave the politicians alone and focus on Nigerians who are more in number and at a greater risk. If any politician feels the need to get tested, such politician can charter a flight to Europe, Asia or America where they get their routine medical check-up.”
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BREAKING: Sowore Raises The Alarm Over Plot By Buhari’s Regime To Re-arrest Him After SaharaReporters Exposed Coronavirus In Aso Villa
Omoyele Sowore
Omoyele Sowore
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Rights activist and journalist, Omoyele Sowore, has raised the alarm over a plot by the Nigerian Government to detain him over revelations by his news outlet, SaharaReporters, that Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari, tested positive for Coronavirus.
On Monday night, SaharaReporters had exclusively reported that Kyari was ill and had contracted the deadly virus.
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The online news medium went ahead on Tuesday to break the story of three of Kyari’s staff contracting the virus from him.
Till this moment, the Presidency has been unable to deny any of the reports, instead plotting to turn their anger on Sowore and SaharaReporters.
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EXCLUSIVE: Presidential Intensive Care Unit Activated As Buhari Self-isolates After Abba Kyari Tests Positive For Coronavirus
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In a message to his followers on Facebook on Thursday, Sowore said his lawyers had informed him of a high-powered delegation sent to the Federal High Court in Abuja to obtain a detention order.
Sowore said, “Folks, it is important to inform you that we are facing some unusual circumstances and the days ahead might be very tensed and difficult, but we will conquer.
“Following the revelation by SaharaReporters that the Chief of Staff to Buhari, Abba Kyari, contracted Coronavirus and subsequent revelations about the criminal conducts/negligence that has brought Nigeria to the nadir of this global pandemic, the Buhari regime today sent some high powered delegation to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria to help procure a detention order against me.
“The courts are reportedly on break due to COVID-19 pandemic. This was leaked to our lawyers a few minutes ago. They plan this time is to use the Nigerian Army for the sinister plot.
“The plan is to obtain a court order and then send soldiers to shoot up my residence in Abuja by claiming that I resisted arrest with armed colleagues.
“If I am arrested alive, they would take me to a military barracks in Abuja to be tortured and or infected with COVID-19.
“I am not raising the alarm to scare anyone, it is to inform our compatriots that we should brace for difficult days ahead.
“However, rest assured that we are in high spirits and are totally convinced that we may be turning a historic corner in the face of brutal repression.
“I am urging all to stand firm, unbowed and unbroken.”
Recall that Sowore was first arrested in the early hours of August 3, 2019 by operatives of the Department of State Services for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations on August 5 to demand a better country from the administration of President Buhari.
He was kept in unlawful detention from that period until December 5, 2019 when he was finally released on bail despite two court orders earlier sanctioning his freedom.
In a twist of event, DSS operatives invaded the Federal High Court in Abuja on December 6, 2019 to rearrest him without any court order.
He remained in unlawful detention until 18 days later when he was released by the secret police for the second time.
At the resumption of his trial in a case brought against him by the Nigerian Government, the prosecution failed to prove accusations against him and even went ahead to dropping seven of the charges earlier preferred against him.
Groups and high-raking individuals from around the world have described the charges against Sowore as baseless and a waste of time.
The journalist remains confined to Abuja as one of his bail conditions forbids him from leaving the city or speaking with journalists until the end of his trial.
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COVID-19: Should Education Hit A Pause Or Are We Just Unprepared In Nigeria? By Olabisi Deji-Folutile
Olabisi Deji-Folutile
Olabisi Deji-Folutile
The world is facing its most trying and unprecedented times as the last few weeks have been most challenging for almost everybody. What started in Wuhan, China, as an epidemic, has put the entire world in disarray. Major streets across the globes have become empty. Both the rich and the poor are being ravaged by the plague of COVID-19, which the World Health Organisation has rightly described as a pandemic. Work places have been shut; religious and social gatherings banned and many countries are on total lockdown, in a bid to curb the spread of this viral disease. Expectedly, schools are also affected across board. Every day people are being told to embrace social distancing and suddenly things like human contacts, hitherto considered as free gifts of life, are becoming very expensive.
No one knows when this whole chaos will end, so people are making different kinds of adjustments to cope with the situation while it lasts. Many companies have shifted their operations online. Likewise, many schools have opted for e-learning, making use of available technology for teaching and learning.
Universities around the world are making use of communication technology to ease the effects of the global pandemic on their academic calendars. In China, universities are going for online teaching instead of in-class teaching; the ones in Australia have moved their classes online just as UK universities have suspended face-to-face teaching. Turkey started its remote university classes on March 23. In Kenya, universities have activated communication between lecturers and students via social media platforms and emails while classes have gone totally online in the Philippines and Kyrgyzstan. Teachers in France have been working with their students on Zoom.
Just a few days ago, Ghana’s President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, directed the ministry of education to collaborate with the ministry of communications in rolling out open learning programmes in response to the closure of all educational institutions in the country. In the same vein, Mount Kenya University’s Vice-Chancellor Peter Wanderi, has announced the extension of online teaching platforms for regular students to facilitate the learning process. And to take care of the over six million students that have experienced disruption to their studies, ten North African and 12 Arab countries have begun work on an e-learning initiative to facilitate open and online education.
These are some of the steps being taken across the globe to bridge the gap created by school closure in the wake of COVID-19. Unfortunately, while all these activities are going on in other parts of the world, Nigerian government has not said anything about steps being taken to take care of its students’ community. Rather, the only message from the Federal Government was a total closure of all tertiary institutions and FG-owned unity schools till further notice. A statement issued by the National Universities Commission simply said universities would remain shut for one month while the Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, said tertiary institutions would remain shut indefinitely.
Assuming government has been overwhelmed by the burden of controlling the spread of COVID- 19, hence its silence on options for learning for its teeming student population, one would have expected the higher institutions themselves to at least say something, but as it is, they too are not helping matters. The silence in our universities has been deafening. To worsen the situation, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, decided to choose this time, of all times, to embark on an indefinite strike. One wonders how the academic body manages to feel comfortable being on a strike at a time when researchers across the globe are busy looking for solution to a pandemic that is ravaging the entire world. This kind of action makes one query the essence of having Research and Development as a core component of tertiary education in Nigeria when researchers can be nowhere to be found at a critical time of societal needs.
By now, our researchers should be adding their voices to the various efforts being made towards developing a vaccine or cure for COVID-19. After all, universities are expected to proffer solutions to societal problems. This is a wrong time for ASUU to embark on an indefinite strike. This should be a time of strategising and proffering solutions. This is really the time for everyone to get involved. Besides, I think Nigerian universities should also be more forthcoming on their responses to the challenges posed to their students by COVID-19.
As it is, religious organisations are doing far better in terms of their responses to the effects of this pandemic on their primary constituencies. Many of them have devised other means of getting the attention of their members following several government directives prohibiting either gatherings or limiting the number of people allowed to congregate at a time. Almost all the churches have switched to online platforms for their services. How come religious organisations are working hard to keep their flocks and both government and higher institutions in Nigeria are just moving on as if all is well? No word on how to keep the students busy or keep them engaged using available online technology! Should teaching and learning be restricted to the classrooms alone in this 21st century?
Nigeria has always been described as a religious society. Corona Virus has further exposed the smartness of our religious bodies and the dullness of those in charge of our public educational institutions. This is not an attempt to blame any religious organisation for having the foresight to deploy technology in reaching their audiences. Instead, it is a wakeup call to managers of our educational institutions to adopt and use available technology to help their students at a time like this.
Apart from the National Open University of Nigeria, which basically runs online, I doubt if there is any other public university in the country that has capacity for online teaching. This is in spite of the launch of the Nigerian Communication Satellite known as NIGCOMSAT by the Nigerian Government first in 2007 and then NIGCOMSAT-IR in December 2011, to provide critical ICT backbone infrastructure to support e-learning, among others in the country.
What is the essence of investing so much money in a communication satellite if it cannot be deployed at a time of need? Those in charge of NIGCOMSAT, the commercial arm of Nigeria’s space centre, have consistently claimed that the technology has the capacity to cover the entire Africa. If that is the case, why is the country still struggling to deploy internet connectivity facilities to its schools to aide e-learning? If we are truly a serious country, by now, all the schools in urban and rural areas should have been connected to the e-learning services.
No doubt, COVID-19 has exposed Nigeria’s unpreparedness for e-learning. But, we can’t afford to remain where we are. That is why it is important for every institution to start thinking of how to deploy available technology in the world for the good of their students at this critical period. Universities should as a matter of urgency migrate online. This shouldn’t be another season of waiting and probably wasting for the Nigerian student. There is no reason why any higher institution worth its name should suspend all academic activities until the end of Corona Virus with all the available resources and technology in the world today. The minimum expected of them is to upload teaching resources online for students to have access to them. At least this will give the students the opportunity to learn on their own.
This is also an opportunity for telecommunications companies like Glo, MTN and the rest of them to make a difference in Nigeria’s educational institutions. They can as part of their corporate social responsibility decide to boost internet facilities in universities and other educational institutions; or provide data at cheaper rates to help poor students have access to the internet for online learning.
I know there are obvious stumbling blocks to digital learning in Nigeria. Many students don’t even have access to devices while the cost of buying data is still high. These challenges and others have provided telecommunications companies a huge opportunity of making a difference in Nigerian higher institutions by providing e-learning solutions and broadband connectivity to universities and other higher institutions.
They can as part of their corporate social responsibility decide to boost internet facilities in universities and other higher institutions; or help poor students who have limited or poor internet access to enhance online learning.
Olabisi Deji-Folutile is the Editor-in-Chief of Franktalknow.com and member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors. Email: bisideji@yahoo.co.uk
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EXCLUSIVE: Indonesian Embassy In Abuja, Others Refuse To Allow Staff Work From Home Despite Coronavirus Outbreak
Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Abuja
Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Abuja
The Embassy of Indonesia in Abuja, Nigeria, has refused to allow staff work from home or observe social distancing despite the outbreak and continued spread of Coronavirus in the country, SaharaReporters can confirm.
Despite pleas to the leadership of the high commission, staff especially Nigerian employees of the embassy have been asked to continue working without recourse to their health.
“The High Commissioner even threatened some staff that if they refused to come to work, they will be fired.
“This is despite the announcement by the FCT authorities that everyone should stay at home to help stop the spread of the Coronavirus,” one troubled staff said on Thursday.
SaharaReporters gathered that the embassy authorities insisted that it cannot regard the verbal directive from the Nigerian Government for residents to work from home.
It was also gathered that despite the matter being brought to their notice, Nigerian Government officials were yet to intervene.
The Indonesian Embassy and in fact several other high commissions in the country employ only contract staff with no health insurance, pension, benefits or allowances.
Nigerian authorities are aware of this gross labour law violation but have failed to act to protect citizens employed in such places.
“They all treat Nigerians the same. Most of them reduce salaries without prior notification and they pay poorly.
“For example, administrative staff earn between N90,000 to N120,000 while drivers, domestic help and cooks earn between N25,000 to N60,000 with no overtime and they also deny women maternity leave,” a top diplomatic source told SaharaReporters.
At the Indonesian Embassy in Abuja, only four Nigerian staff are employed and they mostly serve in domestic capacity.
“We are suffering in our own country. We need government to intervene and ensure that they abide by the laid down rules of their host community, Nigeria,” another staff at the Indonesian Embassy said.
As at the time of this report, an enquiry sent to the Indonesian Embassy via email by SaharaReporters was yet to be responded to while phone numbers listed on the website of the high commission failed to connect when dialed by one of our correspondents on Thursday.
As a way of curtailing the spread of Coronavirus in Nigeria, the federal and various state governments had adopted various measures including restricting public gatherings and advising workers to operate from their houses.
Nigeria has 51 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and one recorded death at the moment with fears growing of a further spread if the stay-at-home order is not complied with by citizens.
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Inside Story: How Obasa Was Forced To Reinstate Suspended Lawmakers
Mudashiru Obasa
Mudashiru Obasa
At the resumption of plenary on Thursday at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, announced the reinstatement of two suspended lawmakers, Moshood Oshun and Raheem Kazeem.
The two lawmakers were suspended alongside Deputy Majority Leader, Olumuyiwa Jimoh; and Chief Whip, Rotimi Abiru, who were demoted on grounds of misconduct, insubordination and action that could destabilise the Assembly on March 9.
However, two days after the meeting of the Governor’s Advisory Council, the suspended lawmakers were reinstated to the House.
SaharaReporters had exclusively reported that at the meeting, a former governor of Lagos State, who also doubles as Chairman of Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Committee, Bola Tinubu, supported the Speaker as he asked him to use his discretion to direct the affairs of the House.
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EXCLUSIVE: Tinubu, GAC Back Lagos Assembly Speaker, Obasa, Over Suspension Of Lawmakers, Corruption
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However, Obasa tracked back on the decision of the GAC and reinstated the lawmakers following intervention by some bigwigs of the All Progressives Congress including Rauf Aregbesola, Minister of Interior; and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos.
Sources privy to the happenings within the party confirmed to SaharaReporters that the Speaker was directed to reinstate the lawmakers after having a separate meeting with them.
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BREAKING: Lagos Assembly Recalls Suspended Lawmakers After SaharaReporters Story
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“Some members of the GAC, dissatisfied with the treatment of the oppressed members of the Assembly, including the governor of the state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, made a counter move between Tuesday and Thursday by securing a special appointment with Tinubu for the affected members of the Assembly to present their cases.
“An appointment was fixed for Wednesday morning with Tinubu where the affected Assembly members presented their cases to the former governor.
“Among those who intervened was the immediate-past governor of Osun State and current Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who had a long telephone conversation with Asiwaju (Tinubu) and succeeded in convincing his boss on the need for an immediate reversal of Obasa’s autocratic decision against his colleagues.
“The Speaker was subsequently directed by Tinubu to reverse his decision and return to original status,” sources disclosed to SaharaReporters.
Meanwhile, Obasa, according to insider sources, is likely sitting on a time-bomb as moves are ongoing by some members of the APC to remove him as Speaker of the Lagos Assembly.
Some strong members of the political dynasty, beyond the reach or influence of Obasa, seem to be amalgamating forces against him.
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EXPOSED: Speaker Of Lagos Assembly, Obasa, Awards Contracts To Self Through Company Registered In Son’s Name
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Obasa, who is not unaware of the ploy, is suspecting Governor Sanwo-Olu of secretly leading the lawmakers to impeach him.
“The Speaker once nursed strong animosity against the governor, accusing him of sponsoring members for his impeachment.
“This also stems the suspicion against the suspended principal officers,” sources in the Assembly said.
A former member of the Assembly and ‘kingmaker’, who is now a member of the Senate, is also making a separate move to report latest action of the Speaker to Asiwaju.
As at the time of filing this report, the senator is still in the process of securing an appointment with Tinubu.
The senator used to be the sponsor and major backer of Obasa but they fell apart when Obasa decided to be his own boss and also reduce the influence of the kingmaker.
The aim was to reduce the returns shared between them which is part of hundreds of millions allocated to the Assembly as monthly running cost.
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E2%80%99s-n293m-property-over-financial-theft Court Orders Forfeiture Of Retired Army General’s N293m, Property Over Financial Theft
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday ordered the forfeiture of N293m, six parcels of land and 30, 000 MTN shares recovered from a former commander of the military Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, in the Niger Delta, Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Atewe (retd).
Justice Mohammed Liman made an order for the temporary forfeiture of the assets to the Nigerian Government following an ex parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The EFCC alleged that the assets were part of proceeds of N8.5bn, which Atewe allegedly diverted from the military operation between September 5, 2014 and May 20, 2015.
The landed properties were identified as 50 hectares of farmland at Plot No. FL746B Gaube Farmland Extension II Layout, Kuje, Abuja; a piece of land located at Commercial Layout, Yenagoa Gardens, Bayelsa State; one hectare of land in Kuje District, Abuja; Plot No. CP10, Sector Centre B Layout, Kuje, Abuja; Plot MF62 Outer Northern Expressway Cadastral Zone, Abuja; Plot No. 1228 Jahi, Abuja; four hectares of land designated as Plot No.CP6386 and Plot No.CP6387, Sabon Lugbe, Abuja.
An investigating officer of the EFCC, Adamu Yusuf, said Atewe purchased the 30,000 MTN shares for N170,350,000.
Counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, said it would be in the interest of justice for the court to order the temporary forfeiture of the assets.
After listening to him, Justice Liman granted the prayers and ordered that the temporary forfeiture order be published in a national newspaper.
The judge adjourned until April 20 for anyone interested in the assets to appear before him to show reasons why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Nigerian Government.
The EFCC had since 2016 been prosecuting Atewe alongside a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi; Kime Engozu and Josephine Otuaga.
They were accused of conspiring to divert N8.5bn of the military Operation Pulo Shield in the Niger Delta.
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UBA Donates N5bn To Support Coronavirus Fight In Africa
The United Bank for Africa Plc on Thursday announced a donation of N5bn ($14m) through the UBA Foundation to support the fight against Coronavirus.
The donation will provide significant and much needed support to Nigeria and 19 other African countries by supplying relief materials, critical care facilities, and financial support to governments, according to the bank.
The donation will be allocated as follows: N1bn to Lagos State Government, N500m to Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, N1bn to the remaining 35 states in Nigeria, N1.5bn to UBA’s presence countries in Africa, N1bn for medical centres with equipment and supplies free telemedicine call centre facility.
The bank revealed that it will fund a medical centre immediately in Lagos with beds for isolation and ICU facilities, managed and operated in partnership with Heirs Holdings’ healthcare subsidiary, Avon Medical Hospital.
UBA Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, said, “This is a time when we must all play our part. This global pandemic must bring citizens, governments and business leaders together – and quickly.
“As we see a rapidly increasing number of cases of the Coronavirus in Nigeria and Africa, the private sector has to work hand in hand with various governments in stemming the spread of the global pandemic.
“We commend the efforts of governments and we are keen to partner and contribute our resources to the collective effort that will ensure the response to the pandemic is swift and effective.”
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