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The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ), has urged security agencies to deploy tact while enforcing the lockdown in Lagos , Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory.

Buhari had, on March 29 , ordered the lockdown in the three locations for an initial period of 14 days to tackle the spread of the coronavirus in the country, while some other states have followed suit .

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 , Boss Mustapha , who spoke during a live briefing of the task force in Abuja, stated that reports indicated that there was a high level of compliance with the lockdown orders in Lagos , Ogun and the FCT.

Mustapha , who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation , said the Federal Government had ramped up its synergy with the state governments through video conferencing communication and the platform of the governors forum .

According to him , the President ’ s directive is that security agencies should enforce the lockdown order with discretion but Nigerians should be law – abiding.

The SGF said , “ The PTF finds it very necessary to appeal to our law enforcement agencies to deploy tact and caution in the course of enforcing the rules even in the face of provocation .

“ We similarly appeal to all Nigerians to be law – abiding, exercise patience and self – restraint . The message from Mr President is that no Nigerian should , on account of these rules, suffer any harm or pains during this period or any other time in our national life .

“ To the Nigerian traders and businessmen and women , we appeal for resistance to the urge to hike prices of goods and commodities during this period as our compassionate nature must prevail . ”

Mustapha stated that it was the best time for citizens to be considerate and to show empathy for their fellow countrymen .

According to him , the role of the non -governmental organisations and civil society organisations in the battle against COVID- 19 is well acknowledged and recognised .

He urged them to deploy their resources , especially community-based manpower , to shore up the arrangements by the sub – national entities , mainly the states .

“ I am pleased to inform Nigerians that we made progress in the mobilisation of resources to reinforce our preparedness and implementation arrangements .

“ In recognition of the danger to which our frontline health workers are exposed to , government is working with other stakeholders to structure medical and life insurance cover for their protection .

“ I , therefore , wish to assure them of our commitment and urge them to put in their utmost best as they battle to save us from this ravaging virus , ” he said .

The Minister of Information and Culture , Lai Mohammed , said the Federal Government could extend the 14 – day lockdown should Lagosians and residents of Abuja and Ogun State not behave themselves .

The minister , who is a member of the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 , disclosed this in Abuja when he featured in a forum to give an update on government efforts at containing the pandemic .

He said , “ If we don ’ t behave ourselves , there is a likelihood that the lockdown will be extended , but if we behave ourselves, there might not be an extension and I hope we do so .

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“ If we stay at home for two weeks and we are doing everything we are supposed to do , we should be able to effectively contain the disease .

“ Therefore , my appeal to Nigerians is that they should obey the directive on social distancing , personal hygiene and shun gatherings ; after two weeks , we will resume our normal life.

“ But if they think it is a joke, then we may have to stay at home more than the two weeks . ”

The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ) in a national broadcast , had directed the cessation of all movement in the FCT, Lagos and Ogun States for an initial period of 14 days .

He said all citizens in the affected areas were to stay at home, adding that the containment period would be used to identify, trace and isolate individuals that had come in contact with confirmed cases.
There are about 200 COVID – 19 cases in Nigeria including two deaths .

The pandemic , which has infected about one million people globally , has paralysed economic and socio-religious activities in most parts of the West African country.

NAN

Fire has gutted Maola Shopping Mall in the Ebute Ero Market at Idumota , Lagos State .

The cause of the fire , which affected shops 35 and 36 in the shopping mall , was unknown as of the time this report was filed .

The Director- General , Lagos State Emergency Management Agency , Olufemi Oke- Osanyintolu , said emergency responders had curtailed the fire , adding that no casualty was recorded.

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He said , “ Upon the arrival of the emergency responders at the scene, it was revealed that a building , the Maola Shopping Mall, was affected by fire of an unknown origin .

“ A combined team of the LASEMA responders from Lagos Central Zone , the Lagos State Fire ( Sari Iganmu) , Federal Fire Service and the Nigeria Police Force was able to curtail the flames and only the top floor of the building (shop 36 and 35 ) was affected with no casualties .

“ Responders have returned to base . ”

The Federal Government has asked Governors to provide, at least, 300-bed space facilities in their respective states “in case of an upsurge in the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic spreading across the country”.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this in Abuja, when he featured on a News Agency of Nigeria Forum to update Nigerians on government’s efforts to contain the disease.

He also expressed the optimism that the government would use the COVID-19 advantage and experience to further develop the health facilities in the country.

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“We pray sincerely that we will not fall into the same error after we fought Ebola, and we relaxed.

“We intend to use the opportunity of this coronavirus to improve our health care system at the federal, states and local government levels.

“Nobody ever thought that what is worse than Ebola will come. The successes we have achieved so far is through technology, sharing data with WHO, US Centre for Disease Control,” he said.

Mohammed, who is a member of the Presidential Task Force for the Control of Coronavirus, said that the facilities would serve as isolation centres and Intensive Care Units for COVID-19 patients.

He said that while testing for the virus is centralised, it would be difficult to move people that test positive across states.

“The governors must not wait for a deluge of patients before making the preparation.

“We are not asking them to build hospitals, but if they have facilities that can be converted such as hotels, conference centres, let us know and we will come and accredit them.

“We will tell them what equipment they would need and what type of training we are going to give as support,” he said.

The minister hailed the cooperation the task force had so far received from the states in the fight against the disease and assured Nigerians that the federal government would continue to take the lead and set the policies.

(NAN)

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has threatened to embark on strike within the next 48 hours if the management of the Port Harcourt Refinery Company fails to rescind the decision to sack over 175 casual workers who are its members .

The Port Harcourt zone of the union warned that it would order tanker drivers , petrol station workers and others to withdraw their services in solidarity with the sacked workers .

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Chairman of the union in the zone , Mr Mina Samuel , issued the threat while addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt.

He said it was unfortunate that while the world was putting palliative measures in place and protecting workers ’ rights, the refinery was terminating the appointments of workers .

Samuel also described the action of the PHRC as the height of insensitivity to the plight of Nigerian workers struggling to survive in the face of a COVID- 19 lockdown .

He said , “ The Port Harcourt zone of NUPENG may be forced to come out of its shell as a result of the PHRC management action , to withdraw the supply of petroleum products within the Port Harcourt zone if the PHRC fails to reverse its decision with immediate effect .

“ Consequently , the PH zonal council of NUPENG is by this notice giving the PHRC management 72 hours from today to direct its contractors to withdraw all termination letters issued to all NUPENG members in their employment .

“ Hence , we advise that the Port Harcourt Refinery management to engage the union once normalcy returns to the state if need be .

“ The management ’ s action or inaction may leave the union with the option of calling out all NUPENG members within the Port Harcourt zone . ”

In his remarks , the National Treasurer of NUPENG, Mr . Alex Agwangwor , urged the PHRC to avoid moving Rivers State from the pressure of COVID- 19 to an economic crisis that would arise should NUPENG embark on strike.

Agwangwor expressed the need for companies operating in the Port Harcourt zone to guarantee workers ’ job security and safety in order to demonstrate good faith .

Residents of Ile Ife , Osun State , were further restricted to only their homes , as Oro procession went through some major streets for spiritual cleansing against COVID- 19 .

A 14 – day restriction to prevent spread of coronavirus, starting from Wednesday , had commenced across the state .

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However , sources in Ife told our correspondent that there was public service announcement aired by a radio station based in the town , signed by one Chief Oyelami Awoyode on behalf of Ooni , Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi , intimating residents that Oro procession would move through some major streets on Thursday .

The announcement was also accompanied by a stern warning that whoever was caught would pay dearly for it.

Also , town criers were said to have gone round the town to announce restriction of movement between 6 am and 6 pm on Thursday .

Also , in the said announcement, many neighbourhoods in the ancient city where the procession would reach were listed.

Residents of Oja titun , Moore , Iyekere, Okerewe and Omisore areas , who spoke to newsmen afternoon , said they were indoors in order not to get caught by Oro .

Tayo Aderibigbe , a resident of Oja titun in a chat, said , “ The Oro procession has not reached my neighbourhood but all of us are indoors . The street is deserted .

“ It is not strange to us . Occasionally, residents would be asked to stay indoors for exercises like this . ”

Meanwhile , Osun State Government has said whenever it would start distribution of relief items to cushion effects of 14 days restriction , the sick and vulnerable would be given priority consideration .

Osun State Government on Thursday confirmed that six more Ivory Coast returnees tested positive for coronavirus .

According to reports,  the development brings the total number of cases in the state to 20 .

Osun State Commissioner for Health , Dr Rafiu Isamotu, told newsmen that all the 127 returnees had been tested and 18 of them had returned positive.

Meanwhile , Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun on Thursday signed the Disease ( Emergency Prevention ) Regulations 2020 law in a bid to enforce the lockdown order to curtail the spread of the coronavirus in the state .

Oyetola, while signing the law , said he made the sit – at – home and state ’ s lockdown order in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , 1999 (as amended ) and other relevant provisions of the State of Osun Public Health Law .

The governor said the law was aimed at preventing and curtailing the spread of coronavirus anywhere within the territory of Osun .

Oyetola said following the signing of the law , anybody who violates the sit -at – home order would be sentenced to six – month imprisonment or with an option of fine upon conviction.

The Lagos State Government has released 11 new patients , who have been receiving treatment at the Infectious Disease Hospital , Yaba .
Governor Babajide Sanwi – Olu of Lagos announced this on his Twitter page , @ jidesanwoolu .

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He said , “The patients include two females and nine males . Their results came out negative in two rounds of tests . I want to use this opportunity to , once again , thank our frontline health workers and other professionals for their service .

“ Let me reiterate that this is not the time to relax, but to maintain our vigilance because of the community infection that we are beginning to see . I assure you that in the end, we will hoist a flag of victory – with your cooperation and by the grace of the Almighty. ”

The Chief Medical Director of University College Hospital , Ibadan , Prof . Jesse Otegbayo, has tested negative for COVID – 19 after initially testing positive for the disease .

The Public Relations Officer of UCH , Mr Toye Akinrinlola , said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan .

“ I have the pleasure to announce that the repeat test of the UCH CMD , Prof . Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo has returned negative . He had earlier tested positive to the COVID – 19 Virus last Friday.

“ Otegbayo had on Sunday personally said in a statement that he tested positive for COVID – 19 and admonished all those who had contact with him to go on self – quarantine .

“ However , his samples were taken again on Tuesday , 31 st March , 2020 . Today , at about 3 . 00 pm, the result came out negative , ” he said .

Akinrinlola disclosed that his result also came back negative after being among those in close contact with the CMD .

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed prompt payment of salaries to all employees.

He also directed the ministry to ensure that critical infrastructure like roads, rails are protected and as much as possible, use local inputs so that the country retains value within her economy.

This is as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele has said that the global economy was facing serious problems that could lead to recession and that the government was doing everything possible to rescue the nation’s economy.

President Buhari gave the directive for the prompt payment of salaries when he met with the members of the Presidential committee to review the impact of COVID-19 on the economy at the State House Abuja.

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Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, said the committee met with the President to brief him on the current happenings around the world due to COVID-19 and the impact on the nation’s economy.

The Minister who fielded questions from journalists said, “well, he (President) has directed that we should make sure that salaries are paid, make critical infrastructures like roads, rails are protected, as much as possible use local inputs so that we retain value within our economy. And also make sure that we measure that protect the poor and the vulnerable.”

Asked the purpose of the meeting, Mrs. Ahmed said, “This meeting was just to brief Mr. President as the situation we are in keeps evolving on a daily basis.

“As the health crisis gradually expands, affecting States and also the lockdown that has been ordered to help curtail the expansion of the health crisis.

“The consequences of the lockdown is the additional slowing down of the economy and the measures that we need to take to mitigate the negative consequences of the slow trade and businesses.”

Also speaking, the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, painted a gloomy picture on the economy, saying that it was not in the best of sharp due to COVID-19.

He also said that the global oil prices were collapsing every day, adding that the situation required regular briefing of the President.

On his part, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chief Godwin Emefiele, said the economy was not looking as simple as every thought it would be.

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He said: “The global economy naturally like we all know at this time will naturally suffer growth problems and may even lead to recession globally. So we are trying to see what we can do as a country to rescue our own situation so we don’t go the direction many will go.

“It is not going to be easy but we can only assure our people that we are on top of it and that we will resolve it and Nigerians will still be better for it.”

Other members of the committee are
Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mela Kyari.