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The Kogi State Commissioner for Health , Dr Saka Haruna , has said the state is under pressure to declare that it has COVID- 19 cases where there is none .

The commissioner made the claims in a statement .

He , however , said the state would not succumb to the pressure .

The statement followed a report , which claimed that four persons suspected to be COVID- 19 patients had died at the Federal Medical Centre , Lokoja in the last one week.

He said that as the state commissioner for health , a member of the Governing Board of the FMC Lokoja , and also the incident manager for COVID- 19 in the state, he had yet to be informed of any claimed cases.

“ There is also a representative of the FMC Lokoja in the state’ s squadron against COVID- 19 / Lassa fever and never for once was any such case raised in our meetings .

The commissioner alleged that the aim of those putting pressure on the state was to politicise the situation as they are not happy that the current administration has been scored high by local and international observers on health care .

He added , “ First and foremost, it is imperative that the public realise that there is no state government that can deliberately put her people in harm ’ s way for whatever political reason and the current administration has been scored high by local and international observers on health . We have and will continue to put the health of our people as first priority .

“ We have been in an annual fight against Lassa fever as the state is located in the Lassa fever belt, recording several cases with regrettable losses . We were first to establish a Biosafety Laboratory for Lassa fever in Nigeria and this year alone we have confirmed 30 cases of Lassa fever that was duly announced . To accuse the state of a cover- up of COVID- 19 cases is mischievous and at best politically inclined . ”

The Kogi State Commissioner for Health , Dr Saka Haruna , has said the state is under pressure to declare that it has COVID- 19 cases where there is none .

The commissioner made the claims in a statement .

He , however , said the state would not succumb to the pressure .

The statement followed a report , which claimed that four persons suspected to be COVID- 19 patients had died at the Federal Medical Centre , Lokoja in the last one week.

He said that as the state commissioner for health , a member of the Governing Board of the FMC Lokoja , and also the incident manager for COVID- 19 in the state, he had yet to be informed of any claimed cases.

“ There is also a representative of the FMC Lokoja in the state’ s squadron against COVID- 19 / Lassa fever and never for once was any such case raised in our meetings .

The commissioner alleged that the aim of those putting pressure on the state was to politicise the situation as they are not happy that the current administration has been scored high by local and international observers on health care .

He added , “ First and foremost, it is imperative that the public realise that there is no state government that can deliberately put her people in harm ’ s way for whatever political reason and the current administration has been scored high by local and international observers on health . We have and will continue to put the health of our people as first priority .

“ We have been in an annual fight against Lassa fever as the state is located in the Lassa fever belt, recording several cases with regrettable losses . We were first to establish a Biosafety Laboratory for Lassa fever in Nigeria and this year alone we have confirmed 30 cases of Lassa fever that was duly announced . To accuse the state of a cover- up of COVID- 19 cases is mischievous and at best politically inclined . ”

The Federal Government has said Nigerians abroad repatriated into the country amid the pandemic prefer to arrive in Lagos State .

It also said the returnees prefer to be quarantined in Lagos but for capacity constraints .

Minister of Foreign Affairs , Geoffrey Onyeama , who made this disclosure during a briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 in Abuja , said the first batch of 265 returnees that arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Wednesday night have been quarantined in two hotels .

He added that they would be there for 14 days during which they would be tested for coronavirus and those who test negative would be allowed to rejoin the society while those who test positive would be moved to isolation and treatment facilities .

He said , “ We would like to thank the Governor of Lagos State . His personal support and investment in this whole process have made this a very successful first step . He has given us a template to which we can now build and hopefully deliver better , going forward .

“ We are hoping to have another flight tomorrow ( Friday) coming from the UK. This flight will be going to Abuja but they will be landing in Lagos first , that ’ s the plan and they will be ferried to Abuja .

“ The reasons are these: We ’ ve been very mindful of the cost to the passengers coming home . We’ ve tried as much as possible to minimise the burden on them, appreciating that a lot of them had stayed out more than they needed to or wanted to and are probably out of pocket.

“ We ’ ve tried to have a bargain with the various hotels to get a good rate as possible . Abuja offers us better economy in terms of hotel rates and we have more hotels here ( in Abuja ) and our strength is more here .

“ But we appreciate that a number of the passengers will prefer to go to Lagos but we just don ’ t have the facilities available to us in Lagos . We will just ask them to bear with us for two weeks . ”

Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have called for a separate account for donated funds for COVID- 19 .

The Assembly also said the appointment of the Amotekun Corps Commander by the state governor must be scrutinised by the lawmakers .

A statement said both issues were discussed at the Committee of the Whole during the presentation of the observations on the Coronavirus Pandemic Emergency Law 2020 and the Neighbourhood Watch Law 2020 , sent from the Office of the Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice.

Member representing Badagry Constituency II , Setonji David , while concurring with the recommendations of the House on the issues , said lawmakers must uphold the constitution and hold the executive accountable .

Also , member representing Ikeja Constituency II , Adedamola Kasunmu , said funds donated in the cause of the coronavirus pandemic must be properly accounted for .

Member representing Mushin Constituency II , Olayiwola Abdul -Sobur , maintained that the donations and grants accrued to the state government should be domiciled in the Consolidated Revenue Funds and the executive must be reminded that no money should be withdrawn from any public funds without the authorisation of the House.

“ There should be transparency and trustworthiness on the part of the executive and they should be mindful of the funds which are donations and grants that are not budgeted for , ” he said .

The Clerk of the House, Mr . Azeez Sanni , on Monday , announced the receipt of letters from the Office of the Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice , Mr Onigbajo , who wrote on behalf of the governor and urged the House to effect amendments in certain sections of the two laws .

Speaker , Mudashiru Obasa , had committed the observations raised in the letters to the Committee on Health , chaired by Abdul – Hakeem Sokunle , and Committee on Information , Strategy & Security , headed by Tunde Braimoh .

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The German Missions in Nigeria , has announced the donation of Personal Protective Equipment to officers of the Nigeria Police Force .

In a statement posted on Facebook , the Missions said the gesture was to support the men of the Force who are amongst frontline workers in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the statement , the donation was received by the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department in Abuja .

It added that German Deputy Ambassador , Helmut Kulitz , handed over the equipment including hand sanitiser , disposable coveralls , sanitizing spray , N95 face masks, handheld digital infra – red temperature readers and disposable latex hand gloves to Deputy Commissioner, Umar Sanda .

“ The Nigeria Police Force is one of the key institutions in the fight against the virus . The NPF is at the forefront of ensuring that various measures taken by the government are respected and enforced , in line with Nigerian law and international human rights standards , and therefore needs additional protective equipment .

“ This is only a modest donation but we hope it will facilitate the NPF s work, and it is also a gesture of solidarity with the policemen and women who are at the frontline , and with the Nigerian people as a whole , ” said Ambassador Kulitz .

The Missions explained that the donation is part of a joint three- year programme that aims at strengthening the NPF, with a focus on capacity building in the area of forensics, processes , and procedures for criminal investigation , human rights , as well as strengthening cooperation mechanisms.

The Embassy of Israel in Nigeria has donated 2 , 000 protective face masks to support Nigerian medical personnel in the ongoing fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Ambassador of Israel to Nigeria, Mr Shimon Ben- Shoshan , while delivering the face masks to the Minister of Health , Mr Osagie Ehanire , said the items were designed in Israel and manufactured in Nigeria .

Ben- Shoshan , also Permanent Representative of Israel to ECOWAS, said the items were put together by the Embassy of the State of Israel in collaboration with Skill – G , an Israeli company .

Ben- Shoshan said , “ This is something that we have been doing, even before the outbreak of the COVID- 19 , which is using medical innovations of Israel in Nigeria .

“ What we see today is another fantastic cooperation between Israeli companies with group of companies in Nigeria in production of protective masks.

“ The protective masks which were designed in Israel and manufactured in Nigeria were printed with 3 – D Printers in Nigeria .

“ What we have here is contribution of Israel to Nigeria ; our goal is to donate 10 , 000 protective face masks for medical staff in the frontline of fighting COVID- 19 .

“ Today , we are donating the first phase of 2 , 000 face masks, we wish to continue and to bring the rest as soon as possible , and unfortunately the production process takes time. ”

He observed that COVID- 19 cases recorded in Nigeria was less than what obtained in Israel , where 16 , 500 cases and 237 deaths have been recorded.

He described the disease as something no one expected , adding that COVID- 19 is not about Israel or Nigeria but the world at large .

Receiving the items , Ehanire expressed appreciation to the Ambassador and his team for the donation .

According to him , the donation is a sign of consideration and concern .

“ It is something that is very handy and we will be very happy to use the face shields in all our activities, because there are many situations we need this protective face masks.

“ We shall start deploying the protective face masks immediately to places we have need for them; our country is large and unfortunately the pandemic has spread to almost everywhere . ”

Barely a week after helping to repatriate $ 311 m ( N118 bn) stolen by the late Head of State , Gen. Sani Abacha , the United States says there is a separate $ 319 m (N 121 bn) Abacha loot in the United Kingdom and France .

The US Embassy in Nigeria said in a statement that there is $ 167 m in stolen assets in France while there is a separate $ 152 m in the UK which is being challenged in court .

The statement read in part , “The funds returned last week are distinct and separate from an additional $ 167 m in stolen assets also forfeited in the United Kingdom and France , as well as $ 152m still in active litigation in the United Kingdom . ”

Bloomberg had reported that the repatriation of the $ 152 m ( now $ 155 m due to interest) to Nigeria is being challenged by the UK and the US because of alleged plans by the Nigerian government to give $ 110 m out of the money to Kebbi State Governor , Atiku Bagudu , a known associate of the late Abacha .

Nigeria is seeking the approval of a UK court to take ownership of the assets before returning 70 percent of the proceeds to Bagudu under the terms of a 2018 deal, according to Bloomberg .

Nigeria ’ s Attorney- General , Abubakar Malami ( SAN ) , has , however , denied ever entering a deal with Bagudu but court papers say otherwise .

The UK government ’ s National Crime Agency is also “ opposing the Federal Republic of Nigeria ’ s application , ” according to a motion filed by Bagudu ’ s brother, Ibrahim , to the District Court for the District of Columbia in the US capital on March 30 .

The US Department of Justice said in February that its Nigerian counterpart is hindering its efforts to recover the allegedly laundered money from the UK.

Bagudu was part of a network controlled by Abacha that “ embezzled , misappropriated and extorted billions from the government of Nigeria , ” according to the US Department of Justice.

While successive Nigerian governments have repatriated billions of dollars looted by Abacha , who died in office in 1998 , the current regime of Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ) , said it is prevented from assisting America ’ s ongoing forfeiture efforts by an agreement between Bagudu and a previous government in 2003 .

Abacha is estimated to have stolen as much as $ 5 bn during his five- year rule .

That 2003 settlement, which was approved by a UK court , allowed Bagudu to return $ 163 m to Nigeria “ without admitting to wrongdoing , ” according to US court filings .

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has announced a reduction in the ex -depot price of petrol from N 113 . 28 per litre to N108 per litre.

The ex – depot price is the price at which the product is sold to marketers at the depots.

It said the price reduction took effect across all its products loading facilities as well as in its throughput operations .

The corporation ’ s Group General Manager , Group Public Affairs Division , Kennie Obateru, quoted the Managing Director of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company , Musa Lawan , as saying that the new ex -depot price of Premium Motor Spirit ( petrol ) was a reflection of the company ’ s market strategy.

Lawan said the strategy was to make more sales while complying with the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency ’ s price template.

He explained that the new price regime would enable the PPMC to boost its sales volumes from the billions of litres of petrol it had in storage while providing affordable price to millions of customers .

Lawan said the new price was arrived at after extensive review of market realities by the PPMC internal price review unit .

The corporation , however , did not state whether the new downward review of its ex – depot price would translate to a reduction in the pump price of PMS .

The PPMC boss further pointed out that Automotive Gas Oil, also known as diesel , being already deregulated , had its prices determined by market forces .

On March 18 , 2020 , the NNPC reviewed its PMS ex – coastal , ex – depot and NNPC retail pump prices .

Thus , effective March 19 , 2020 , the NNPC ex – coastal price for PMS was reviewed downwards from N117 . 6 /litre to N99 . 44 /litre .

Its ex – depot price was also reduced from N133 . 28 / litre to N113 . 28 / litre.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has announced a reduction in the ex -depot price of petrol from N 113 . 28 per litre to N108 per litre.

The ex – depot price is the price at which the product is sold to marketers at the depots.

It said the price reduction took effect across all its products loading facilities as well as in its throughput operations .

The corporation ’ s Group General Manager , Group Public Affairs Division , Kennie Obateru, quoted the Managing Director of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company , Musa Lawan , as saying that the new ex -depot price of Premium Motor Spirit ( petrol ) was a reflection of the company ’ s market strategy.

Lawan said the strategy was to make more sales while complying with the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency ’ s price template.

He explained that the new price regime would enable the PPMC to boost its sales volumes from the billions of litres of petrol it had in storage while providing affordable price to millions of customers .

Lawan said the new price was arrived at after extensive review of market realities by the PPMC internal price review unit .

The corporation , however , did not state whether the new downward review of its ex – depot price would translate to a reduction in the pump price of PMS .

The PPMC boss further pointed out that Automotive Gas Oil, also known as diesel , being already deregulated , had its prices determined by market forces .

On March 18 , 2020 , the NNPC reviewed its PMS ex – coastal , ex – depot and NNPC retail pump prices .

Thus , effective March 19 , 2020 , the NNPC ex – coastal price for PMS was reviewed downwards from N117 . 6 /litre to N99 . 44 /litre .

Its ex – depot price was also reduced from N133 . 28 / litre to N113 . 28 / litre.

The Federal Government, in partnership with states , is set to start feeding schoolchildren in their home , the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs , Disaster Management and Social Development , Sadiya Umar- Farouq , announced .

Speaking at the Presidential Task Force briefing on COVID- 19 in Abuja, Umar- Farouq said the government had overhauled the school feeding programme in a way to ensure that schoolchildren were fed at home despite the lockdown .

She said , “ We have made progress in the overhauling of the homegrown school feeding programme and sensitisation has already begun in the three frontline states of Ogun, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory for implementation .

“ The overhauling was sequel to a March 29 , 2020 directive by Mr President to identify modalities and continuation of the school feeding programme during the COVID- 19 pandemic in the lockdown states as of then . ”

She noted that following the directives , her ministry in the collaboration with state governors worked out modalities for the implementation home feeding programme, adding that the initiative was set to commence .

“ The plan has been adopted , with implementation now set to begin . The programme will therefore be carried out based on data provided and structures put in place by participating states with support from partners that include the World Food Programme. ”

The minister had explained that the food would be distributed door – to -door , as vouchers would be allocated at specific collection times to avoid overcrowding .

She explained that the vouchers would be redeemed at designated distribution sites .

This came as the Federal Government handed food items to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for vulnerable women across the country .

Umar – Farouq presented over the items to the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development , Pauline Tallen, in Abuja .