Giant stride

The President, Muhammadu Buhari addressed the nation on Monday 27th April from the State house, Abuja regarding the current covid-19 lockdown in the country. The full speech: 1. Fellow Nigerians 2. I will start by commending you all for the resilience and patriotism that you have shown in our collective fight against the biggest health challenge of our generation. 3. As at yesterday, 26th April 2020, some three million confirmed cases of COVID nineteen have been recorded globally with about nine hundred thousand recoveries. Unfortunately, some two hundred thousand people have also passed away as a result of this pandemic. 4. The health systems and economies of many nations continue to struggle as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. 5. Nigeria continues to adopt and adapt to these new global realities on a daily basis. This evening, I will present the facts as they are and explain our plans for the coming month knowing that some key variables and assumptions may cha...

The  Kaduna State  government has extended the quarantine order in the state by 30 days. This was confirmed in a statement released by Governor  Nasir El-Rufai’s  spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye. The Kaduna State Governor stated that only Wednesdays will be lockdown-free until the trajectory of Coronavirus infections becomes clearer. Residents of the state have been directed to wear facemasks and observe social distancing everywhere they go. While public gatherings have been prohibited in the state, the only category of persons exempted are workers in essential services such as health workers, the fire service, water corporation, electricity distribution, and security personnel.

Minister of State in the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT),  Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, says palliatives for residents cannot be diverted by anyone but would get to residents. The minister had last week placed a curse on any individual who would attempt to steal any of the items from the palliatives. According to her, since the distribution began a week ago, there has been no diversion of any of the items in the Federal Capital Territory as alleged in some quarters. Aliyu made the clarification on Saturday during the inspection of 50, 000 bags of rice and other food items meant for distribution across the 10 Wards of Gwagwalada Area Council of the Territory. “I will be very clear with you, it is not possible with this team. I want to put it to you that the composition of this team is so strong across the 62 Wards of the six Area Councils of the territory. It is not possible for all of them to unite with 10 representatives each from all security agencies, civil society, Ch...

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari, to scale down the total lockdown imposed in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja. This was contained in a letter dated April 24, 2020 and signed by NGF chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State. The letter was addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation/Chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha. The Governors have asked Buhari to allow free movement in all the states, but with restrictions on large gatherings. The other things the governors want incorporated into President Buhari’s impending pronouncement on the lockdown are: “Inter-state lockdown, excluding movement of essential supplies- food, beverages, medical and pharmaceutical, petroleum supplies and agricultural products; internal free movement but with restrictions on large gatherings and assemblies; overnight curfews; lockdown of flights; and compulsory use of face masks/coverings in the public.” Fayemi said NGF...

Muslims gear up to begin the Ramadan fasting in the next coming days, the sultan of Sokoto and of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has ordered that there would not be public lectures as well as congregation prayers. The instruction was re-stated by Bashir Ahmad, a presidential aide via his official Twitter handle yesterday. He said: As Muslims begin #Ramadan fasting this week, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared that, there will be no Ramadan lecture sessions and congregation prayers in Mosques. As Muslims begin #Ramadan fasting this week, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared that, there will be no Ramadan lecture sessions and congregation prayers in Mosques. — Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) April 20, 2020

With the two-weeks presidential lockdown order coming to an end and the coronavirus continues to spread to more states in the country, Nigerians are yet to know if the lockdown will be extended or not. President Muhammadu Buhari had on Saturday issued a statement to the public through its Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu,  which has left many Nigerians wondering if the lockdown on Lagos, Abuja and Ogun states has now become indefinite as the president was not specific but rather said the lockdown will last as long as necessary if recommended by medical experts. The statement: I wholeheartedly thank all Nigerians for your patience, resolve and strong determination to defeat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. We realize that today, there will be sons and daughters unable to visit their parents, and elders that are isolated from young ones. And there will be those who live day-to-day, eating as they earn, who face real and present suf...