The Mike Adenuga Foundation (MAF), established by business mogul, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., has donated the sum of N1.5 billion to support Nigeria’s fight against the global Coronavirus pandemic, otherwise known as COVID-19.

Giving the breakdown of the N1.5 billion donation, the Foundation said that “N1billion will go to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which is coordinating efforts to raise funds from corporate bodies to support the initiatives aimed at combating the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, while the Lagos State Government which has recorded the majority of the cases will get N500 million”.

The cheque was presented by Globacom’s Executive Vice Chairman, Mrs Bella Disu to the Lagos State Governor on Monday.

“We are fully aware that our nation is indeed passing through very challenging times, with unprecedented impact on how we live, survive, stay in touch with each other and conduct our businesses. We feel the pulse of our people, appreciate the pains of those who are sick or have lost loved ones and the anxiety of all of us compelled to live under the shadow of this dreaded pandemic”, the Foundation said.

MAF noted that the core values that connect people firmly with one another – love for family, community and enterprise – were the most threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic, and stressed that Dr Adenuga and his Foundation remained committed to the protection and promotion of those values, and appealed to Nigerians not to allow the pandemic to affect those values adversely.

In addition to this contribution, MAF shall actively continue its on-going efforts to assist various bodies and institutions in the country with the supply of such essential items as Sanitizers, Masks, Test Kits, Personal Prospective Equipment (PPEs), Respirators and other necessary requirements to combat the pandemic.

Anulike Ubasinachi Ekweozor and her husband Ubasinachi Ekweozor ae currently cooling off in Ikotun Police station, after the former attacked one of their tenant, Oyize Peter over unpaid water and electricity bills, at their home located at No, 78, Amudalatu Agodo, Ikotun, Lagos.

According to reports, the tenant was owing electricity bills, and the electricity distribution company disconnected her house.

According to a source: “Oyize was owing electricity bills and her house was disconnected. This infuriated her landlord because the tenant’s house was also connected to the pumping machine that serves the entire compound.

So the landlord called an electrician to connect the machine’s wire to his own apartment and also called a plumber to disconnect Oyize’s pipe so she wouldn’t have water, but she didn’t allow that and it led to an exchange of words.

Calm was later restored and the tenant returned to her apartment. However, Oyize was in the kitchen when the landlady allegedly took her unawares and used an axe to mar her face.”

The victim has since been rushed to a hospital while the culprits have been whisked to Ikotun Police Station where they are currently cooling off.

Nigeria has recorded yet another death from the cornavirus, Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, disclosed this during the presidential task force briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja on Monday.

He said, “Sadly, another fatality was recorded over the weekend in the person of a patient who had severe underlying illnesses.

We have intensified contact tracing and our strategy remains to promptly detect cases, isolate them, and follow up with their contacts and also isolate and treat, in order to reduce the spread of the infection.

As of today, the 30th of March, 2020, we have recorded 111 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria of which 68 are in Lagos, 21 in the FCT, seven in Oyo, three in Ogun, two in Bauchi, two in Edo, two in Osun, two in Enugu, and one each in Benue, Ekiti, Kaduna and Rivers States,” Ehanire added.

He stressed that Nigeria has 111 confirmed cases of COVID-19, saying a majority of them were persons who came in from overseas.

Five of the Coronavirus pandemic patients who had been receiving treatment at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Lagos, have been discharged.

The patients were discharged on Monday after repeated tests carried out on them showed negative, a proof they have overcome the killer disease.

The discharged patients include three Nigerians and two foreign nationals.

Lagos is the epicentre of the Coronavirus in Nigeria, having 68 of the total 111 cases so recorded in the country.

Before now, three patients including the Italian index case and two Nigerians had been treated and discharged from the Lagos facility, bringing the total number of recoveries in Nigeria to eight.

Phebean Ogundipe, author of famous English textbooks, Practical English and Brighter Grammar, has died. She was 92. She died 27 March in Charlotte, North Carolina in the United States.

Her passion for English education led to her authorship of well-known English textbooks, Brighter Grammar, for elementary school and Practical English, for junior and senior secondary schools. Born 6 May 1927 to the Itayemi family, in Esa-Oke, Osun, attend Queen’s College, Yaba on a full scholarship for secondary schooling.

She secured an MA in English from University of St Andrews, Scotland.

Upon completion of her studies, she began her working career in the Federal Ministry of Education and served in different schools as an English teacher.

One of the schools was Queen’s College, Ede, where she met her husband, Adebayo Ogundipe. She also served as Deputy Chief Federal Adviser on Education and National Secretary for UNESCO.

She was the acting director in the Federal Ministry of Education at the time of her retirement. Upon retirement from public service, she co-founded a remedial educational institution, Top Tutors.

In 1979 she received the National Honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON). She is survived by four sons and 10 grandchildren.

Culled from PMNews.

The Nigeria Police Force has warned Nigerians on the new crime trends fraudsters have deviced to defraud people during this Coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement released, the police spokesperson, Frank Mba, said intelligence at the disposal of the Force indicates that fraud and cybercrime are expected to rise at this time owing to the lockdown emplaced by Government at all levels to contain the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.

Mba said intelligence obtained from the INTERPOL Headquarters shows that scammers in Nigeria and other parts of the globe have begun to create and set up fraudulent websites, e-commerce platforms, fake social media accounts and emails claiming to sell and deliver (covid-19) medical products. He noted that in some cases, the fraudsters use the names of prominent companies involved in the production and distribution of these items. Victims are then asked to pay via bank transfer.

According to Mbah, the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu, has enjoined all Nigerians to strictly adhere to the following security tips:

i. Avoid opening suspicious emails and clicking on links in unrecognized emails and attachments;
ii. Ensure proper back-up of online and offline files regularly and securely;
iii. Use strong passwords for securing your emails and social media handles;
iv. Keep your software updated, including antivirus software;
v. Manage your social media settings and review your privacy and security settings;
vi. You are advised to be wary of scammers who use names of prominent companies to create fraudulent websites, e-commerce platforms, social media accounts and emails claiming to sell and deliver medical products;
vii. You are advised to ignore and report calls purportedly emanating from a caller who pretends to be a relative currently being treated at hospital asking you to pay for the cost of the medical treatment by transferring money or by paying cash to fake public health representatives;
viii. Do not open letters or emails related to the pandemic from unknown persons who claim to be health authorities. Often times criminals access sensitive information,steal personal information and steal funds of victims by tricking them into connecting to a specific webpage and logging-in with their credentials;
ix. Be mindful of fake news, deliberate misinformation/disinformation and avoid circulating untrusted and unverified messages on your social media handles;
x. Educate your family, especially your children, about how to stay safe online and offline;
xi. If you become a victim, ensure prompt report to the police.

The statement added that the IGP has placed the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja – Nigeria on red alert.

”The NCB which houses the cybercrime unit of the Force shall in the coming days and beyond work closely with other Interpol member states across the globe particularly to carry out intense monitoring of the internet highway in the most legitimate and ethical manner. This is to engender concerted efforts in cracking down on any individual or all forms of organized criminal gangs that may want to take advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic to perpetrate crimes.

The Force also enjoins commercial bank operators to strengthen their online banking security systems and report promptly any suspected case of fraud and other cybercrime related activities in their banks.

While reaffirming the determination of the Nigeria Police Force in providing support services to relevant agencies saddled with the task of curtailing and containing the COVID-19 pandemic, the IGP assures the public that the Force is unrelenting in clamping down on criminals who may want to take advantage of the situation to perpetrate criminal acts” the statement read

Babajide Sanwo-Olu has advised residents of Lagos state to go out for their last minute shooping, before the restriction order begins from 11pm today, Monday March 30th.

The President of Nigeria, President Buhari had ordered the restriction of movement in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun stat as Nigeria continues to battle the covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement released by the Governor of Lagos state, he said the restriction order will help the state continue its fight against the virus.

The restriction, needless to say, will enhance our chances of defeating Coronavirus for the following reasons:

• Our medical workers will have room to move faster to cases that they need to handle;

• The disease will be contained faster as those infected will be easily identified and isolated as the treatment for the disease demands; and

• Social distancing will be enhanced and more people will be prevented from contracting the disease.

I would like to address the fears of those who have expressed some security concerns about your places of work and shops during this restriction. I have directed the police and other security agents to ensure that there are no security breaches. They will ensure that criminals do not take advantage of this important measure.

The private sector, our market leaders and traders are advised to use the window of opportunity that we have before 11pm to move out inflammable materials, such as petrol, kerosene and others, from their offices and shops, which they are free to open before the restriction begins. They are also advised to switch off all electrical and electronic appliances. These measures are to stave off fire incidents during the 14-day restriction.

Members of the public are advised to also use this window to make last-minute shopping in readiness for the restriction” the governor said in his statememt

A young man who beheaded his nephew has given a reason for his action.

20-year-old Uchechi Eze beheaded his 4-year-old nephew, Chiemere Ezekiel with an axe in Ugamma village, Obosi in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Uchechi Eze blamed his deadly action on eing under the influence of a substance suspected to be Indian hemp.

The suspect said, “I didn’t know what my friend gave to me to eat and the thing turned me mad. I quickly ran away naked after killing the boy.”

Confirming the incident, police spokesman, Haruna Mohammed said the suspect has been arrested.

Haruna said, “Uchechi Eze, aged 20, of Ezza Local Government Area of Ebonyi State but resides at Ugamma village, Obosi used an axe and allegedly beheaded his nephew, one Chiemere Ezekiel ‘m’ aged four years, of Ugamma village, Obosi in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

“The victim died on the spot and the suspect escaped to an unknown destination.

“Police operatives attached to Obosi Division visited the scene and took the victim to Unity Hospital Obosi where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor and his body was deposited at St. Edward Mortuary for autopsy while intensive manhunt of the suspect intensified.

“Following intelligence report, police detectives attached to Obosi division in conjunction with a vigilance group in the area arrested the culprit at a criminal hideout smoking substance suspected to be cannabis sativa.

“Uchechi voluntarily confessed to the crime and the exhibit he used in perpetrating the dastardly act was also recovered in his possession.”