Daybreak, Politics, Entertainment, Sport

Author: Alpha Maidawa

Police seek 4 men over coronavirus attack on Singapore student
British police on Wednesday said they are seeking four suspects after an attack on a student from Singapore, amid growing racism linked to the spread of the new coronavirus.
Jonathan Mok, 23, posted on his facebook account his ordeal of the late-night attack in central London’s busy Oxford Street, saying one of his attackers told him: “I don’t want your coronavirus in my country.’’
London’s Metropolitan Police issued images of four men they want to interview following a “culturally aggravated assault’’ on February 24.
The police said the 23-year-old victim was punched, kicked, and sustained facial injuries, adding that they had made no arrests.
Detective Sergeant Emma Kirby said “this attack left the victim shaken and hurt. There’s no room on our streets for this kind of violent behaviour and we are committed to finding the perpetrators.’’
Mok posted photographs of his injuries, saying he was attacked by several people who appeared to be around 20 years old.
He noted that racist assaults against Asian people had been on the rise in recent weeks.
“Personally, I have experienced several racist statements directed to me in the past weeks, some involving references to the coronavirus.
“However, stories and videos of racially motivated assaults always seem like they would never happen to you.’’ Mok wrote on his facebook account.
Mok said he wanted to speak out because his assault highlighted an important issue that needed to be brought into the spotlight.
“To those people who told me that London isn’t racist, think again,’’ he wrote. (dpa/NAN)
March 5, 2020
Fashola inaugurates 4 roads in BUK
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has inaugurated four road projects in Bayero University, Kano.
A statement by Mrs Boade Akinola, Director, Press and Public Relations, in the ministry, quoted Fashola as saying at the ceremony that government would continue to bridge the infrastructure gap by executing projects in the university.
Represented by Mr Idi Saje, Federal Controller of Works, Kano State, Fashola said that 18 out of 43 interventions had been completed and handed over to the school as a critical contribution to supporting education.
Prof. Muhammad Bello, the Vice Chancellor, in his remarks, said that the road intervention would ease movements around the school.
“The new roads will reduce transport cost, minimise airborne diseases and generally ease our activities.
“They will also make regular attendance of classes possible with less discomfort on the roads, while fatalities will be reduced completely. I am indeed happy to receive the roads on behalf of the university.
“I am also particularly happy that the roads were properly constructed with drainage. It is an excellent job done by the ministry and I want to assure the minister that the roads will be well used and maintained.”
Speaking earlier, the Director, Physical Planning Unit of the school, Mr Muhammad Gazzali, who represented the institution in the supervision of the project, attested to the high quality of the roads.
“I have no doubt that they will stand the test of time,” he said.
A representative of the contractors – Views Tours Nigeria Ltd – Mr Abideen Abdulazeez, thanked the minister for adequate funding of the project.
Prof. Chedi Bashir of the Pharmacy Department, who spoke on the projects, described the development as “a welcome development”.
“The roads are now good and movement has been enhanced. Things are easy for both staff and students,” he said.
A student, Omah Mbah, who studies sociology, described the roads as “a wonderful gift that will make life better for all of us”.
“The roads are beautiful and neat. We are happy,” Mbah said, adding that the excited students “just cannot stop taking pictures of the new roads”.
Mbah commended the minister and the Federal Government for the “wonderful” road projects. (NAN)
March 5, 2020
Lawan urges release of N620m for completion of COVID-19 isolation centre
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Wednesday urged the Federal Ministry of Finance to release the sum of N620 million to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), for completion of the Gwagwalada Isolation Centre for COVID -19.
Lawan made the call shortly after inspecting the centre in Gwagawalada, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The senate president, who was in company of principal officers of the Senate and members of committees on Health and Primary Health Care, expressed worry over the non-completion of the center.
According to Lawan, in the event of any case of COVID-19 in Abuja, or neighbouring states, the Gwagwalada centre is not ready to take in any patient for isolation.
He said that the isolation centre was not in a good shape, noting that the senate would ensure that the money meant for completion of the project was released between Wednesday and Thursday.
“It is sad that out of the N620 million earmarked for NCDC, not a kobo has been released to the centre.
“It is so unfortunate that Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa, with a population of 200 million, yet in the FCT and six surrounding states, the isolation centre is not ready.
“We want to see this temporarily site fixed by tomorrow; we are going to ensure that the money is released.
“Let us spend our money for our people, we waste money for things that are less important, no investment is too much for the lives of Nigerians.
“We should be prepared at all times for any eventuality, we had Ebola, now we have Coronavirus, nobody knows what will happen next.
“If our government is prepared to release the money, nobody should hold the money back,’’ he said.
He thanked the staff of NCDC currently working in the centre to ensure that Nigerians were protected.
The Director, Human Resources, NCDC, Mr Yakubu Abdullahi, said the centre was doing its best to prevent spread of the disease.
He, however, said that the release of the funds would enable them complete work at the centre.
He said the NCDC was working within the resources at its disposal, noting that it had to source for funds to put some of the equipment like the Generator and air conditioning systems in the centre.
He urged Nigerians to adhere to the various preventive measures, noting that NCDC was committed to its duty of curbing the COVID-19 spread.
March 5, 2020
Resident doctors in Kaduna begin industrial action
The Association of Resident Doctors ( ARD), Kaduna State chapter, has commenced an indefinite strike beginning from Wednesday.
The President of ARD, Dr Emmanuel Joseph said this in a statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.
He said the strike was necessitated by the state government’s failure to honour an agreement it had with the association bordering on salary adjustments and tackling some challenges in the health sector.
“So, we were compelled to take this sad step.
” As a sign of good faith, we will continue to manage the patience in the lnfectious Deseases Control Centre being currently managed for lassa fever till patients fully recover,” he said.
He said the doctors would not accept new patients in any public health facility and were currently discharging or referring patients on admission, “as we cannot fully manage them,” he said.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that since October 2017, the government and the ARD had mutually agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), in a meeting brokered by NMA, with timeline of implementation.
According to him, the ARD had kept its own part of the bargain while the government was yet to do so despite reminders and lobbying by the association.
According to him, the association also met with government on Nov. 25, 2019 and agreed to give it three months to implement the agreement, but also failed to do so.
“The government team again went to sleep until we were forced to give further reminder of our looming deadline,” he said.
According to him, the government responded by setting up a committee on Feb. 27, 2020, and the association honoured the committee chairman’s verbal demand for extension to March 3, 2020.
The state ARD president said the doctors had no option than to proceed on strike after the government again failed to respond to its demands at the end of the March 3 deadline. (NAN)
March 5, 2020
COVID-19: Virologist cautions against “fire brigade approach” to outbreaks
Dr Solomon Chollom, a virologist and medical laboratory scientist with the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom has decried the fire brigade approach usually adopted by Nigeria when diseases break out.
Chollom, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja on Thursday, said that the N620 million recently released by the Federal Government to boost preparedness against Coranavirus (COVID19), was “impulsive and not a strategy”.
“A strategic approach would have been for the country to rethink long term intervention strategies.
“One thing that has characterised the response of Nigeria to recent epidemics is this `impulsive action rather than strategy’.
“Nigeria must begin to build institutions such as the human vaccine production laboratory. If that laboratory is up and running, we will not be dolling out monies to individuals to develop a single vaccine.
“We must talk of a centre that has capacity to develop vaccines for all possible disease agents for the benefit of Nigerians.
“A recent media publication quoted a minister as promising N36 million reward to any Nigerian scientist that is able to come up with a vaccine against COVID-19.
“Some Nigerians wonder how that is going to be possible since Nigeria has not known the virus.
“The virus is needed for vaccine development, and the country cannot boast of human vaccine production laboratories.
“Another report claimed that money has been approved by government for preventive efforts against COVID-9.
“The report claimed that N71 million was released to Port Health Services Department in January to raise a preventive barrier around our ports, while a further N315 million was released to the NCDC to escalate action against the epidemic.
“The country has also been making efforts to track foreigners who entered into the country from COVID-19 high index countries.
“How did they pass through our airports?
“First, it was an Italian and his possible contacts cutting across Ogun and Lagos states. This was followed by a search for three Chinese who flew into the country and headed for Wase Local Government Area in Plateau, for Tin mining.
“This is in spite of monies already released for the sole purpose of keeping our country ports safe from the virus. So, we need more of strategic planning not impulsive actions,” he explained.
Chollom, however, said that the establishment of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(NCDC), was a commendable strategic move which had remained central in coordinating actions around epidemics.
“We need such institutions and many more to stay alive and alert.
“There is a sincere need to strengthen and expand the activities of NCDC to ensure our air, land and see ports are adequately surveyed to track down immigrants that may import international epidemics into the country.
“Some people have observed that the NCDC in its current operation is elitist in framework, having massive presence on twitter and television, but far from the common man or rural dwellers who lack access to these platforms,” he said.
The Virologist advised the NCDC to collaborate with the Ministry of Information and National Orientation Agency to pass across health information in indigenous languages to people at the grassroots.(NAN)
March 5, 2020
Kano anti-graft agency invites Emir Sanusi over alleged fresh N2.2bn land scam
The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has invited the Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sanusi II, a fresh allegation of N2.2 billion land scam
The first class traditional ruler is expected to appeal before the commission on Thursday to answer some questions over alleged violation of the provisions of Sections 22, 23 and 26 of the Commission.
This is contained in the invitation letter dated March 2, 2020, signed by the commission’s Executive Chairman, Mr Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado, and made available to newsmen in Kano on Wednesday.
“This Commission is investigating an alleged violation of the provision of Sections 22, 23 and 26 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended) in the management of land reserved as ‘GANDUN SARKI’ spread all over the state,” the letter read in part.
A copy of the letter was stamped acknowledging receipt by the office of the Emir.
Mr Usman Bello, the commission’s Director of Special Assignment/Communication Adviser, also confirmed the development to journalists in Kano on Wednesday.
Bello disclosed that the investigation was triggered by some whistle blowers.
The director said Section 31 of the law establishing the commission empowered it to initiate such investigation and ordered any invitee to appear before it to defend him/her self from any allegation.
He said in the course of investigation the commission was made to understand that a company, Country Wide House Ltd, served as a corporate vehicle to allegedly launder N520 million as proceed of 20 Hectares of land at Darmanawa II.
According to him, the land in question, which was under formally Right of Occupancy CON-RES-2016-503, was illegally sold to Messrs Family Home Fund Limited at the alleged instance of the Emir of Kano (Sanusi ll).
He said investigation also revealed that all the alleged illegal transactions for the sales of the landed properties at Darmanawa, Hotoro and Bubbugaje belonging to the Emirate was done by the trio of Shehu Muhammad Dankadai (Sarkin Shanu), Sarki Abdullahi Ibrahim (Makaman Kano) and Mustapha Kawu Yahaya (Dan Isan
Lapai) based on the alleged instruction of the Emir.
The spokesman explained that the trio were invited in the spirit of fair hearing and they visited the commission on several occasions to provide useful information.
“Investigation further reveals that some of the proceeds of the sales remitted to the Emirate Council Bank Account can be traced to the companies of interest by His Highness,” he emphasised.
Bello said the Emir was also alleged to have ordered for the payment
of N175 million to Messrs Apple Integrated Resources as facilitation fee for the agreement of provision for side and services at Darmanawa 33.4 Hectares by Messrs City Scape Ltd, which was against the decision of the Emirate Council of June 8, 2016.
“A (2016) 4th Meeting which rejected such move of payment to the company, which now investigation confirmed that has never participated in any dealing with the City Scape arrangement with Ado Bayero Royal City Trust Fund,” he said.
According to him, some senior councillors in the Emirate cooperated with the commission and facilitated the current probe.
He said it was based on the foregoing and in compliance with the spirit of fair hearing the commission requested the monarch to come forward for clarification on Thursday (March 5, 2020) at 11 a.m.
A Federal High Court sitting in Kano had last month quashed the report of the commission that indicted the Emir over an allegation of N3.4 billion fraud from the Emirate Council fund.
Voiding the action of the commission, the court held that the fundamental human right of Sanusi II was violated because he was not given Fair hearing.
The court said the failure of the commission to invite the Emir to defend himself against the allegations nullified any step taken or recommendation made by the commission.
Meanwhile, there are two pending cases before the Kano State High Court over the N3.4 billion fraud allegations against the emir being investigated by the commission. (NAN)
March 5, 2020
Moroccan FA orders matches played without fans over coronavirus fears
All football matches in Morocco will be played without fans from Thursday, the Moroccan football association (FRMF) said on Wednesday after the north African country reported its first coronavirus case.
A 39-year-old Moroccan man coming from the northern Italian city of Bergamo was Morocco’s first registered case of coronavirus on Monday, the health ministry said.
Morocco has cancelled an international agricultural fair, due to take place in April, along with many other cultural and sports events as authorities continue to implement precautionary measures at entry points and hospitals to prevent the spread of the virus.( Reuters/NAN)
March 5, 2020
Greece accused of opening fire as border tensions with Turkey grow
Turkey accused Greece of opening fire at migrants trying to cross the border, killing at least one, a charge that Athens dismissed as “fake news,” as worries grew that Europe was about to face a new version of a migration crisis it thought it had solved.
The rush of news left the European Union scrambling for solutions on Wednesday.
The governor of Turkey’s border city of Edirne, near the zone of clashes between the migrants and Greek security forces, said that one migrant was killed and five were wounded by gunfire.
All six victims are reportedly males, but their identities were not immediately known, the governor said in a statement.
The dead person was hit in the chest. The Greek border police used rubber and live bullets along with gas, stun and smoke grenades, it added.
Sayyid Rahman from Afghanistan, who returned from the no-man’s land to Pazarkule on the Turkish side, said that he saw security forces firing at migrants and hitting six.
In Athens, a government spokesperson dismissed the report.
“I vehemently deny reports of injuries through Greek fire,” the spokesperson, Stelios Petsas, told a news conference, accusing Turkey of fabricating “fake news.”
Thousands of migrants are stranded on Turkey’s land border with Greece, ever since Turkey on Friday said it would no longer stop then from trying to reach Europe. But the move was met by a harsh response from Greece, which does not want a repeat of the last migration crisis, which peaked in 2015-16.
Greek security forces have been firing tear gas at the migrants trying to cross the land border between Kastanies and Pazarkule nearly every day since Turkey flung the border gates open.
At Kastanies, on the Greek side of the border, the military allowed reporters one hour of access to the restricted zone on Wednesday.
A dpa reporter saw police in riot gear launching tear gas at migrants as they moved towards the border fence and barricades. The migrants threw some of the still-smoking missiles back, along with stones.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised not to move to re-establish border controls for migrants until his conditions are met.
“This refugee influx will continue until a new constitution, based on Syria’s political unity and territorial integrity, is drafted and free elections are held … and a new government is formed,” he said on Wednesday.
“If they want to solve the issue, European countries should support the political and humanitarian solution Turkey is trying to achieve in Syria,” Erdogan added. “We hope that … European Union will see the truth and provide our country with the necessary support.”
According to Greek sources, some 12,500 migrants were massed across the border, in the Evros region in the north-east, with the biggest flashpoint in the area of the Kastanies-Pazarkule crossing.
Erdogan’s move spurred EU leaders into scrambling for measures to prevent a new surge of migrants, four years after a collapsing deal with Turkey curbed the influx.
In Brussels, EU interior ministers are due to conduct emergency talks about the situation on the bloc’s external borders later on Wednesday.
Many in the European Union worry about a repeat of Europe’s 2015-16 migration influx, which triggered a populist backlash and gave rise to anti-EU forces.
The flaring crisis also exposes a broader rift between member states on how to deal with migration.
Efforts to overhaul the bloc’s outdated asylum rules have led nowhere, with EU capitals fiercely divided on who to take in and how to distribute them. One thing all can agree on is the need to strengthen the bloc’s external frontiers.
EU border agency Frontex is preparing to deploy further equipment to the Greek border, while Athens can expect up to 700 million euros (781 million dollars) in EU additional funding.
Greece was also taking steps on its other flank, in the Aegean, and is set to accelerate the deportation of migrants still arriving on the islands.
The navy deployed a ship to Lesbos, which is to take people who arrived since the crisis flared on Friday to a closed camp on the mainland. From there, the migrants are to be swiftly deported to their countries, a coastguard officer told dpa on the island.
Since Sunday, Athens suspended asylum applications for a month and plans to expel all those arriving in the meantime with an expedited procedure. (dpa)
March 4, 2020
NSE: Law Union, United Capital emerge best performing stocks in February
Law Union & Rock Insurance and United Capital (UCAP) have emerged the best performing stocks in percentage on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) for February.
Statistics obtained by News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from the exchange indicated that Law Union & Rock rose by 32.35 per cent, while UCAP increased by 21.43 per cent.
Livestock Feeds trailed with 12.50 per cent, while Union Bank of Nigeria grew by 10.17 per cent.
Flour Mills during the period increased by 4.02 per cent, while Julius Berger appreciated by 1.13 per cent.
Conversely, FBN Holdings was the worst performing stock during the period under review, dropping by 33.33 per cent.
Chams came second with a loss of 31.43 per cent, while UACN lost 29.86 per cent.
ETI had 29.41 per cent, Redstar Express 26.97 per cent and Linkage Assurance dipped 26.32 per cent.
Consequently, the All-Share Index which opened at 28,843.53 dropped by 2,627.07 or 9.11 per cent to close at 26,216.46 in February.
Also, the market capitalisation declined by N1.2 trillion or 8.07 per cent to close at N13.66 trillion from N14.86 trillion posted in January.
The difference in the index and market capitalisation was due to the listing of additional shares of Abbey building and AIICO Insurance during the month.
Commenting on February market performance, Mr Ambrose Omordion, the Chief Operating Officer, InvestData Ltd., said that the market breadth for the month was negative and weak with six gainers and 67 losers.
Omordion said that the downturn defied positive factors such as the prevailing low rates and declining yields in the money and fixed income markets.
He attributed dwindling investor confidence in the economy and market to rising insecurity, inflation and lack of liquidity in the equity segment of the financial market.
Omordion added that the coronavirus outbreak induced selloffs in developed markets with a confirmed case in Nigeria contributed to the negative trend.
He, however, urged investors not to panic but should go for equities with intrinsic value.
“We advise investors to allow numbers to guide their decisions while repositioning for the year trading activities, especially now that stock prices remain volatile amidst improving company, economic and market fundamentals.
“The current undervalued state of the market offers investors opportunities to position for the short, medium and long-term, which is why investors should target fundamentally sound, and dividend-paying stocks for possible capital appreciation. (NAN)
March 4, 2020
Why we prefer second hand clothes- Jos residents
Some residents of Jos in Plateau, have said that they preferred second hand clothes, popularly called “Okirika”, because they were more durable compared to new ones usually obtained in boutiques.
A cross section of residents interviewed by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Monday in Jos, said that the second hand clothes were cheaper than the new ones.
Miss Precious Alani, a student of University of Jos, said she patronise second hand clothes because they were cheaper than the new ones.
Alani explained that as a student, she could only afford second hand clothes due to her meagre income, noting that the price of new ones were usually on the high side.
“I patronise second hand clothes because they are within my purchasing power; they are actually affordable.
“As a student, my income is hardly sufficient for me to go for new clothes, so my resolve at the moment is to buy second clothes that are cheaper and will last longer for me,” she said.
Mr Joshua Eddi, a civil servant, corroborated Alani’s claim saying that the new clothes produced in Nigeria were mostly inferior in quality, as they easily worn out within a short time.
Eddi said that the price of new clothes was not a factor preventing him from using them, but their quality.
“I prefer second clothes to ones produced in Nigeria because they are more durable and qualitative.
“I earn monthly salaries as a civil servant, so the money to buy new clothes is not the issue but the poor quality is what is pushing me to the second hand ones.
“For instance, I love wearing jeans, and when you go for new ones they fade easily compared with the ones we buy from ‘okrika’,” he said.
Mrs Garos Mancha, a banker, said she patronise second clothes because of their uniqueness.
“One rarely finds similar second hand shirts or pair of trousers around as the case with new ones,” Mancha said.

She said new clothes were usually produced in large quantity, making them easily available to different people at the same time.

“For me, I prefer second hand clothes because of the exclusivity and rareness. I hate it when I wear a shirt and see another person putting on exactly the same thing I am wearing.

“That is the common thing with new clothes produced in Nigeria. So, I go for second hand clothes because you hardly see people wearing same thing with me,’’ she said.

Selling of second hand clothes has been a thriving business, particularly among young people in Jos and its environs.

A visit to the famous terminus market, particular on Sundays, indicated that sellers of all kinds of second hand clothes have taking over the market with their products and making brisk business.(NAN)
March 4, 2020