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Elections: INEC to implement measures to mitigate COVID-19 impact – Yakubu
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reassured Nigerians that it would continue to adopt and implement measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country’s electoral activities.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Wednesday gave the assurance at the commission’s first virtual consultative meeting with media organisations.
Yakubu solicited media cooperation and support in disseminating required information that would help to protect the health of voters and all those involved in electoral activities.
According to him, as usual, the Commission welcomes media comments and suggestions, as critical stakeholders involved in reporting and analysing our democracy and electoral process.
“As citizens, the Commission believes that your opinions and suggestions will be of immense benefit to our electoral activities.
“The Commission, therefore, values your contributions to policy formulation and implementation,” he said.
Yakubu said that COVID-19 pandemic had necessitated a rethink of many activities that had been taken for granted.
“With regard to the conduct of elections, the world is clearly sailing through uncharted waters.
“Only a few countries have conducted elections since the reported outbreak of the pandemic in December 2019.
“However, health authorities have issued guidelines on protective measures against the spread of the virus and the response to any emergencies that may occur,” Yakubu said.
Pledging INEC’s continued partnership with the media on voter education, the INEC boss disclosed that an online portal had been set up for media accreditation for Edo and Ondo Governorship Elections.
According to him, the Commission has always accredited media organisations to cover elections and to ensure your unimpeded access to voting locations and collation centres.
“The forthcoming Edo and Ondo Governorship Elections as well as many bye-elections across the country will not be different.
“However, in tandem with the new health reality, accreditation of media organisations for these elections will be done online through a dedicated portal,” Yakubu said.
He pledged the commission’s commitment to continue to ensure that media carried out their responsibilities without any form of hindrance.
The President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo, in his remarks, commended the steps taken so far by the INEC in conducting elections during pandemic.
Isiguzo pledged the continued support of the media for successful elections.
He, however, called on the commission to give the same support to the media, especially for them to carry out their responsibilities without any form of harassment by the security agencies.
June 3, 2020
PDP scores Gov Tambuwal high, calls for support against insecurity
The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Sokoto State Chapter, has called on the residents to join hands with Gov. Aminu Tambuwal in the protection of lives and property across the state.
Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma, the state Chairman, made the appeal on Wednesday in Sokoto.
Milgoma, who rated Tambuwal high in terms of the provision of development projects, said that the recent attacks by bandits in Sabin Birni Local Government Area should not be used by critics to rate Tambuwal’s stewardship.
He urged people to support him against security challenges because adequate security was the responsibility of all.
The party leader said that it might be inhuman to ignore the loss of lives and property occasioned by the attacks, which coincided with the May 29 celebration, but his achievement should not be downplayed by critics.
”Being a responsible person and astute leader, Gov Tambuwal remained calm and sober rather than spending time, resources and energy reeling out projects he had accomplished.
“Who would go to new schools built by government when marauders have routed his brethren; we will not be happy if hospitals are overwhelmed by dead bodies.
“Gov Tambuwal has been steadfast on his obligations in spite of all challenges that comprised legal battles over his election victory, financial decline and the current COVID-19 pandemic,” the party chairman said.
He said Tambuwal’s administration had uncovered many ghost workers and saved the state billions of naira going into the pockets of few in the past.
Milgoma said that Tambuwal disbursed N4 billion to empower small businesses, established state’s microfinance bank as well as partnered with the Moroccan government on agriculture, water resources, healthcare and others.
According to him, based on his experience across the globe, Gov Tambuwal understudied the Indonesian Pondok model of education and incorporated it in the state for the Almajiris.
June 3, 2020
COVID-19: 3 year-old tests positive in Imo
A three-year-old child has tested positive to COVID-19 in Imo, the Chairman of the State Task Force Team on COVID-19, Prof. Maurice Iwu, said on Wednesday in Owerri.
Briefing newsmen, Iwu said that seven active cases were isolated at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri.
He said that a family of six that comprised the father and three of his children that included the three year-old tested positive for coronavirus pandemics while one of the children tested negative.
He said that the child, regarded by the team as a ‘VIP kid’ would be preferentially isolated.
Iwu said that the team had last month tested 96 travellers intercepted by the security agents with 42 of them testing positive.
He said that 25 of the 42 cases were not residents of the state and had since gone their ways.
He said the taskforce, in synergy with other stakeholders, had continued on its mandate of communicating, educating and protecting people of the state on the coronavirus pandemic.
The COVID-19 taskforce chairman expressed gratitude to the members of the public whom he said had been providing the team with information about suspected cases who are being tested accordingly.
“It is important to stress that the coronavirus is real but not a death sentence.
“The team has started getting calls from people, informing us of those who are sick, which information is usually scrutinised.
“The task force is here to serve. We are trying to curtail the spread of coronavirus.
“We urge people to continue to observe all the COVID-19 protocols, such as constant washing of hands under running water, use of alcohol-based sanitiser, social distancing and wearing of face masks,” he said.
He said that churches were also expected to observe the Federal Government’s directive of maintaining coronavirus protocols and strictly adhering to the one- hour-church-service time.
On strangers sneaking into the state, Iwu said that the development was a security breach which calls for local intelligence.
He said that the team had started engaging the services of traditional rulers and community vigilance groups to check such movements and report same to the team.
Iwu added that the state now had four protected isolation centres in Orlu, Okigwe, Mbaise and Owerri .
He added that the recently inaugurated WODDI Isolation Centre would commence full operation on Thursday.
Our Correspondent reports that Iwu had earlier commended the media for their prompt dissemination of information on what members of the public were expected to do in order not to contract the pandemic.
June 3, 2020
COVID-19: Benue lifts ban on churches, mosques
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has announced that the government has lifted the ban on churches and mosques.
The governor also directed all civil servants in the state to resume work from Monday, June 8, 2020.
Ortom who announced a review of the COVID-19 measures in line with the Presidential Task Force on the pandemic on Wednesday said that churches and mosques are to hold staggered worship sessions.
The governor explained that a Church or Mosque which before now held two worship sessions should henceforth conduct four or more sessions in a day to ensuring physical distancing.
He said, “Each worship session must not last more than one hour.
“Churches and Mosques should endeavour to provide water, soap, and alcohol-based hand sanitizers for worshippers, and should insist on wearing of face masks.
“Workers are advised to always wear face masks and maintain physical distancing as they go to work.
Governor Ortom further said that markets are to be opened but subject to physical distancing protocol on COVID-19.
June 3, 2020
Suspected ritualists kill grandmother, 78, remove vital organs in Ekiti
The Police Command in Ekiti on Wednesday confirmed the gruesome killing of a 78-year-old grandmother and widow by persons suspected to be ritualists, in Ikere Ekiti, Ikere Local Government.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), ASP Sunday Abutu, who confirmed the incident, described it as “unfortunate and mysterious”.
Abutu said investigation had begun into the case and that the Criminal Investigation Department, had been directed to take over the case.
He added that the corpse of the deceased had since been recovered, and deposited in the morgue of the State Specialist Hospital in Ikere Ekiti.
Concerned local sources, had earlier told newsmen that the victim, Mrs Sabianah Aranilewa was not only killed, her blood was drained and vital organs were removed by suspected rituals.
Also confirming the reports, the deceased’s son, Mr Eyitope Aranilewa, said his mother had earlier gone missing on Friday, May 29, around 6: 45a.m while washing clothes at her residence along Moshood road, Odo-Oja area of Ikere-Ekiti.
He said his mother’s friend referred to as Mrs Ojolo, first raised the alarm and organised a search party, but efforts to find her proved abortive until 4p.m when her corpse was found inside a stream with her throat slit and other vital organs removed.
Said he: “On that fateful day I got a distress call that my mother was missing.
“It was my mother’s friend, Mrs Ojolo who resides within a short distance from her shop that raised the alarm when she did not see her in the shop
“The matter was immediately reported at the Police station, but it was not long that information came that her body had been located at a place not far from the home.
“She was slaughtered like a goat and the corpse dumped in a shallow stream, flowing through the back of her home,’’ he said.
June 3, 2020
Gunmen attack Plateau college, kidnap UNIJOS female student
A 300-level female student at the University of Jos, Plateau State, identified as Helen, has been kidnapped by gunmen.
It was learnt that the undergraduate studying Zoology was kidnapped by the gunmen, who attacked the staff quarters of the Federal College of Land Resources Technology in the state, on Tuesday night.
An eyewitness, who narrated the incident to Our Correspondent in Jos on Wednesday, said the student and other members of her family, including her mother were about going to bed when the gunmen stormed their house at the staff quarters, located at Kuru community, Jos South Local Government Area around 8:30 pm.
According to the eyewitness, who did not want her name mentioned, the gunmen forcefully entered the house and beat Helen’s mother, who is an administrative staff of the college, with heavy sticks before whisking her daughter away to an unknown destination.
The eyewitness said, “We were in our house around 8:30 pm when a voice from outside asked us to open the door. Five of us were in the house including my mother and my sister (Helen).
“My mother demanded to know who was at the door but the voice insisted that we must open the door. They started shooting and before we knew it, they entered our house after using a heavy stone to forcefully open the door.
“They collected our cell phones and threatened to kill all of us if we make any move.
“They asked my mother who my sister is to her and she (mother) said she is her daughter. The gunmen then said they would go with her. They also left a message that they won’t release Helen until a ransom is paid.”
A spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Ubah Ogaba, could not be reached to speak on the matter.
However, sources at the command headquarters in Jos said police and other security agents had visited the staff quarters and had commenced an investigation into the incident.
June 3, 2020
Kaduna says churches, mosques remain shut
The Kaduna State Government says markets, churches, and mosques remain closed in the state despite the guidelines released by the Federal Government on the reopening of worship centres in Nigeria.
This was contained in a press statement by Muyiwa Adekeye, Special Adviser to the Governor Nasir El-Rufai, on Media and Communication, on Tuesday.
The statement noted that the government has started engagements with business leaders, and began receiving recommendations from some religious leaders on the subject of safe re-opening of places of worship.
The statement said, “The Kaduna State Government has not reopened markets or places of worship. These public spaces were closed in March 2020 as the state stepped-up Covid-19 prevention efforts.
“As announced last week, relevant government agencies will engage the business, community, and religious leaders to discuss and agree on the protocols for the safe opening of businesses and market, and resumption of congregational worship.
“Kaduna is not one of the three states and the FCT where the Federal Government imposed a lockdown. The steps taken to ease such federally-imposed lockdowns in the concerned places should not be construed as the Federal Government relaxing in all states conditions that it did not impose in the first place.
Kaduna has its own well-articulated roadmap for reopening, and this was published last week as a public document for the views and inputs of the citizens of the State. That is why when it extended the Quarantine Orders by two weeks on 26th May 2020, it also announced steps to ease some of the restrictions. These included increasing lockdown-free days to three and allowing approved businesses and facilities to open on those three days.”
June 3, 2020
BREAKING: Gunmen kill nine in fresh Kaduna village attack
Some gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday invaded Tudu village in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing no fewer than nine persons.
The latest killing is coming after an attack on some communities in the same local government where the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union alleged that no fewer than 30 decomposed bodies of its members were found in the bush.
A source told our correspondent that several other people were injured in the fresh attack which took place around 5:00am on Wednesday.
According to the source, the gunmen invaded the village and started shooting indiscriminately while the residents scampered for safety.
“Yes, there was an attack on Tudu village in Agwala Dutse at about 5:00am today(Wednesday) and several people were killed and several others too sustained injuries,” he said.
Although the Kaduna Police have not confirmed the latest attack, the Kajuru Local Government Chairman, Mr. Cafra Caino, said nine people lost their lives in the attack.
He said the timely intervention of security operatives prevented more casualties in the attack.
He said, “We have once again been set back in our confidence building effort and peace engagements after Tudu village in Agwala Dutse general area was attacked this morning.
June 3, 2020
(BREAKING) Edo 2020: Obaseki arrives APC National Secretariat
The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has arrived at the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress to submit his governorship expression of interest and nomination forms.
Obaseki went to the secretariat with a company of close aides and a handful of supporters.
Upon his arrival, the governor went into the office of the National Organising Secretary, Emma Ibediro.
Details later…
June 3, 2020
BORNO GOVERNOR VISITS KALA-BALGE LGA,DISTRIBUTES FOOD ITEMS TO 10,000 HOUSE HOLDS.
By Dauda R Pam, Maiduguri
Borno Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum has distributed food and non food items to 10,000 households living in Rann, headquarters of Kala-Balge, the remotest local government area of the state and the fourth visit since he assumed the mantle of leadership.
A statement by Special Adviser to the Governor on Communications and Strategy, Malam Isa Gusau, said Zulum was flown from Maiduguri to Rann, onboard a military chopper, on Sunday May 31, 2020 and that the Governor had earlier made three similar trips, the first being in June, 2019, few days after coming into office, when he undertook the need assessment of public facilities and subsequently ordered construction works as he later return in December 2019 to distribute cash to 15,000 widows and again by February,Zulum was soon back to Kala-Balge,to distribute N100 million cash to 10,000 trapped families.Again last Sunday, Zulum supervised the distribution of relief items to women and aged men amongst other vulnerable persons in need, with about 300 Nigerians taking refuge in the Republic of Cameroon who returned to Rann to benefit from the gesture in which each beneficiary received a bag of 50kg Maize grain, two cartons of spaghetti, two bags of 10kg rice and a-3 liters cooking oil, as well as female beneficiaries who got wrappers in addition to the food items.
It could be recalled that,residents of Rann have since mid last year been trapped without access to their farmlands due to flood from a dam, this forced Nigerians in Rann to resort to neighboring Cameroon Republic for livelihoods.
Governor Zulum at a press briefing after the exercise, acknowledged food contributions from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Dangote Foundation.
He said: “I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, for all that he has been doing towards repositioning the northeast.
“I also wish to express my appreciation to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Northeast Development Commission, as well as NEMA and Dangote Foundation, all of them have contributed to the success of this excersice.”
Meanwhile, after his food distribution exercise, Governor Zulum proceeded to Wulgo, a border community, to assess the level of destruction caused by the Boko Haram insurgents,preparatory to resettlement of thousands of IDPs from the community currently staying at formal and informal camps in Gamboru town of Ngala LGA.
The governor said: “The aim of our visit here is to assess the town with a view to resettling back the community. We will have an interface with the community, I think the first thing we will do is to clear the town.”and thereafter proceeded to Gamboru Ngala where he passed the night, during which he interfaced with the Internally displaced persons from different communities.
Governor Zulum while in Rann and Wulgo, paid visits to military formations in the two towns in order to boost their morale and presented 250 bags of 50 kg rice,10 bags of 50kg sugar, 200 cartons of noodles, 500 cartons of sphagetti, cooking oil and cash to each of the formations.
June 3, 2020