By Abujah Racheal

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), says the ongoing Household Sero-prevalence Survey will give better understanding of the burden of COVID-19 infection in Nigeria.

The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NCDC, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) and their partners, are conducting household Sero-prevalence surveys in four states in Nigeria.

This is to better give understanding of the burden of COVID-19 infection in Nigeria.

The NCDC said that the Seroprevalence surveys would be carried out in Gombe, Enugu, Nasarawa and Lagos.

The agency said that the surveys would also provide the best evidence on the extent of COVID-19 infection in the country.

It said that Seroprevalence surveys were used to identify the occurrence of disease in a population by estimating the presence of antibodies in individuals who have had the disease.

This is done by testing blood samples in randomly selected households in selected states.

For Nigerias COVID-19 Seroprevalence survey, household members will answer a brief questionnaire, be tested for the presence of COVID-19 antibodies, as well as for acute COVID-19, if they consent.

In addition to this, study participants will also have a rapid malaria test and receive treatment if the test is positive, it said.

Meanwhile, the NCDC had said that there was no specific cure yet for COVID-19.

It, however, said there were many ongoing clinical trials to test various potential antivirals.

The agency noted that the current management of cases was aimed at relieving the symptoms, while the bodys immune system fights the illness.

The public health agency revealed that most people about 80 per cent recovered from the disease without needing special treatment.

It said for the majority especially for children and young adults illness due to COVID-19 was generally minor.

NCDC said that for some people, it could cause serious illness.

Around one in every five people, who are infected with COVID-19, develop difficulty in breathing and require hospital care.

People who are aged over 60 years, and people who have underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease or hypertension are among those who are at greater risk, it added.

According to it, till date, 61,558 cases have been confirmed, 56,697 cases had been discharged, while 1,125 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Minister of Defence, retired Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi, has assured of Federal Governments commitment to upscale local production of military equipment for enhanced combat efficiency of the Armed Forces.

Magashi gave the assurance in Abuja at a two- day Stakeholders Public hearing on a Bill for an Act to Enact Nigerian Local Content Act to provide for the Development, Regulation and Enforcement of the Nigerian Content at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

The Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Minister, Mr Mohammad Abdulkadri, in a statement said the public hearing was organised by the Joint Senate and House Committees on Content Development and Monitoring.

Magashi, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Babangida Hussaini lauded the Executive Order 003 and 005 of 2017 and 2018 on local content.

He said the executive orders had engendered new template in empowering the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) to attain higher indigenous productive levels.

According to him, the military is well motivated, mobilised and empowered to look inward to professionally implement the local content policy towards mitigating the problems associated with acquisition of platforms from foreign countries.

The minister said the recent inauguration of first locally manufactured Armoured Vehicles, MRAPS and some range of defence weapons was a result of local content development by the military.

According to him they include, Munitions, Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) as well as other related items and Civilian Products Manufactured by the military engineers at DICON.

Magashi assured the lawmakers of his commitment to sustain the militarys trajectory in blazing the trail in the nations technological development.

He said the locally produced fighting equipment had drastically saved the country huge cost of importation of military hardwares.

Source: NAN News

#ENDSARS protesters

By Deborah Coker

The Concerned Edo Citizens Forum (CECF), a socio-political forum, on Wednesday in Benin condemned the hijack of the #EndSARS peaceful protests in Edo by hoodlums.

Convener of the Forum, Mr Roy Oribhabor, also condemned the wanton destruction that characterised the protest

The Forum sympathies with those who lost their beloved ones, friends and family members, he said in a statement.

CECF prays to God to accept the souls of the departed persons. They are indeed our heroes, he added.

Oribhabor also commended the Edo State government for its prompt action to stop the destruction of lives and properties, but called on it to review the curfew it imposed on the state.

As critical stakeholders, we hereby appeal to the state government to review the imposition of the curfew on the state.

This is because the curfew has further aggravated the agonies of the people of Edo whose sources of livelihood had been affected by the decision, he stated.

Oribhabor stated also that the CECF condemned in strong terms the massacre that happened in Lekki, Lagos State on Tuesday.

We call on all Nigerians to condemn the killings and insist that the incident must be investigated and culprits made to face the law.

We also call on youths to maintain the peace and put the protest on hold to allow further discussion, negotiations and dialogue and to allow government to address the fundamental issues raised, he stated. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Thapelo Tsheole, Chief Executive Officer of the Botswana Stock Exchange

Leadership
Thapelo Tsheole, Chief Executive Officer of the Botswana Stock Exchange, has been re-elected as Chairperson of the Committee of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Stock Exchanges (CoSSE).

CoSSE, in a communique said Tsheole, whose new tenure would run until March 2022, said the development of regional securities exchanges remains high on the committees agenda.

Tsheole further said it is the collective effort of exchange members to collaborate and work together to foster synergies that will serve to promote harmonisation in a bid to promote cross-border listings amongst members.

We will encourage the transfer of security markets intellectual capital and technical expertise among member exchanges, increase liquidity for regional exchanges and strive towards development of efficient, fair and transparent securities markets within the SADC region.

I am confident that with the support of the members, we can achieve our goals.

According to CoSSE, during Tsheoles last two-year tenure, there has been significant improvement in market and product developments in the SADC region.

Formed in 1997, CoSSE has become a collective body of 14 stock exchanges from 13 SADC countries.

Source: NAN News

Teenager bags 5 months imprisonment for stealing gas cylinder worth N5,000

Author files N20m damages suit against copyright commissio

By Aderogba George

An author, Mr Paul Oche, has filed a suit against the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), demanding N20 million in damages for alleged violation of his right to fair hearing under the provisions of Section 36 of the Constitution.

The applicant in a suit with No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1387/2020, alleged that the NCC, compromised in a matter he reported to it against the Nigeria Breweries (NB).

Others respondents in the suit are the Director-General, Nigeria Copyright Commission, Mr John Asein and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

The suit is filed by the applicants counsel, Mr Sunday Adaji, a human rights lawyer, alleged that the NCC in a matter reported to it against the NB, which had initially been charged in an FCT High Court.

Oche prayed the court for an order to declare that the 1st and 2nd respondent, acted ultra vires by withdrawing the criminal charges against the Nigeria Breweries.

He is also praying the court for an order to declare he is entitled to compensation.

The applicant further prayed for an order directing the Attorney-General to take the case file from the NCC and begin prosecution forthwith.

He also prayed the court for an order directing the NCC to pay N1.5 million, being the cost of filling the suit and any other order the court may deem fit in the course of the suit.

NAN reports that Oche alleged unlawful utilisation and infringement on his intellectual property by NB Plc for their 2016 Amstel Malta Why Add More Campaign.

Source: NAN News

Bola Tinubu

By Kadiri Abdulrahman

A political pressure group, Tinubu Vanguard, has called on Nigerians to exercise restraint amid the recent unrest across the country owing to #EndSARS protests.

The Director-General of the group, Dr Johnny Benjamin, made the call in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Benjamin advised that amicable resolution of issues around the protests would engender peaceful coexistence and national cohesion.

He, however, absolved Mr Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) party leader from culpability in the violence.

The accusation making the rounds in the social media accusing Tinubu of ordering the shooting at the toll gate in Lagos is false, he said.

He had earlier commended Nigerian youths for the very worthy #ENDSARS protest and called on the angry youths to suspend the protests and wait for the government to address the issues raised.

It is worthy to note here that he has several establishments that provide employment to millions of youths in our country, he said, expressing sympathy with the families of those who lost their lives in the struggle.

No ones ambition is worth the lives of any Nigerian youth, and Tinubu is the least person to spill any blood either for reasons of money or political ambition.

Tinubu Vanguard assures Nigerian youths that Mr Bola Tinubu will do everything within his reach to join forces with the Federal Government to profer lasting solutions to all the issues raised by the youth. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

#ENDSARS protesters

The No Alternative to Buhari/Osinbajo 2019 (NATBO 2019) has called on Nigerian youths to shelve their ongoing protests as their cries have been heard by the government and the whole World.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the National Coordinator of the Group, Vincent Uba said that the protests had reached a peak and was now being hijacked by people with ulterior motives.

He acknowledged that police brutalities had been persistent over the years and successive governments had paid lip service to quelling their high-handedness in spite of youths outcry over the years.

But in view of the sour dimension which the protest had taken with pockets of violent actions across the country, he stressed that it was time for the youth to calm down.

What started as a welcome development by Nigerian youths protesting the Nigerian police brutality has unfortunately now turned sour.

The #EndSars protest by the youth was no doubt a genuine cause that was acknowledged and appreciated by the government.

For the first time in Nigeria history, the youth rose up to condemn and protest an age long problem caused by an institution created to protect lives and property.

Such commendable peaceful protest has now turned to a violent condemnable protest that has resulted in the disruption of economic activities and destruction of lives and property.

Ironically, innocent persons have become victims of brutality in the hands of hoodlums masquerading as this same youths protesting against police brutality.

Nigerian youths, we urge you to please calm down as hoodlums are capitalising on this protest to hijack same to rain havoc on the citizens who are on the same page with you.

For this, we urge you again, calm down and give government time to address the issues you have raised in the course of the peaceful protest, he said.

He pointed out that the nation had witnessed previous administrations where such protest would have been resisted by the government with strong force.

Uba decried that some people had been fanning the embers of destabilisation of the Nigerian state, accusing some Nigerian politicians of wishing the violent protest to continue.

He stressed that the message of the youth had been delivered and as such it was time for the youth to exercise patience and wait for government action.

You have succeeded in delivering a salient message to the government, why not be patient and wait for results arising from its response?

Moderation is a virtue worthy of being displayed at this time. Do not act as if you are taking the government for granted or holding it to ransom, he said.

He commended the Lagos state governor for personally taking the complaints and demands of protesters to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Uba insisted that the government was already acting on their demands and as such there was the need for the youth to be cautious.

I am confident that the Federal Government is on top of the problem trying to address it.

Note that if a large building is found to be defective and marked for demolition, you dont just embark on pulling it down immediately without proper planning.

It has to be pulled down in phases and gradually, otherwise you create catastrophes and cause more disasters. So,calm down Nigerian youths.

The President Muhammadu Buhari, and his vice, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, are humane individuals who are concerned about the issues in question and are programmatically doing something.

We already have enough problems at hand caused by Covid-19, adding more by paralysing economic activities with this persistent protest is not in our individual and national interests, he said.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Samuel Ortom

By Emmanuel Antswen

Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue on Wednesday inaugurated a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate alleged human rights violation by the police, especially the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Performing the ceremony in Makurdi, Ortom said the constitution of the panel was part of the resolutions of the 108th National Economic Council meeting earlier held in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the constitution of the judicial panel was one of the measures taken so far by the government in response to demands by #ENDSARS protesters.

The governor said the commission would investigate and recommend compensations where necessary on issues bordering on police brutality in the state.

He said the ongoing EndSARS protest had challenged Nigerian leaders on sincerity and commitment in governance.

The ongoing protest has challenged us as leaders of this country to rise up and demonstrate sincerity and commitment in tackling challenges as a nation.

Part of the challenges include brutalities and other dehumanizing activities of the police, especially as they deal with suspects and other members of the public.

This protest has therefore, provided leaders an opportunity to correct decades of illegalities and injustices meted on the people.

The governor said that the panel which was to submit its report within six months had three terms of reference.

Receive and investigate complaints of police brutality, human rights violations or related extra-judicial killings.

Evaluate evidence presented/other surrounding circumstances and draw conclusions as to the validity of the complaints as well as recommend appropriate compensation and other remedial measures where appropriate, he said.

Ortom said further that the State Government would soon set-up a special security and human rights committee to monitor the activities of the special or tactical units that might be established by the police.

He commended youths in Benue for their peaceful conduct on the ongoing EndSARS protest in the state, noting that he would continue to stand by them as long as the protest remained peaceful.

The governor urged parents, political and religious leaders in the country to call their wards to order, assuring that government would respond to their demands.

In his remarks, retired Justice Adam Onum, Chairman of the Benue State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into Human Rights Violation by the Police, especially SARS pledged to give all victims fair hearing.

Onum said the commission would provide an opportunity for members of the public to air their concerns on the activities of the police in the state.

Other members of the panel include, Mrs. Josephine Habn and Mr Moses Asoo, representing civil society as well as a retired Commissioner of Police, Mr Anthony Ogbojl.

Other are John-Mark ltyonongo, representing youths, Joshua Tlv, a student leader, Joshua Tyoyer, representing the National Human Rights Commission and Mr Edward Yange, representing the states attorney-general. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Outgoing Bangladeshi High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Shameen Ashan, has commended the Government of Nigeria and Nigerian Army for the sustained bilateral relations with his country.

Ashan gave the commendation when he visited the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, at the Army Headquarters on Wednesday.

He said that Nigeria and Bangladesh had come a long way in maintaining cordial bilateral relations in the areas of trade, education and defence amongst others.

Ashan said that the two countries, apart from being members of the Commonwealth of Nations, had remained some of the biggest contributors to peace keeping operations.

According to him, there has been move to strengthen the existing cordial economic and defence relations between Nigeria and Bangladesh.

Ashan, who will now be his countrys High Commissioner to Italy, said he had a wonderful time serving as a diplomat in Nigeria.

He stressed the need to strengthen cooperation in the areas of defence, education and agriculture between Nigeria and Bangladesh.

I am here to convey my sentiment about how happy I am to have been posted to this country. I am happy to note that a good number of military officers from Nigeria have participated in various defence related courses in Bangladesh, he said.

Responding, Buratai said the outgoing envoy was instrumental to the setting up of the Nigeria-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with a view to enhancing defence and economic cooperation among the two nations.

He also commended Ashan for being instrumental to the formation of the Alumni Association of Bangladeshi National Defence College in Nigeria.

Source: NAN News

Policemen

By Monday Ijeh
The Federal Government has pledged to fully implement the demands of the ENDSARS protesters for the overall good of policing in Nigeria.

The Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Dingyadi, gave the pledge in a statement issued by his Press Secretary, Mr Osaigbovo Ehisienmen, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Dingyadi noted that the government had already scrapped the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) as demanded by the protesters, saying that the implementation of other demands were at various stages.

He also noted that many state governments had set up judicial panels to deal with cases of violation of human rights by the ex-SARS operatives.

Dingyadi assured Nigerians that the panels would reel out punishments and compensate victims with resources put together through the victims support fund.

The creation of Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) to confront cases of armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes by the Police signified the commencement of activities to select and train personnel before deploying to the new unit.

Training for SWAT personnel is ongoing at Nigeria Police Mobile Force training colleges in Osun and Nasarawa States.

Personnel of defunct SARS are now undergoing debriefing, medical and psychological re-evaluation to ascertain their fitness for reassignment in units different from SWAT, he said.

He also pledged to ensure the full implementation of police reforms to deepen training of personnel, equip and prioritise their welfare needs.

The minister said that work was ongoing to meet three key component demands of the #ENDSARS protesters.

Dingyadi regretted that the protest had been hijacked by hoodlums and criminals, who unleashed terror, attack police facilities, carry out jail break as well as cause wanton destruction of property in parts of the country.

According to him, citizens right to peaceful protest remains one of the strongest tenets of democracy, but government is circumspect on the need to maintain law and order.

The minister appealed to Nigerians to renew confidence in governments genuine commitment to fully implement the various demands.

This is to support security operatives in maintaining law and order, re-arrest fleeing inmates in Benin Correctional Centers and protect citizens against criminals, he added.

Source: NAN News