President Muhammadu Buhari was silent on Saturday whether he would extend the lockdown imposed on Lagos, Ogun and Abuja last week.

The two-week lockdown to roll back coronavirus ends on Monday.

In a statement on Saturday, Buhari wholeheartedly thanked all Nigerians for their patience, resolve and strong determination to defeat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.

The President said:

“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 suffering.

“No elected government could ask more of the citizens of the country that elected them than today we ask of you. But we must ask you – once more – to observe restrictions on movement where they are in place, and follow the instructions of our scientists and medical advisers: stay home, wash your hands, save lives.

“The freedoms we ask you to willingly forsake today will only last as long as our scientific advisers declare they are necessary. But they are essential – world over – to halt and defeat the spread of this virus.

“For those who suffer most egregiously, the Government has announced multiple measures to assist: 70,000 tonnes of grain is being released from the National Strategic Grain Reserves for distribution to those in most need; distribution of small cash payments are also being made, and will continue to be made by the federal government in the states and local government areas.

“We ask you to listen and follow public announcements via the mass media for instructions as to how to receive this government support – and learn of more public assistance in the coming days.

“All that the Government is asking you to endure is because nowhere in the world today is there any known way of defeating this pandemic. There is no vaccine. And that means there are choices to be made: between continuing as usual, or accepting the restrictions even when they come with unintended consequences.

“But at this darkest hour, it remains our duty to offer you the full and unvarnished truth: This is a global pandemic. 210 countries and territories across the globe are affected. We cannot expect others to come to our assistance. No one is coming to defeat this virus for us.

“Instead, the defeat of the virus in our country will be in our hands, alone. We cannot wait for others. We can only depend on ourselves now. And so we must – and we will – end this outbreak ourselves as Nigerians, together”.

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State on Saturday began the distribution of relief materials and food items to the 27 local government areas of the state.

This is part of the efforts to ensure that the global emergency caused by COVID-19 with its attendant economic stagnation does not strangulate the people.

Delivering the items to the Interim Management Committee Chairmen of the various local government areas after flag-off, Uzodimma tasked them to liaise with all political appointees in their domain and ensure that the items get to the vulnerable and less privileged in the communities.

He warned that any act of greed or attempt to share the items to the wrong people would be sanctioned.

The Governor gave the councils a template for the distribution and promised to monitor how the template was complied with or not.

The Governor said: “You must show leadership, what is meant for the people is meant for the people and what is meant for the leaders is meant for the leaders; you must remove any sign of greed no matter how small, this is your first test.”

Uzodimma thanked President Mohammadu Buhari for the support he has given to Imo State through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development that donated one trailer-load of rice and other incentives to the state.

The Governor equally commended individuals and Corporate Organizations that procured some food items and other relief materials to augment the ones provided by the government.

He called on other well meaning citizens of the state to lend support to government especially at this Easter period.

While reiterating that government would continue to expand her programmes as the need arose, Uzodimma enjoined the people to be fervent in prayers and keep faith alive especially during this Easter celebration.

“Our Christian faith must not be encumbered by the present hardships. Whatever we know today about limiting the spread of the corona virus is a mighty Gift from God. We must keep the faith by maintaining the same standards of hygiene and vigilance that has kept our state corona virus-free till now,” Uzodimma said.

Responding on behalf of the Interim Management Committee Chairmen, the IMC Chairman of Oru West local government, Hon. Willie Okolieogwo assured that they would follow to the letters the template provided by the Government to distribute the items.

He promised that the committee would be formidable partners of the state government in the fight against COVID-19 in the state.

All the local governments went home with rice, noodles, groundnut oil, tomato paste, tubers of yam among other items.

One hundred thousand naira (₦100,000.00) cash was also given to each INEC ward in the state to enable the people buy other cooking condiments.

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde said on Saturday that another Coronavirus patient has been discharged after testing negative for the virus twice.

Makinde, on his twitter handle said one confirmed COVID-19 patient was discharged after receiving a second negative test result.

1. One confirmed COVID-19 patient was discharged after receiving their second negative test result. This brings the number of discharged cases in Oyo State to six. Another confirmed case requested a transfer to Lagos. So, there are currently four active cases in the state.

— Seyi Makinde (@seyiamakinde) April 11, 2020

“This brings the number of discharged cases in Oyo State to six. Another confirmed case requested a transfer to Lagos. So, there are currently four active cases in the state.

“We received a donation of 2,000 test kits from The Citizen for Citizen Initiative led by Mrs Ibukun Awosika. This will be used in our planned drive-through and walk-through tests from next week. We are grateful to the Citizen for Citizen Initiative,” he said.

Makinde also disclosed that the State received donations of funds from the NCDC, as well as medical supplies from IRASA Clothing Company.

“Let me also use this opportunity to thank Chicken Republic, Dominos Pizza and all other organisations and individuals who have supported the state’s effort in preventing the spread of COVID-19 through donations in cash and kind.

“Please, keep following the directives of the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force. Wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, regularly. Also, continue to maintain social distancing,” he said.

13 new cases of #COVID19 have been reported; 11 in Lagos, 1 in Delta & 1 in Kano

As at 9:30pm 11th April there are 318 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. 70 have been discharged with 10 deaths

There are 19 states with confirmed cases in Nigeria

13 new cases of #COVID19 have been reported; 11 in Lagos, 1 in Delta & 1 in Kano

As at 9:30pm 11th April there are 318 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. 70 have been discharged with 10 deaths

There are 19 states with confirmed cases in Nigeria pic.twitter.com/xXbp6lX2mS

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) April 11, 2020

318 confirmed cases
70 discharged
10 deaths

Lagos- 174
FCT- 56
Osun- 20
Edo- 12
Oyo- 11
Ogun- 7
Bauchi- 6
Kaduna- 6
Akwa Ibom- 5
Katsina-4
Delta- 3
Enugu- 2
Ekiti- 2
Rivers-2
Kwara- 2
Ondo- 2
Benue- 1
Niger- 1
Anambra- 1
Kano-1

As at 9:30pm 11th April, there are

318 confirmed cases
70 discharged
10 deaths

Lagos- 174
FCT- 56
Osun- 20
Edo- 12
Oyo- 11
Ogun- 7
Bauchi- 6
Kaduna- 6
Akwa Ibom- 5
Katsina-4
Delta- 3
Enugu- 2
Ekiti- 2
Rivers-2
Kwara- 2
Ondo- 2
Benue- 1
Niger- 1
Anambra- 1
Kano-1

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) April 11, 2020

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has reversed his earlier decision to relax the concession granted churches to hold Easter church services with their full congregations.

Paulinus Nsirim, the Commissioner for Information and Communication in a statement said:”This decision was taken after due consultations with eminent clergy men, well-meaning Nigerians and civil society groups.

“For the avoidance of doubt, churches should stick to the 50 persons per service to maintain Social Distancing”.

Wike had relaxed lockdown order for churches and mosques to have full service the mark Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

However, the relaxation was received with mixed feelings by various denominations. The Port Harcourt Diocese of Catholic refused to accept the relaxation.

The Muslim Community issued a statement directing their branches to stick to social distancing not large congregation.

The Lagos State Government has discharged another four Coronavirus patients after they tested negative twice.

The State had on Friday, discharged seven patients.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed this on Saturday, saying that those discharged included an 11-year old boy.

#COVID19Lagos Update
👉Lagos confirms 8 new cases of #COVID19 infection on April 10, 2020.
👉This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Lagos State to 166.
👉3 of the confirmed cases have been transferred to Ogun State which is their place of residence. pic.twitter.com/hHEzENbx4z

— Prof. Akin Abayomi (@ProfAkinAbayomi) April 11, 2020

He said all four discharged patients were male.

“Today, 4 more patients; all male, including an 11 year old boy have been discharged from the Lagos State Isolation facilities to reunite with the society.

“The patients; 3 from Mainland Hospital, Yaba and 1 from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) were discharged having recovered fully and tested negative twice consecutively to COVID-19,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu said with the discharge of the four patients, it brought to 50, the number of patients successfully managed and discharged from the Lagos State isolation facilities.

“I appeal to residents to stay at home, practice Social Distancing Principle and observe highest possible personal and hand hygiene. We are on steady course to victory, let’s all make little sacrifices for the greater good,” he said,

Currently, Lagos has 166 confirmed cases of Coronavirus, with 50 discharged, four deaths, two evacuated to their countries and three others transferred to Ogun State.

The State’s active cases of Coronavirus is now 107 as at Saturday evening.

The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) says it has placed four of its nurses on isolation, after their contact with a patient who died of coronavirus.

Prof. Tokunboh Fabamwo, LASUTH Chief Medical Director, made this known on Saturday in Lagos.

The hospital had earlier on Saturday confirmed the death of a patient who tested positive to coronavirus, saying the patient died at its Institute of Maternal and Child Health (Ayinke House), LASUTH.

Fabamwo said: “All the doctors took precautions when attending to the patient.

“When the woman was about to die and was gasping for breath, the nurses rushed to her and tried to do pulmonary resuscitation on her.

“They moved more closely to her. Though they were protected, we felt that because of that closeness, we should isolate them so that they won’t go home and be a risk to their families.”

He said the patient’s corpse had been evacuated with usual protocol, adding that her husband’s blood sample had been taken for COVID-19 test.

The chief medical director added that they were waiting for the deceased husband’s test result.

He disclosed that the hospital would enhance its Triage protocol far from the Emergency Centre, by erecting a tent to screen for temperatures of visitors and patients during visit to the health facility.

Fabamwo said that anyone with high temperatures would be isolated and handed over to officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The deceased patient was said to be suffering from puerperal sepsis and was transferred from the Alimosho General Hospital to the Emergency Unit of LASUTH.

However, the patient died in the course of her treatment.

Lagos State Government has begun house-to-house case identification to detect possible cases Coronavirus in the State.

Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi who disclosed this during a joint Ministerial Press briefing on COVID-19 intervention in Lagos State held on Thursday in Alausa, Ikeja stated that the COVID-19 case identification campaign tagged the ‘Community Active Case Search’ would begin on Monday 6th April and expected to run for two weeks in the first instance across the State.

He explained that health workers during this time would move from house-to-house, including health facilities in pairs to administer electronic questionnaires to citizens. Abayomi added that the questions to be administered bothered on COVID-19 symptoms.

He stressed that the officials carrying out the exercise could be identified with the COVID-19 outbreak Response tags and letter from the Local Government.

“In the coming days, some of our health workers will be moving around in pairs to administer an electronic questionnaire at homes and healthcare facilities to make enquiries about symptoms of cough, cold and fever.

“This is in a bid to intensify our search for possible cases of COVID19 in different communities across the State. I implore you to give them your maximum support by providing accurate information that would help in containing this pandemic quickly,” he said.

Answering question on the number of patients discharged so far, Abayomi disclosed that seven more patients have fully recovered having tested negative twice consecutively and have been discharged today to join the society.

He disclosed that the patients discharged included one female and six males, adding that three of the discharged male patients are foreign nationals; two from Ukraine and one Italian. This according to him brings to 39 the total number of discharged patients in Lagos.

“Today, we have discharged seven more persons to join the society having fully recovered and tested negative twice consecutively to COVID-19.This brings to 39 the number of discharged patients in Lagos.The patients include one female and six males; three of the discharged male patients are foreign nationals, two Ukrainian and one Italian”, the Commissioner said

While noting that the COVID-19 outbreak in Lagos State was seemingly under control, Abayomi noted that the State had had 100 percent recovery on case management.

He added that the three COVID-19 related deaths recorded in Lagos were not from the State Isolation facilities.

The Commissioner disclosed that Lagos had 280 bed isolation capacity with 100 bed occupancy leaving it with an excess of 180 isolation beds. He noted that more isolation facilities under construction and rehabilitation will be opened for use for management of cases in the event of a spike.

The Commissioner assured that the State remained committed to deploying necessary strategies to win the battle against the virus. He implored residents to continue supporting the government by complying with directives and measures put in place to curtail the spread of the diseases.

Chadian President Idriss Deby has announced the end of his country’s military operation against Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region.

This followed the killing of more than 1,000 terrorists and devastation of their launching bases.

The unprecedented eight-day campaign, styled Operation Anger of Bohoma, took the Chadian forces inside Nigeria and Niger.

The campaign also saw Deby relocating to Baga Sola to coordinate the battle.

The terrorists lost tonnes of weapons to the merciless Chadian troops.

However, Chad lost 52 soldiers, with 183 wounded.

Deby, before leaving for Ndjamena on Thursday told a meeting with his military officials in the Lac Province that the Chadian troops within Nigeria and Niger will leave in about two weeks.

He has told the Nigerian and Nigerien authorities to be ready to take over the defence of the liberated areas from 24 April.

Déby said no Chadian soldier will any longer take part in a military operation outside of Chad.

“We are able to defend the integrity of our territory,” Idriss Déby said.

“We fought alone in Lake Chad, without the support of the countries supposed to help us,” he added.

However, on Monday Deby acknowledged that Nigeria, Sudan and Rwanda offered large equipment support.

He said that the Chadian soldiers died for the cause of the countries of the Sahel and the Lake Chad basin.

He then promoted five commanders in charge of operations, into higher ranks of colonel, brigadier general and division general.

Back in Ndjamena, which he left 24 March, Deby declared:

“I am back in the capital. I sincerely thank all the Chadians and all the African brothers and sisters for the support given to our Defense and Security Forces. Peace, security and stability are sacred values,. “.

Deby left the capital, the day after Boko Haram attacked the Bohoma base of Chadian army, killing scores of soldiers.

Chad retaliated.

In eight days of military operations, Chadian forces cleaned up all the islands of Lake Chad.

They also entered Nigerien and Nigerian territory to conduct operations and track down Boko Haram.

According to Déby, 90 to 95% of the terrorist sect members have been decimated in the areas of operations.

“All of Africa and the whole world knows what you have done,” he told his men during an inspection visit to the theatre of operations.

“I will never forget those who fell,” said Déby.

Inspection visits to Niger

Before returning to the capital, the head of state went to Boko Haram bases liberated by the Chadian army in Niger territory.

He landed the military helicopter himself, having had pilot training.

Massive fire has razed some vehicles at the premises of Lagos Airport Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

Balls of fire were seen enveloping the atmosphere, as fire fighters battled to put out the fire.

Director General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu confirmed the development.

Also, the Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Fire Service, Ahmodu Shakiru said that vehicles parked at the premises were gutted by fire, not the hotel.

“Lagos State Fire Service has put off the fire scare,” he said.

The management of the hotel said the fire did not engulf the edifice but that “the hotel has a partner who operates a transport (tour) business. One of his buses caught fire and it affected another vehicle.”