Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday evening said the total shutdown of the state over outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus is imminent.

He said once the state recorded a certain number of positive coronavirus cases, Lagos would be totally shutdown in a bid to save lives.

The governor, at a live broadcast at the State House, Marina, to give update of the disease, said so far, Lagos had recorded 44 confirmed cases so far, while three people had been discharged.

According to Sanwo-Olu, the state government was moving in the direction of total shutdown once a particular figure was arrived at, but he did not disclose the figure.

“We are moving in the direction of curfew soon, there are numbers we need to see before that will happen but we have not seen that yet,” he said

The governor urged Lagosians to stay indoor if they were not on essential services, saying that government did not want to shutdown the state’s economy totally, but warned that once that certain figure was reached, government would have no option than to shutdown the state.

Sanwo-Olu lamented that there had been increase in confirmed cases which had reached 44, with six additional cases recorded in a vessel in Lagos on Thursday.

He said with three people already discharged, the government was looking at discharging five or six more patients who had now tested negative.

Sanwo-Olu said once they recorded a confirmatory negative test, they would be discharged.

The governor added that government would start free distribution of food to about 200,000 households, such as rice, garri, bread, beans, among others to last each household for a period of two weeks.

He also said government had opened about 50 temporary markets in public schools in the neighbourhood where people could purchase foodstuff at cheaper rate, saying that the markets would be opened every two days.

The governor appealed to Lagosians to refrain from gathering in large number, saying he expected maximum compliance from them .

Also, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the state government had begun fumigation of public places, such as parks, bus stops, among others, saying that the exercise would last until Sunday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating at his Downing Street residence.

This was confirmed earlier today by a tweet from Reuters.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating at his Downing Street residence https://t.co/Elz7DJhFkk pic.twitter.com/yup4YlmHsg

— Reuters (@Reuters) March 27, 2020

Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday, a day after he answered at the prime minister’s weekly question-and-answer session in parliament’s House of Commons chamber, and received the positive test result at around midnight.

“I’ve taken a test. That has come out positive,” Johnson said on Friday in a video statement broadcast on Twitter. “I’ve developed mild symptoms of the coronavirus. That’s to say - a temperature and a persistent cough.

“So I am working from home. I’m self-isolating,” Johnson said. “Be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus.”

British health minister Matt Hancock said later on Friday morning that he has also tested positive and is self-isolating at home with mild symptoms.

Johnson is the first leader of a major power to announce a positive test result for coronavirus. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went into isolation earlier this month after his wife tested positive for the virus.

U.S. President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have both been tested, so far with negative results.

Johnson chaired a government meeting on the coronavirus on Friday morning via teleconference.

Nigeria has confirmed 14 new cases of the deadly Coronavirus pandemic, with the total figures soaring to 65.

Twelve of the new cases are in Lagos, according to figures released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC. on Thursday.

The NCDC, on its twitter handle said “14 new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Nigeria: 2 in FCT, 12 in Lagos

“Of the 14, 6 were detected on a vessel, 3 are returning travellers into Nigeria & 1 is close contact of a confirmed case

“As at 7:35 pm 26th March, there are 65 confirmed cases; 3 discharged and 1 death.”

14 new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Nigeria: 2 in FCT, 12 in Lagos

Of the 14, 6 were detected on a vessel, 3 are returning travellers into Nigeria & 1 is close contact of a confirmed case

As at 7:35 pm 26th March, there are

65 confirmed cases
3 discharged
1 death pic.twitter.com/123vN6oNEB

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) March 26, 2020

We noticed an error in our update at 8:35pm

Correction below

14 new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Nigeria: 1 in FCT, 1 in Bauchi and 12 in Lagos

Of the 14, 6 were detected on a vessel, 3 are returning travellers into Nigeria & 2 are close contacts of confirmed cases

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) March 26, 2020

The presidency on Thursday released a photo to respond to Nigerians who are agitating for the appearance of their leader.

As of the time of writing this report, there are over 14,000 tweets demanding the presence of President Buhari.

According to many of the tweets, Nigerians are demanding their president to address them on the issue of coronavirus on a daily basis like President Trump and other world leaders.

Many stated that written statements by aides are no longer acceptable at this point.

However, with the pressure mounting and Nigerians not giving up on their request, the presidency released a photo at 10:00 pm.

“The concocted audio message about President@MBuhari’s whereabouts should be totally disregarded.

The concocted audio message about President @MBuhari’s whereabouts should be totally disregarded. It is Fake News in its entirety. The President tonight at the State House, at work. pic.twitter.com/LTCup8Llz2

— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) March 26, 2020

“It is Fake News in its entirety. The President tonight at the State House, at work,” Presidency Nigeria captioned the photo.

Personal Assistant on New Media to President Buhari also released the same photo.

“The President tonight at the State House, at work,” he captioned it.

President @MBuhari; still at work! pic.twitter.com/ZWepHQci4q

— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) March 26, 2020

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, on March 23, 2020 arraigned one George Ologunoyan before Justice Sherifat Solebo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on a six-count charge bordering on forgery and uttering.

The defendant allegedly forged some documents to sell a property to one Adekunle Adams with intent to defraud the buyer.

One of the charges reads: "That you, George Ologunoyan, sometimes in 2011 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud uttered to one Mr. Adekunle Adams tiltled 'Acknowledgment Receipt' by purporting same to have been for to be for the property situate, lying and being at No. 1 Muyiwa Olojo Street, Iju Ishaga Village, Iju, Agege District, Ikeja Division, Lagos."

The defendant pleaded "not guilty" to the charges.

Upon the plea, prosecuting counsel, Abbas Mohammad, asked the court for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the defendant in the Correctional facility pending the determination of the case.

However, counsel to the defendant informed the court that an application for bail was filed and served on the prosecution, and so urged the court to grant his client bail on very liberal terms.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna Zonal Office on Monday, March 23, 2020 arraigned one Alhaji Modu Ali Kotoko on a two-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, obtaining by false pretence and cheating before Justice Mohammed Tukur of the Kaduna State High Court.

Kotoko's journey to the dock began when the Kaduna office of the Commission received a petition from one Abdullahi Mohammed Wuroji, Magaging Director, Waram Nigeria Limited, a Limited Liability Company in Kaduna.

The complainant alleged that in 2018, the defendant met him and introduced himself as an aide to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (a former Nigerian Vice President) and lured him to give him 13 brand new cars, shoes and clothes worth N65,680,000 (Sixty-five Million, Six Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira) and N34,800,000 (Thirty-four Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) under pretence that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar requested for the cars and money to prosecute his 2019 Presidential election.

The complainant further alleged that upon believing the defendant, he decided to release the 13 brand new cars and goods all worth N100,480,000. However, the defendant bolted away and failed to pay.

It was later revealed that Atiku never requested for any cars or goods from Kotoko.

Count one reads: "That you, Alhaji Modu Kotoko, Managing Director of Absanajq Nigeria Limited, sometime in 2018, in Kaduna within the judicial Division of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, obtained property to wit: 13 brand of cars, shoes and clothes worth the total sum of N65,680,000.00 (Sixty-five million, six hundred and eighty thousand naira) only from Abdullahi Mohammed Wuroji under false pretence that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, GCON requested same to finance his 2019 Presidential General Election, a pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offence Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act."

He pleaded "not guilty" to the charge.

Counsel for the EFCC, Y.J. Matiyak, thereafter, asked the court to fix a date for commencement of trial, and prayed that the defendant be remanded in the custody of Nigeria Correctional Service.

Counsel for the defendant, Sule Shuaibu, however pleaded with the court to grant his client bail to enable him prepare for his trial. But Matiyak opposed the bail application basing his argument on the magnitude of the offence.

Justice Tukur has adjourned until Wednesday, March 25, 2020 for ruling of bail application.

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, on Thursday, said many Nigerians are busy making “meaningless criticisms” instead of complying with the stipulated directives to curtail the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19).

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Lai Mohammed defended the strategy deployed by the federal government since the outbreak of Coronavirus.

He stated that the strategy is working but Nigerians are not cooperating with the stipulated directive to fight the deadly virus.

He alleged that some citizens who flew into the country gave fake telephone numbers and addresses which makes it difficult for them to be traced when the need arises.

“Let me say, without mincing words, that we are not getting the kind of cooperation that this moment deserves from Nigerians. Many are busy engaging in meaningless criticisms instead of complying with the stipulated directives to keep people safe.

“Some Nigerians who flew into the country from overseas filled wrong addresses and phone numbers in their forms, making it difficult to trace them when the need arises.

“Some Nigerians defied orders to stay away from large gatherings while some religious leaders willfully flouted the directives to ensure social distancing.

“The government is doing its best but we need the citizens to do their best too. We have now gone past the stage of persuasion. It’s time for strong enforcement.

“I want to say straight away that our strategy at containing this pandemic is working, but we still have a long way to go,” he said.

“We know our priorities and we know our challenges. We have taken very bold measures in stopping international flights into the country, and we hail the state governments that have take equally bold measures in their states, which include the closure of markets and the prohibition of large congregations,” Lai Mohammed said.

The fumigation of the State House, including the office of President Muhammadu Buhari, commenced Thursday morning.

The Nation reliably gathered that the exercise started about 9:30am and would be spread throughout the entire stretch of the offices within the State House quarters.

According to a Presidency source, fumigators, who were reportedly dressed in white overalls, masked and kitted heavily, were moved in from a place outside Abuja.

The source said at about 11:30am, the fumigation process had reached the main building, where the office of the President is located.

“These people are not from the Villa. They came from outside from the town (Abuja city). They are dressed in complete white overalls, masked and wear other protective gears”, the source said.

He noted “the dressing is similar to how the National Centre for Disease Control people wear their protective gears”.

Another official of the State House, who also spoke anonymously, however noted that he believed the decision to cut down on the number of officials gaining access into the premises might have been for such a reason, for space.

The Federal Government said it is still on the trail of 4,370 people of interest over COVID-19 pandemic.

It expressed regrets that most of the returnees from abroad submitted wrong addresses.

It also said President Muhammadu Buhari is not coughing after testing negative to Coronavirus.

It said the President is fit and fully in charge of the country.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed, made the disclosures at a briefing on COVID-19 update.

He said: “We have 4,370 people of interest whom we are tracing. We urge those who have had contact with suspected cases to
immediately report to the authorities. We urge Nigerians to support the authorities in this regard.

“We are on the verge of reaching the level of community spread. We must stop this immediately or we will record exponential cases in the days ahead. There is no better way to say this.”

The Minister said the government was worried that some of the returnees submitted wrong addresses.

“Let me say, without mincing words, that we are not getting the kind of cooperation that this moment deserves from Nigerians. Many are busy engaging in meaningless criticisms instead of complying with the stipulated directives to keep people safe.

” Some Nigerians who flew into the country from overseas filled wrong addresses and phone
numbers in their forms, making it difficult to trace them when the need arises.

“Some Nigerians defied orders to stay away from large gatherings while some religious leaders willfully flouted the directives to ensure social distancing.

“The government is doing its best but we need the citizens to do their best too. We have now gone past the stage of persuasion. It’s time for strong enforcement.”
On the actual state of health of President Buhari, the minister was emphatic that “Mr. President is well and fully in charge of the country.

” Some have alleged that the President is coughing, it is fake news.”

The Federal Government has announced plans to ban inter-state travel and possibly close down motor parks as part of measures to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus.

Minister for Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed said this at a press briefing in Abuja, on Thursday.

As the number of infected cases of Covid-19 continues to increase, Mohammed said “It is now time for enforcement”.

Nigeria has confirmed 51 cases of the Coronavirus. There has been eight recoveries and one death.