Bishop David Oyedepo, President Living Faith Worldwide, has apologised to the Ogun State Government for flouting its order on large gatherings in view of the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.

Thousands of worshippers thronged the Living Faith Church in Ogun State on Sunday in defiance of government’s directive banning gatherings in excess of 50 in the state.

A remorseful Oyedepo, after social media bashing, has apologised for his action.

The apology letter issued by Pastor Steve Ogah, Special Assistant to Bishop David Oyedepo, read:

“Coronavirus: Compliance with Government Order – Matters Arising*

“It has become necessary to issue this statement to clarify issues surrounding why Faith Tabernacle, the International Headquarters of Living Faith Church, Ota, in Ogun State, held its regular church service today, although with less than half of her regular worshippers.

“There has been diverse responses varying from well-meaning concerns to uncharitable insinuations, misinterpretations, and unfounded allegations that the service was held in deliberate defiance of Ogun State Government ban on high-density gatherings, in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. Nothing can be further from the truth.

“For avoidance of doubt, as stakeholders and as a responsible organisation, Living Faith Church fully supports and encourages compliance with all initiatives of government to combat the spread of this dreaded virus. However, information has to be strategically disseminated to the grassroot, noting that the Church is a family and not an industry, it is for this reason that enlightenment and sensitization from the Church platform is a most effective way to get people involved in playing their part in terms of prayers and intercessions and not just staying away from Church without knowing what to do.

“Invariably, a press release from the office of the CAN President, through his Special Assistant on media on Saturday March 21, 2020, expressed the same position that members who may gather in church premises, many of whom may not be aware of this regulations should be allowed to worship for the purpose of enlightenment on the subject matter.

“As we all know, the Church is made up of both literate and illiterate congregants; many are not in touch with any of the modern platforms of communication and this is what we did yesterday. Indeed, the service was devoted entirely to sensitizing and mobilizing members of the Church regarding the danger of this deadly virus and the need to comply with government directives.

“The Bishop has since engaged Ogun State Government at the highest level to clarify this issue and any misgivings and reiterated the full support of the church for the State Government’s efforts to ensure public safety, towards curtailing the spread of this deadly virus. He appreciates the opportunity of direct engagement and the understanding of the government. Cooperation to safeguard public safety is not just a moral obligation or civic responsibility; the church also considers it a spiritual duty.

“For instance, to show how law abiding our organisation is and in compliance with government directives, all our primary and secondary schools across the nation have been directed to close down. Also, our students at Landmark University, Omuaran, Kwara state were sent back home, while Covenant University Students, who are currently on vacation were instructed to stay back at home while awaiting further directives from government.

“As a responsible and law abiding organisation we wish to state that we will ensure compliance with the government directives in all our churches across the state .

“The Church shall continue to engage all necessary logistics to ensure compliance with government directives and continue to pray for speedy divine intervention to stem this deadly virus.”

Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, has reportedly tested positive for the deadly Coronavirus disease.

Kyari tested positive for the virus on Monday. Aso Rock sources have confirmed the report.

“He came to office on Monday, but left when his condition worsened”, said a source in the presidency.

The suspension of the weekly federal executive council meeting on Monday by the Federal Government lent credence to the story.

The suspension will be “until further notice”, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha.

The council of state meeting earlier scheduled for Thursday has also been postponed.

However, ThisDay quoted presidential sources, as saying that Kyari had tested positive for the virus, which necessitated a test being carried out on President Muhammadu Buhari, which came out negative.

The newspaper said Kyari had travelled to Germany on Saturday, March 7th to meet with officials of Siemens in Munich on the Nigerian electricity expansion programme.

He returned exactly one week later on Saturday, March 14th, but did not show any symptoms.

He was said to have been at a meeting on containing the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria all through Sunday, where he reportedly started to cough.

Subsequently, he voluntarily submitted himself for testing and was informed of his status yesterday.

Kyari has however gone into absolute isolation following the test result.

Less than 24 hours ago, the @ncdc launched the #TakeResponsibility campaign for #COVID19NIGERIA

Patriotic Nigerians has taken up the challenge and supported in simplifying our guidance on self isolation.

We are asking some people to self-isolate for 14 days to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Self isolation is an effective precautionary measure to protect those around you, your family and friends from contracting COVID-19.

It means taking simple common sense steps to avoid close contact with other people as much as possible.

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Less than 24 hours ago, we launched our #TakeResponsibility campaign for #COVID19NIGERIA @gatefieldco has taken up the challenge and supported in simplifying our guidance on self isolation

Please download and share!https://t.co/OD2Druja1y pic.twitter.com/XBVR3RJEuM

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) March 23, 2020

Dr Osagie Ehanire, the minister of health has threatened to publish the names of those who failed to isolate themselves to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country.

Ehanire issued the threat on Monday in Abuja while updating newsmen on COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are asking some people to self-isolate for 14 days to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“Self isolation is an effective precautionary measure to protect those around you, your family and friends from contracting COVID-19.

“It means taking simple common sense steps to avoid close contact with other people as much as possible,” he said.

The minister urged Nigerians to take self isolation and social distancing very seriously.

He said the government would not make self-isolation compulsory, but rather depend on the sense of responsibility of Nigerians, especially travellers from high risk countries.

“We will continue to plead with those who have travelled out of Nigeria in the last 14 days to report, so that we won’t get to the point where our health system will be burdened,” he said.

The minister announced that the country had received more donations and support from development partners.

He said that government would work with private hospitals to strengthen diagnostic capacity.

Ehanire said that the health ministry, through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), is working closely with concerned state governments to carry out contact tracing.

“Through the contact tracing carried out by NCDC, we have been able to promptly detect cases.

“I strongly urge all health facilities to be on high alert; we also want state and local governments, as well as law enforcement authorities and community leaders, to give full cooperation to investigators,” he called.

He said government would supply more respirators across health facilities while one additional laboratory would be set up soon, increasing to six the laboratories that can carry out COVID-19 tests.

The minister said that human resources would be available, adding that retired doctors and nurses would be called to service if it became necessary.

The minister said that as at Monday, 23 March, 36 cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed, with 25 in Lagos, six in FCT, two in Ogun, and one each in Edo, Ekiti and Oyo.

“Of the 36 cases, 26 had travel history to affected countries in the last two weeks, six were contacts of confirmed cases and four have no travel history or known contact.

“Sadly, we recorded our first death from COVID-19 in the country. This was a Nigerian who, unfortunately, had underlying illnesses and died due to complications on the 22nd of March in Abuja. He had travelled to the United Kingdom.

“Again, of the 36 cases, two cases have been discharged and one death recorded from COVID-19 in Nigeria. Of the 34 active cases, 33 are clinically stable with mild symptoms. One patient is oxygen-dependent,” he said.

As the #COVID19 situation in Nigeria evolves, NCDC & and government agencies are taking the necessary measures to protect us all

NCDC has launched a communication campaign with the THEME #TakeResponsibility

Practice! Share! #PreventCOVID19Spread!

📢#COVID19Nigeria UPDATE

As the #COVID19 situation in Nigeria evolves, NCDC & and government agencies are taking the necessary measures to protect us all

NCDC has launched a communication campaign with the THEME #TakeResponsibility

Practice! Share! #PreventCOVID19Spread! pic.twitter.com/kr3rJmokfZ

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) March 23, 2020

All Nigerians are called on to #TakeResponsibility in preventing the spread of #COVID19 in Nigeria Practice & talk to your community about

*Handwashing
*Avoiding large gatherings & physical contact
*Disinfecting surfaces
*Sharing information from official sources
*Self-isolation

All Nigerians are called on to #TakeResponsibility in preventing the spread of #COVID19 in Nigeria Practice & talk to your community about

*Handwashing
*Avoiding large gatherings & physical contact
*Disinfecting surfaces
*Sharing information from official sources
*Self-isolation

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) March 23, 2020

Dangote Cement Plc has donated N100 million worth of cement to the Lagos State government, to support the ongoing reconstruction process at the Abule-Ado area of Amuwo-Odofin Local Government of the state, which was affected by a pipeline explosion last weekend.

The donation was made Sunday by the Chairman of Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote, represented by the Independent Non-Executive Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh, when the Executive Management of the company paid a visit to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the Lagos House, Marina.

The team comprised the immediate past Group Managing Director (GMD) of Dangote Cement Plc, Engr. Joseph Makoju; the new GMD of Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Michel Puchercos; Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh, and the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, Mr. Anthony Chiejina.

Ikazoboh, who on behalf of Dangote, commiserated with Governor Sanwo-Olu over the unfortunate incident caused by the gas explosion, said the Dangote Cement company “would be supporting the reconstruction of the Abule-Ado area with N100 million worth of cement”.

He also formally informed the governor of the change of baton at the helm of the cement manufacturing giant, where Puchercos recently took over from Makoju on the retirement of the latter.

He added that the company, and indeed the whole Dangote Group, would continue to support and collaborate with the Lagos State government in its economic development efforts.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, in his remarks, acknowledged the change in management at Dangote Cement Plc, and expressed appreciation at the company’s gesture, which he described as timely.

According to him, “We take seriously your level of support because there is a lot of reconstruction going on at Abule-Ado so that normalcy can be restored. We welcome all the support we have gotten.

“I appreciate the Chairman who has said that the Group will continue to support us. On behalf of the Lagos State Government, we thank you for coming to commiserate with us, and for your gesture of support. We also thank all Lagosians and Nigerians who have been coming to support us”, the governor added.

In an incident which resulted in several casualties, some parts of Abule Ado along Badagry/Mile 2 Expressway, Lagos were affected by the pipeline explosion, which occurred at about 8am on Sunday morning.

The blast forced several residents and Christian worshipers who had gone to church in the area to scamper for safety.

The Access Bank Plc has closed its Ligali Ayorinde Street, Victoria Island, Lagos branch on Monday after an high-end customer who visited the branch last week tested positive to Coronavirus.

The bank in an urgent update posted on its official Twitter handle @myaccessbank confirmed that the unnamed customer visited the bank branch on March 16 and showed no symptoms of the disease.

The health of all our stakeholders remains paramount at Access Bank Plc, as we are adopting all necessary measures to ensure your safety at this time.#COVID19 #SafetyFirst pic.twitter.com/qfJ4wmfKgE

— Access Bank Plc (@myaccessbank) March 23, 2020

It said staffers who had contact with the carrier were currently in isolation, appealing to all customers who visited the branch in the past week to self-quarantine.

“We have just confirmed that an individual who visited our Ligali Ayorinde Branch on Monday, March 16, 2020, has tested positive for Coronavirus. He was symptom-free as at the time of visit and he is currently being monitored at an Isolation Centre in Yaba.

“In line with our emergency response plan and following regulatory practices, the branch has been temporarily closed for thorough disinfection. Persons who had any contact with the concerned individual are currently in isolation.

“It is advised anyone who visited the branch in the last week should self-quarantine for a period of 14 days starting immediately. Should you feel sick or exhibit any of the Coronavirus symptoms, please contact the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on 08009700001 or SMS 08099555577 immediately to find out what to do.

“The health of all our stakeholders remains paramount at Access Bank Plc, as we are adopting all necessary measures to ensure your safety at this time. Please be reminded that we will continue to serve you through our Alternate Delivery Channels,” it said.

The Chief of staff to the President, Mallam Abba kyari, has written a memo to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, on the refusal of some house members to present themselves for screening at the nation’s international airports.

In the memo, Kyari intimated the Speaker of the reported cases of the members who were approached on arrival but often refused to be screened.

“It has been brought to the Honourable Minister of Health recently reported to his office that some members of the House of Representatives are refusing to subject themselves to medical screening at the airports,” the statement reads.

“As you are aware, these airports screenings are our primary line of defence and refusal by any citizen to subject to these tests is a threat to our nation,” it added.

The Chief of Staff then pleaded with the Speaker to intervene and advice the Federal lawmakers of the importance of the screening which is part of the efforts to prevent the spread of the virus by those returning to the country.

MTN Nigeria has described the COVID-19 pandemic as unlike anything seen in our lifetimes and is a reminder that we’re all more connected than we’ve ever been.
“To get through this we need each other – we need patience, understanding, compassion, and to do the right thing for each other. With that in mind, we wanted to reach out and share what MTN is doing in response.”, the company shared in a statement.
The company have been closely monitoring the situation and believes it is crucial that companies do two things:

1. Help contain the escalating outbreak and
2. Safeguard operations so that economies keep moving.

MTN understands the vital role its network and services play in supporting people, organizations and institutions nationwide.
Mindful of its responsibility – to keep Nigeria and Nigerians connected to the people they love and the information and technology they need, they have adjusted internal policies and made a few changes to how we serve our customers.
In the past month, MTN Nigeria implemented precautionary measures in its facilities nationwide, suspended all non-critical business meetings, travel and events and activated travel-related self-isolation protocols. They have also complemented the government’s sensitization drive, introduced rigorous cleaning measures and equipped team members with additional sanitation and safety products.
From Monday 23 March 2020, most of the company’s teams will begin working from home.
Nigerians have been assured that operations will continue running at full scale with essential staff working limited hours on-site.
As part of its response plan, in the coming days, MTN will introduce Y’ello care package – several new measures as part of a concerted effort to support our customers.
These include further amplifying governments sensitisation efforts – using more channels to deliver health and safety information, and suspending fees for all money transfers using our Momo Agent network.
“More plans are still ahead: they will announce the temporary closure of some of our stores. Those that remain open will operate reduced hours and maintain strict hygiene and social distancing measures,” the company stated.
These measures are designed to enable MTN to continue providing services that ensure Nigerians can stay connected while supporting national efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Given how rapidly the outbreak is evolving, the company expects and is prepared, to adjust its approach.
“We understand that our best hope is to work together and are committed to taking additional constructive steps to support the public during this challenging time. To this end, MTN continues to engage and is actively pursuing new ways to leverage our core expertise, technology and infrastructure to support the government’s efforts to keep citizens safe,” MTN shared.
Last week, MTN Group CEO, Rob Shutter, stated that with the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping through the world, one of the crucial necessities is “being good together” and recognizing that we need to work together.
“If we work together – telco operators, civil society, governments, officials, – in a spirit of partnership, that we will be able to get through this as quickly and with as least effect as is possible.”, Shutter explained
He shared four key themes that MTN Group has been working on: Playing the part in reducing the transmission of the virus; Keeping staff and stakeholders safe; Keeping the network up and running and Taking part in tacking difficulties in the society.
“I also wanted to touch a little bit on resilience… For MTN our businesses are in the best shape they’ve been in for a long time. Our balance sheet is strong, our gearing has come down, we have our asset realisation. So, we believe we are well placed, And yes, our share prices have been under pressure, but so too has the share prices of other telcos with exposure to oil-dependent economies, and even the big European multinationals as well.”
“Finally, it’s about being good together. So, this is MTN’s theme for this year, and it recognises that if we work together – telco operators, civil society, governments, officials, – in a spirit of partnership, that we will be able to get through this as quickly and with as least effect as is possible. So, I thank you all.” the CEO concluded.

The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that Nigeria is hoping for the best in its efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic, but it is also prepared for the worst.

The minister also urged Nigerians to be prepared for tougher directives that the government may put in place to tackle the disease.

Mohammed said this on Monday at a press briefing in Abuja on the federal government’s efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

“The truth is that things may yet get worse than it is now, hence the need for all hands to be on deck. Tougher decisions may yet be on the way to contain this disease. But whatever decision is taken will be in the best interest of Nigerians,” he said.

The federal government has already shut all schools and all international airports to prevent the spread of the disease. Many states have also put in place directives to limit public gatherings.

On Monday, Mohammed assured that the federal government is prepared to take on and defeat the pandemic.

“President Buhari has assured Nigerians that the government is on top of the situation and that there is no cause for panic. This is not the time to engage in name-calling, second-guessing the government or playing politics”.

He urged Nigerians to come together as one to stop coronavirus dead in its tracks, as the virus just like Ebola does not select its victims on the basis of their political party affiliation, religion or ethnicity.

He commended the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Immigration officers and others at the ports of entry as the first responders.

“We also thank Nigerians for complying with all the preventive measures being put in place by the government,” he said.

Having shut the country’s airports, the minister requested the cooperation of the general public in the area of ‘contact tracing’.

“As you may be aware, health services use ‘contact tracing’ to find people who may have been exposed to an infectious disease, in this case, coronavirus.”

He said an Inter-Ministerial/Multi-Sectoral Preparedness and Response Committee set up by the federal government on January 31 has been responsible for the formulation of many of the containment measures so far rolled out.

The committee was set up to put in place an action plan for joint response, in the event that the importation of the disease occurs, to ensure its containment.

He also recalled that President Buhari on March 9 set up a Presidential Task Force for the Control of Coronavirus, especially to check the disease’s potential of causing significant disruption to health services in the country as well as impacting negatively on the economy.

“Our efforts to tackle coronavirus are not being helped by the spread of fake news,” Mohammed lamented.

He said the news going around that the virus cannot affect Africans for one reason or another, or that the young are immune to it is not true.

“Based on what we know so far, no one is immune to this disease. In New York, for example, 54 per cent of those infected are between the ages of 18 and 49.

“As the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned, young people are not immune to coronavirus and must avoid socialising and communicating it to older, more vulnerable people.”

He also said the prescription of chloroquine (which has not been approved for treating coronavirus), garlic, hot bath, etc, as the cure-all for the virus, should be shunned.

He said Facebook has been bringing down flagged posts in this regard and Whatsapp is working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to strengthen the capacity to keep the public informed on coronavirus.

He also said a message being circulated on social media claiming that the federal government has agreed to pay N8,500 to each citizen to stay at home for one month starting from March 3, is fake.

The message also asked Nigerians to enter their voter’s card number or national identity card number and other details on a certain website link in order to access the money.

He urged Nigerians not to fall for the scams.

“An audio recording that is being circulated on social media, especially on WhatsApp, has made some bogus claims, including that Nigeria is seeking to buy used protective gear from China, waiting for money from the WHO before doing anything, that Nigeria has no funds to tackle the disease because the foreign reserves have been exhausted and funds were stolen, that Nigeria is understating the figures of those infected, etc.

“This is a most irresponsible, inaccurate and definitely orchestrated job by a charlatan and should be disregarded by all Nigerians. It is obvious that this hatchet job is aimed at distracting the hard-working health officials and misinforming Nigerians in order to create panic,” he said.