Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed has gone into self-isolation after contact with the son of Nigeria’s Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who tested positive for Coronavirus.

Atiku’s son, Mohammed Atiku Abubakar, was on Sunday tested positive for Coronavirus and had been transferred to the hospital for treatment. Atiku disclosed this on Sunday on his twitter handle.

However, Mohammed, on Monday, on his twitter handle said one of his recent contacts had tested positive for Coronavirus.

He said he had taken precaution immediately by self-isolating himself.

“Following the confirmation from NCDC that one of my recent contacts has tested positive for the #coronavirus, I’ve taken immediate precaution by self-isolating myself.

“My entourage is also strictly complying with the same isolation measures, pending the results of our tests,” he said.

Also, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mukhtar Gidado, in a statement, said “This is to inform the general public that his Excellency, Bala Mohammed, has gone into self-isolation.

“This development is sequel to a report from the NCDC that the son of former VP of Nigeria was tested negative for the coronavirus upon his return from an international trip through Lagos.

“It would be recalled that Governor Bala Mohammed, who also recently returned from, an official trip in Lagos, met with Mohammed Atiku Abubakar in the Aero Contractor aircraft where they shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.”

The statement said so far, the governor had not exhibited any symptom of the disease but that based on the recommendation of the NCDC, he would remain indoors to avoid the risk of spreading the disease.

Suleiman Achimugu, a former Managing Director of Pipelines and Products Marketing Company has been identified as the 67 year-old Nigerian who died from coronavirus infection.

His family said Achimugu returned to Nigeria from the United Kingdom two weeks ago and showed symptoms of the virus last Tuesday, multiple reports said.

He reportedly died around 2:00am on Monday after coughing severely for most part of Sunday.

“NCDC officials came to the house and took his blood specimen. Even though it tested positive, they never got back to us until he died at a hospital in Gwagwalada”, a family source told the online platform Sahara Reporters.

“We are all currently under quarantine in the house,” the source said.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) announced Monday, the first Nigerian to die of the virus. But it did not unveil the identity.

“The 1st #COVID19 death in Nigeria has been recorded. The case was a 67 year old male who returned home following medical treatment in UK

“He had underlying medical conditions- multiple myeloma & diabetes & was undergoing chemotherapy. Our thoughts are with his family”, NCDC tweeted.

NCDC earlier announced an increase in coronavirus cases in Nigeria, from 30 to 35 as at 9.45 am on Monday.

Five new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Nigeria: 2 in FCT, 2 in Lagos & 1 in Edo

2 cases are returning travellers from the UK

As at 09:45 am on 23rd March, there are 35 confirmed cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria. 2 have been discharged.

Five new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Nigeria: 2 in FCT, 2 in Lagos & 1 in Edo

2 cases are returning travellers from the UK

As at 09:45 am on 23rd March, there are 35 confirmed cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria. 2 have been discharged pic.twitter.com/brTI9PFsYH

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) March 23, 2020

The 1st #COVID19 death in Nigeria has been recorded. The case was a 67 year old male who returned home following medical treatment in UK

He had underlying medical conditions- multiple myeloma & diabetes & was undergoing chemotherapy

Our thoughts are with his family.

The 1st #COVID19 death in Nigeria has been recorded. The case was a 67 year old male who returned home following medical treatment in UK

He had underlying medical conditions- multiple myeloma & diabetes & was undergoing chemotherapy

Our thoughts are with his family pic.twitter.com/A7STOjTQeW

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) March 23, 2020

One of Africa’s largest economies, Nigeria is poised to grow by leaps and bounds by 2050, at an average of 4.2% year-on-year, rising eight places from 22nd to 14thin the rankings. While the government has struggled with corruption, residents have an entrepreneurial attitude that keeps pushing the country forward. According to Global Entrepreneurship Monitor data, more than 30% of Nigerian residents are new entrepreneurs or the owner-manager of a new business, among the highest rate in the world.

“There is a ‘hustle and bustle’ culture in the air,” said Nigerian native Colette Otusheso, CEO of Accelerate TV, who lives in Lagos. “Nigerians are hard workers and it almost comes naturally for us to be working on several things at once, which means there is always something going on.”

Even the country’s challenges, like minimal public transportation, have segued into business opportunities. “We now have an app very similar to Uber for okadas (motorbike transport), which is the most used form of transport in Nigeria but in the past has not been very reliable,” said Otusheso. “Now we can track okada drivers and locations just as you do for transport and deliveries with Uber.”

Residents mostly feel positive about the county’s future but are wary of government corruption and foreign investment. “We need to be careful what country we take money from, who we allow to help us improve our infrastructure and what strings are attached to it,” said Nigerian native Chizoba Anyaoha, Founder of TravSolo, noting their history of other nations taking advantage of their natural resources and raw materials.

Newcomers should settle in Lagos or Abuja, both big cities with good schools and great nightlife and food. Just like any big city, street smarts are key. “The best way to acclimate here is to know someone currently living here you trust,” said Anyaoha. “It is quite easy to identify expats, making them easy targets. Keep a low profile, take precautions, always be aware of your surroundings and the people in it.”

Source: BBC

Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has revealed that his son tested positive for the deadly Coronavirus.

Atiku, on his verified twitter page, late Sunday night disclosed that his son had tested positive for the virus.

He said the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, had been duly informed.

Atiku added that his son, whose name he did not disclose, had been moved to Gwagwalada Specialist Teaching Hospital in Abuja for treatment and management.

He called on Nigerians to pray for his son’s quick recovery.

“My son has tested positive to the #coronavirus. Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control has been duly informed, and he has been moved to Gwagwalada Specialist Teaching Hospital in Abuja for treatment and management.

“I will appreciate it if you have him in your prayers. Stay safe, coronavirus is real,” he tweeted.

My son has tested positive to coronavirus. @NCDCGov has been duly informed, and he has been moved to Gwagwalada Specialist Teaching Hospital in Abuja for treatment and management. I will appreciate it if you have him in your prayers. Stay safe, coronavirus is real. -AA

— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) March 22, 2020

The President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle, on Sunday, said arrogance of humans against God and the constituted authority were responsible for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic across the world.

The CAN president said this in a special sermon on a cable television, which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by his Special Assistant, Media and Communications, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji.

He also mentioned sin and all sorts of wickedness as parts of the things responsible for the outbreak of the virus.

Although Ayokunle, who is also the General Secretary, Nigeria Baptist Convention, described Coronavirus as a disease that defied human solution, he said that God had provisions for its cure.

The cleric called for a change of heart among humans so as to see to the end of the pandemic.

He also identified others factors as ungratefulness or ingratitude as well as the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ.

“As in the case of the children of Israel in this passage, the arrogance of man against God and lawfully constituted authority led to God’s anger and judgment over the people.

“People say anything today against God and against His word. The injunctions of the Scriptures, which are God’s commands, no longer matter to us.

“We query the validity today of the word of God and equally deliberately act against it,” he said.

He said that all practices that would make us worship God had been rejected or abandoned under the guise of fundamental human rights.

“In some advanced nations, anything about God must not be mentioned in any public event and neither can people worship God nor share the gospel with their neighbours.

“Doing so is an offence. This pride and arrogance against God came because of advancement in technology. We feel we can do many things without God and thus become ‘god’ unto ourselves.

“Technological advancement should make us to reverence God the more, because He is the revealer of knowledge,” he said.

Coronavirus cases in Nigeria jumped from 22 on Saturday to 30 on Sunday, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) said.

NCDC initially announced a total of 26 confirmed cases, with Lagos having 19, Abuja 3, Ogun 2, Ekiti 1 and Oyo 1. Hours after, it reported one more case for Abuja, taking the tally in the Federal capital to 4.

By 5.28pm, NCDC gave a revised tally, including an additional three new cases in Lagos.

Three new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Lagos, Nigeria

2 cases are returning travellers and 1 is a contact of a confirmed case.

As at 05:28 pm on the 22nd of March, there are 30 confirmed cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria. 2 have been discharged with no deaths. pic.twitter.com/UQVYdkE9Xk

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) March 22, 2020

“Three new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Lagos, Nigeria. 2 cases are returning travellers and 1 is a contact of a confirmed case. As at 05:28 pm on the 22nd of March, there are 30 confirmed cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria. 2 have been discharged with no deaths.”, NCDC said.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has ordered civil servants to stay at home for 14 days as part of the measures to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus.

The governor stated this on Sunday after six new cases of coronavirus were found in the state.

According to the governor, the stay-at-home directive applied to workers on grade level one to 12.

“We are shutting down almost 70 percent of our workforce from Monday, 23rd of March 2020. We are shutting down levels 1-12 in our public service for the next 14 days,” he said.

“We know the enormity of the task at hand, and we are ready for it. We are working with market leaders and even public transport unions to ensure social distancing.

“Self-Isolate for at least 14 days if you are just returning to from abroad. That would be the right thing to do.

“We must always rise to our challenges. We will win with the cooperation of Lagos residents. We have done this before, we will do it again.”

He, however, exempted “those providing essential services”.

The governor also said more isolation centres have been created in the state.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has confirmed the first case of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in the state.

“The COVID-19 confirmation test for the suspected case at Bodija has come back POSITIVE. The result was released at 17:35 PM of March 21, 2020,” Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, said in a statement on Sunday morning.

This brings the tally of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Nigeria at this time, to 23.

There are 16 patients in Lagos; one in Ekiti; two in Ogun, and three in the federal capital territory (FCT).

Makinde, said public health officials in the state are collaborating with the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan’s team on the case.

The governor added that someone who just returned from the US has also been placed under isolation.

“A follow up on the Ekiti COVID-19 case revealed that the deceased was picked up directly from Lagos Airport to a private apartment in Ona Ara Local Government Area.

“The Health Authorities have contacted the family concerned and the community has been alerted for intensified contact tracing and self-isolation of identified close contacts. The information given that he stayed in some hotels in Ibadan has been found to be false.

“Another returnee from Texas, USA, has also been identified at Oluyole Local Government Area. She has been kept in self-isolation with close monitoring by the State Epidemiological Team. All recent returnees are again urged to identify themselves to Ministry Officials and self-isolate for 14 days.