A 93-year-old woman got many laughing online after making a rather spirited appeal for alcohol.
As a pensioner and vulnerable to coronavirus, Olive Veronesi is staying in her Pennsylvania home around the clock.
But due to warnings that elderly people should not even go out for food, Olive ran out of beer and didn’t know what to do, reports Sky News.
She couldn’t head out to any shops to pick up supplies like others might because, at her age she’s more vulnerable to the disease than most.
So instead she had to get creative when thinking up how she could get her hands on more beer.
Olive ended up going viral on Facebook with the idea she came up with.
Standing at the window of her home, she held up a sign which said: ‘I NEED MORE BEER!!’
The grandma finally achieved her objective, with several people offering to go and get her the much needed Beer.
The Central Bank of Nigeria says interested stakeholders must meet its set criteria to access its N50bn intervention loans for small and medium scale enterprises.
The CBN introduced the N50bn Targeted Credit Facility as a stimulus package to support households and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and guidelines to access the funds.
To access, it stated that, “Eligible households or MSMEs shall submit applications directly to NIRSAL Microfinance Bank; and the application must, among others, contain BVN number, business registration (where applicable) and business plan with clear evidence of the opportunity or adverse impact as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
“NMFB shall appraise and conduct due diligence applications; upon satisfactory appraisal of application, NMFB shall forward the applications to the CBN for final approval; and CBN reviews applications and gives final approval for disbursement to NMFB.”
The bank stated that eligible participants were households and existing enterprises with verifiable evidence of business activities adversely affected as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and enterprises with bankable plans to take advantage of opportunities arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Activities covered under the guidelines include agricultural value chain activities, hospitality (accommodation and food services), health (pharmaceuticals and medical supplies), airline service providers, manufacturing/value addition, trading, and any other income generating activities as may be prescribed by the CBN.
It stated that the eligible participating financial institution for the scheme was NIRSAL Microfinance Bank.
The CBN said the loan amount would be determined based on the activity, cashflow and industry/segment size of beneficiary, subject to a maximum of N25m for SMEs; and households could access a maximum of N3m.
It stated that working capital would be a maximum of 25 per cent of the average of the previous three years’ annual turnover (where the enterprise was not up to three years in operation, 25 per cent of the previous year’s turnover would suffice).
It added that interest rate under the intervention would be five per cent per annum (all inclusive) up to 28th February 2021 and thereafter, the interest on the facility would revert to nine per cent (all inclusive) as from 1st March 2021.
The regulator stated that working capital would be for a maximum period of one year, with no option for rollover, while term loan would have a maximum tenor of not more than three years with, at least, one year moratorium.
It stated that the collateral to be pledged by beneficiaries under the programme must be acceptable by NIRSAL MFB, but may include any one or more of others which are moveable assets duly registered on the National Collateral Registry; simple deposit of title documents, in perfectible state; and deed of debenture (for stocks), in perfectible state.
The police in Bauchi State have announced the arrest of three suspects in connection with the abduction and killing of a 15-year-old boy.
The victim, Sadiq Suleiman, was a Senior Secondary School 2 pupil.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Kamal Abubakar, who confirmed the incident to Punch Metro in a telephone interview, said, “We received a report of the case of kidnapping from a complainant and our men swung into action.
"We were able to arrest three suspects in connection with the crime and they are undergoing investigation. We will charge them as soon as we conclude our investigation.”
It was gathered that the suspects are the victim’s neighbours and abducted and killed him after collecting N5.5m ransom from his parents.
The father of the deceased, Dr. Mohammed Suleiman, who spoke with journalists said, “On Thursday, April 2, 2020, the suspects called me on the telephone and asked if I was the father of Sadiq and I answered in the affirmative.
"They told me that they abducted him and asked for N10m and that if I didn’t bring the money, they would kill him.”
Mohammed said after ending the call, he called his wife and asked her where Sadiq was and she searched the house but could not find him.
He stated, “I am one of the medical doctors selected to be part of the task force fighting coronavirus in the state, so I drove back home. After two days, the abductors called me again and asked me to give them N7m.
“Then, they sent me three different account numbers and asked me to deposit the money in the accounts, which I did. So, they told me that after evening prayer around 7pm, I should go and take my son at Inkil village. Later, they called me and asked me to go to Kangere, near some churches, that I would see my son. I went there with my brothers and searched for the boy, but we didn’t see him.
"We came back and I received a call from the police that they had arrested three suspects in connection with the incident. They asked me to come and see them, because they confessed that they were responsible for kidnapping my son.
“When I went there, I found out that one of them bought a brand new Mercedes Benz car for N2.3m; the suspects also bought three phones, each costing N160,000.”
Mohammed said the police told him on Friday that the suspects had killed his son, adding that they took the security agents to the place where his remains were buried.
He added, “The police invited us to the scene, where the abductors buried my son, and the grave was dug and his body was found in it; we took it to the hospital, where a doctor certified him dead.
“The doctor said in his report that Sadiq was stabbed in the neck and the assailants also hit him with something in the head. We retrieved his body, which was buried according to Islamic rites.”
In their reaction, Doctors in the state say it is depressing that while they are putting their life on the line to save people, some will be out killing their children.
The Lagos State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Musiliu Akinsanya also known as MC Oluomo, has said members of the union caught engaging in crimes during the coronavirus lockdown would be dismissed and prosecuted.
MC Oluomo disclosed this on Monday in a statement via his verified Instagram page while imploring his men to endure the season.
Cases of robbery and banditry have increased in the last few days with Lagosians forming vigilante groups and making bonfires to survive each day.
The NURTW boss said members apprehended at crime scenes would be prosecuted and dismissed while urging them to assist to obey the stay-at-home order of the government.
The statement read in part, “The NURTW Chairman enjoined all members to endure for the time being otherwise any member caught either attached to robbery or caught at the scene of the act will be totally dismissed and prosecuted by law.
“MC Olumo advised members, including motorcycle and tricycle riders, popularly called Okada and Maruwa to adhere to the federal and state governments’ orders as regards the lockdown on movement.
“He also implored all members especially the branch chairmen to be vigilant and assist their various communities in combating the daylight robberies that are currently being reported in different areas.
“He pleaded with them to stay indoors because it is for the general good.”
Sources say many of the boys arrested have link with NURTW either as conductors, agberos or touts.
No fewer than 10 Nigerians, out of the 40 persons subjected to the mandatory COVID-19 test for those who registered in the United Kingdom to return home, have tested positive.
The results of the tests, which were released on Monday in London, indicated that the 10 individuals were asymptomatic, raising fears that they might have infected other people.
This was said to have sparked panic among the staff of the Nigerian High Commission in London and other Nigerians who heard about the development.
A source in the high commission explained that Nigerians, who registered for the evacuation, were being tested in a batch of 40 . The source added that another batch would soon undergo the COVID-19 test.
He stated[b], “We have just received the results of the first batch of 40 Nigerians who registered for evacuation to Nigeria. The results show that about 10 persons tested positive for COVID-19 and they have commenced treatment in isolation centres.
“What is generating consternation is the fear that they might have infected many other people since they were not showing symptoms of the deadly disease.”
At least 17 people were said to have been killed when a fighter jet belonging to the Nigerian Air Force fired a bomb on Sakotoku village in Damboa local government area of Borno state.
Residents told TheCable that those killed included women, and children who were said to be playing under mango trees.
The air force, military sources said, was informed that Boko Haram insurgents were gathering around the village on Thursday afternoon.
The supposed target, according to a source, was an area in Korongilum, a neighbouring village 12 kilometres away where suspected Boko Haram insurgents had gathered earlier.
“We don’t know if they didn’t communicate well with the land troops as the air force jet fired that bomb on the village,” one of the sources said.
“Seventeen people were killed, mostly women and their children playing under mango trees. Many were also injured and have been taken to the 25 army brigade in Damboa, and those with critical injuries were taken to Maiduguri.”
Some of the villagers whose houses were destroyed have found their way to Damboa.
In February, residents of Garkida, Adamawa state and Korongilum, Borno state, had alleged that NAF fighter jets refused to open fire on suspected Boko Haram insurgents when they attacked their communities.
Ibikunle Daramola, NAF spokesperson, had then told TheCable they could not engage the insurgents because the situation in Garkida was chaotic, and that they took the measure so they would not hit civilians.
In 2017, 126 civilians were killed in Rann, Borno state, in an accidental air strike by the military.
When TheCable contacted about the incident in Sakotoku, Daramola said: “It’s a matter of operation” and the defence headquarters would be in a better position to speak on the matter.”
Less than two weeks after a Masquerade was arrested in Ogun state and a DPO in the area died few days later, which Police say was not related, another Masquerade has been apprehended.
Looks like this one was arrested in a state in the North-Central part of Nigeria.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described Monday’s COVID-19 Pandemic speech by President Muhammadu Buhari as very disappointing.
The party, in a statement Monday night by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the speech, just “like pre-recorded broadcast of March 29, 2020” failed to address salient issues of urgent concerns to Nigerians in their daily struggle against the spread of the plague in our country.
The party expressed sadness that Mr. President “again” failed to show leadership and displayed total lack of touch with reality as he failed to give any hope on palliatives to the ordinary Nigerians as they face hunger and economic pangs of the lockdown.
“It is more painful that President Buhari could not address the immediate needs of the people or provide a trajectory that will take care of their future.
“Instead, Mr. President bored our nation with a rehash of global data already known to Nigerians in addition to promises that are far-flung departures from the harsh realities on the ground.
“Nigerians expected Mr. President to directly address the established failures of his palliatives distribution, particularly the provision of funds to the poorest of the poor, which has been marred by allegations of corruption and diversion of funds. This is in addition to allegations of diversion of rice and other food items meant for the poor masses.
“Can Mr. President claim not to be aware that not a handful of Nigerians have received any palliatives and that huge majority of our citizens are complaining that they have not been reached with any panacea despite his administration’s claim of having reached 2.6 million household?
“Announcing the expansion of the palliative scope to 3.6 million households without addressing the failure of the scheme and with no parameter to showcase the declared expansion is an encouragement of the corrupt system that has been depriving Nigerians.
“The PDP challenges Mr. President to disprove Nigerians by publishing documents showing the beneficiaries of the claimed 2.6 million household social intervention, the benefiting communities as well as the parameters that will be deployed for the additional one million household,” the party said.
Nigerian music star Davido shocked many on Monday as you confirmed he just bought a new house for some of his staff, while millions of Nigerians were struggling to get what to eat due to the lockdown effect.
He took to social media to announce the big cash purchase, saying;
Bought a house for my staff today ... great feeling!
A vaccine for coronavirus could be ready by September, a professor of vaccinology at Oxford University told the Times.
Sarah Gilbert said she was “80% confident” the Covid-19 vaccine being developed by her team would fight the disease.
She said her belief in the likelihood of it being ready by September is more than a "hunch" and human trials for the vaccine are due to begin in a fortnight.
Professor Gilbert's team at Oxford is part of a global effort to find a vaccine for coronavirus, which has killed more than 100,000 people around the world.
She stressed "nobody can promise it’s going to work" but it’s possible "if everything goes perfectly."
Professor Gilbert told The Times: "I think there's a high chance that it will work based on other things that we have done with this type of vaccine.
"It's not just a hunch and as every week goes by we have more data to look at. I would go for 80%, that's my personal view."
A grieving daughter has died of a heart attack during her mum's funeral following her death from coronavirus.
Laura Richard's family said the 32-year-old's body must have just "given up on her" as she stood by the graveside at Atherstone Cemetery in Warwickshire.
Her mum Julie Murphy, 63, died, leaving the family reeling from the double tragedy.
Laura collapsed clutching her chest during the service, and despite the vicar and other mourners' desperate efforts, they were unable to save her life.
Her half-sister Sadie, 45, said her daughter was one of the few family members at the service and tried to save Laura.
She told Sun Online: "They were lowering my mum into the ground and Laura suddenly said 'I can't breathe, I can't breathe'."
Sadie said she was clutching her chest when her daughter told her to sit down and put a coat around her.
"Even the vicar tried to help save her life. But there was nothing that could be done, she had a massive heart attack.
"To lose your sister at your mum's funeral -- it's like a horror film. She was only 32."
She added: "I can't get my head around that it happened just as mum's coffin was being lowered."
Grandma and mum-of-four Julie died in hospital on March 15 after contracting coronavirus at Oldbury Grange nursing home in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
Here's an open letter written by Nollywood actor Mike Godson to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who's his neighbour as they both live in the same estate in Lagos:
Your exellency the vice president federal republic of NIGERIA.
Dear sir,
My name is "Mike Godson" I'm a Nigerian Actor with the Nigerian film industry.
Sir, We have been instructed by the federal and state government to strictly avoid social gatherings and stay in our various houses, due to the spread of the virus. I must commend the federal and state government levels for the aggressive measures put in place to ensure the country's safety.
But sir, the hunger in the land has finally reached my house. As I write this letter, I have just finished eating my last pot of soup and there's no hope for another one as my source of income has been put on hold until further notice. Your exellency sir, i have no more money to feed. If you were in Lagos, I would have walked staright to your house and ask for food because I stay in thesame estate with you. I know I will be arrested by those mobile police officers in thier hundreds, assigned to your residence after I must have shouted your name 3 times. But sir, as long as I see you and ask for food to eat, I don't mind being punished for hunger at this point.
Finally sir, I just want to know if the relief packages sent out in envelopes by the federal government will reach this side of Lagos, because your exellency sir, The Hunger on the way will be more than corona virus O! Please help O!����♂️
Former First Lady Patience Jonathan has struck a deal to release her 200-bed hotel, which was locked up by the EFCC, as COVID-19 Isolation and treatment centre.
The massive Abuja hotel, which is believed to be worth about N2 billion, is under interim forfeiture secured by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the court on April 30, 2018. No permanent forfeiture order yet.
The former First Lady, it was learnt, struck the deal with First Lady Aisha Buhari, which led to her release of the hotel, under litigation, for use by the government at the critical time.
The First Lady, through her pet project, the Future Assured Programme, entered into separate agreements with Mrs. Jonathan and the Ministry of Health to convert the hotel into a COVID-19 treatment centre.
Mrs. Buhari made an offer to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, to equip it as a treatment centre to international standards.
Although the hotel will be formally handed over to the Minister of Health on Monday, it will be managed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) COVID-19 committee.
The Future Assured Programme is providing facilities like water, furniture, beddings, fittings and modern health equipment used to manage COVID-19 cases.
It was gathered that the “deal” between the First Lady and her predecessor was struck at a recent meeting by the duo at the Presidential Villa.
A source quoted Mrs. Jonathan as saying: “This is the time we must all come together, irrespective of political differences, to assist this nation to fight the pandemic. It is a time to shun politics.
“I will do everything to help this great country that has also given me the opportunity to serve.”
Worshippers at the Christ Apostolic Church (Oke-Iyanu) on Hospital Road, Ogijo, in Sagamu area of Ogun State, on Sunday, scampered for safety as policemen stormed the church, arrested their pastor, Jonathan Olowonisile, and four others during service.
The action of the policemen was part of the moves to ensure compliance with the sit-at-home order by the government.
It was gathered that worshippers had congregated in the church to observe the Easter Sunday service when policemen attached to the Ogijo division invaded the church and arrested the pastor while other members took to their heels.
It was further gathered that the news of the arrest of the pastor and others forced other recalcitrant churches in the area to abruptly shut their doors.
One of the members of the church, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “What happened today is an indication that we have been under surveillance.
“Our pastor, the associate pastor and three other members were arrested.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the pastor was arrested for leading a congregation contrary to the order against high density gathering.
“Our men arrested one Pastor Jonathan Olowonisile today (Sunday) for contravening the order against high density gathering.”
The talented actress, who's pregnant again and expecting baby number four, shared a picture of herself, the hubby Prince Okojie and their three lovely kids to mark the Easter Celebration.
Nollywood actress Dolly Unachukwu who is based in the United Kingdom has stated that the issue of poor electricity supply in Nigeria might be attributed to some special evil in the land.
She wonders if it is just bad leadership in the country or some agents of darkness are actually preventing electricity to be in Nigeria like other countries.
The actress wrote; "You asked people to stay at home in darkness. Come on! let there be light.
I have lived in the UK for close to 2 decades. Here, stable power supply is like the air we breathe. It makes me wonder if the light issue in Nigeria is entirely a leadership thing or if there is more to it than we know.
How are we sure there isn’t a special kind of evil which our leaders themselves are finding so hard to contain? Can different cabinets keep failing Nigerians over and over again without a hidden reason?
To be in darkness helplessly for several years as a nation is a special kind of evil that warrants a special kind of investigation."
