Lobatan! Obaseki visits PDP's Nyesom Wike

It's about to get hotter! Governor Obaseki today visited Nyesom Wike.

The Rivers Governor received his embattled Edo counterpart Godwin Obaseki at the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt.

Details of the meeting were sketchy but there were speculations it is connected with the political future of Obaseki, who has been disqualified from contesting the primaries of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Edo.

Fingers crossed o. Issa ghen ghen thing!

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/lobatan-obaseki-visits-pdps-nyesom-wike.html

University of Ibadan steps into Obaseki/APC saga

One of the reasons cited for the disqualification of Godwin Obaseki from APC’s June 22 governorship primary in Edo State was that the University of Ibadan awarded him two certificates with separate dates.

However, the University of Ibadan debunked the claim on Sunday.

UI Registrar, Olubunmi Faluyi, on Sunday restated that Obaseki graduated from the institution in 1979.

Faluyi said the institution’s stand remained as contained in an earlier statement that “Obaseki gained admission to the University in 1976 and graduated in 1979 with a Second Class Honours, Lower Division. Records of his Admission and Graduation are intact in the archives of the University.”


In the same vein, the varsity’s Director of Public Communications, Olatunji Oladejo, said the claim by the APC was false.

He said “We stand by our statement on Obaseki. How can you issue two certificates to a candidate? That is not true. It is not possible. He graduated in 1979 from the university. We issued only one certificate to him, not two.”

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/university-of-ibadan-steps-into.html

Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput dies by suicide

Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has committed suicide.

Police confirmed the death at his Mumbai home on Sunday.

The award-winning actor, who played Indian skipper MS Dhoni in the cricketer’s biopic, was found hanging at his residence.

His death followed that of his manager Disha Salina, who also committed suicide.

The reason for Rajput’s suicide is yet to be confirmed.


Post-mortem reports are being awaited, according to Mumbai Police.

“It pains us to share that Sushant Singh Rajput is no longer with us,” said a statement by Rajput’s publicist.

“We request his fans to keep him in their thoughts and celebrate his life, and his work like they have done so far.

“We request media to help us maintain privacy at this moment of grief.”

The actor’s former manager, Disha Salian, died last Monday after a fall from the 14th floor of a building in Mumbai, India’s financial capital.

The police are investigating both cases.

He was 34.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/bollywood-actor-sushant-singh-rajput.html

FCTA seals Jabi Lake Mall for hosting Naira Marley concert

The Federal Capital Territory FCT Ministerial Enforcement Task team on Covid -19 Restrictions has sealed up the Jabi Lake Mall indefinitely for violating the Presidential Task Force’s directives on the ban on public gatherings.

Recall yesterday, Naira held a concert where his fans refused to practice social distancing -- a thing that made him trend on twitter.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja after sealing the mall, Chairman of the Ministerial Enforcement Taskteam on Covid-19 Restrictions, Ikharo Attah, lamented despite several warnings from the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and the FCT Administration on guidelines to operate, the management of the Jabi Lake Mall chose to encourage and permits a concerts by their customer Naira Marley and also conducting business activities to exceeding the normal hours allowed by the authorities.

He further disclosed the administration has secured a judgement from a mobile court headed by Magistrate Idayat Akonni who sat in the malls premises in Jabi to seal up the mall for two weeks for default of the Covid-19 protocols bearing three count charges on the Mall.

Ikharo explained that the seal up order was necessitated by the unlawful and embarrassing event at the mall on Friday night.

When asked if the FCT administration plans to declare Marley wanted, Attah said: “He flew in to Abuja Friday from Lagos and returned back same day to the nations forma Capital City.

“We are convinced that the Lagos state govt who had in recent past had unpleasant experience with the artist will do the needful since he also breached the inter state travel ban which applies to Lagos state “.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/fcta-seals-jabi-lake-mall-for-hosting.html

Oshiomhole vs Obaseki: Why Edo State Can't Be Like Lagos

Chief Charles Idahosa, a former Commissioner for Information and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state, has said Governor Godwin Obaseki will not chicken out from the governorship election despite his disqualification from the primaries by the APC screening committee last week.



Speaking in a chat with INDEPENDENT, Idahosa, who had always said he will dump the APC if Obaseki is denied reelection, said the governor will not take the ‘Ambode option’ as being suggested by some people because Edo is not Lagos.

It will be recalled that Akinwunmi Ambode, former Lagos state governor conceded defeat and congratulated his opponent, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, current governor of Lagos state who was declared winner of the APC governorship primary held on October 2, 2018.

Ambode, who refused entreaties to switch allegiance to another political party to contest the election, also appealed to all members of the APC to remain one family and unite behind the candidate of the party so that the party could continue to move this state forward.

However, Idahosa said Ambode bowed out of the race easily because he doesn’t control the APC structures in Lagos, which according to him, is under the firm grip of Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos.

According to him, the scenario is different when compared to Edo state as Governor Obaseki controls all the party’s structures from state executive to ward level.

He said that was why Adams Oshiomhole, APC National Chairman did everything to bar him from contesting the primaries on the party’s platform.

“We’ve always said that Edo is not Lagos. What happened in Ambode’s case was that Ambode depended 100 percent on Tinubu. All the structures of the party are in Tinubu’s hands.

“That was why on the day of the primary, the Deputy Governor, SSG all of them ran away from Ambode and he lost woefully.

"But in Edo state, the whole structure is under the control of Governor Godwin Obaseki. We control the whole 18 local governments unlike Ambode who doesn’t have any control but was waiting for Tinubu to do everything for him.

“We control the executive of the party and all other apparatus of the party. So, we are not afraid at all because the situation in Edo and Lagos are not similar. That is why you see Oshiomhole doing everything to stop the governor from contesting but it will fail,” he said.

Passenger from Lagos dies on board Air India flight to Mumbai

A passenger dies in an Air India flight which took off from Lagos on Saturday

A 42-year old passenger on board an Air India flight from Lagos to Mumbai died under unclear circumstances.

Report said the passenger displayed symptoms of fever before boarding the aircraft.

According to India Today, the passenger was seen shivering inside the flight, and that he informed the Air India crew that he had malaria.


According to the report, crew of the Air India flight had also provided him oxygen as he was finding it difficult to breathe.

It quoted sources as informing that the passenger collapsed while bleeding from his mouth and died on board the flight.

The flight landed at the Mumbai Airport at 3:40 am, the medium added.

Air India has, however, said that the passenger died of “natural causes”. It denied that the passenger had a fever.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/passenger-from-lagos-dies-on-board-air.html

Single woman says she's having plenty of s.e.x with two married men she met during lockdown

A woman has lifted the lid on the “explosive sex” she has been enjoying during two affairs with married men in the breach of lockdown.

Claire, 32, was seriously craving human contact when the Government announced a strict lockdown in the UK due to coronavirus back in March.

The sales assistant, from Liverpool, also thought it was “crazy” that Brits are now banned from having sex with someone from another household.

It comes after new survey showed that a whopping 54% of people are against the new rule which was enforced a couple of weeks ago.


But that hasn’t stopped Claire from fulfilling her sexual needs after admitting she had sex the first time with a married men she met on IllicitEncounters back in April.

She said: “I would do it again – it is crazy that the Government is banning people from having sex.

“The fact is that most young people outside of high risk groups have a very small chance of getting seriously ill from Covid.

“We are being asked to go without sex for the whole of summer to avoid a nasty bout of flu. It is a ban that most young people just cannot stick to.

“I know the restrictions are in place to stop us from infecting other people but I cannot live in a cocoon forever.

“I live in a flat on my own and I need human contact. I am not just going to spend the rest of the summer on my own. I have a high sex drive and need physical contact.”

The divorcee started meeting married men on IllicitEncounters, the UK’s leading affairs website, then she bonked for the first time with someone in April.

She detailed: “We had sex a few times before the clampdown. We stuck to the rules for about a month and just FaceTimed each other – putting on little sex shows to keep the spark alive.

“After a month, we could wait no longer and he came to my flat for an afternoon of fun. We had sex three times.

“It was explosive because it had been so long for both of us. We were doing all over my flat. I could not wait to do it again. He is married but has a much higher sex drive than his wife.

“We see each other every couple of weeks at my flat and always have sex. Neither of us feels bad about breaking the rules because we are young and fit and are showing no symptoms.”

Claire, who split from her husband two years ago, also started a new relationship with a second married man on the website.

She explained: “He contacted me for the first time about a month ago and we had sex at my flat last week after I cooked him dinner. Again the sex was amazing."

Her kinky stories come as a new survey found that more than half of Brits oppose the summer sex ban.

In fact, the number of people who have had sex in breach of the lockdown has doubled in the last month alone.

The results are from the research of 2,000 people by IllicitEncounters.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/single-woman-says-shes-having-plenty-of.html

New Guidelines For Reopening Of Churches & Mosques In Nigeria

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) continues to lead the public health response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria. Following the review of recent restriction measures by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, NCDC has developed new guidelines for places of worship in Nigeria.

This is to ensure safe gatherings and prevent exposures to COVID-19 infection in religious settings.

On the 2nd of June 2020, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 announced the relaxation of the previous ban placed on religious settings, allowing faith groups to meet while adhering to public health and social measures.

In several countries, COVID-19 outbreaks have been linked to large gatherings, including religious and non-religious gatherings. To reduce the risk of infection in places of worship, NCDC offers the following guidance:

• There should be no entry without facemasks. All attendees and religious leaders must wear a face mask

• People who are sick should not go to places of worship. There should be temperature screening on entry

• Hand washing facilities and hand sanitizers should be provided at point of entries and strategic points

• Attendance at religious settings should not exceed 1/3 of sitting capacity

• Religious centres should be clearly marked such that people sit and maintain two metres distance from each other

• There should be no form of direct contact. Practices such as handshakes as peace signs are discouraged

• Practices that require sharing of materials should be limited. For example, ablution should be performed at home

• Religious centres should be disinfected routinely, before and after worship

The guidelines developed by NCDC provides additional requirements to ensure that places of worship are safe. This can be downloaded via this link. The NCDC continues to work with states to provide technical assistance and resources to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of Nigerians.

In the absence of a vaccine, Nigeria and the rest of the world must depend on public health, social measures and supportive management of confirmed cases. We urge all Nigerians to take individual and collective responsibility by adhering to public health advice.

Obaseki Gets Conditions From PDP To Become Their Candidate

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has given conditions to the embattled Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, to fly the party’s flag in the state’s September 19 governorship election.

The offers came following Friday’s disqualification of Obaseki from the June 22 governorship primary of the APC by the party’s screening committee for the election.

The governor is determined to have a second term in office.



The screening committee, headed by Prof Jonathan Ayuba, said the governor was disqualified because of the discrepancies in his names and certificates and for suing the party in contravention of the party’s rules.

Investigations by The Punch showed that the governor made overtures to the PDP leadership on the possibility of contesting governorship on the party’s platform.

However, to realise his second-term ambition, a highly placed source within the PDP top hierarchy, told one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity that the governor had been in contact with the party. The source stated that the governor was asked to take some steps before he could be admitted to be the party’s candidate in the coming election.

The source added that chief among the conditions was the directive that he (Obaseki) should meet with the three PDP governorship aspirants screened by the party’s screening committee for the primary.

The three screened PDP aspirants were Gideon Ikhine, Ogbeide Ihama and Kenneth Imansuangbon.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that one of the aspirants insisted that he would not step down for the governor.

Though the party had yet to release the screening result, it was learnt that the three aspirants were likely to be cleared for the primary.

It was further learnt that the governor was also directed to meet with the party leadership in the state to seek their support and understanding.

The source said there was no way the national PDP would support the governor without the approval of its officials in the state, including the aspirants.

Investigations showed that the party leadership was afraid that if leaders in the state were not carried along in the arrangement, it could boomerang and lead to the defection of aggrieved members to either the APC or any other political party after the primary.

The source added that whatever agreement the governor reached with the party leaders and the aspirants would form the basis of whether he would join the party or not.

Italy detains 10 Nigerians accused of human trafficking

Italian police have detained 10 Nigerians accused of running a human trafficking ring that allegedly used voodoo rituals and promises of jobs to lure migrants to Italy only to be  put to work as prostitutes.

Police in Catania, Sicily, said the victims, including some minors, paid as much as 25,000 euros (($28,000) each to make the dangerous journey from Nigeria to Libya and then across the Mediterranean Sea to Italy.

Before leaving Nigeria, they were subject to a ritual that involved taking an oath to not speak out or flee, and to pay back the cost of getting to Europe, police said in a statement.


Police in Italy estimated based on money transfers traced during the investigation that the suspected traffickers made upwards of 1.2 million euros (about $1.4 million.) The suspects include five men and five women, with four more people sought.

Police said the organizers of the ring were careful that the women not pay their “madams” directly in Italy. Rather they would wire the money to either the recruiter or their families in Nigeria, who would then pay off the local recruiters.

Details of how the network operated were provided to investigators in April 2017 by a woman, identified only as Giuly, who was rescued at sea along with 433 migrants by the humanitarian group SOS Mediterranee, police said.

In all, police said they identified 20 victims of the ring, which had divisions in Nigeria, Libya, Italy and other European countries.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/italy-detains-10-nigerians-accused-of.html

“To hell with democracy, useless democracy”— Borno soldiers lament as they cause fatal crash

In Borno state, some obviously drunk soldiers caused some mayhem at the Auno checkpoint on Saturday.

They caused a fatal accident, mocked Nigeria’s democracy and threatened officials at gunpoint.

One of the soldiers blurted out to the officials: “To hell with democracy, useless democracy”. This was a day after Nigeria celebrated Democracy Day.

One person died and four others were injured at the scene, where Boko Haram killed over 30 people four months ago.

This time around, some soldiers attached to the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army assaulted members of Borno State COVID-19 Committee enforcing the interstate lockdown order.

The Attorney General, Malam Kakashehu Lawal, and Commissioner for Health, Dr Salisu Kwaya-Bura were among the committee members when the incident occurred.

Lawal, who spoke to newsmen on the incident, said the soldiers pulled down the barricade, undermining the work of the committee, by allowing non-essential travellers to enter the state.

He said that the troops in three Hilux gun-trucks, who claimed to be on a mission to repel Boko Haram attack on Gubio, fatally struck the convoy of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), enforcing the lockdown.

He said that the impact of the collision propelled the RRS Hilux vehicle down the roadway, at which point it somersaulted killing one and injuring three other security men.

“After hitting the vehicle, the soldiers pointed their gun-trucks at us and began assaulting us.

It was then one of the soldiers mocked 21 years of Nigeria’s democracy.

“Others raised their guns at us, while one of them removed the cap of a policeman attached to the team.

“A cameraman attached to the team from the Deputy Governor’s office was also attacked and beaten while his camera was seized by the soldiers,” Lawan said.

Kakashehu said that in spite of the assault, he asked the policemen in his team to remain calm.

“Why we stood our ground at the scene was to call on journalists and the military authorities to come and witness what was happening so they could bring an end to the impunity.

“As Nigerians, the mission and vision of the Buhari-led administration and also the Chief of Army Staff, is to save the lives and property of the people.

“So we cannot just allow a bunch of military men to cause any form of harassment when people are there on their official responsibility,” Lawan said.

It took the efforts of the state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Usman Kadafur, and the Garrison Commander of 7 Division, Brig.-Gen. Sunday Igbinomwanhia, to bring the situation under control.

Also speaking, the commissioner for health told the military commander that the soldiers pointed a gun at him after he identified himself.

He added that the soldiers equally forced all the motorists to come into the town without undergoing any COVID-19 test, an action he said, could hamper efforts of government in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kwaya-Bura explained that the state had so far recorded more than 400 coronavirus cases.

“Yesterday alone, more than 40 persons who travelled into the state were COVID-19 positive. This prompted the committee’s decision to come and impose the lockdown on this road today,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kadafur, who doubles as the Chairman of the COVID-19 Committee, condemned the incident, describing it as “unfortunate”.

He said that when the incident was reported to him, he quickly alerted the Garrison Commander to come to the scene in order to restore calm.

The deputy governor urged the military to investigate the incident to avoid a recurrence.

Brigadier Igbinomwanhia apologised to the COVID-19 team over the incident.

He assured that the army would set up a commission of enquiry to investigate the incident and vowed to punish erring soldiers.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/to-hell-with-democracy-useless.html

Lionel Messi unstoppable as Barcelona thrash Mallorca

Lionel Messi scored one goal and set up two more as Barcelona won 4-0 at Mallorca on Saturday on their return to La Liga action.

The match came after a three-month interruption to the season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Arturo Vidal gave Barcelona a second-minute lead and Martin Braithwaite and Jordi Alba added further goals.

Then Messi wrapped up the win at the death.

The scoreline made the league leaders five points clear of title rivals Real Madrid, who play on Sunday.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/lionel-messi-unstoppable-as-barcelona.html

Nigeria evacuates 269 stranded citizens from India

The Nigerian in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), on Saturday, confirmed the arrival of 269 Nigerians that were stranded in India in Lagos and Abuja.

The commission, who announced their arrival on its Twitter handle, said that the the 269 Nigerians arrived Nigeria at 2:00 a.m.

NiDCOM said that evacuees were received from India at the Lagos and Abuja airports.

”103 in Lagos and 166 in Abuja passages arrived today, Saturday, June 13, at about 2:00 a.m, after a few hours of delay.


“All evacuees are now on compulsory 14 days Self Isolation according to the new Protocol,” it said.

It was gathered that 103 evacuees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while 166 others landed at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/nigeria-evacuates-269-stranded-citizens.html

Police arrest suspected killer of UI pregnant student

A suspect connected with the killing of the 29-year old pregnant student of the University of Ibadan has been arrested by the Oyo State Police Command.

The student, Azeezat Shomuyiwa, was murdered in Ijefun, Akinyele area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, last week. She was found dead in her home with injuries showing that her head was smashed with stone. She was seven months pregnant at the time of her death.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Mr. Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the arrest of the suspect when asked for an update on the killings of Shomuyiwa and Barakat Bello.

Bello was r-ped and killed in the same local government area two weeks ago.


Fadeyi, who is a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the suspect was in the police custody assisting in investigation.

He said: “We are working to make sure that others in connection with the incident are arrested and prosecuted accordingly. The Criminal Investigation Department is still on the case. The suspect is for Azeezat’s case. Efforts are on regarding the other Case.”

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/police-arrest-suspected-killer-of-ui.html

To hell with COVID-19! Kenyans seize body of popular singer Abenny Jachiga

Hundreds of Kenyans defied tear gas and riot police to hijack the body of a popular singer, Abenny Jachiga, who was believed to have died of COVID-19.

The crowd of fans and mourners swarmed the Kisumu cemetery and prevented a swift burial, under rules for suspected coronavirus cases.

They said a hasty burial for Jachiga was disrespectful.

They succeeded at first, as the burial was aborted. The crowd removed the body from the graveyard and took it to a mortuary.

Jachiga, whose real name was Bernard Obonyo died on 11 June. He was 33.
.
His region of Kisumu has a tradition of lavish, well-attended funerals.

But rules imposed for suspected cases of COVID-19 infection require bodies to be buried within 24 hours of death with only five relatives in attendance.

According to kenyans.co.ke, the police returned in the dead of the night to retrieve the body.

Jachiga was buried at about 2.30 am.today, Kenyan time.

When the fans learnt about the secret burial, they stormed the burial ground for the second time, to retrieve the body.

In a video seen by Kenyans.co.ke, a helpless mother could be seen seated on the grave urging the residents not to exhume the body.

“You will kill me, you will kill me,” the mother is heard shouting.

Jachiga’s brother told Kenyan daily newspaper the Daily Nation that the singer was suffering from severe chest and abdominal pains, difficulty in breathing and had been vomiting blood.

The family and the authorities have not said whether he had been tested for the novel coronavirus.

Obonyo’s family are now asking for a week to organise a proper funeral for the star.

“As a family we are requesting, give us one week, let the fans plan, let the music industry plan,” said George Oningu, the singer’s brother-in-law.

“We do this to make sure there is peace and that Ben is buried in peace.”

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/to-hell-with-covid-19-kenyans-seize.html

Four men arrested for killing world-famous gorilla in Uganda

Four men face life in prison for killing Uganda’s most beloved gorilla, Rafiki. The 25-year-old endangered silverback was one of only 1,004 mountain gorillas left in the wild and headed up a human-habituated family of 17 in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

He went missing on June 1 and his body was found a day later. A post mortem found Rafiki sustained an injury by a sharp device/object that penetrated its left upper part of the abdomen up to the internal organs, according to a statement by The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).


“The death of Rafiki leaves the group unstable and there is the possibility that it could disintegrate,” Bashir Hangi from the UWA told the BBC.

“It has no leadership at this time and it could be taken over by a wild silverback.”

If that happened, the group would no longer have contact with humans meaning a major loss in revenue for Uganda.

The Bwindi Park makes millions from tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of the endangered animals, and due to the coronavirus, Uganda lost $1.6 billion this year in revenue. Across Africa, the tourism sinkhole has created a poaching boom, which scientists warn could fuel more pandemics.

It is especially worrisome as gorillas have been linked to Ebola outbreaks — another of which just popped up in nearby Congo.

The suspects were caught in a nearby village where they were found with hunting equipment.

One of the detained men, Byamukama Felix, claimed he had been hunting smaller animals in the park and that he killed Rafiki in self-defence when he was attacked, according to the UWA statement.

All of the men arrested for Rafiki’s killing face life imprisonment or a $5 million fine if found guilty of murdering an endangered species.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/four-men-arrested-for-killing-world.html

US charges ex-Gambian dictator’s bodyguard over torture

A Gambian man has been indicted in Colorado on federal charges that he tortured planners of a failed 2006 presidential coup when he was a member of a special armed unit that reported directly to the dictator of the African nation, prosecutors said Thursday.

Michael Sang Correa, 41, was charged under a U.S. law that’s been used only twice before allowing non-citizens who are suspected of committing torture in other countries to be prosecuted, U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn of Colorado said.

“Michael Correa allegedly committed heinous acts of violence against victim after victim in a brutal effort to coerce confessions,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski.

Correa made an initial court appearance on seven criminal charges: one count of conspiracy to commit torture and six counts of inflicting torture on specific individuals.

Correa had been living in Denver and working as a day laborer since sometime after 2016, prosecutors said. He has been held in an immigration detention facility outside Denver since last year.

He was represented at his initial hearing by an attorney with the federal public defender’s office, which does not comment on cases. An email request for comment sent to the Gambian embassy after hours was not immediately returned.

Prosecutors allege Correa was a member of an armed unit that physically and mentally tortured people who were suspected of plotting a failed coup against former president Yahya Jammeh. Correa is accused of being part of that conspiracy and torturing six people.

Correa and his alleged co-conspirators allegedly beat the detainees using their feet, pipes and wires, sometimes covering their heads with plastic bags, and also administering electric shocks to their bodies, including their genitals.

Correa’s unit, known as the Junglers, was made up of people who had been chosen from the Gambian armed forces, but reported directly to Jammeh and operated outside of the military’s chain of command.

Jammeh was a 22-year dictator of The Gambia, a country surrounded by Senegal except for a small Atlantic coastline, and was accused of ordering opponents tortured, jailed and killed. He lost a presidential election and went into exile in Equatorial Guinea in 2017 after initially refusing to step down.

Correa came to the United States to serve as a bodyguard for Jammeh in December 2016 but remained in the U.S. after Jammeh was ousted and overstayed his visa, Dunn said.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/us-charges-ex-gambian-dictators.html

Abakaliki traders decry sealing of shops by Ebonyi Government

Traders in Abakaliki metropolis have decried the sealing of their shops on the orders of Ebonyi Government.

The traders who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abakaliki, described the action of government as economic ‘annihilation’ and urged the authority to unseal the affected shops.

The traders said that the shops were sealed by combined task force team and members of the Ebonyi Neighborhood Watch.

However, Mr Emma Uzor, Special Assistant to Gov. Dave Umahi on Markets in a reaction said that the sealed shops were located in residential buildings and that government was committed to restoring the Abakaliki master plan.

“The Abakpa area originally is meant for residential purposes, but due to its closeness to the defunct Abakaliki main market, landlords in the area converted their buildings to commercial shops,” Uzor said.

NAN reports that the affected shops were located along Gunning Road near the defunct Abakpa Main Market; some parts of the popular Ogoja Road, New Market Road and Afikpo Road.

Mr Mathew Okorie, whose shop was located in the affected areas said that his family was at the risk of starvation following the seal up of his business premises by the state government.

Okorie said that it was becoming very difficult to feed his family and other dependents because the shop was his only source of income.

“I was attending to a customer, before I knew it, I saw people running helter-skelter, carrying things.

“I just managed to lock my shop and escaped before the task force arrived and sealed it.

“Every other shop around the area was locked. We thought that it was just the normal routine they do because it had happened in the past when they were relocating the Abakpa Market.

“Since June 5, the incident happened, I have not opened the shop to sell and my children and dependants are starving.

“I call on relevant human rights bodies to come to our rescue because the buildings housing our shops are far from the defunct Abakpa Main Market whose occupants were relocated to the international market in February,” he said.

Okorie said that he and other shop owners had renewed their rents for another one year, adding that the shops were not located within the peripheries of the former market where government banned business activities.

” Throughout the period of discussion about market relocation, we were not carried along, we were not asked to buy shops in the new international market because we are not part of the (Abakpa) market.

” I am appealing that the government should allow us to continue our businesses because we have paid all our taxes to the state and are not inside the market,” he added.

Another trader, Mr Nnaemeka Anayo who deals on computer accessories along Gunning Road, said that throughout 2018 and 2019 when discussions about relocating the market began, they were never part of it.

“In February, when the Abakpa Main Market was relocated to its permanent place, we were not part of the people that were asked to move,” Anayor said.

Also, Mr Sunday Uchenna, dealer on phone accessories lamented that the actions of the task force have affected them emotionally, financially and materially.

“Businesses are crashing due to the lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, while families are struggling to survive the economic hardship.

“We have been out of business since one week that government sealed our shops and everywhere in the world and even the most developed countries, people still do street trading.

“Latest report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that Ebonyi is rated poorly and with what is happening now, the state will still go down because small scale businesses are pivotal to economic growth,” he said.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/abakaliki-traders-decry-sealing-of.html

COVID-19: NCDC issues new guidelines for worship centres

As the Presidential Task Force, PTF, on COVID-19, reviews restriction measures, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, on Saturday issued new guidelines for places of worship across the country, warning against any form of direct contact.

In the new guidelines signed by the Director-General of NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, practices such as handshakes as peace signs are discouraged.

According to the Agency, “practices that require sharing of materials should be limited. For example, ablution should be performed at home.”

The NCDC guidelines also demanded that religious centres be disinfected routinely, before and after worship.

It states that “there should be no entry without face masks. All attendees and religious leaders must wear a face mask. People who are sick should not go to places of worship. There should be temperature screening on entry.

“Hand washing facilities and hand sanitisers should be provided at the point of entries and strategic points, and attendance at religious settings should not exceed 1/3 of sitting capacity.”

They also demanded that religious centres be clearly marked such that people sit and maintain a two-metres distance from each other.

The NCDC guidelines also provide additional requirements to ensure that places of worship are safe.

According to Ihekweazu, other guidelines for worship places can be downloaded via NCDC website in order to reduce the risk of infection in places of worship.

He said NCDC would continue to work with states to provide technical assistance and resources to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of Nigerians.

His words: “In several countries, COVID-19 outbreaks have been linked to large gatherings, including religious and non-religious gatherings.

“In the absence of a vaccine, Nigeria and the rest of the world must depend on public health, social measures and supportive management of confirmed cases.

“We urge all Nigerians to take individual and collective responsibility by adhering to public health advice.”

On the June 2, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 announced the relaxation of the previous ban placed on religious settings, allowing faith groups to meet while adhering to public health and social measures.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/covid-19-ncdc-issues-new-guidelines-for.html

Nigeria confirms 501 fresh Covid-19 cases

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed the discovery of 501 fresh Covid-19 cases in over 10 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It listed the states and the figures as “Lagos – 195; FCT – 50; Kano – 42; Kaduna – 27; Edo – 26; Oyo – 22; Imo – 21; Gombe – 17; Benue – 12; Enugu – 12; Delta – 11; Anambra – 11; Ebonyi – 10; Nasarawa – 9; Ogun – 9; Bauchi – 8; Kebbi – 4; Akwa Ibom – 3; Jigawa – 3; Katsina – 3; Yobe – 2; Borno – 2; Kwara – 1; Ondo – 1”

The national tally is 15,682 with 5101 patients discharged and 407 deaths recorded.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/06/nigeria-confirms-501-fresh-covid-19.html