Author: The Gazelle News

By Ademola Akanni, Abuja Eight new cases of coronavirus were announced late Sunday, 5 April, 2020 by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), The Gazelle News.com reports. The NCDC announced on its Twitter handle that five of the new cases are in Lagos, two in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and one in Kaduna. The latest report was posted at 9.30pm. Earlier Sunday, 5 April, 2020, 10 cases were reported with six in Lagos, two in FCT and two in Edo. With the latest update, Nigeria now has a total number of 232 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Nigeria.…

By Adisa Omogbolahan, Ibadan The Minister of Youth and Sports Development Mr. Sunday Dare, who hails from Oyo state, has called on all Oyo leaders and patriots to join him in donating medical supplies and food supplies that can cushion the effect of COVID-19 on citizens of the State. The Minister who has himself kicked off Support Oyo Campaign (SOC)with the donation of items, said it has become necessary for all well to do individuals and bodies in the state to work together for the sake of all indigenes of Oyo as a lockdown, though necessary to curb the spread…

By Sofiyyah Abdur Rasak, Lagos Popular actress, Funke Akindele has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command, The Gazelle News.com reports. Her arrest was confirmed on Sunday, 5 April, 2020 by the state police command through a statement signed by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police. According to the statement, the actress was arrested for violating the restriction order of the state government. The police stated that she was at an estate along Ajah in Ibeju Lekki celebrating a birthday party organised by Funke Akindele and her husband. Funke Akindele…

Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has advised those criticising him for not doing enough with the relief packages he recently shared to his Agege constituents to stop playing politics with the lives of the people. Obasa ordered the distribution of stimulus packages ranging from more than 10,000 bags of rice, about 36,000 loaves of bread as well as loads of sanitisers to them to his constituents to ease the lockdown currently experienced as a result of COVID-19. Although, majority of the beneficiaries of the Speaker’s largesse, which cut across vulnerable people in all the Wards…

By Nurudeen Yisa, Lagos The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has commended the Lagos state government for what it describes as “its courageous, inspiring, professional and reassuring response to the coronavirus scourge in the state”. The Gazelle News.com reports that the commendation was given in a statement released on Sunday, 5 April, 2020 signed by state Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon Seye Oladejo. According to the statement, the state government had set necessary machinery in motion to protect the lives of Lagosians in case of a full outbreak even before the report of the Italian…

More donations have been made to the Kwara State Government’s campaign to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) to the state, with various individuals and firms backing the government’s effort. “The government commends the management of KAM Holding for the donation of N20m to the government; Hajia Bola Shagaya for donating 100 bags of 50kg rice, 500 pieces of 5kg semovita and 200 small cartons of detergents; and Mt. Olive Nigeria Limited for giving us 1,500 cartons of tomato paste and 1000 bags of 5kg garri (cassava flakes),” according to a statement by Rafiu Ajakaye, chief press secretary to the Governor…

Revered Ibadan businessman, Sir (Chief) Bode Akindele, has emerged the top individual donor to Oyo State COVID-19 Endowment Fund in its first week of coming on stream. The businessman, with a donation of N25 million, which was made at the close of last week topped earlier donors, Barrister Akin Fagbemi(N10m); the Chairman of Ilaji Hotels and Resort, Dr. Dotun Sanusi (N5m) and the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states, Alhaji Daud Akinola, who donated N20 million. Leading the charge of corporate donors is the United Bank of Africa (UBA) which donated N28.5 million, followed by Unity Bank, which…

By Dare Ojelade, Blessing Williams, Sofiyyah Abdur Rasak, Lagos A ten years old girl was one of the five coronavirus patients discharged by the Lagos State Government on Sunday, 5 April, 2020, The Gazelle News.com can report. The cheering news was announced by the state Governor and Incident Commander, Babajide Sanwo-Olu while giving the update on his Twitter handle. According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, two males and three females were discharged after testing negative twice to the virus after their treatment. “This brings to 29 the total number of patients who have fully recovered and discharged from our facility at…

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Federal Government and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to “provide spending details of public funds and private sector donations to provide socio-economic benefits to the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people, including details of beneficiaries of any cash payments, cash transfers, food distribution and other benefits during the lockdown in Abuja; Lagos and Ogun states because of COVID-19.” SERAP is also asking the Federal Government and CBN to: “disclose information on the details of implementation of the school feeding programme during the lockdown and closure of schools in several states…

By Gbenga Aromokun, Ado Ekiti Three former Governors of Ekiti State, four Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), a popular actor, personal photographer to President Muhammadu Buhari and 39 others have been listed in the Ekiti State COVID-19 Response Resource Mobilisation Committee, The Gazelle News.com can report. The Committee was established by the state Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and members of the committee are expected to mobilise funds to curtail and contain spread of the pandemic in the state, advise on how to expend the funds as well as advise on project management for the fund. The committee chaired by…

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed on Saturday, 4 April, 2020 met with the leadership of the National Assembly to intimate it with an Executive proposal to establish a N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund. Mrs Zainab, with senior officials from her ministry, held the meeting with the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. The meeting which held at the National Assembly was also attended by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase and some other principal officers…

By Segun Dipe Sometimes it takes crisis to reveal gaps and discontinuities. The coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, currently ravaging the world has revealed how leadership can be challenged by the unexpected and the need to innovate “ahead of the curve.” The crisis also heightens the need for followers to re-evaluate prevailing models of leadership that have sometimes been found wanting with a view to having some expectations from future leaders. Coronavirus is an extreme wakeup call, but it is emblematic of an era whose very essence is disruption. Even before the pandemic visited Nigeria, we were already caught napping…

The Oyo State Covid-19 Task Force has announced that the state has recorded another positive case of Covid-19, bringing to nine, the total of positive cases in the state. A statement by the Acting Chairman of the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force, Prof Temitope Alonge, on behalf the State governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, which was made available in Ibadan on Saturday, confirmed that the latest case is a close contact of the second confirmed case who subsequently developed symptoms. The statement indicated that the patient has been moved to one of the isolation centres in the state, while activities…

By Timothy Alao, Osogbo The Osun State Government has has debunked rumour going on social media that six people have escaped from the Ejigbo isolation center where the 127 returneees from Cote d’Ivoire are being held in isolation. The Gazelle News.com reports that the 127 returnees from Abidjan who came into the country through one of the land borders are being kept in isolation at Ejigbo, Osun State. As at the last over 20 returnees have tested positive to the virus. On Friday, 3 April, 2020, report went viral on social media that six of the returnees have escaped from…

By Akinwumi A. Adesina, Abidjan These are very difficult days, as the world faces one of its worst challenges ever: the novel coronavirus pandemic. And it seems almost no nation is spared. As infection rates rise, so does panic across financial markets, as economies drastically slow down and supply chains are severely disrupted. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. As such, it can no longer be business as usual. Each day, the situation evolves and requires constant reviews of precautionary measures and strategies. In the midst of all this, we must all worry about the ability of every nation to…

By Felix Onajite First Bank of Nigeria Limited has saluted medical professionals tackling the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria and the world, THE WITNESS reports. The Bank in series of tweets on its Twitter page on Friday, acknowledged the role medical experts are playing to fight the virus. Some of the messages read: “No capes, just heroes. To all the health professionals at the frontline of efforts to tackle COVID-19, we say thank you. Your timeless efforts are much appreciated. The world called and they responded.” “No cape, just lab-coats. No superhuman capability, just dedication, strength, and compassion. As we play our parts of staying at home,…

By Timothy Alao, Osogbo The State Government of Osun says it has found the only person who reportedly absconded from the Isolation centre in Ejigbo earlier Saturday, 4 April, 2020. The State Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode, who made this disclosure in a statement this afternoon, said the woman has been returned to the isolation centre. She said that the State government was still in the process of tracing individuals she might have come in contact with. The Commissioner also noted that security within and around the Isolation centre has been beefed up . Mrs. Egbemode…

By Ademola Akanni, Abuja Lagos State has recorded its first Coronavirus death while another death arising from the virus infection was reported in Edo State. The Gazelle News.com reports that this was the latest update on the virus infection in the country released by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on its Twitter handle at 10.30pm on Friday, 3.April, 2020. Twenry new cases were also confirmed bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria to 210. The Gazelle News.com reports further that of the 20 new cases: 11 were from Lagos, three from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)…

As the raging impact of the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt around the world and, specifically Nigeria, a group of young leaders from different parts of the nation, under the auspices of The New Leaders Group have joined other prominent corporations and executives to donate towards the fight against Coronavirus in Nigeria. Currently, donations have been pledged from industry leaders and social influencers. The New Leaders Group has taken it upon themselves to mobilize monetary donations from members to stretch a helping hand in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. These members represent how collaborations…