Nigeria’s COVID-19 death toll exceeds 800

Almost four months after the first coronavirus-related death was recorded, more than 800 people have now died across the country.

With 12 new fatalities, a total of 801 people have now died of COVID-19 complications in 35 states and the federal capital territory (FCT).

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) also announced 562 new infections in 20 states and the FCT in its update for Monday.

According to the new figures, the FCT recorded the most cases with 102 infections, followed closely by Lagos with 100, while 52 samples tested positive in Plateau state.

A total of 228 people were also discharged on Monday, but the number of active patients has now crossed 21,000.

Out of a total of 37,225 persons confirmed to have contracted the virus, 21,091 are active cases.

With more countries focusing on the production of COVID-19 vaccine, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says more efforts should go into immediate efforts to contain the spread of the virus.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, cited the example of the Ebola response, adding that COVID-19 needs the same sense of urgency.

“Ebola and COVID-19 are different viruses but the principle is the same: No matter how bad the situation, there is always hope,” he said.

“With strong leadership, community engagement, and a comprehensive strategy to suppress transmission and save lives, COVID-19 can be stopped. We do not have to wait for a vaccine. We have to save lives now.

“Make no mistake, we must continue to accelerate vaccine research, while doing more with the tools we have at hand.”

- THECABLE

RELOOTER GANGS !! Buhari mourns associate looter Isa Funtua

President Muhammadu Buhari said he received with deep sadness the passing away of his longtime friend and associate, Malam Isma’ila Isa Funtua.

The President said Isa Funtua was greatly admired and respected in his lifetime.

He condoled with family members, government and people of Katsina State, and all his associates especially the media industry, on the loss.  

President Buhari said the demise of the publisher and businessman has created a huge gap as Malam Funtua consistently stood by him in his political journey.

The President prayed to Allah for repose of Malam Funtua’s soul, and to grant the family strength and fortitude to bear the loss..

Isa Funtua died Monday night, following sudden cardiac arrest.

He was said to have driven himself to the hospital for a routine medical check.

He had the heart attack while in the hospital.

He was 78 years old.

Isa Funtua founded The Democrat newspaper in 1984 and after the newspaper ceased publishing, his interest in the media never waned.

He was a former President of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria(NPAN).

He was also life patron of NPAN and the International Press Institute.

As a businessman, he was the founder of Bulet Construction based in Abuja and built iconic structures in the city.

- PM NEWS

Drama as man commits suicide at traffic agency’s premises in Ogun

There was a lot of confusion in Abeokuta on Monday when a man identified as Fatai Salami drank an insecticide, known as snipper and died at the premises of Ogun Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE).

According to NAN, Salami was allegedly asked to pay a fine of N215, 000 for violating the COVID-19 law in the State.

It was also reported that Salami’s truck was seized by officials of TRACE and has been in their custody for five days over the alleged N215,000 fine.

Sources who also spoke to newsmen said that the deceased’s truck was seized by the officials from his driver in Abeokuta on Thursday for flouting the social distancing rule and also for failure to use face masks.

He was said to have followed his driver to the premises of TRACE to plead for the release of the truck but decided to take his life after being frustrated by the non-release of the vehicle.

However, the Public Relations Officer of TRACE, Mr. Babatunde Akinbiyi, while confirming the death of the deceased insisted that he was neither a truck owner nor a driver.

“The man was neither a truck driver nor a truck owner.

”One of our commanders and people around saw him sitting on the floor and they asked him to stand up.

“As he stood up, he brought out something from his pocket and drank it.

”By the time we discovered that it was a snipper he drank, one of his bosses who saw him attempting to drink it screamed, but before help could come, he already drank it.

“However, he was rushed to the General Hospital Ijaiye where he gave up but the case has been reported at Ibara police station here in Abeokuta,” he said.

He also denied the allegation that TRACE fined the deceased N215,000 for flouting the COVID-19 law.

“This is not true. It was later we found out that he was a manager of a fleet of trucks owned by somebody else and one of the trucks was penalized for violating traffic rules.

”We also discovered that the owner of the truck had warned him to ensure he returns with the truck or risk sack.

“Who knows, maybe that’s why he killed himself. It is so sad and very unfortunate.

“He was neither a driver nor a truck owner, what he came here to do nobody knows.

“If you violate a traffic infraction, you have to be fined and if you think that what you are being charged is on the high side or you are being charged wrongly, you have the right to seek redress which we also entertain and encourage,” he added.

- DAILY POST

Jeff Bezos sets new record in his net worth

Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, has set a new record after he added $13 billion to his net worth on Monday.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, it is the largest single-day jump for an individual since 2012.

Bezos has now seen his fortune increase from $74 billion in 2020 to $189.3 billion, despite the United States entering its worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

He is now personally worth more than the market valuation of giants such as Exxon Mobil Corp., Nike Inc. and McDonald’s Corp.

Meanwhile, Mackenzie Bezos, his ex-wife, gained $4.6 billion Monday and is now the 13th-richest person in the world, while Facebook Inc. Chief Executive Officer, Mark Zuckerberg has added almost $15 billion to his net worth so far this year.

DAILY POST had reported that Bezos overtook owner of Microsoft, Bill Gates, to become the wealthiest person alive last month.

His previous record was set in 2018, before his divorce from wife Mackenzie Bezos.

- DAILY POST

Doctor dies on her way home after completing NYSC

A medical doctor, Urenna Iroegbu, has died barely two days after she completed her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program.

Urenna who collected her NYSC certificate on Thursday boarded a Toyota Sienna commercial vehicle to Akwa Ibom State, on Saturday, but never made it home.

The commercial vehicle which she was in drove against traffic, causing an accident along Onne Road, Port Harcourt.

A lorry, which had the right of way, was said to have rammed into the vehicle shortly after a heavy rain around 4pm.

A police officer said, “There were two Sienna Toyota minivans headed towards Akwa Ibom. Around Daewoo just long Onne Road, a trailer had broken down on their lane so they decided to drive against traffic.

“One of the Sienna minivans was the vehicle in which the doctor was in. A lorry which had the right of way did not see them on time, lost control and rammed into them. Good Samaritans took them to a hospital. Three of them were taken to Sonabel Hospital around the trailer park while Dr Iroegbu was transferred to Morning Star Hospital, Onne. She died at midnight.”

The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Rivers State Command, Ayodele Kumapayi, also spoke about the incident.

The commander said, “The matter was not reported to the FRSC but the police at Onne confirmed it.”

Iroegbu graduated from Imo State University last year after spending eight years studying medicine.

Meanwhile, friends have taken to social media to mourn the medical doctor.

A friend of the deceased, Martha Udoka, who posted photographs of the deceased on Facebook, expressed sadness over the incident.

Udoka wrote, “Urenna Samuel Iroegbu you’ve shattered our hearts. Just two days after your NYSC POP (Passing Out Parade) and you are no more, how? This wasn’t part of the plans we had. No! We had greater plans. Now you’ve left your family and us, your friends.”

Nosiri Bobby, another friend of the deceased, changed his profile picture on Facebook in her honour.

“The worst shock in my life. I have lost a lot of people while growing up but this one made me mad…..UREM I will always miss you,” he wrote.

Another friend of the deceased, Ihuoma Zingo, said on Twitter that it was sad that the deceased didn’t get to live her dream.

“What a wicked world! A beautiful soul gone so soon. God please wake her up. Still can’t believe the news. Waiting to hear it’ s a joke. My heart is broken, loudly crying… Eight years of struggling to become somebody and just when you have finally achieved it after passing out from NYSC on Thursday, the devil struck.”

- PM NEWS

MAD MAN !! NDDC: We spent N1.32bn as COVID-19 palliative — NOT N1.5bn

Kemebradikumo Pondei, acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), says the commission spent N1.32 billion on COVID-19 palliative for staff, not N1.5 billion.

The interim management committee is being investigated over the N3.14 billion disbursed to 4,000 workers and police commands in nine states.

The national assembly is currently investigating the alleged mismanagement by the interim committee.

While giving an account of how the money was spent at the senate, Pondei had said the commission used it to cushion the effect of COVID-19.

“We used it (N1.5bn) to take care of ourselves. We are NDDC, we need to take care of ourselves too,” he had said.

But at the hearing on Monday, he said the amount spent was N1.32bn, adding that he might have made mention of N1.5 billion when he was not paying attention.

“The amount the IMC used to take care of NDDC staff as COVID-19 palliative was N1.32 billion, not 1.5 billion,” he said.

Pondei added that the commission spent N81.5 billion from October 2019 to May 31, 2020 and that out of this amount, the incumbent interim management committee which came in February spent N59.1 billion.

He added that N20.5 billion was spent on recurrent expenditure between February 20, 2019, and May 21, 2020

“First of all, January to 31ST of May, N34 billion naira was remitted from the federal government to the NDDC. Now out of the expenditure from the 31st of October 2019 to 31st of May 2020, this IMC spent N59.1bn which is very verifiable,” he said.

“Out of the N59.1bn, is also verifiable that N38.6bn was spent on capital projects. The IMC published a list of contractors who have been paid in the national dailies N35.3bn and no contractor has said he was not paid.

“The IMC did not keep any of those contracts, they are historical contracts that have been existing before we came.

“On recurrent expenditure, N20.5bn was expended by the current IMC between 20th of February and 31st of May 2020. It is good to note that a large proportion of the payments are from the backlog of expenditure that previous management had incurred and did not pay.

“Due to continuous pressure and embarrassment from creditors, the IMC decided to clear these debts. For instance, duty tour allowance has not been paid for almost three years to the workers and we cleared that.

“The scholarship students, we have not awarded a single scholarship. Each of them is entitled to a take-off grant and has not been paid for years, we paid N500,000 each which is what they are due.”

Pondei, however, passed out while still answering questions from the panel.

He was later revived and taken out of the venue.

- THECABLE

Biafra is imminent – Nnamdi Kanu reacts to Isa Funtua’s death

Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has reacted to the death of President Muhammadu Buhari’s close associate, Isa Funtua.

Funtua had died on Monday shortly after suffering cardiac arrrst.

Reacting to the development, Nnamdi Kanu on his Facebook page described Funtua as an architect of Operation Python Dance.

According to him, 2020 is Biafra year because people who swore it would never come to pass were now dieing.

He wrote: “Another architect of Operation Python Dance is gone. Three down, two more to go.

“All those that swore they would never live to see Biafra are all slowly leaving the stage. This proves that Biafra is imminent and 2020 is our year.”   

- DAILY POST