FG Receives $311m Abacha Loot

The federal government has received $311million of money looted by former Nigerian Head of State, General Sani Abacha.

The money was recovered from the United States and the Bailiwick of Jersey.

The Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, said approximately $311,797,866.11 of the Abacha loot was repatriated from the US and Jersey.

According to Malami, the amount increased significantly from over $308m as stated in a press release in February to over $311m because of the interest that accrued from February 3, 2020, to 28th April, 2020, when the fund was transferred to the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The AGF said that the litigation process for the return of these assets titled “Abacha III” started in 2014. The diplomatic process that followed culminated in the signing of the Asset Return Agreement on February 3, 2020, by the governments of Nigeria, the US and Jersey commenced in 2018.

Just in:Ekiti Commissioner regained Freedom

Ekiti Commissioner Hon Folorunso Bamidele Olabode who was abducted last week regained Freedom.

Details later

Read The Implementation Guidelines Towards Containing #COVID-19 in Ekiti State

Read the implementation guidelines towards containing #covid_19 in Ekiti state #COVID19

Buhari participates in Summit of Non-Aligned Movement to combat COVID-19

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja via teleconference participated in online Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Contact Group Meeting in response to COVID-19.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting with the theme; ”United Against COVID-19”, was presided over by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and current Chair of the NAM, Mr IIham Aliyev.

In his opening speech, Aliyev thanked the member countries of NAM for unanimously endorsing the global fight against COVID-19 to protect humanity from destruction.

He revealed that already Azerbaijan had donated 5 million dollars to the World Health organisation (WHO) to help combat the deadly Coronavirus disease.

According to him, Azerbaijan on its part has introduced several measures including special quarantine region which has extended to May 31 to stop the spread of Coronavirus in the country.

He also disclosed that the country had earmarked 3.5 billion dollars for the implementation of the country’s social interventions programmes, while tax holidays had also been offered to some companies to cushion the negative impacts of the deadly virus.

Aliyev commended the World Health Organisation and the United Nations for their collaborative support in the global fight against Coronavirus.

He pledged that NAM would continue to share ideas and information with all stakeholders to combat the pandemic.

The President of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, who also participated in the teleconference, reiterated the commitment of the UN in the efforts to finding solutions to the deadly Coronavirus.

While noting that the virus has disrupted economies of many nations across the world, Muhammad-Bande commended member countries of the NAM for their joint efforts in the fight against the pandemic.

He however, enjoined them to continue to build stronger economies that would address the difficulties being experienced by their respective citizens.

In a video message to the event, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, noted with concern that the virus had so far inflicted serious damages humanity and economies of the world.

He however, stressed the need to sustain global solidarity against the novel Coronavirus.

In his remarks, the Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, described the NAM Summit on COVID-19 as a welcome development as ”no country can manage the Corona allow.”

According to him, national unity, global solidarity and commitment to peace are vital in the fight against the virus.

”COVID-19 has affected all segments of the society- all countries must work together to ensure that no one is left behind,” he said.

In his contribution, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr Moussa Faki Mahamat, lauded China and Cuba for sending medical equipment to Africa to combat the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

(NAN)

Kano is in trouble, we started fight against Coronavirus on a shaky foundation – Governor Ganduje cries out

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has expressed fears about the growing cases of Coronavirus in Kano state.  

In a press statement released by Ganduje’s Chief Press Secretary Abba Anwar, on Sunday May 3, the Kano Governor said the state is in trouble because they started the fight against Coronavirus on a shaky foundation. 

 

 He also blamed the delay in testing suspected cases for the increased cases of Coronavirus in the state.  

Ganduje said; 

“THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT KANO IS IN TROUBLE. AND THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT WE STARTED ON A SHAKY FOUNDATION. WHEN SAMPLES WERE TAKEN TO ABUJA FOR 7 HOURS AND CAME BACK AGAIN IN 7 HOURS, THAT WAS THE SHAKY FOUNDATION I AM TALKING ABOUT.

 “WE THEN LODGED OUR COMPLAINT TO PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI, WHO ORDERED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TESTING CENTRE AT AMINU KANO TEACHING HOSPITAL, WHICH AFTER TAKE-OFF WAS SHUT DOWN FOR SOME DAYS IF NOT WEEKS. THAT WAS WHAT ESCALATED THE TRANSMISSION OF THE DISEASE UP TO COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION. 

“BUT WITH THE COMING BACK OF THE AKTH TESTING CENTRE AND THE ADDITION OF BAYERO UNIVERSITY, KANO THAT HAS THE CAPACITY OF TESTING ABOUT 200 SAMPLES PER DAY NOW, WITH THE COMING OF DANGOTE MOBILE TESTING CENTRE OF 400 SAMPLES CAPACITY, WE ARE MAKING HEADWAY IN FACING THE CRISIS SQUARELY.” 

The Director-General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu who was present at the event reassurred Kano residents that the health agency has not left them to their fate. 

Nigeria Newspapers: 10 things you need to know this Monday morning

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigeria Newspaper

1. The Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC, on Sunday confirmed 170 new cases of Coronavirus in the country.

NCDC in a tweet via its Twitter handle, stated that Nigeria now has a total number of 2,558 confirmed cases of coronavirus.

2. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced the decision reached with banks in the country concerning lay-offs.

Isaac Okorafor, CBN Director, Corporate Communications, in a statement Sunday evening, at the meeting, it was agreed that no bank in Nigeria shall retrench or lay-off any staff of any cadre (including full-time and part-time).

3. The Osun State Joint Task Force has arrested 17 Chinese nationals and 10 locals suspected to be illegal miners in the State.

According to Abdullahi Binuyo, the Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Gboyega Oyetola, the suspects were arrested following a coordinated sting operation in Ilesa and Ife areas of the State.

4. Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has confirmed that the health agency has established that there is community transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) in FCT, Lagos and Kano States.

Ihekweazu said it has been established that there is community transmission in Lagos, FCT, and Kano.

5. Nine pastors have been arrested by the Bayelsa State Task Force on COVID-19 for holding church services in Bayelsa state despite the lockdown order to curb Coronavirus pandemic.

They include P. B. Barima of the Methodist Church, Obogoro, Timi Aaron of Believers Love World, Akenfa, Adaba Glory of Saint Paul Healing Church, and Chris Ezene of God’s Grace Salvation Ministry, Obogoro.

6. Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has blamed the massive outbreak of COVID-19 the state to the delay in testing suspected cases.

Ganduje lamented that the State is in trouble following the uncontrollable spread of Coronavirus Disease that have left hundreds of people dead in the State.

7. Nigeria has recorded 87 COVID-19 related deaths in 18 states, according to statistics provided on the website of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

A total of 170 new confirmed cases and two deaths were reported on Sunday, May 3.

8. The Association of Private Transport Companies of Nigeria (APTCON) has called the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari to the challenge of maintaining their firms amid the coronavirus crisis.

The body reiterated its warning that members may embark on massive job cuts if the federal government does not urgently unveil its plans to help businesses survive the economic shock of the pandemic.

9. A respected indigene of Kano State, Prof. Isa Hashim, is dead.

Until his death after a brief illness on Sunday, Hashim was a senior council member of the Kano Emirate Council.

10. The Emir of Kaura Namoda in Zamfara State, Ahmad Muhammad Asha is dead.

According to his younger brother, the Dan Jekan Kaura Namoda, Abdulkarim Ahmad Asha, the 71-year-old monarch had a long battle with diabetes and hypertension.