Television Nigerian

Former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Timi Frank has berated the federal government for asking China for COVID-19 loans.

Frank, a critic of President Muhammadu Buhari, is reacting to the news of China donating N48m to support Nigeria’s fight against Coronavirus. He criticised the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 for receiving COVID-19 aides from the Chinese amidst how they are treating Africans in China.

Frank, however, praised African leaders such as Tanzanian President John Magufuli for rejecting Chinese loans and for speaking out against the oppression of Africans in China.

The politician urged the African Union and ECOWAS to forget their benefits and gains from China, and follow Magufuli’s footsteps in condemning the Chinese cruel acts against Africans.

It is quite shameful that while other African Leaders such as Tanzanian President @MagufuliJP rejected Chinese loans. @Mbuhari Presidential Taskforce are still busy begging the Chinese for COVID-19 Aides amidst how they’re treating Africans in China. What a shame! #timifranktalk pic.twitter.com/wsUFcKjZam

— Timi Frank (@RealTimiFrank) April 23, 2020

I hereby commend Tanzania President @MagufuliJP for speaking out against the oppression of Africans in China. I urge @_AfricanUnion and @ecowashr to forget their benefits and gains from China, and follow Magufuli’s footsteps in condemning the Chinese cruel acts against Africans.

— Timi Frank (@RealTimiFrank) April 23, 2020

The Rivers State Government on Thursday effected the arrest of 22 traders entering the state from neighbouring Abia State. The Traders who were arrested in three different sets told reporters that they live in Anambra and Abia States, but usually, do business in Rivers State.

The arrested traders claimed that they were not aware that the lockdown was very serious in Rivers State because, in their respective states, traders are allowed to move around.

One of the traders, Mrs Uju Nnamdi noted that she was coming to the state to sell her wares. She said though she is aware of the lockdown of the state, she wasn’t aware that her trading would endanger the state.


The driver of the truck, Mr Chijioke John said he was travelling to Onne from Onitsha, but picked the women at Ihiala in Anambra State.

He said the women pleaded with him to help them and he took pity on them since they were standing on the road. The female traders were conveyed in a container to conceal their movement into the state. The driver said he opened one of the container doors for the traders to get ventilation.

Rivers State Health Commissioner, Professor Chike Princewill disclosed that the accused persons were later tried in a magistrate court assigned for that purpose by the Chief Judge of Rivers State.

The 22 traders will also be screened to ascertain their coronavirus status.

The Nigerian Police Force has announced the arrest of two policemen for fighting in Edo State. The arrest was effected after footage of the scuffle was published on social media by an eyewitness.

In a statement on Thursday night, made available to POLITICS NIGERIA, both officers are currently disciplinary action. The men, reportedly from Ebelle Police division in Igueben LGA of Edo state, were seen in the footage exchanging serious punches with each other as pedestrians battled to separate them.

“The two policemen, F/NO 41112 CPL Ozimende Aidonojie and F/NO 516384 PC Salubi Stephen in this viral video have been identified, arrested and detained. They are currently undergoing internal disciplinary sanctions at the Edo State Police Command Headquarters.”

“The Force wishes to apprise the general public that this show of shame is certainly not in our character and we will not condone such indiscipline.”

“In the best tradition of transparency and accountability, the outcome of the trial will be made public. This, we believe, will also serve as deterrent to other police officers.” the statement read.



The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said Lagos State has recorded 78 new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

In a tweet on Thursday, the health agency noted that Nigeria has recorded 108 new cases of the virus, bringing the country’s total infections to 981.

The NCDC added that 14 cases were recorded in FCT, 5 in Ogun state, 4 in Gombe, 3 in Borno state.

The health agency also said  2 cases were confirmed in Akwa Ibom, 1 in Kwara and 1 in Plateau state.

According to the NCDC, the total number of COVID-19 deaths in the country now stands at 31 while 197 have recovered.

108 new cases of #COVID19 have been reported;

78 in Lagos

14 in FCT

5 in Ogun

4 in Gombe

3 Borno

2 in Akwa Ibom

1 in Kwara

1 in Plateau

As at 11:30 pm 23rd April there are 981 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria.

Discharged: 197

Deaths: 31#TakeResponsibility pic.twitter.com/cq7STlnHGJ

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) April 23, 2020

As at 11:30 pm 23rd April, cases by state:

Lagos-582

FCT-133

Kano-73

Ogun-29

Katsina-21

Osun-20

Oyo-17

Edo-17

Borno-12

Kwara-11

Akwa Ibom-11

Kaduna-9

Gombe-9

Bauchi-8

Delta-6

Ekiti-4

Ondo-3

Rivers-3

Jigawa-2

Enugu-2

Niger-2

Abia-2

Benue-1

Anambra-1

Sokoto-1

Adamawa-1

Plateau-1

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) April 23, 2020

Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has berated the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for appointing President Muhammadu Buhari ‘Champion of the COVID-19 response’.

POLITICS NIGERIA had reported that ECOWAS leaders in a virtual meeting on Thursday appointed the Nigerian leader to lead the battle against the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in the West African region.

The appointment took place Thursday at the Extraordinary ECOWAS Summit on COVID-19 which was held via teleconferencing under the Chairmanship of His Excellency, Mahamadou Issoufou, President of the Republic of Niger.

In a tweet via his Twitter page on Friday morning, Fani-Kayode described the appointment as a mistake, adding that the ECOWAS will regret the appointment of Buhari.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain added that the Nigerian leader can barely manage himself, and now he is being appointed to manage a sub-region of 400 million people.

Fani-Kayode noted that the possibility of Buhari managing the sub-region was in doubt.

He wrote: “The greatest mistake that the ECOWAS leaders have made is to appoint Buhari as the leader of the fight against COVID-19.

“This is a cataclysmic error which they will deeply regret. He can barely manage himself and now you ask him to manage a sub-region of 400 million people?”

The greatest mistake that the ECOWAS leaders have made is to appoint @MBuhari as the leader of the fight against Covid 19. This is a cataclysmic error which they will deeply regret. He can barely manage himself & now you ask him to manage a sub-region of 400 million people?

— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) April 24, 2020

The Osun State Government has mandated the use of face masks in the state to curb the spread of Coronavirus.

According to a statement by Ismail Omipidan, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Gboyega Oyetola, the compulsory use of face masks take effect from Friday, April 24.

The statement read: “The decision was part of the resolutions reached by the South West Governors at its virtual meeting last week”.

He said the Southwest states were the first to make the wearing of masks mandatory, and that the regulation would remain in place till the states are rid of the pandemic.

“The sit-at-home order and other precautionary measures of social distancing and regular washing of hands must be observed.”

The Lagos State government through the Ministry of Education is set to partner with a Microsoft company – ATB Yechsoft Solutions on digital literacy training.

The collaboration, according to Kayode Suton, the Ministry of Public Affairs of the education ministry, is aimed at training 18,000 teachers to make learning easy for secondary school students amidst the pandemic.

POLITICS NIGERIA gathered that the training tagged “Work-From-Home, Remote Teaching and Learning for Lagos State Secondary School” will commence on April 27 and it will afford teachers the opportunity to teach, mentor, create the content of different subjects from mobile gadgets.

More so, Folashade Adefisayo – the Lagos Commissioner for Education, said the programme will be outstanding feet for the state.

Expressing her satisfaction, the boss of Lagos State Teaching Service Commission, (TESCOM) Elizabeth Ariyo, said the programme is a long term goal as she applauded the efforts of Microsoft Office through their representative, ATB Techsoft Solutions.

Information reaching POLITICS NIGERIA reveals that popular Nollywood actor, Yomi Obileye is dead.

Nigerian comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka disclosed this to this newspaper on Friday morning. He said the Veteran actor and broadcaster lost his life to an undisclosed ailment.

He also shared the sad news on his Instagram page. He wrote:

“If tears could build a stairway and memories were a lane, we would walk right up to heaven and bring you back again.

“Rest In Peace Uncle Yomi OBILEYE. Thanks for the memories. I can’t help but want to watch “HOSTAGES” again. Sleep well Egbon and May God give your family and fans the fortitude to bear the loss.”

Obileye became famous for his role in Tade Ogidan’s movie, ‘Hostages’ in 1997. The veteran actor was also known for his role in ‘Palace’, a soap opera that featured Liz Benson, Jide Kosoko, Antar Laniyan, Dayo Adeneye, Jide Alabi, and Tunji Bamishigbin.

The late actor was the elder brother to broadcaster cum actor, Taiwo Obileye, who featured in Tales of Eve: Thanks for Coming and was popularly for his role in Chief Daddy.

Suspected killers of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, the daughter of Afenifere leader, Reuben Fasoranti, have been arraigned by the Ondo State government.

POLITICS NIGERIA gathered that the four suspects were arraigned on Friday by the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adekola Olawoye, before a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Akure, the state capital.

Olawoye named the suspects as Lawal Mazaje from the Felele area of Kogi State, Adamu Adamu from Jada area of Adamawa State.

Others are Mohammed Usman from Illela area of Sokoto State, and Auwal Abubakar from Shinkafi area of Zamfara State.

This newspaper gathered that the arraignment is coming after the Nigeria Police Force handed the suspected killers over to the state government on Thursday.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has revealed why some states in Nigeria are yet to record any case of Coronavirus.

The agency boss, Chikwe Ihekweazu, while speaking on Channels Television Sunrise Daily Programme on Friday, disclosed that the states that are yet to record Coronavirus have not submitted samples for tests.

POLITICS NIGERIA reports that there are 10 states in Nigeria that are yet to record even a single case of the deadly virus. In other 26 states, the country has a total of 981.

Before now, the NCDC director has said the virus will get to all parts of Nigeria. On Friday, he said the agency expects “every state to submit a certain number of samples for testing every day. We have seen that some states have not submitted a single sample.”

He said state governors need to be honest with themselves to carry our necessary tests in their state to make sure the menace is curbed early enough.