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Apostle Suleman begs FG to allow pastors heal COVID-19 patients

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Apostle Suleman begs FG to allow pastors heal COVID-19 patients

The founder of Omega Fire Ministry, Johnson Suleman, has called on the Federal Government to allow Christian clerics heal COVID-19 patients in the country through prayers.

According to Church Times, the clergyman said there was need for the government to grant permission to those with divine healing gifts to visit isolation centres and cure people with the killer virus.

Suleman claimed such measure is needed if the country hopes to make meaningful progress in the fight against the novel disease.

“Please (referring to the government) permit us to go and pray for COVID-19 patients. Allow us to go there (isolation centres), that is why there are men of God,” he said.

“If you are really anointed to pray for the sick, this is the time because what is holding the world is sickness. So, we’re begging the government to permit us into isolation centres, that is the only way we can reduce this nonsense because it will improve everyday.

“There are people with the gift of healing, God has gifted them to pray for the sick. It is not fake, gimmick or arranged. It is there in them. Permit us so that we can prove there are prophets in Nigeria.”

He added that such permission from the government would also reduce the backlash many pastors have been getting on the social media about their perceived inability to do anything about the pandemic.

“Permit us so that the ridicule and all that can reduce. We’re not telling you we can heal all of them but by the time we are through with them, you’ll see significant difference. If they are 20 before, at least 18 will be cleared because that is what God can do,” he said.

COVID-19: Why Sowore Should Be Placed on Suicide Watch

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COVID-19: Why Sowore Should Be Placed on Suicide Watch

By Ayokunle Adeniji

A couple of things must be involved when an individual with Omoyele Sowore’s assumed standing decides to downgrade his #RevolutionNow protest into #PotPanProtest. He might have finally seen #RevolutionNow for the aberration that it was, the very thing that made the movement collapsed even before it properly took off in spite of the fact that it was touted as the mother of all protests, Nigeria’s version of Arab Spring that will finally overthrow a democratically elected government and hand over the reins of power to the opposition the one led by a Sowore, who only garnered some 38,000 votes in the 2019 election.

It could be that introspection finally forced Sowore to re-assess his situation. Revolution is idealistic. Hunger is real. What better way to tell people that he is more about the culinary gains and not the improvement of the lots of Nigerians as he likes to pretend. He struck on a symbolic note with the genius result that pots and pans became the symbols of his supposed protest against the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. Afterall, the pots and pans have to be empty to be beaten upon and create the din that is sending Sowore into ecstatic mind trips.

A third possibility is even less palatable. Sowore is no stranger to megalomania, a twisted strain of god syndrome – a perverted assumption that he alone holds the answers to Nigeria’s problems. Could he have become bipolar in the period he was in custody while standing trial for treason, a sojourn that derived from his call for nationwide mayhem with the #RevolutionNow excuse. The choice of pots and pans, while on the surface may be symbolic of hunger, holds a deeper meaning for Sowore because the raucous noise from the affairs seems to be feeding the cravings of a manic-depressive.

Videos of participants in the distasteful protest, shared to Sowore’s Facebook wall, depict what is to be expected. An assortment of people with anger issues arising mostly from their perceived failure in life or in what they should have done better. Let’s ignore Senator Shehu Sani, who rolled out an expensive non-stick pan that gave away the game that this protest is more about political bitterness than it is about the suffering poor, who have been hit hardest by the lockdown imposed in scores of countries of the world to curtail COVID-19 from exterminating humanity.

Whatever Sowore’s mental status is, he has no justification for reducing a matter of human misery into comic relief for the twisted pleasure of his social media followers. It is like kicking those affected by the virus in the teeth and rubbing their faces in the mud. Such insensitivity from someone who boasts about fighting for human rights is irresponsible and condemnable irrespective of whatever justification is made for it. Reducing hunger into a joke creates the risk for those who should intervene becoming de-sensitized to the realities of families suffering deprivation.

The travesty is that Sowore works with international partners, who are given to political correctness, people that abhor referencing situations or persons in a way that disparages or attracts negativity. All he needed to have done was to run his #PotPanProtest through the matrix applied to international engagements and he would have possibly come up with an acceptable execution plan for his desired attack on the government. That way he will have a politically correct approach and terminologies that do not criminalize hunger or glamourized those that are well fed to the point of making mockery of the have-nots.

The ravages of COVID-19 are real and serious. The over 182,000 deaths recorded as at the time of writing pale into insignificance compared with what is to come for the living. The global economy has taken a hit. The International Labour Organization (ILO) is concerned that 195 million jobs can be lost to the impact of the virus. The United Nations has warned of biblical famine due to the virus, which must be noted is not peculiar to Nigeria.

Yet all Sowore can think of is to localize a global crisis as a result of the pandemic in a manner that suggests that only Nigeria is afflicted or that the blame lies on one political party or the president. This kind of slant should have anyone that has ever relied on Sahara Reporters, published by Sowore, to have a rethink about what mental, psychological and emotional poison they have been fed. They should be alarmed that this slanting of the situation was not a product of error, but a well-orchestrated plan that have other aspects being executed by people in the same circuit as the Sahara Reporters publisher.

Yes. The government response could have been better and that is the feedback from citizens to their governments the world over, even in the countries that were labelled as “advanced economies” before COVID-19 struck. But Sowore’s #PotPanProtest must be one of the few instances were recalcitrant elements are attempting to hijack the people’s pain to revive a failed revolution, which was misguided in the first place. This is cowardice. Bravery would have seen him retain his #RevolutionNow war chant and see how quickly he ends up in jail.

The reality is that the government is giving palliatives and food assistance, but we all know that this cannot go around. Mosques, churches and other religious groups are giving relief packages in addition to organizations and philanthropists that are throwing in their support. Even at personal level, individuals are being their brothers’ keepers and keeping families out of the grip of hunger. This is the story in several countries of the world as the virus brought out in most people the humanity that was once thought lost even though it also unmasked the monster in someone like Sowore.

If Sowore is truly interested in the starving masses as he put it, there are several channels available to render assitance without making mockery of those that will go to bed without dinner tonight and without hope of waking up to a breakfast. He can for instance distribute palliatives to the poorest and most vulnerable that have not been reached by government using the huge funds that he leveraged from people using Sahara Reporters as a battering ram. He could also go to his client and play his charm on them to take responsibility for feeding specific vulnerable communities while he can also convince the mega-Bishops in the land to consider increasing whatever charities they are already involved in.

It is painful that as lofty as these ideas are, they are beyond Sowore, who is too far consumed by the hatred he harbours for President Buhari, and whoever will occupy the office after him (he has a penchant for hating whoever occupies the office of the President). His manic episodes, as confirmed by the beating of pots and pans, and the resulting depressive aftermaths have taken such strong hold of him that he will most likely degenerate into being suicidal. Things must not be allowed to get to this stage since he would still be rushed to a hospital should he make any attempt on his own life, which would only drain the available medical resources at a time when slowing down COVID-19 is the priority. Sowore should be placed on suicide watch because #PotPanProtest has clearly confirmed he is losing it.

Adeniji wrote from Lagos.

JUST IN: Police identifies officer who shot colleague dead in Rivers state

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JUST IN: Police identifies officer who shot colleague dead in Rivers state


The Rivers State Police Command has identified the policeman who killed a Woman Sergeant, Lovender Elekwachi, on Thursday evening.

POLITICS NIGERIA broke the news of how Mrs Elekwachi, who was on traffic duties at Eneka Junction in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital, died.

According to an eyewitness account, Mrs Elekwachi was trying to beg on behalf of a trader when the Rivers State Task Force on Decongestion arrived in the market.

While President Muhammadu Buhari had declared four weeks cessation in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun; some Governors have pronounced partial or total lockdown in their respective states over the coronavirus pandemic.

It was stated that the officer, who is a task force member threatened to shoot a trader who resisted arrest, killing his colleague in the process.

“The female police officer who controls traffic at the market was shot down by a policeman. The female policewoman was begging on behalf of a shoe trader who was arrested by the policeman from the taskforce team.

“The policeman threatened to shoot the trader if he doesn’t stop resisting arrest. As he pointed the gun the trader dodged the bullet only for it to catch the female policewoman on her head,” an eyewitness narrated.

POLITICS NIGERIA, however, gathered that the deceased was survived by her 2-year-old child, who she breastfed 30 minutes before her death.

Meanwhile, Nnamdi Omoni, the Rivers state police spokesperson, identified the killer as one Sergeant Bitrus Osaiah.

This was contained in a statement sent to POLITICS NIGERIA on Friday morning.

Mr Omoni said: “The Rivers State Police Command regrets to announce the death of W/Sgt Lovender Elekwachi who until her untimely death was serving at Eneka Division and was posted to the Eneka roundabout on traffic duties.

“The late Woman Sergeant was shot while controlling traffic by Sergeant Bitrus Osaiah attached to the Operations Department of the Command.”

Although he refused to give details of how it happened, Omoni noted that Mr Osaiah has been arrested, disarmed and undergoing Orderly Room Trial.

“Two other members of the Task Force have also been arrested and are being questioned. The Hilux vehicle belonging to the Task Force has been impounded and the corpse of the Woman Sergeant deposited in the mortuary.

“Accordingly, he stated that the Rivers state Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, has ordered an investigation into the matter with a view to unraveling the circumstances that led to her death.

Panic As Lagos Records 78 New Cases Of Coronavirus As Tally Hits 981

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Panic As Lagos Records 78 New Cases Of Coronavirus As Tally Hits 981

Panic As Lagos Records 78 New Cases Of Coronavirus As Tally Hits 981

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.

FG warns Kano residents against buying Of ‘COVID-19 Vaccine’

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FG warns Kano residents against buying Of ‘COVID-19 Vaccine’


The Federal Government has warned residents of Kano State and indeed Nigerians against buying products described as COVID-19 vaccine from street traders and hawkers.

Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, gave the warning at the Presidential Task Force briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

According to Mohammed, the said vaccine has not been approved by different regulatory bodies in Nigeria, such as the National Agency For Food and Drugs, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

The minister said the vaccine is yellow in colour and is being hawked on the street of Kano and its environs.

“The federal ministry of information and culture and its agencies have put up a public enlightenment and advocacy campaign to continue to reach Nigerians with information on how they can protect themselves and avoid contracting the disease,” he said.

“This is necessary because in the absence of any vaccine or drug, non-pharmaceutical intervention remains the most effective way to contain the spread of the disease and protect Nigerians.

“By the way, you must ignore the vaccine being hawked in Kano which is called COVID-19 vaccine. It’s yellow in colour. It is not certified by anybody; please don’t patronise the hawkers.

“The campaign has, therefore, continued to focus on the need for the populace to adhere strictly to social distancing and mass gathering restrictions. Wear face masks and ensure good personal hygiene.”

The minister said the ministry has now rolled out a new set of television, radio jingles to further sensitise Nigerians.

He said the jingles are in English, Pidgin English, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba are now running on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).

“They are in the process of rolling them out on state and private radio and television stations across the country and also on social media. We have no choice since information remains the most potent tool that can be deployed against the virus today,” he said.

What Africa needs to do to overcome Coronavirus – AFDB

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What Africa needs to do to overcome Coronavirus – AFDB


As the world battles the grip of the coronavirus pandemic, the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has said accelerated global health and economic effort are the actions needed to be able to overcome the coronavirus pandemic in the continent.

Akinwumi Adesina, AFDB President, disclosed this on Wednesday during a global Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) via webinar (web-based seminar), according to a statement by the bank’s Communications and External Relations Department.

The corporate council on Africa is a leading U.S. business association that promotes business and investment between the U.S. and Africa.

He said that “one death is one too many” just as “our collective humanity is at stake”.

Adesina, therefore, urged U.S. and African government officials as well as corporate executives to forge new and sustainable partnerships that would endure beyond the pandemic.

While urging participants to be their brother’s and sister’s keepers, the AfDB president said there was a compelling need to pay attention to underlying global inequalities, and the impact on rich and poor countries.

Adesina highlighted the bank’s recent issuance of a record-breaking three billion dollars “Fight COVID-19” bond, which he described as the largest-ever U.S. dollar-denominated social bond.

He said the bond was oversubscribed at 4.6 billion dollars and was listed on the London Stock Exchange.

According to him, the bank also inaugurated a 10 billion dollars COVID-19 Response Facility to assist African governments and businesses.“

The bank’s response package includes 5.5 billion dollars earmarked for African governments, 3.1 billion dollars for countries that fall under the bank’s Concessionary African Development Fund, and 1.4 billion dollars for the private sector,” he said.

Answering questions about Africa’s health care system, Adesina said the region needed to do more than double spending in the sector.

He said the acute shortage of facilities and pharmaceutical companies in the continent should offer development and investment opportunities.

According to him, while China is home to 7,000 pharmaceutical companies, and India 11,000, Africa as a whole, by contrast, has only 375, even though its population is roughly equal to half of the combined population of both China and India.

Adesina, therefore, called on multilateral institutions to align and step up their collective efforts with regard to Africa’s debt, manage their ratings, and work together with rating agencies.

He said that although COVID-19 infection rates across Africa were relatively low compared with the rest of the world, there was yet a compelling need to improve on healthcare infrastructure in the continent.

He added that with an eye on the present crisis and beyond, there was a need for urgent, new, and resilient partnerships that would help leave no one behind.

Meanwhile, Florie Liser, President/CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa has lauded AfDB’s proactive leadership role in responding to the crisis in Africa.

According to Liser, the coronavirus pandemic is threatening to erase Africa’s unprecedented growth and economic gains over the past decade.

JUST IN: “Nnamdi Kanu is alive and well” – Kemi Olunloyo

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JUST IN: “Nnamdi Kanu is alive and well” – Kemi Olunloyo

"Nnamdi Kanu is alive and well" - Kemi Olunloyo

Controversial social media personality and self-acclaimed journalist, Kemi Olunloyo has stated that the leader of the indigenous people of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu is ‘Alive and Well’.

Olunloyo generated a twitter storm after alleging that Kanu had died in Italy on Tuesday. However, on Wednesday morning, she tweeted that the pro-secession leader was alive.

“#BREAKING After investigating all night, I am letting everyone know that Nnamdi Kanu is ALIVE and well. He was NEVER in Italy let alone hospitalized.”

“I also spoke to close friends of Kanu including my brother @realFFK who confirmed the same and has spoken to Mazi Kanu,” she wrote.

https://mobile.twitter.com/KemiOlunloyo/status/1252819617661087744

Police arrest ‘Jehovah Sharp Sharp’ Archbishop for violating Lockdown

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Police arrest ‘Jehovah Sharp Sharp’ Archbishop for violating Lockdown

Police arrest 'Jehovah Sharp Sharp' Archbishop for violating Lockdown

The Nigerian police force has effected the arrest of an Archbishop and General Overseer of Ressurection praise ministries for Africa alias ‘Jehovah Sharp Sharp’, Samson Benjamin for violating the Coronavirus lockdown.

Benjamin will be arraigned on Wednesday before a magistrate court in Lagos. The cleric was arrested after leading about 100 people to protest at the Chinese Embassy in Victoria Island over the maltreatment of Nigerians in China.

POLITICS NIGERIA gathered that the bishop was arrested by police officers from State CIID, Yaba. Benjamin’s arrest came shortly after Embassy Officials forwarded footage of his protest to the police.

Police Spokesperson, Bala Elkana confirmed the incident adding that the cleric was already on the way to court.

BREAKING: Adamawa Records First COVID-19 Case

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BREAKING: Adamawa Records First COVID-19 Case

Nigerian Governors approve Inter-state lockdown for two weeks

Information reaching POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Adamawa State has recorded its first Coronavirus (COVID-19) case.

It was learned that the patient is a returnee from Kano, who earlier been tested after submitting himself for the virus test.

According to SaharaReporters, an online newspaper, the man has been on self-isolation since returning to the state from Kano last week.

He said he was informed of his infection of the virus on Wednesday morning by the COVID-19 Containment Committee in Adamawa.

He told SaharaReporters: “I got a call from the COVID-19 Containment Committee this morning, informing me that my result showed I’m positive for the virus.”

Confirming the news in a state broadcast on Wednesday, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri said the victim is a returnee from Kano State.

He said an emergency meeting with stakeholders and security agencies will be held before evening and the state may be on total lockdown as a result of the incident.

NCDC Speaks On Vaccine For Coronavirus Pandemic

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NCDC Speaks On Vaccine For Coronavirus Pandemic

NCDC Speaks On Vaccine For Coronavirus Pandemic

Since the outbreak of Coronavirus, several reports have been written to debunk claims by many individuals and groups that there are now vaccines for the deadly disease.

It has killed over 60,000 persons in the world among close to two million persons infected.

In Nigeria alone, there are over 700 cases at of Tuesday evening.COVID-19 is a respecter of no one including kings and world leaders.

The World Health Organisation says there is no vaccine yet as two of its staff have also been infected.

On Wednesday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) debunked a viral post claiming that a liquid mixture had been discovered as Coronavirus vaccine.

The agency took to twitter saying: “A liquid mixture is being sold with claims that it is”#COVID19 vaccine”. This is FALSE!

“There is currently NO VACCINE or drug approved for #COVID19 prevention by health authorities#TakeResponslibility.

“Only purchase & consume drugs at accredited pharmacies or health facilities”

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