Nigeria's central bank announced Monday a credit relief of $136.6M to businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele said households, small and medium-sized enterprises, airline service providers, hotels, health care merchants will benefit from the funds.
"The CBN hereby establishes a facility through for households and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have been particularly hard hit by Covid-19," he said at a news conference.
He noted the pandemic has "significant adverse consequences" for the global and Nigerian economies, including crude oil supplies, stock, sporting events, financial markets, entertainment and hospitality industries.
Other interventions announced by the bank include reduction of interest rates for the loan from 9% to 5% retroactively to March 1.
Nigeria has recorded two cases of the virus known as COVID-19 including an index case of an Italian businessman.
But the national disease control center warned Monday against complacency.
It said the outbreak could be devastating in a country of 200 million people if it fails to take serious hygiene measures.
AA
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Monday, March 16, 2020
Nigeria gas explosion: 17 dead, rescue efforts under way
Rescue efforts are ongoing in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos, after a gas pipeline exploded on Sunday, resulting in the death of at least 17 people.
A spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye, said more than 100 houses had caught fire and many people were wounded. Lorries, cars and motorbikes were also destroyed by the blast.
Farinloye said the explosion was triggered when a truck hit gas bottles stacked up in a gas processing plant near a pipeline in Abule-Ado area of Lagos.
"We are recovering dead bodies as we speak and putting them in bags," said local Red Cross official Adebola Kolawale. "We have a school here, and it's a residential area. And we have a trade fair here as well.
As a crowd looked on, rescue workers sought to remove rubble from a girls boarding school attended by more than 250 pupils.
The school headmaster was killed in the explosion, as were a couple and their two sons who lived nearby.
The explosion's impact was so strong it led to "the collapse of nearby houses and damage to a pipeline", according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
President Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement on Sunday, described the incident as a national tragedy. He sent condolences to the families of the victims and Lagos state.
Petrol tanker and pipeline blasts are common in Nigeria where, despite the country's multibillion-dollar oil and gas industry, most people live in poverty.
Fires and explosions often occur as people try to siphon fuel from pipelines and as a result of accidents involving fuel tankers on poorly maintained roads.
In July, at least 45 people were killed and more than 100 others injured in central Nigeria when a crashed petrol tanker exploded as people gathered around to siphon fuel from it.
The truck overturned close to shops as it was travelling through the village of Ahumbe in Benue state.
Al Jazeera
A spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye, said more than 100 houses had caught fire and many people were wounded. Lorries, cars and motorbikes were also destroyed by the blast.
Farinloye said the explosion was triggered when a truck hit gas bottles stacked up in a gas processing plant near a pipeline in Abule-Ado area of Lagos.
"We are recovering dead bodies as we speak and putting them in bags," said local Red Cross official Adebola Kolawale. "We have a school here, and it's a residential area. And we have a trade fair here as well.
As a crowd looked on, rescue workers sought to remove rubble from a girls boarding school attended by more than 250 pupils.
The school headmaster was killed in the explosion, as were a couple and their two sons who lived nearby.
The explosion's impact was so strong it led to "the collapse of nearby houses and damage to a pipeline", according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
President Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement on Sunday, described the incident as a national tragedy. He sent condolences to the families of the victims and Lagos state.
Petrol tanker and pipeline blasts are common in Nigeria where, despite the country's multibillion-dollar oil and gas industry, most people live in poverty.
Fires and explosions often occur as people try to siphon fuel from pipelines and as a result of accidents involving fuel tankers on poorly maintained roads.
In July, at least 45 people were killed and more than 100 others injured in central Nigeria when a crashed petrol tanker exploded as people gathered around to siphon fuel from it.
The truck overturned close to shops as it was travelling through the village of Ahumbe in Benue state.
Al Jazeera
Friday, March 13, 2020
Video - Coronavirus outbreak may delay completion of major project in Nigeria
The Nigerian government says one of the most important rail projects in the country could suffer delays as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The project is being carried out by Chinese engineering firms. The head of the country's railway corporation says the completion date may be delayed.
Video - Doctor uses art to inspire people with skin conditions in Nigeria
Doctor by day and Artist by night, that is the story of one young Nigerian who is both a medical doctor and a visual artist. Adefemi Gbadamosi popularly known by his art signature, Fola David uses his art to instill self-love and self-confidence in people with different types of skin conditions making them see the beauty in what they may consider flaws.
Video - Nigerians raise awareness on preventing kidney failure
The World Health Organisation says an estimated 5 to 10 million people die annually from kidney disease across the world. In Nigeria, the country's Association of Nephrology said most people who suffer kidney failure cannot afford transplant or treatment. Health advocates are using this year's World Kidney Day to sensitize people on kidney disease and prevention.
Nigerian found dead in his Italy home after high fever
A 64-year-old Nigerian, Okunuga Olumide Saraju, has been found dead in his home in Modena, Italy, where he lived alone. Okunuga, a native of Ikenne in Ogun State and the president of Egbe Omo Yoruba in Emilia Romagna region, was found dead at about 11:00a.m. on Tuesday at his home. There are suspicions that he may have died of corona virus infection, a disease that has ravaged Italy in the past few weeks.
Saraju was well-known in the circles of associations and voluntary workers from Modena. He had lived in Modena for 30 years. A friend had raised the alarm. Upon entry, there were no signs of violence or break-ins in the house, nor traces of blood, according to Modena local media.
According to the information gathered, he had been suffering from high fever for some days but was not subjected to isolation because he had a previous complex health condition. He was being helped by friends. However, a friend raised the alarm when he was no longer answering his calls.
The city of Modena activated the antivirus procedure for the recovery of a body for the first time on Tuesday when removing his body from the apartment. As a precautionary measure, his body was brought to the street closed by a municipal police cordon, with the necrophores completely protected by overalls and masks, a gesture the neighborhood applauded.
The city said it is impossible to ascertain the cause of death for now because the deceased was suffering from a congenital disease, but the coroner will perform an autopsy and swab to check if he contracted Coronavirus. The last word belongs to the coroner who will perform the autopsy and the swab to check for any positivity to covid-19.
Saraju is an employee of an important Modena company, former vice president of the Foreigners Council of Modena, volunteer and former CGIL delegate. He was an Italian citizen in all respects and for 15 years he lived on the first floor of the building where he died. He lived alone since he separated from his wife.
And since he had been sick, his friends had decided to take the necessary things in turn, leaving him on the window at home; that windowsill became his last contact with the world outside the home. It happened in fact that last Thursday he started to feel bad. He suffered from exhaustion and a severe fever. He called the family doctor who went to his house to visit him. The doctor thought it was a normal flu: as friends reported yesterday, he took his leave advising him to stay indoors.
Mohamed Lasry, known as Il Sarto, his friend and neighbour, said: “The last phone call was on Monday evening. He told me he was very sick, he couldn’t take it anymore. Then I passed by yesterday morning. He didn’t answer. Then I raised the alarm. The municipal police arrived on the spot followed by the firefighters. After a few unsuccessful attempts at the intercom, the door was forced and the macabre discovery took place.
“The 64-year-old’s lifeless body was lying on the ground. He had evidently fallen suddenly without getting up again. Olumide was a citizen of the world open to others, to solidarity, always smiling and jovial. A man of the Fim, a man of the CISL as there are few. Never a word out of place and never a controversy.”
“Olumide was a friend, as well as our delegate of reference in Annovi Reverberi,”adds the secretary of the Fim Cisl Emilia Centrale, Giorgio Uriti. “He was one who certainly did not send her, a Fimmino doc of the old guard. He knew how to tame “comrades” well, so he called them those of Fiom.
“Always polite and every time I went to the company to hold meetings, he always brought me the bottle of water and gave me a smile, to show his happiness to see Fim there in the company with him. Fim loses a great person, a respectable delegate always on the front line and on the side of the weakest. All of us who have had the honor and fortune to know him, will always carry his smile and kindness in their hearts. We will miss you, rest in peace, brother Olumide,”concludes Uriti, announcing that, as soon as possible, the metalworkers CISL of Modena and Reggio will honor Okunuga as it deserves.
The Guardian
Saraju was well-known in the circles of associations and voluntary workers from Modena. He had lived in Modena for 30 years. A friend had raised the alarm. Upon entry, there were no signs of violence or break-ins in the house, nor traces of blood, according to Modena local media.
According to the information gathered, he had been suffering from high fever for some days but was not subjected to isolation because he had a previous complex health condition. He was being helped by friends. However, a friend raised the alarm when he was no longer answering his calls.
The city of Modena activated the antivirus procedure for the recovery of a body for the first time on Tuesday when removing his body from the apartment. As a precautionary measure, his body was brought to the street closed by a municipal police cordon, with the necrophores completely protected by overalls and masks, a gesture the neighborhood applauded.
The city said it is impossible to ascertain the cause of death for now because the deceased was suffering from a congenital disease, but the coroner will perform an autopsy and swab to check if he contracted Coronavirus. The last word belongs to the coroner who will perform the autopsy and the swab to check for any positivity to covid-19.
Saraju is an employee of an important Modena company, former vice president of the Foreigners Council of Modena, volunteer and former CGIL delegate. He was an Italian citizen in all respects and for 15 years he lived on the first floor of the building where he died. He lived alone since he separated from his wife.
And since he had been sick, his friends had decided to take the necessary things in turn, leaving him on the window at home; that windowsill became his last contact with the world outside the home. It happened in fact that last Thursday he started to feel bad. He suffered from exhaustion and a severe fever. He called the family doctor who went to his house to visit him. The doctor thought it was a normal flu: as friends reported yesterday, he took his leave advising him to stay indoors.
Mohamed Lasry, known as Il Sarto, his friend and neighbour, said: “The last phone call was on Monday evening. He told me he was very sick, he couldn’t take it anymore. Then I passed by yesterday morning. He didn’t answer. Then I raised the alarm. The municipal police arrived on the spot followed by the firefighters. After a few unsuccessful attempts at the intercom, the door was forced and the macabre discovery took place.
“The 64-year-old’s lifeless body was lying on the ground. He had evidently fallen suddenly without getting up again. Olumide was a citizen of the world open to others, to solidarity, always smiling and jovial. A man of the Fim, a man of the CISL as there are few. Never a word out of place and never a controversy.”
“Olumide was a friend, as well as our delegate of reference in Annovi Reverberi,”adds the secretary of the Fim Cisl Emilia Centrale, Giorgio Uriti. “He was one who certainly did not send her, a Fimmino doc of the old guard. He knew how to tame “comrades” well, so he called them those of Fiom.
“Always polite and every time I went to the company to hold meetings, he always brought me the bottle of water and gave me a smile, to show his happiness to see Fim there in the company with him. Fim loses a great person, a respectable delegate always on the front line and on the side of the weakest. All of us who have had the honor and fortune to know him, will always carry his smile and kindness in their hearts. We will miss you, rest in peace, brother Olumide,”concludes Uriti, announcing that, as soon as possible, the metalworkers CISL of Modena and Reggio will honor Okunuga as it deserves.
The Guardian
Nigeria likely to record more positive cases of COVID-19
Experts are worried that there could be more cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria in the next two weeks, insisting that it is inevitable because the country has been identified as one of the 13 countries in Africa at a high risk of being overwhelmed by the virus due to weak health sector.
Also, the index case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Nigeria, a 44-year-old Italian, yesterday completed the 14-day isolation recommended by the World Heath Organisation (WHO).
Although the viral load of the 44-year-old Italian citizen is reducing, he would not yet be discharged from the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) Yaba, Lagos, as he was not yet totally free from the virus.
The assertion was made by Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu; WHO Consultant on COVID-19 in Nigeria and Team Leader, Expanded Programme on Immunisation, Dr. Fiona Braka and Director, Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health and Incident Manager COVID-19 Outbreak Lagos State Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), Dr. Ismail Abdul-Salam, who spoke with journalists at a roundtable in Lagos yesterday.
They said contrary to some media reports, the Italian was visiting Nigeria for the first time as a consultant to a company in Ogun State, just as it was learnt that the Italian’s wife and brother have also tested positive to the virus in Italy.
“We are worried that we may have explosion of cases of coronavirus in our country. This is why we are given special attention on passengers coming from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan,” Ihekweazu said.
Braka said the WHO declaration that COVID-19 was now a pandemic meant that all countries, especially those at high risk such as Nigeria needed to redouble their efforts to prevent a situation where they would be overwhelmed by the virus.
Abdul-Salam pointed out that Lagos has prepared for the worst case scenario in which many people may be infected with the virus, adding, “At the beginning, even before the country confirmed the first case, with the help of the WHO we have prepared for the worst case scenario.”
Ihekweazu said as at March 11, 2020, there are two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria and apart from the index case, a total of 40 people have been screened for COVID-19 (seven new) in five States (Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Federal Capital Territory, FCT/Abuja and Kano) of which 39 tested negative and have been ruled out, while one confirmed positive which is a contact of index case with no death.
The Guardian
Also, the index case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Nigeria, a 44-year-old Italian, yesterday completed the 14-day isolation recommended by the World Heath Organisation (WHO).
Although the viral load of the 44-year-old Italian citizen is reducing, he would not yet be discharged from the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) Yaba, Lagos, as he was not yet totally free from the virus.
The assertion was made by Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu; WHO Consultant on COVID-19 in Nigeria and Team Leader, Expanded Programme on Immunisation, Dr. Fiona Braka and Director, Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health and Incident Manager COVID-19 Outbreak Lagos State Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), Dr. Ismail Abdul-Salam, who spoke with journalists at a roundtable in Lagos yesterday.
They said contrary to some media reports, the Italian was visiting Nigeria for the first time as a consultant to a company in Ogun State, just as it was learnt that the Italian’s wife and brother have also tested positive to the virus in Italy.
“We are worried that we may have explosion of cases of coronavirus in our country. This is why we are given special attention on passengers coming from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan,” Ihekweazu said.
Braka said the WHO declaration that COVID-19 was now a pandemic meant that all countries, especially those at high risk such as Nigeria needed to redouble their efforts to prevent a situation where they would be overwhelmed by the virus.
Abdul-Salam pointed out that Lagos has prepared for the worst case scenario in which many people may be infected with the virus, adding, “At the beginning, even before the country confirmed the first case, with the help of the WHO we have prepared for the worst case scenario.”
Ihekweazu said as at March 11, 2020, there are two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria and apart from the index case, a total of 40 people have been screened for COVID-19 (seven new) in five States (Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Federal Capital Territory, FCT/Abuja and Kano) of which 39 tested negative and have been ruled out, while one confirmed positive which is a contact of index case with no death.
The Guardian
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Chineme Martins: Nigerian player dies after collapsing on pitch
Nigerian footballer Chineme Martins, 22, died after collapsing during a game for his club Nasarawa United.
Martins fell unconscious, unopposed, during the second half of Nasarawa's league match against Katsina United.
"The player was attended to by medics of the two clubs ... and was later rushed to Dalhatu-Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia where he was later pronounced dead," the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) said in a statement.
An autopsy is now being carried out to determine the cause of death.
The NFF says no further matches should be played unless there is a full complement of medical equipment at the stadia and personnel "as provided in the NFF Club Licensing Regulations".
Furthermore, the NFF said all match commissioners and the host FA "are to ensure they inspect all the facilities including carrying out test runs before giving the go-ahead for any match to be played."
Eyewitnesses told BBC Sport there appeared to be a delay in getting Martins to the hospital because of a problem with the ambulance.
Nasarawa United are yet to make any (official) statement about the death of their player who had made four appearances for the northern club so far this season.
Nigeria's sports minister, Sunday Dare, described Martins' death as "regrettably avoidable" and said the "ministry will immediately work with the NPFL to role out mandatory conditions before any match is played".
It is the second time fans in Lafia have witnessed a tragedy. In December 2018, Kano Pillars star Dominic Dukudod collapsed while warming up in a friendly against Nasarawa United themselves.
Questions have previously been raised about the state of medical care and players' welfare in the NPFL, but Nigeria's League Management Company says it mandates the clubs to ensure all players present a medical passport - signed and authorised by a certified doctor - declaring them fit to play.
BBC
Oil Drop May Force Nigeria to Devalue Naira as Reserves Sink
The plunge in oil prices is piling pressure on Nigeria to devalue the naira as dwindling export revenue depletes foreign-exchange reserves, curbing the central bank’s ability to support the currency.
The central bank’s reserves have decreased by 20% in the past two years to the lowest since November 2017, and may soon reach the $30 billionthreshold set by Governor Godwin Emefiele for the country to consider a devaluation, Jason Daw and Phoenix Kalen, strategists at Paris-based Societe Generale SA, wrote in note on Monday. The central bank may start adjusting currency policy before it reaches that point, they said.
Naira fundamentals are on an unsustainable trajectory and under current external conditions, especially lower oil prices, the risk of a devaluation is “very elevated,” the SocGen strategists wrote. “The combination of a current-account deficit -- previously due to strong imports but now being compounded by weak exports -- portfolio outflows and lower oil prices will continue to deplete FX reserves and pressure the naira.”
The the naira extended a decline in offshore trading on Tuesday, slipping 0.4% to 366.99 per dollar, the weakest level on a closing basis in more than two years.Yields on Nigeria’s 2049 Eurobonds climbed 149 basis points to 10.24% on Monday, the highest on record. The country’s benchmark stock index slumped to the lowest level in almost three years.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari signed the country’s 10.6 trillion naira ($29 billion) spending plan into law this year based on a crude price projection of $57 a barrel and targeted oil earnings of 2.64 trillion naira. Brent crude prices have plummeted about 45% this year to around $36 a barrel.
Africa’s largest oil producer relies on earnings from the black commodity for more than 90% of its export revenues. The International Monetary Fund slashed the West African nation’s economic growth projection to 2% from 2.5% because of a decline in oil prices.
Under Emefiele, who was appointed in 2014, Nigeria has tightened capital controls and closely managed the naira’s value. The governor has consistently said this is the best way to curb inflation and boost manufacturing by discouraging imports.
“An initial attempt at a managed depreciation is more likely than a one-offlarge devaluation (like in the past), but it might be challenging to maintain over the medium term unless bolder policy action is taken,” Daw and Kalen wrote.
The central bank could also consider tightening liquidity in the interbank market or by tightening policy, while a planned Eurobond sale could help rebuild currency reserves, they said.
Bloomberg
The central bank’s reserves have decreased by 20% in the past two years to the lowest since November 2017, and may soon reach the $30 billionthreshold set by Governor Godwin Emefiele for the country to consider a devaluation, Jason Daw and Phoenix Kalen, strategists at Paris-based Societe Generale SA, wrote in note on Monday. The central bank may start adjusting currency policy before it reaches that point, they said.
Naira fundamentals are on an unsustainable trajectory and under current external conditions, especially lower oil prices, the risk of a devaluation is “very elevated,” the SocGen strategists wrote. “The combination of a current-account deficit -- previously due to strong imports but now being compounded by weak exports -- portfolio outflows and lower oil prices will continue to deplete FX reserves and pressure the naira.”
The the naira extended a decline in offshore trading on Tuesday, slipping 0.4% to 366.99 per dollar, the weakest level on a closing basis in more than two years.Yields on Nigeria’s 2049 Eurobonds climbed 149 basis points to 10.24% on Monday, the highest on record. The country’s benchmark stock index slumped to the lowest level in almost three years.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari signed the country’s 10.6 trillion naira ($29 billion) spending plan into law this year based on a crude price projection of $57 a barrel and targeted oil earnings of 2.64 trillion naira. Brent crude prices have plummeted about 45% this year to around $36 a barrel.
Africa’s largest oil producer relies on earnings from the black commodity for more than 90% of its export revenues. The International Monetary Fund slashed the West African nation’s economic growth projection to 2% from 2.5% because of a decline in oil prices.
Under Emefiele, who was appointed in 2014, Nigeria has tightened capital controls and closely managed the naira’s value. The governor has consistently said this is the best way to curb inflation and boost manufacturing by discouraging imports.
“An initial attempt at a managed depreciation is more likely than a one-offlarge devaluation (like in the past), but it might be challenging to maintain over the medium term unless bolder policy action is taken,” Daw and Kalen wrote.
The central bank could also consider tightening liquidity in the interbank market or by tightening policy, while a planned Eurobond sale could help rebuild currency reserves, they said.
Bloomberg
Nigeria's emir of Kano dethroned for 'disrespect'
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, one of Nigeria's most influential Muslim traditional leaders, has been removed from his throne.He was deposed for showing "insubordination'' to the authorities in the northern state of Kano.
Mr Sanusi, an ex-central bank chief, has had frosty relations with Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje since 2017.
His supporters believe he was sacked for opposing Mr Ganduje's re-election last year.
Traditional leaders in Nigeria hold few constitutional powers but are able to exert significant influence as they are seen as custodians of both religion and tradition.
Mr Sanusi was seen as a reformist and had been critical of some government policies - a stance that frequently put him at loggerheads with ruling politicians, reports the BBC's Nigeria reporter Ishaq Khalid.
The emir has been removed from the palace in the city of Kano by security forces. It is not clear where he has been taken, but by tradition he will be expected to live in exile outside the emirate for the rest of his life, our reporter says.
Aminu Ado Bayero, the son of Mr Sanusi's predecessor who ruled Kano for more than half a century until his death in 2014, has been chosen as the new emir by the local authorities.
Why was he sacked?
The government said he was removed "in order to safeguard the sanctity, culture, tradition, religion and prestige of the Kano emirate", accusing the emir of "total disrespect" of institutions and the governor's office.
Since the emir and governor fell out, Mr Sanusi has not attended state functions and official meetings, which the government said amounted to "total insubordination".
The emir's refusal to appear before a panel investigating allegations of corruption against him also did not go down well with the government.
He is accused of selling property and mismanaging emirati funds but he secured a court order stopping the probe.
After last year's election, Mr Ganduje, who is a powerful figure within Nigeria's governing All Progressives Congress (APC) party, split the Kano emirate into five and appointed four more emirs - to weaken Mr Sanusi's influence.
Mr Sanusi is not shy about voicing his opinions, which some say is a break with the tradition that an emir be seen and not heard.
Last month, he said fathers who sent their children out to beg for alms should be arrested.
In the past he criticised what he described as the "ultra-conservative interpretation of Islam" in some parts of northern Nigeria that has discouraged the education of girls, family planning and other progressive policies.
Who is Mr Sanusi?
Born into the Fulani royal family, Lamido Sanusi became the 14th Emir of Kano in 2014 after the death of Ado Bayero.
He described the post, which carries enormous weight among Nigeria's northern Muslims, as a life-long ambition.
In the mid-1990s he quit a well-paid job as banking risk manager to deepen his knowledge of Arabic and Islamic studies by going to study in Sudan.
Long before he became emir, he opposed the adoption of Islamic law in some northern states, arguing that there were more pressing issues that needed to be dealt with.
But it was as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria that he gained notoriety.
His whistle-blowing over $20bn (£12bn) allegedly missing from the state oil company caused a storm that led to his suspension by then President Goodluck Jonathan. The government denied that any money was missing.
Mr Sanusi challenged the suspension in court but was still sacked from the role. He later withdrew the court case.
Critics say he has a holier-than-thou attitude and have wondered why he refused to appear before the panel investigating corruption allegations against him.
BBC
Related story: Former Nigeria Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi comments on audit that proves missing $18.5 billion
Video - Sanusi Lamido's TEDx speech - Overcoming the fear of vested interest
Monday, March 9, 2020
Nigeria is already dealing with a deadlier viral outbreak than the coronavirus epidemic
The detection of Covid-19 coronavirus in Nigeria raised early concerns about the country’s capacity to handle a major epidemic but so far local public health officials have been commended for handling the outbreak with aplomb.
But the coronavirus is not the only viral outbreak in Africa’s most populous country. Nigeria is currently dealing with what is turning out to be the world’s largest epidemic of Lassa fever, a viral disease deadlier than coronavirus.
Lassa fever is a severe viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) like Ebola and Marburg that occurs throughout the year in Nigeria and was declared an “active outbreak” by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) five weeks into 2020. The epidemic which occurs during the annual dry season (roughly November through March) has spread across half the country.
The Lassa fever virus is transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated with urine and feces of a rat. It’s also known to spreads from person-to-person through contact with the body fluids and organs of infected persons, which has resulted in healthcare workers easily getting infected, some have died.
The epidemic, whose rapid escalation started right from the second week of the year, had by the end of the ninth week seen 774 cases and 132 deaths spread across 26 of Nigeria’s 36 states and the federal capital territory.
Troubling trends
In the past five years, there have been four epidemics—all having over 59% of total cases—in the first quarter of the year. In just nine weeks into 2020 Lassa fever cases are already 96% of total cases in 2019, the year with the largest Lassa epidemic with 810 cases and 167 deaths. As recently as 2015, the total number of cases was 64. This trend does not only suggest that the current epidemic will likely surpass that of 2019, but it also suggests a longer lasting and more devastating epidemic.
Arenaviruses, which include the Lassa virus, are disproportionately prone to genetic mutations and have a propensity for spread if not adequately controlled, says Dr Olubusuyi Moses Adewumi, a specialist in Arenaviruses and Virologist at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan in southwest Nigeria.
Dr. Adewumi blames the rapid increase of the epidemic each year on the lack of an effective surveillance system in place to identify and monitor the circulation of the virus in the country via rodents and other animals. “In our environment, the vectors continue to have the opportunity to interact with the human population and consequently spread the virus unchecked”, he explains.
Lassa fever is known to have a high mortality rate with Case Fatality Ratio (CFR) as high as 23% recorded for the first quarter of 2019—far deadlier than the Covid-19 coronavirus which currently has an estimated CFR of 2%.
Before the emergence of the new coronavirus, the NCDC has been focused mainly on Lassa fever. However, tweets from the NCDC’s twitter handle suggests recent online publicity is focused more on the coronavirus epidemic despite the reports of an unprecedented Lassa fever epidemic in the country.
“The international health agency and media deserve to give more attention to coronavirus considering its propensity for a pandemic,” says Dr. Adewumi. “LFV is our local problem in this part of the continent, hence, it is our responsibility to ensure the epidemic is controlled,” he said.
By Uwagbale Edward-Ekpu
Quartz
But the coronavirus is not the only viral outbreak in Africa’s most populous country. Nigeria is currently dealing with what is turning out to be the world’s largest epidemic of Lassa fever, a viral disease deadlier than coronavirus.
Lassa fever is a severe viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) like Ebola and Marburg that occurs throughout the year in Nigeria and was declared an “active outbreak” by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) five weeks into 2020. The epidemic which occurs during the annual dry season (roughly November through March) has spread across half the country.
The Lassa fever virus is transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated with urine and feces of a rat. It’s also known to spreads from person-to-person through contact with the body fluids and organs of infected persons, which has resulted in healthcare workers easily getting infected, some have died.
The epidemic, whose rapid escalation started right from the second week of the year, had by the end of the ninth week seen 774 cases and 132 deaths spread across 26 of Nigeria’s 36 states and the federal capital territory.
Troubling trends
In the past five years, there have been four epidemics—all having over 59% of total cases—in the first quarter of the year. In just nine weeks into 2020 Lassa fever cases are already 96% of total cases in 2019, the year with the largest Lassa epidemic with 810 cases and 167 deaths. As recently as 2015, the total number of cases was 64. This trend does not only suggest that the current epidemic will likely surpass that of 2019, but it also suggests a longer lasting and more devastating epidemic.
Arenaviruses, which include the Lassa virus, are disproportionately prone to genetic mutations and have a propensity for spread if not adequately controlled, says Dr Olubusuyi Moses Adewumi, a specialist in Arenaviruses and Virologist at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan in southwest Nigeria.
Dr. Adewumi blames the rapid increase of the epidemic each year on the lack of an effective surveillance system in place to identify and monitor the circulation of the virus in the country via rodents and other animals. “In our environment, the vectors continue to have the opportunity to interact with the human population and consequently spread the virus unchecked”, he explains.
Lassa fever is known to have a high mortality rate with Case Fatality Ratio (CFR) as high as 23% recorded for the first quarter of 2019—far deadlier than the Covid-19 coronavirus which currently has an estimated CFR of 2%.
Before the emergence of the new coronavirus, the NCDC has been focused mainly on Lassa fever. However, tweets from the NCDC’s twitter handle suggests recent online publicity is focused more on the coronavirus epidemic despite the reports of an unprecedented Lassa fever epidemic in the country.
“The international health agency and media deserve to give more attention to coronavirus considering its propensity for a pandemic,” says Dr. Adewumi. “LFV is our local problem in this part of the continent, hence, it is our responsibility to ensure the epidemic is controlled,” he said.
By Uwagbale Edward-Ekpu
Quartz
Nigeria has second confirmed coronavirus case - health minister
Nigeria has a second confirmed coronavirus case, the country's health minister said on Twitter on Monday.
The first case was an Italian man who flew in to southwestern commercial capital Lagos on Feb. 24 from Milan on a Turkish Airlines flight that had a connection in Istanbul. The following day he travelled to neighbouring Ogun state and was in the country for nearly two full days before being isolated.
The case, the first in sub-Saharan Africa, prompted fears of an outbreak in Lagos, a city of 20 million people in a country of some 200 million inhabitants. But until Monday it was the only confirmed case in a country that won plaudits for preventing a major outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in 2014.
Health Minister Osagie Ehanire said the second case had been in contact with the Italian man, who is a vendor working for cement company Lafarge Africa PLC and is being treated at a hospital in the Yaba dristict of Lagos.
The Lagos state health commissioner, Akin Abayomi, said on Saturday Nigerian officials were experiencing "some challenges" in tracking down people who were on the flight with the Italian.
(Reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram; Additional reporting by Libby George; Editing by Alison Williams)
Nasdaq
The first case was an Italian man who flew in to southwestern commercial capital Lagos on Feb. 24 from Milan on a Turkish Airlines flight that had a connection in Istanbul. The following day he travelled to neighbouring Ogun state and was in the country for nearly two full days before being isolated.
The case, the first in sub-Saharan Africa, prompted fears of an outbreak in Lagos, a city of 20 million people in a country of some 200 million inhabitants. But until Monday it was the only confirmed case in a country that won plaudits for preventing a major outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in 2014.
Health Minister Osagie Ehanire said the second case had been in contact with the Italian man, who is a vendor working for cement company Lafarge Africa PLC and is being treated at a hospital in the Yaba dristict of Lagos.
The Lagos state health commissioner, Akin Abayomi, said on Saturday Nigerian officials were experiencing "some challenges" in tracking down people who were on the flight with the Italian.
(Reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram; Additional reporting by Libby George; Editing by Alison Williams)
Nasdaq
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Nigeria releases 223 children cleared of suspected ties with armed groups
At least 223 children, including 10 girls, have recently been cleared of suspected ties with armed groups in Nigeria, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Wednesday.
The children were released late Tuesday from the Nigerian army administrative custody and Maiduguri Maximum Security Prison in the northeastern part of Nigeria, said Peter Hawkins, the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria.
Some of the children had been missing for up to four to five years, with many presumed dead by their families, according to Hawkins.
"The release of these children is a huge step forward and one to be welcomed and celebrated," the UNICEF official said.
The children will now immediately enter a program that will help them reintegrate into their communities, re-engage with families, and take the first steps toward creating a new life and means of livelihood, he said.
"These children deserve to have a normal childhood and now require our full care and support to re-enter the lives that were so brutally interrupted by this devastating conflict," he added.
Since 2016, about 3,559 people associated with armed groups had been released from administrative custody, including 1,743 children, or 1,125 boys and 618 girls, according to official data by the UNICEF.
UNICEF is working closely with Nigerian state authorities to help with reintegration programs for all children formerly associated with non-state armed groups, and others affected by the ongoing conflict in Nigeria's northeast region, said Hawkins.
Xinhua
The children were released late Tuesday from the Nigerian army administrative custody and Maiduguri Maximum Security Prison in the northeastern part of Nigeria, said Peter Hawkins, the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria.
Some of the children had been missing for up to four to five years, with many presumed dead by their families, according to Hawkins.
"The release of these children is a huge step forward and one to be welcomed and celebrated," the UNICEF official said.
The children will now immediately enter a program that will help them reintegrate into their communities, re-engage with families, and take the first steps toward creating a new life and means of livelihood, he said.
"These children deserve to have a normal childhood and now require our full care and support to re-enter the lives that were so brutally interrupted by this devastating conflict," he added.
Since 2016, about 3,559 people associated with armed groups had been released from administrative custody, including 1,743 children, or 1,125 boys and 618 girls, according to official data by the UNICEF.
UNICEF is working closely with Nigerian state authorities to help with reintegration programs for all children formerly associated with non-state armed groups, and others affected by the ongoing conflict in Nigeria's northeast region, said Hawkins.
Xinhua
Six killed in attack on Nigeria military base
Armed assailants killed four police officers and two civilian militiamen in an attack on a military base in northeast Nigeria's Borno state on Wednesday.
Suspected Boko Haram fighters in trucks fitted with machine guns launched the dawn raid on the army base in the town of Damboa, sparking intense fighting.
"We lost four mobile policemen and two civilian militia fighting alongside soldiers during the fight with the terrorists," said a military officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Anti-armed group leader Ibrahim Liman confirmed the death toll, after supporting soldiers during the attack.
Local resident Modu Malari said the assailants attacked with assault weapons and rocket-propelled grenades, but were forced out from the town by troops after a fierce two-hour battle.
More than 50 residents were wounded by shrapnel from grenades fired by the rebels, he said.
Damboa lies on the fringe of Boko Haram's Sambisa Forest stronghold, from where the group has launched repeated attacks on villages and military posts.
In November last year, at least 10 Nigerian soldiers were killed and nine injured in a Boko Haram ambush in Muchima village, outside Damboa.
Boko Haram's campaign began in 2009 and has displaced more than 2.2 million people across Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon since, with no signs of slowing down despite counterattacks by a joint multinational force across borders.
Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), a Boko Haram faction, has also gone on a spree of violence, attacking military formations in those countries.
In Mali and Burkina Faso, groups such as the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin have followed suit, killing thousands of people in recent years.
Al Jazeera
Suspected Boko Haram fighters in trucks fitted with machine guns launched the dawn raid on the army base in the town of Damboa, sparking intense fighting.
"We lost four mobile policemen and two civilian militia fighting alongside soldiers during the fight with the terrorists," said a military officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Anti-armed group leader Ibrahim Liman confirmed the death toll, after supporting soldiers during the attack.
Local resident Modu Malari said the assailants attacked with assault weapons and rocket-propelled grenades, but were forced out from the town by troops after a fierce two-hour battle.
More than 50 residents were wounded by shrapnel from grenades fired by the rebels, he said.
Damboa lies on the fringe of Boko Haram's Sambisa Forest stronghold, from where the group has launched repeated attacks on villages and military posts.
In November last year, at least 10 Nigerian soldiers were killed and nine injured in a Boko Haram ambush in Muchima village, outside Damboa.
Boko Haram's campaign began in 2009 and has displaced more than 2.2 million people across Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon since, with no signs of slowing down despite counterattacks by a joint multinational force across borders.
Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), a Boko Haram faction, has also gone on a spree of violence, attacking military formations in those countries.
In Mali and Burkina Faso, groups such as the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin have followed suit, killing thousands of people in recent years.
Al Jazeera
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
At least 50 killed in northern Nigeria 'bandit' attacks
At least 50 people were killed in multiple attacks by armed bandits on villages in an area of northern Nigeria rife with cattle theft and kidnappings, local officials said on Monday.
Sources said about 100 armed assailants stormed into the villages of Kerawa, Zareyawa and Minda in Kaduna state at dawn on Sunday, gunning down worshippers as they left a mosque for morning prayers before killing residents and burning and looting homes.
"So far 50 bodies have been recovered but the figure is not conclusive and is very likely to rise as rescue efforts are still under way," said Zayyad Ibrahim, a legislator in the Nigerian parliament.
Several people were wounded in the attacks and taken to nearby hospitals, Ibrahim said.
The assault was in retaliation for villagers allegedly assisting recent army operations against the so-called bandits in their forest hideouts, local counsellor Dayyabu Kerawa said.
"The bandits accused residents from the targeted villages of providing information about their hideouts to the military," said Kerawa. "We buried 51 victims yesterday."
Kaduna police spokesman Mohammed Jalige said authorities were investigating the attacks.
Escalation in violence
Violence has soared in northwest Nigeria in recent years as criminal gangs involved in cattle rustling and kidnapping have carried out bloody raids on villages.
Armed groups attack from hideouts in nearby forests, exploiting a lack of security across the region.
The Birnin Gwari and Giwa districts of Kaduna state have been hit by violence and repeated reprisal attacks between bandits and local vigilante groups.
Security forces in February announced a sweeping operation aimed at armed gangs in the area.
Last month 21 people, including 16 members of one family, were killed when bandits attacked a village in a reprisal attack.
Authorities in several states in northwest Nigeria have sought peace deals with the bandits to stop the bloodshed but these have failed to end the instability.
Al Jazeera
Sources said about 100 armed assailants stormed into the villages of Kerawa, Zareyawa and Minda in Kaduna state at dawn on Sunday, gunning down worshippers as they left a mosque for morning prayers before killing residents and burning and looting homes.
"So far 50 bodies have been recovered but the figure is not conclusive and is very likely to rise as rescue efforts are still under way," said Zayyad Ibrahim, a legislator in the Nigerian parliament.
Several people were wounded in the attacks and taken to nearby hospitals, Ibrahim said.
The assault was in retaliation for villagers allegedly assisting recent army operations against the so-called bandits in their forest hideouts, local counsellor Dayyabu Kerawa said.
"The bandits accused residents from the targeted villages of providing information about their hideouts to the military," said Kerawa. "We buried 51 victims yesterday."
Kaduna police spokesman Mohammed Jalige said authorities were investigating the attacks.
Escalation in violence
Violence has soared in northwest Nigeria in recent years as criminal gangs involved in cattle rustling and kidnapping have carried out bloody raids on villages.
Armed groups attack from hideouts in nearby forests, exploiting a lack of security across the region.
The Birnin Gwari and Giwa districts of Kaduna state have been hit by violence and repeated reprisal attacks between bandits and local vigilante groups.
Security forces in February announced a sweeping operation aimed at armed gangs in the area.
Last month 21 people, including 16 members of one family, were killed when bandits attacked a village in a reprisal attack.
Authorities in several states in northwest Nigeria have sought peace deals with the bandits to stop the bloodshed but these have failed to end the instability.
Al Jazeera
Monday, March 2, 2020
Nigeria Finds Over 100 People Exposed to First Coronavirus Case
Nigerian health authorities have reached out to over 100 people who had contact with the Italian man who tested positive for the coronavirus and asked them to remain in self-isolation.
The Italian citizen arrived in Lagos earlier this week on a commercial flight from Milan and traveled to neighboring Ogun state for business. He’s the first confirmed case in sub-Saharan Africa.
Lafarge Africa Plc said it has quarantined 39 people who were in contact with him, a vendor for the company. It added in a statement that its cement factory in Ogun state remains open.
Authorities traced people who traveled with the patient and stayed at the same hotel and asked for them to remain isolated for 14 days while undergoing daily temperature checks, said Akin Abayomi, the Lagos state commissioner for health.
“The numbers keep changing -- they are going up gradually,” said Abayomi, adding that he calculates authorities have identified more than 100 people across the country. He said none of those in isolation in Lagos have presented any symptoms yet.
Nigerians have complained on social media about shortages of face masks and hand sanitizer in Lagos and the capital Abuja, with some saying prices have tripled.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, the country’s biggest city with about 20 million people, suspended shaking hands during Mass and called on congregations to reduce gatherings over Lent.
The Italian man who tested positive for the virus is in stable condition and showing signs of improvement, Abayomi said. He denied local media reports that the patient had tried to escape isolation due to poor conditions in the hospital, but said he was moved to another facility because the ward was undergoing renovation.
By Alonso Soto, With assistance by Tope Alake, and Anthony Osae-Brown
Bloomberg
The Italian citizen arrived in Lagos earlier this week on a commercial flight from Milan and traveled to neighboring Ogun state for business. He’s the first confirmed case in sub-Saharan Africa.
Lafarge Africa Plc said it has quarantined 39 people who were in contact with him, a vendor for the company. It added in a statement that its cement factory in Ogun state remains open.
Authorities traced people who traveled with the patient and stayed at the same hotel and asked for them to remain isolated for 14 days while undergoing daily temperature checks, said Akin Abayomi, the Lagos state commissioner for health.
“The numbers keep changing -- they are going up gradually,” said Abayomi, adding that he calculates authorities have identified more than 100 people across the country. He said none of those in isolation in Lagos have presented any symptoms yet.
Nigerians have complained on social media about shortages of face masks and hand sanitizer in Lagos and the capital Abuja, with some saying prices have tripled.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, the country’s biggest city with about 20 million people, suspended shaking hands during Mass and called on congregations to reduce gatherings over Lent.
The Italian man who tested positive for the virus is in stable condition and showing signs of improvement, Abayomi said. He denied local media reports that the patient had tried to escape isolation due to poor conditions in the hospital, but said he was moved to another facility because the ward was undergoing renovation.
By Alonso Soto, With assistance by Tope Alake, and Anthony Osae-Brown
Bloomberg
'Nigeria will deal with this': High alert after coronavirus case
Health authorities in Nigeria are ramping up efforts to detect and contain the new coronavirus after Africa's most populous country confirmed its first case, calling on citizens to avoid panicking or spreading unverified information about the disease.An Italian citizen working in Nigeria tested positive for the virus on Thursday after falling ill following his arrival in the commercial hub of Lagos from Milan in northern Italy, an area that has emerged as Europe's coronavirus hotspot.
The man, who has since been isolated at a hospital in Yaba, is "clinically stable" and has not developed serious symptoms, according to health officials.
"We have already started working to identify all the contacts of the patient since he entered Nigeria," Osagie Ehanire, Nigeria's health minister, told reporters in the capital, Abuja. "We have continued to beef our own security. The level of preparedness continues to improve of Nigeria every day."
Public health professionals who spoke to Al Jazeera expressed confidence in the West African country's ability to contain the spread of the virus. They pointed to key lessons from its successful response to an Ebola outbreak more than five years ago, as well as a series of measures already put in place before the arrival of the coronavirus.
Along with heightening screening at points of entry, particularly at airports, authorities have established testing capacity in four laboratories and expanded surveillance to follow up with travellers from countries affected by the infectious disease - officially known as COVID-19 - within 14 days of arriving in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has also supported the activation of emergency operation centres to serve as coordination platforms, while its Coronavirus Preparedness Group meets daily to review the situation and manage the response efforts.
The agency has meanwhile issued a public health advisory to inform Nigerians about symptoms and preventive measures, and has provided a toll-free number for guidance.
May Ubeku, a public health practitioner and epidemiologist, said Nigerian health authorities were "fully prepared" to contain the spread of the coronavirus, citing the series of measures introduced since January.
First sub-Saharan African case
Nigeria is sub-Saharan Africa's first country to register a case of the virus, which has killed some 2,900 people and infected more than 86,000 worldwide, the vast majority in China where it originated late last year.
Medical experts had long expected the arrival of the deadly virus in sub-Saharan Africa, pointing to the deep trade and travel ties between China and a number of countries on the continent.
In mid-February, health ministers of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) converged in Mali's capital, Bamako, to develop a regional preparedness plan and boost cross-border collaboration to promote rapid diagnosis and containment.
Parts of West Africa already share a painful experience of trying to tackle the major Ebola outbreak that ravaged the region between 2013 and 2016 and killed more than 11,000 people.
In Nigeria, the first case of Ebola was detected in July 2014 following the arrival of an infected Liberian man at the Lagos international airport. The man, who died in hospital, set off a chain of transmission that killed seven people out of a total of 19 infections. But months later, the country was declared Ebola-free, with the World Health Organization (WHO) hailing a "spectacular success story" and commending authorities for their "effective coordination of the response".
'Nigeria will deal with it'
Ifeanyi Nsofor, who graduated from Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity programme at George Washington University in 2019, cited Nigeria's experience in stamping out Ebola, as well as polio, as promising signs in the fight to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.
In August last year, Nigeria went three years without a case of wild poliovirus and is due to receive a wild polio-free status in June 2020 - a gigantic shift from 2012 when it accounted for more than half of all polio cases worldwide.
The country adopted various measures to achieve this milestone, notably establishing emergency operations centres to respond to polio outbreaks and enhancing collaboration among health agencies and international partners. It also conducted a large-scale polio vaccination campaign that involved volunteers, community groups and religious and traditional institutions amid efforts to raise awareness.
"The structures are still in place," Nsofor said, adding that Nigeria can count on the "massive" network of health workers who were deployed to tackle polio and Ebola.
"Nigeria will deal with this [coronavirus]."
Still, Nsofor, CEO of EpiAFRIC, an Abuja-based public health consultancy, expressed concern that much of the coronavirus containment effort seems to be concentrated on airports in big cities.
"Our weakest link is our land borders, [which] are porous," he explained, urging health authorities to intensify surveillance.
Social media warning
The confirmation of the first case of COVID-19 comes at a time when Nigeria is still battling an outbreak of Lassa fever, which has caused 118 deaths since the beginning of the year.
Lassa fever is endemic in Nigeria and some parts of West Africa and is predominantly transmitted via food or household items contaminated by rodent urine or faeces.
Ukam Edadi, programme coordinator of Lagos-based Citizens Health Initiative Nigeria, a group campaigning for citizens' right to accessible and quality healthcare, called for continuous training of the health workforce involved in tackling epidemics alongside an "aggressive and intensive health education on respiratory hygiene in the media, schools, hospitals, churches and mosques" to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the arrival of coronavirus in Lagos, an overcrowded megacity of some 20 million people, has sparked fears among residents amid reports of people scrambling to buy hygiene products. On Saturday, two locals told Al Jazeera that they visited pharmacies and stores but did not find any protective masks and hand sanitisers to buy.
"People are scared, people are panicking but the most important thing that people will do is to get appropriate and credible information" from credible organisations and authorities such as the NCDC, the health ministry and the WHO, explained Nsofor.
Health officials and public health professionals have also expressed concerns that online platforms could trigger the rise of myths and misinformation about the disease.
"Citizens must not abuse social media and indulge in spreading misinformation that causes fear and panic," Nigeria's health ministry said in a statement earlier this week.
By Linus Unah
Al Jazeera
Friday, February 28, 2020
Italian man confirmed as Nigeria’s first case of COVID-19: health minister
An Italian man who arrived in Nigeria three days ago has become the African country’s first case of the new novel coronavirus, the health minister said on Friday, as infections spread rapidly worldwide.
The Health Ministry said on Twitter that the case was in the state of Lagos, home to the southwestern commercial capital of the same name. Lagos is the biggest city in Africa’s most populous country, with a population of about 20 million.
“The case … is the first case to be reported in Nigeria since the beginning of the outbreak in China in January,” the health ministry said in its post, adding that the infection was confirmed on Thursday.
The health minister Osagie Ehanire said in a statement that the case was an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and returned from Milan, Italy to Lagos Feb. 25.
His infection was confirmed by the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, part of the Laboratory Network of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
“The patient is clinically stable, with no serious symptoms,” said the minister, adding that he was being treated at a hospital in the Lagos district of Yaba.
“We have already started working to identify all the contacts of the patient, since he entered Nigeria,” said Ehanire.
The minister said authorities have been strengthening measures to ensure an outbreak in Nigeria is controlled and contained quickly.
There is no cure for the coronavirus, which can lead to pneumonia, and a vaccine may take up to 18 months to develop.
Radical quarantining measures have helped slow the rate of transmission in China of the virus, which can cause pneumonia, but it is picking up pace outside China.
Ehanire said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has activated its national Emergency Operations Centre and will work closely with Lagos State Health authorities to respond to this case and implement firm control measures.
Hopes that the virus would be contained to China vanished on Friday as infections spread, with countries beginning to stockpile medical equipment and investors taking flight in expectation of a global recession.
The virus has so far caused nearly 80,000 infections and almost 2,800 deaths, according official Chinese figures. It has spread to another 46 countries, where about 3,700 cases and 57 deaths have been reported, according to the WHO.
Global News
The Health Ministry said on Twitter that the case was in the state of Lagos, home to the southwestern commercial capital of the same name. Lagos is the biggest city in Africa’s most populous country, with a population of about 20 million.
“The case … is the first case to be reported in Nigeria since the beginning of the outbreak in China in January,” the health ministry said in its post, adding that the infection was confirmed on Thursday.
The health minister Osagie Ehanire said in a statement that the case was an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and returned from Milan, Italy to Lagos Feb. 25.
His infection was confirmed by the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, part of the Laboratory Network of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
“The patient is clinically stable, with no serious symptoms,” said the minister, adding that he was being treated at a hospital in the Lagos district of Yaba.
“We have already started working to identify all the contacts of the patient, since he entered Nigeria,” said Ehanire.
The minister said authorities have been strengthening measures to ensure an outbreak in Nigeria is controlled and contained quickly.
There is no cure for the coronavirus, which can lead to pneumonia, and a vaccine may take up to 18 months to develop.
Radical quarantining measures have helped slow the rate of transmission in China of the virus, which can cause pneumonia, but it is picking up pace outside China.
Ehanire said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has activated its national Emergency Operations Centre and will work closely with Lagos State Health authorities to respond to this case and implement firm control measures.
Hopes that the virus would be contained to China vanished on Friday as infections spread, with countries beginning to stockpile medical equipment and investors taking flight in expectation of a global recession.
The virus has so far caused nearly 80,000 infections and almost 2,800 deaths, according official Chinese figures. It has spread to another 46 countries, where about 3,700 cases and 57 deaths have been reported, according to the WHO.
Global News
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Netflix Orders First Nigerian Original From ‘Vaya’ Director Akin Omotoso
The streamer has ordered an as-yet-untitled six-part series that will be directed by Akin, Daniel Oriahi and CJ Obasi.
Starring Kate Henshaw and Ade Laoye, the series is set in contemporary Nigeria and shot in Lagos. It tells the story of Kemi, a goddess reincarnated as a human to avenge her sister’s death. But first, she must learn how to use and harness her superpowers to defeat her enemies and save her family from destruction.
It is produced by Rififi Pictures, producers of Tell Me Sweet Something and Material.
Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said, “Movies like King of Boys, Merry Men and The Bling Lagosian have shown how much our members love Nigerian movies. So, we’re incredibly excited to be investing in Made in Nigeria stories – bringing them to audiences all around the world.”
Dorothy Ghettuba, manager of international originals, who oversees its African original push, added, “Our continent has a wealth of diversity, multiplicity, and beauty in stories that have yet to be told and we want to be top of mind for creators in Nigeria, especially when it comes to stories they haven’t had a chance to tell yet.”
By Peter White
Deadline
The artefact is from Nigeria's south-western Ife city, famous for works depicting royalty and deities of the once-powerful Yoruba kingdom.
The sculpture is of a man sitting cross-legged, wearing a head dress and holding an object.
Customs officers seized it at the main airport in Mexico City.
"A beautiful bronze piece, and being of Nigerian heritage, it should return to its home," said Diego Prietoa, the head of Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History.
The institute verified that the sculpture was of Yoruba origin, and it has been handed to Nigeria's ambassador to Mexico, Aminu Iyaw.
Mexico's foreign ministry said the artefact had been illegally exported.
"We oppose the illegal commercialisation of archaeological pieces, an important cause of the impoverishment of the cultural heritage of the nations of origin, since it undermines the integrity of cultures and, therefore, of humanity," said Julián Ventura Valero, the deputy secretary of foreign affairs.
Officials did not give details about who was behind the attempt to smuggle the sculpture into Mexico, or its exact origins.
BBC
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Video - Young Nigerians shy away from marriage citing economic woes
An increasing number of Nigerians are marrying later in life. A recent publication by a US-based journal suggests that many young adults aspire to be married but are afraid of marriage. Nigerian adults credit this fear to unfavourable economic conditions. CGTN's Kelechi Emekalam has the story.
Holding the wooden paddle in one hand, she stretches the other to take a photo of the church. She then enters the coordinates into her phone.
"I have lived here for all of my life and I still find places I have never seen," Hounkpe said.
Her trips around the floating community dubbed the 'Venice of Africa' are part of a project that seeks to put the renowned slum on the digital map.
A settlement for diaspora
Makoko has a diverse and colorful history and was established when fishermen from nearby Togo and the Republic of Benin settled there about a century ago.
Like much of Lagos, it is highly multicultural; conversations on the floating slum are usually in a language which is a peculiar medley of Yoruba, French, and Egun, a local dialect.
The slum which was initially just a place to fish has grown to be the home for generations of fishermen from neighboring countries.
It is hard to tell how many people reside in Makoko as there has never been an official census carried out there, however, locals estimate more than one million.
But the Lagos government would prefer that Makoko does not exist.
In 2012, the Lagos state government announced plans to demolish the slum and gave a 72-hour eviction notice to the residents.
The stilt structures in the fishing community posed a security risk and undermined the megacity status of the city, Lagos state authorities said in a letter served to the community, local chief Victor Panke told CNN.
The government came with the police and soldiers to evacuate the community and destroy their homes, according to Panke.
A community leader, Timothy Hunpoyanwha, was shot dead by police which led the authorities to pause on the eviction process, Panke said.
Since then, he says Makoko has received subtle threats of eviction and they are watching keenly as other waterside communities are demolished.
"We are still living in the fear of losing our homes and land," he added.
Lagos Commissioner for Physical Planning & Urban Development Idris Salako told CNN that authorities in the state was not behind the eviction of residents in waterfront communities but gave no further details or comment in his response to the allegations.
Fear of looming eviction
The digital mapping project is going some way to allay the fears of Makoko locals who are worried their land is at risk.
Launched in September 2019 by Code for Africa in partnership with Humanitarian OpenStreetMap is working to put Makoko on digital maps in a bid to drive social and financial inclusion.
"We want the community, like other communities in the world, to be available and navigable on maps. From there, new development plans might come" Jacopo Ottaviani, Chief Data Officer Code For Africa told CNN.
To take up this project, young residents of Makoko were taught to pilot drones and populate the map with images from the community. Hounkpe is one of the residents on the project that is also teaching residents how to fly drones.
"For years, Makoko has been ignored by governments of the state. This project is the first part of a conversation around inclusion. We are helping map out Makoko so that governments and other organizations can provide interventions and access to social services like electricity, healthcare, and education." Ottaviani told CNN.
Mass demolitions
In recent years, authorities in Nigeria have embarked on mass demolitions of prime waterfront slums citing safety and security concerns.
Rights activists, who fiercely oppose the decision, say the evictions are carried out often to appease property developers and to create luxury urban dwellings.
More than 30,000 families in Otodo Gbame were left with nowhere to live after they were forcibly evicted, a decision that was ruled unconstitutional by a Lagos High Court in 2017, although many of those who lost their homes are still awaiting justice.
According to Megan Chapman of Justice and Empower Initiative (JEI) the government does not have the right to evict residents from their communities without due process.
"A part of due process in an eviction process is making plans from compensation and resettlement. These communities are evicted without alternatives and the residents are expected to disappear, like they never existed," Chapman said.
Benjamin Aide is the administrator of a primary school - Makoko Dreams, which provides free education to over 200 children in the community.
Aide has also joined the local mapping team to put other landmarks in the community on the map. "I like the maps. It will show the world that we are here and make the government look at how they can help us develop this place." Aide says. But there are fears that the mapping project, while desirable, could attract unwanted attention and leave Makoko vulnerable to new eviction attempts.
Rather, they hope it will spur the authorities into action to assist them in development plans for Makoko.
"We hope this thing will help the government see that we are here and we are a lot of people that have been fending for ourselves for generations," Panke tells CNN.
Informal slums
Despite its status as the fifth largest economy in Africa, the wealth in Lagos remains stubbornly concentrated in the hands of a very few.
It's hard to know exactly how many people live in Lagos. According to the United Nations it is around 14 million people, while the Lagos State government says it's more than 20 million.
More than half of Nigeria's residents live in slum settlements, according to the 2015/2016 Slum Almanac. Nigeria's population, according to the US Census Bureau is growing at a rate of 3.2% a year and is estimated will be at more than 400 million people in 2050.
According to the UN-Habitat report from the United Nations Millennium Development Goals database, the population of Nigerians living in informal slums in urban areas has dropped to 50.2 percent from 77.3 percent in 1990.
Makoko is one of many settlements provides cheap housing alternatives for urban dwellers.
"We have asked that the government come help us out by providing healthcare, electricity, and schools, but we have not heard back from them on anything," Panke says.
An untapped community
The mapping project presents a lifeline for the people of Makoko.
Ottaviani, who is leading the project hopes the maps will help the government understand the social-economic need of residents in the community.
"Makoko has been untapped by the government and this means there is a lot of potential in trade, taxes, and development for the community and for the government."
For Hounkpe, the project has been an opportunity to learn about maps, drones, and her community, but it is a lot more.
"With this mapping project, I know I am fighting for my life and the lives of other people like me in Makoko.
CNN
Set them free! The judge who liberates Nigerians forgotten in jail
She was charged with “issuing a dud cheque”, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison. But she’d already spent three years in prison awaiting the outcome of her trial.
The judge, Justice Ishaq Usman Bello, sat at a long table surrounded by fellow judges and prison officials. From an awning hung a framed poster of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper and a broken clock. Inmates crowded in the cellblocks either side of the courtyard to watch the proceedings, their arms hanging through the bars.
After several minutes of hushed discussion at the high table, Justice Bello leaned toward the microphone and spoke. “In light of the duration of detention exceeding the maximum penalty for the alleged crime, I hereby discharge you from this prison. You are free to go.”
The woman, who’d been stoical before the pronouncement, collapsed to the ground and began to sob. She thanked God and the judge in equal measure, and the inmates watching from their cells erupted into cheers.
By the end of the day, 13 other inmates had been released. Four had been in prison on remand longer than the maximum sentence for their alleged crime. The others had been imprisoned for failing to pay tiny fines for minor offences.
They were just the latest beneficiaries of a mission to deal with Kafkaesque failures in Nigeria’s justice system. In 2016, Justice Bello began visiting prisons in his own jurisdiction, and the following year a presidential committee on prison reform and decongestion was established, which is led by Justice Bello and funded by the federal attorney general. The judge has visited 36 prisons and ordered the release of 3,822 inmates – about 5% of the Nigerian prison population.
“It is part of my statutory responsibilities as chief judge to visit the prisons and address some challenges,” Justice Bello said. “One of them is congestion, others are when [defendants] stay in prison without going to court. There are many lapses that need to be addressed, so it has been my tradition as head of court to do that.”
Spending longer awaiting trial than the maximum sentence for the crime violates the most basic legal protections guaranteed to Nigerian citizens, not to mention one of the few principles of international law that can be considered truly universal – habeas corpus.
Chukwudi, whose second name is being withheld because his trial is ongoing, spent nearly five years incarcerated before being released on bail in 2016.
In 2012, Chukwudi was driving from the capital city, Abuja, to visit his family in south-eastern Nigeria when he was pulled over by officers from the Special Armed Robbery Squad (Sars). He was arrested and accused, though not formally charged, with purchasing a stolen vehicle. He denies the allegation.
Chukwudi was taken to Sars headquarters in Abuja. It was almost a year before he was brought before a court to be formally charged. The first time he appears on official records is 5 March 2014, when he was sent to a medium security prison near the capital to wait for his trial. “I was happy when I was brought to court because the pain of Sars is too much”, he told me. “In Sars, you are relieved only by the mercies of God. I saw people die. It was survival of the fittest.” Neither Chukwudi nor his family could recall the precise date he was arrested. Sars did not respond to requests for comment.
Chukwudi hoped that once he was finally brought to court, his ordeal would soon be over. “But it happens not to be like that,” he told me. “You discover that a whole lot of systems are involved.”
Like tens of thousands of Nigerians, Chukwudi was denied bail because he was unable to provide a guarantor.
Despite Nigerians’ constitutional right to bail, many judges fear defendants may disappear if released, and believe that “remanding” defendants in prison serves the greater cause of justice.
Countless visits to court resulted in Chukwudi’s case being adjourned, sometimes before it had even begun, forcing him back to prison while he waited for a new date.
“Most times you feel like crying,” he told the Guardian. “You know you are returning to where you are coming from. Every time you go to court you must have prayed a lot, and every prayer is backed up with hope. You will tell your people: ‘Today I am leaving.’ Only for you to go to court to find the judge didn’t sit. Only for you to go to court and they brought you too late, the court has finished sitting. Only for you to go to court and find that your prosecution council is not there. So the aim of going to court is wasted, and they have their cases adjourned for another day.”
By the time he was finally granted bail in November 2016, Chukwudi’s father was dead, his job and home lost, and friends and family distanced from him. “Normally if you come out of prison it should feel good. One experiences another freedom. But in Nigeria that is where another problem starts for you,” Chukwudi said. “Anybody who comes to know that you have been in prison doesn’t want to relate with you. Even your own family members. The way they are seeing it, the name of the family has been put to shame because you went to prison. When I came out, I learned that nobody wanted to see me.”
These days he is the pastor of a church known as the Transformation Ministry that supports former inmates returning to civilian life. Eight ex-prisoners are currently benefiting from free basic accommodation. “I just fixed two with laundry jobs, and am working on computer training for the others,” he said. “It’s my way of giving back.”
Remand inmates make up about 69% of Nigeria’s prison population. While this is not high compared to many western countries, the length of time they spend awaiting trial is. In prisons where this data is available, most defendants have been on remand for between one and four years, some for more than a decade.
“In Rivers State, 14 people were awaiting trial for 15 years. Not one day were they taken to court,” Justice Bello told the Guardian, shaking his head. “We had to release them.”
Because there is no systematic way to monitor cases, defendants may simply be forgotten in prison. Data collected by the legal aid organisation, Network of University Legal Aid Institutions, shows that there are more than 160 cases where defendants have not been assigned a date for their next trial. “Some of them last attended court in 2017,” the network’s Charissa Kabir told me.
Another factor that exacerbates crowding is the practice of imprisoning convicts unable to pay small fines for minor offences. Research by Prawa, a Nigerian security, justice and development NGO, found that up to 80% of inmates were living on less than $130 per month prior to arrest.
Income lost during remand combined with legal expenses often leave convicts deep in debt and unable to pay, meaning many serve between six and 12 months in prison instead. Up to 90% of inmates the presidential committee has released fall into this category. “Fines are paid by the government, and sometimes Nigerian NGOs”, said the committee secretary, Leticia Ayoola-Daniels.
Numerous cases reflect extreme poverty. “We found a scenario where a pregnant woman was said to have stolen cassava, and she was there awaiting trial for almost four years,” said Justice Bello. “It’s lamentable.” Shortly after arriving in prison, the woman miscarried.
He worries about the damage prisons inflicted on defendants behind bars. “To be in prison is a very dangerous thing. Some of them have attained some level of mental deterioration because of the horrendous nature of the environment they live in,” he said.
The judge seems to be trying to activate the justice system by shaking its conscience rather than by devising a new judgment – the usual tactic for activist judges. He invites officials who have unresolved cases to prison to face defendants, and account for what went wrong. By admonishing lax lawyers and judges he turns turns lapses which previously went unnoticed into a source of personal and professional shame.
“The visits do try to restore fairness, in the sense that they acknowledge that lapses in the administration of justice have resulted in the loss of freedom,” said Melissa Omene, a lawyer who has worked across government and civil society justice reform efforts.
“Addressing a practitioner’s failure to carry out his duty requires more than simply calling on him to do so. Did he fail to act due to a lack of interest or resources? Did he fail to act for political reasons, or fear? Each of these will require a different reform strategy.”
Justice officials need to be able to see into their own systems in order to detect and manage problems. To do that, they need better data. A quieter but potentially transformative piece of the committee’s work is the rollout of a federal prison (now corrections) information management system (Cims) as part of its wider efforts to establish a national criminal justice database.
Cims has been partially implementing in 16 states, but only one prison is making full use of the platform. It features an early warning system that alerts the attorney general if an inmate stays on remand beyond 90 days, and allows officials to identify and hold to account officials and departments that cause unreasonable delays.
If well managed, Cims could regulate some of the chaos that currently governs the lives of inmates. At the very least, digital records will make it harder for them to officially disappear. But it’s is only part of the solution. If not backed by political clout and people able to use the data, Cims risks remaining a technical solution to a political problem.
Nigeria’s justice system has been the subject of numerous reform efforts over the past two decades. Committees have been formed, new laws passed, presidents come and go, and people like Chukwudi continue to lose years of their lives to a system that cannot or fails to detect those who fall through its cracks.
Despite Chukwudi’s ordeal and everything he’s lost, when he compares himself with other former inmates, he still considers himself one of the lucky ones. Every Sunday morning his congregation files into the little church he has coaxed to life. The room fills with people, music and choruses of prayer, and it makes him feel a part of something holy.
The Guardian
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Bollywood and Nollywood collide in a tale of a big fat Indian-Nigerian wedding
Titled 'Namaste Wahala' it is directed by businesswoman-turned-filmmaker, Hamisha Daryani Ahuja, who weaves a tale across two diverse and rich cultures -- India and Nigeria.
'Namaste Wahala' loosely translates to 'Hello trouble' and it is filmed mostly in English with a mix of Hindi and Nigeria's pidgin language.
Ahuja has lived in Nigeria since she was a child and says her experience living in Africa's most populous country inspired her to make her debut film.
"I am Indian but I have lived in Nigeria my whole life. Everyone loves Bollywood and Nollywood, so I thought 'how is it that no one has done a love story between the two?'" she told CNN.
Now in her 30s, Ahuja says she decided to fuse her experiences from both cultures to create a love story that people can relate to.
The movie will be released in April and features top movie stars from both countries including veteran Nollywood actress Joke Silva, Richard Mofe Damijo and Segal Sujata, Ini-Dima Okojieand Ruslaan Mumtaz.
Colorful celebrations
Nigerian and Indian weddings are colorful and lavish affairs -- and they are also big business.
A Nigerian wedding can cost up to $13,515, while India's wedding industry is reported to be worth $50 billion, according to Vogue Business.
Through Namaste Wahala, both wedding industries fuse, showcasing a celebration between both cultures.
"The story has been in my head for a long time but I wanted it to be completely accurate. I wanted both cultures to be portrayed the same, that no culture was above the other," Ahuja said.
Filmed entirely in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial nerve center, Ahuja says it features classic Bollywood dancing and singing scenes to keep it as authentic as possible.
"It is a fun comedy, a lot of laughs with a few tears," she said.
Nollywood to the world
Nigerians have taken to social media to express their excitement about the upcoming movie release.
"The name alone wants me to watch it. Namaste [means] peace. Wahala [means] trouble/problem. Gotta watch it with some Chicken Biryani and Jollof Rice for the culture(s)," wrote Twitter user Jerome Antwin- Lewis.
This is not the first international collaboration with Nollywood. Over the past years, Nigeria's movie industry has partnered with China, France, and the US to produce and distribute wide-ranging movies.
In 2019, for example, China and Nigeria partnered to create their first major movie collaboration, and in the same year French Media giant, Canal+ acquired Nigeria's ROK studios as part of its expansion plans into Africa.
Ahuja says these partnerships are important because they help showcase Nollywood's talents beyond the walls of Africa.
"We have so much talent in Nollywood. What I think with these international collaborations is that we will be able to showcase all these amazing work internationally."
By Aisha Salaudeen
CNN
Video of manatee dragged along road sparks outrage
It is not clear when the footage was filmed.
The animal has been tied in ropes and can be seen trying to get away.
Deputy environment minister Sharon Ikeazor branded the video "very distressing", and said officials were trying to rescue the creature.
Ms Ikeazor said the incident took place in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, and called for an awareness campaign "to educate our people to protect the manatee".
Manatees are large marine mammals which are mostly herbivorous.
It is illegal to hunt them in Nigeria, but they are still killed for their meat, oil, and organs which are used in traditional medicine, AFP news agency reports.
Many people in the Niger Delta are poor, despite the region's oil wealth.
Pressure group the Blue Planet Society, which campaigns to preserve ocean life, said it was shocking that a "supposedly protected West African manatee can be abused in such a public way".
There are about 10,000 manatees along the coast of West Africa, AFP reports, but their numbers are in steep decline.
BBC
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