Six drown while returning from funeral in Cross River

   

  At least six persons drowned when a boat conveying them and other passengers capsized in Ogurude, Obubra Local Government Area. According to sources in the area, the victims were returning from a burial in a village on the other side of the Cross River when the accident occurred.

   A teacher in the village, who identified himself as Ignatius Okpa, stated, “The canoe was overloaded. Some people were advised to stay back, but they insisted on going and the boat helmsman, who was eager to collect money, allowed more than the required number to board and mid river, the boat capsized.” He also said the victims were not indigenes of the area but visitors, who came from Akamkpa, another local government area, for a burial in the community.

   “They came from the Akamkpa Local Government Area to attend the burial of the father of their friend. They were unable to swim when the boat capsized. The helmsman and others from the area swam to safety, while the visitors drowned,” Okpa stated.

   He said divers had recovered some of the bodies, while the search for the others was continuing. Okpa blamed the incident on the non-availability of a boat donated by the state government due to a fault, adding that it was abandoned at the shore of the river in Ogurude, a situation that had left travellers with fewer boats with the attendant overloading of the canoe that capsized

Burundi expels four WHO officials over coronavirus warning

 

 

  Burundi government has kicked out the national head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and three members of his team during a presidential election campaign despite health risks from the coronavirus pandemic.

  The government confirmed on Thursday that a May 12 letter from the foreign ministry was sent to WHO country head Walter Kazadi Mulombo and three others of the U.N. body’s health experts, ordering them out by Friday.

  An election is due on May 20, to vote for a successor to President Pierre Nkurunziza, whose government has been repeatedly accused of rights violations. Bernard Ntahiraja, the foreign affairs assistant minister, confirmed the WHO officials had been declared “persona non grata” but did not give reasons.

Gunmen abduct Kaduna APC Vice-chairman and daughter

  The Police Command in Kaduna has confirmed the abduction of the Vice-Chairman, All Progressive Congress (APC), Kaduna State chapter, Shu’aibu Idris-Lauge and his daughter.

   The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Jalige, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna yesterday. According to him, Shu’aibu and his daughter were abducted from their Kwanar Zango residence along Kaduna-Zaria express way on Thursday morning.

  “Efforts are being made to rescue the kidnapped victims, apprehend and bring the culprits to book,” he said. Jalige, therefore, appealed to the public to support the Police by providing useful information that would lead to the rescue of the victims.

NFF donates PPEs to Lagos state government

 

   Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has made a donation of Personal Protection Equipment, PPE, to the Lagos State government to enhance the fight against coronavirus.

  First Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi made the donation on behalf of the NFF in the company of the Head of the Nigeria women’s Football League, Aisha Falode.

  The duo presented the items to the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Segun Ogboye. Some of the equipment donated includes face-masks, hand gloves, overall gowns and head coverings

Nigeria records 193 new cases of COVID-19

   

   Nigeria has recorded 193 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections to 5162. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control confirmed the new figures in a tweet late Thursday. According to the NCDC, 58 of the new cases were in Lagos, 46 were recorded in Kano, 35in Jigawa and 12 in Yobe state.

   Nine cases were recorded in the FCT while 7 others were recorded in Ogun. Plateau and Gombe had five new cases each, four cases were recorded in Imo state while three new cases each were discovered in Edo, Kwara and Borno state.

   One case each was recorded in Bauchi, Nasarawa and Ondo. The total number of active cases in the country now sits at 3,815 while 1,180 persons have been discharged. As at the early hours of Friday, May 15th, the total number of fatalities recorded is 167.