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COVID-19: Buhari Places Kano On Lockdown For Two Weeks Channels Television Updated April 27, 2020 President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the enforcement of a total lockdown in Kano state. The President stated this while addressing the nation for the third time on the COVID-19 pandemic in the country and measures being taken to tackle it. He stated that he was gravely concerned about what has been transpiring in Kano, noting that the Federal Government will deploy all the necessary human, material and technical resources to support the State in controlling and containing the pandemic and preventing the risk of further spread to neighbouring States. READ ALSO: Wike Announces Lockdown In Parts Of Port Harcourt And Obio/Akpor LGAs Below is the full speech as rendered by President Buhari. ADDRESS BY H.E. MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ON THE CUMULATIVE LOCKDOWN ORDER OF LAGOS AND OGUN STATES AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY ON COVID- ...

A massive asteroid is approaching Earth, and it looks like it’s wearing a face mask, a startling reminder of the coronavirus pandemic. The space rock, known as 1998 OR2, will be nearly 4 million miles away from Earth on Wednesday at 5:59 a.m. ET – classifying it as a “potentially hazardous” asteroid despite the impossibility of it posing a threat to Earth anytime soon. A newly-captured image by Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico brings its own surprise. As the asteroid approaches our planet, it looks as if it’s wearing its own mask – and may very well be conducting its own social distancing practices. “The small-scale topographic features such as hills and ridges on one end of asteroid 1998 OR2 are fascinating scientifically,” Anne Virkki, head of planetary radar at Arecibo Observatory, said in a statement. “But since we are all thinking about COVID-19 these features make it look like 1998 OR2 remembered to wear a mask.” It’s classified as a “potentially hazardous” astero...

First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has told Nigerians that she was concerned about the spread of coronavirus in Nigeria. She begged Nigerians to take social distancing more seriously as cases have now passed the 1,000 mark. This was contained in a statement on Saturday by her Special Assistant on Media, Aliyu Abdullahi. It noted that Aisha has swung into action by activating her ‘Get Involved Initiative’ to support the fight. The president’s wife has sent items to Bauchi, Gombe States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). “She expressed appreciation to those who donated, saying the nation will benefit from their donations. “Mrs. Buhari called on Nigerians to stay safe and practice social distancing in order to defeat the Covid-19 Pandemic. She called on the benefitting states to put the items to good use,” the statement disclosed. Aisha was represented by her Senior Special Assistant on Administration and Women Affairs, Dr Hajo Sani, during the distribution ceremony in Abu...

THE Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar on Thursday announced the sighting of the moon. The announcement signifies the commencement of Ramadan. Alhaji Abubakar said the announcement was based on the reliable reports on moon sighting received from Muslim leaders and organisations. In a live broadcast on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Sultan said: “In accordance with the Islamic law, today Thursday, April 23 marks the end of Sha’ban. Based on the reliable reports on moon sighting that were received from Muslim leaders and organisations across the country which were duly verified and authenticated by us, the states and the National Moon Sighting Committee, Friday, April 24 becomes the first day of Ramadan 1441A.H. “We, therefore, call on all Muslim brothers and sisters to commence fasting accordingly.” President Muhammadu Buhari has enjoined all Muslims to refrain from pra...

The Governors of the 36 states in Nigeria have recommended a national lockdown over the next two weeks to further curb the spread of Covid-19. The Governors, under its umbrella body, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) held a meeting via video conferencing to address the spread of the virus that has so far hit 25 states and the FCT. Chairman of the forum, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, in a statement said the inter-state lockdown had become necessary following a continued rise of in number of infected persons and fatalities recorded. “Governors unanimously agreed to the implementation of an inter-state lockdown in the country over the next two weeks to mitigate the spread of the virus from state to state. Only essential services will be permitted.” “In order to strengthen coordinated implementation of necessary public health recommendations across states, governors resolved to set up COVID-19 committees at the regional level, headed by their state Commissioners of Health.” the sta...

25 states in the country now have confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus. According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control as of Tuesday night, April 22, 782 confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported in the country. There have been 197 recoveries from the infection and 25 deaths so far. According to the NCDC, this is a breakdown of the states affected by Coronavirus and their numbers; “As at 11:25 pm 21st April, breakdown of cases by states: Lagos-430, FCT-118, Kano-73, Osun-20, Ogun-20, Oyo-16, Katsina-16, Edo-15, Kwara-9, Kaduna-9, Akwa Ibom-9, Borno-9, Bauchi-8, Gombe-5, Delta-4, Ekiti-4, Ondo-3, Rivers-3, Jigawa-2, Enugu-2, Niger-2, Abia-2, Benue-1, Anambra-1 and Sokoto-1.” The NCDC tweeted. From the NCDC's revelation, it means the following states have no Covid-19 cases; 1. Adamawa 2. Bayelsa 3. Cross River 4. Nasarawa 5. Plateau 6. Taraba 7. Yobe 8. Ebonyi 9. Imo 10. Kebbi 11. Kogi 12. Zamfara States These states are yet to record any ca...

The World Health Organisation, WHO, on Tuesday revealed that evidence indicates that the deadly coronavirus originated from bats, in China, in 2019. The confirmation is coming amid claims that the virus emanated from a laboratory in Wuhan, central China. But speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday, WHO spokeswoman, Fadela Chaib, said the disease was not constructed in a laboratory, adding that research on how the disease jumped from animals to humans was still on going. According to NewYork post, Chaib said, “All available evidence suggests the virus has an animal origin and is not manipulated or constructed in a lab or somewhere else. It is probable, likely that the virus is of animal origin. ‘’It is not clear how the virus jumped the species barrier to humans but there had ‘certainly’ been an intermediate animal host,’ ’ she added. Meanwhile, John Hopkins University reports that there are over 2.5 million confirmed cases of the disease worldwide. It said the ...

One of President Muhammadu Buhari’s bodyguards, Warrant Officer Lawal Mato, is dead. In a statement, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, confirmed that Mato died on Tuesday after three years of struggling with diabetes. He said the military officer had been working with President Buhari for many years before he won the election in 2015. Mourning the military officer, the President described him as a “very thorough, trustworthy and dependable soldier who carried out his duty with diligence and focus”. He prayed that Allah would ease Mato’s passage to paradise and grant his family, as well as the government and people of Jigawa State the fortitude to bear the loss. According to Shehu, Mato was part of a team restored to President Buhari as personal security by late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua He added that the late warrant officer had been off full duty for three years, treating diabetes.

" The number of Coronavirus cases in Africa has risen to over 23,000" , says the World Health Organisation (WHO) regional office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo. It was updated by the UN's health agency on its official twitter account, @WHOAFRO on Tuesday. "More than 23,000 covid-19 cases have been reported on the African continent, with over 5,900 recoveries and 1,100 deaths",  it said. The WHO African region covid-19 dashboard showed that in sub-saharan Africa, South Africa suffered the most severe outbreak while Cameroon and Ghana having more than 2,000 confirmed case. The breakdown on the dashboard showed that South Africa, Algeria and Cameroon had continued to top the list of countries with the highest reported cases.. South Africa has 3,300 cases and 58 deaths followed by Algeria with 2,718 cases and 384 deaths, while  Cameroon has 1,163 confirmed cases, Sao Tome and Principe, Burundi and Mauritania still remain countries with the lowest number ...

Kaduna state governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufa'i has denied social media rumour about his movement to an intensive care unit(ICU) over his covid-19 status. El-Rufa'i in a series of tweets, said he's getting better saying he is not in a ICU as being speculates. The governor said he took two hours out of his isolate to attend the daily virtual meeting on covid-19. El-Rufa'i in his statement "Earlier today, I took some hours out of isolation to attend the daily virtual meeting of state standing committee on covid-19, chaired by deputy governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe". "For the avoidance of any doubt, I have been isolated for the past 24-days in a wing of the government house, Kaduna undergoing treatment for Coronavirus  from doctors of the state ministry of health". "As pictures show, I have not shaved since I went into isolation so that I will have a new covid-19 look to remember when this pandemic passes, as it surely will by the grace of God...

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin says that football leagues are ready to resume and play their matches without the present of the spectators at the stadium in order to avoid more economic losses caused by inaction occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic. Ceferin however notes that the leagues need their respective countries authorities green light before the clubs could resume training and matches played behind closed doors, with the fans watching on television from their homes. In his speech with the Italian daily, corriere della sera he said "I believe there are options that can allow us to restart cup championships and to complete them" He added "In such hard times it would bring happiness to people and a certain sense of normality even if the game can only be seen on TV". "All activities are being organised to start again, everyone needs to find their lives". Ceferin hints that UEFA has mapped out how the champions league and Euro...

"Fourty-four Boko Haram militants in Chad have died while in detention from apparent poisoning," the country's public prosecutor says. The militants were part of a group of 58 suspects captured during a recent major army operation against the islamist group Lake Chad. A investigation has been launched after four autopsies showed that the death of the militant was caused by a lethal substance. The minister of Justice told AFP that the prisoners had not been ill treated. Djimet Arabi responded to all allegations that the prisoners were placed in a single cell and given no food or water after they were transferred to the capital, N'Djamena on Tuesday. It was the deadliest attack on the Chad's army by the Boko Haram after a military offensive was launched and killed nearly 100 Chadian troops on March 23 during a 7-hour attack on an island base in lake Chad. The prisoners, who were being held as part of an anti-terrorism investigation, had bee...

Covid-19 patient who was reported to  escape from an isolation centre in Abuja, visited Kogi state and have contact with many people. A woman who was reported to have escape from an isolation centre in Abuja for Kogi state has been reported to have been in contact with many people. The woman who have said to be a native of Igah Ikeje in Kogi State escaped from an isolation centre where she's tested positive for coronavirus. It was said that after she left the isolation centre, she boarded a vehicle, dropped at Ejule in Kogi State. She then boarded a vehicle from Ejule to Igah Ikeje where she now took a bike to her house. It was said that the woman have it in her mind to visit a tradomedical at Agala in Igah Ikeje axis.  Before the next day, the NCDC officials traced her to her house in Igah Ikeje and took her back to the isolation centre in Abuja.

The governor of Jigawa state, Mallam Muhammad Badaru announced a lockdown in the state over Covid-19 virus. Mallam Muhammad Badaru Abubakar reported speaking with the journalists on Sunday that the first case of the deadly virus has been confirmed in an area called Kazaure local government area. During his speech he said the victim of the virus which is Covid-19 recently returned from Lagos State and he was placed under isolation but which the test carried on him returned to be positive. The governor of the state Mallam Muhammad Badaru Abubakar now urged the people of state to be very careful and alert at the area in order to avoid the spread of the virus.