WHITE FLASH:::Nigeria Records 196 New Cases Of COVID-19, Total Infections Now 1,728

Nigeria has recorded 196 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the country’s total infections to 1,728.

According to a tweet by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), in the early hours of Thursday, of the new infections, 87 are in Lagos, 24 are in Kano, while 18 are in Gombe.

Seventeen were recorded in Kaduna, 16 in the FCT, 10 in Katsina, eight in Sokoto, seven in Edo, six in Borno and one each in Yobe, Ebonyi and Adamawa states.

With this development, the NCDC notes that the coronavirus has now spread to 34 of the 36 states of the country including the FCT.

307 persons have been discharged while 51 deaths have, so far, been recorded.

WHITE FLASH:::Lockdown: Kano mobile courts prosecute 135 defaulters

The recently established Mobile Courts by Kano State Government to enforce compliance with the stay-at-home-order have prosecuted 135 defaulters from Tuesday to Wednesday.

Baba Jibo, Public Relations Officer, Kano State Judiciary, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Kano.

The mobile courts were established to try defaulters during the lockdown period and any other issues that might arise in consequence thereof.

NAN recalls that the 11 courts were inaugurated on Monday, April 27 by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Nura Sagir-Umar.

Mr Jibo explained that some of the defaulters were given community service punishment to sweep some selected areas.

According to Mr Jibo, some were instructed to embark on sensitisation of their community on the effect of Coronavirus disease.

He further explained that some of the defaulters were to pay fines of between N200 to N5,000

“We intercepted two vehicles carrying Almajiri children from Bauchi and Gombe, coming to Kano, while one was intercepted with hides and skin from Ondo State.

“Another vehicle was intercepted with Kolanut from Abia State,” he said.

According to Mr Jibo, the state government had ordered thorough checking of the children’s health status to ensure they were in good health conditions.

NAN

WHITE FLASH::: UNIBEN researchers develop ventilator for coronavirus patients

Researchers in the faculties of engineering and medical sciences, University of Benin (UNIBEN), have boosted hope for the management of critical cases of COVID-19, with the production of a clinically-tested ventilator.

The group known as COVID-19 Initiative, made the announcement on Tuesday in Benin, while presenting the ventilator to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lilian Salami.

Leader of the team, Prof. Kensington Obahiagbon, explained that the initiative was to place the University among world bests.

“The intervention is in response to the Vice Chancellor’s challenge to various experts in the University, to continue to strive to make relevant marks, in order to place the institution among the very best and on a world class pedestal.

“The group took into consideration the peculiar circumstances of the country, hence the ventilator is produced to work without electricity for at least one hour.

“It is also designed to function in a dual mould for adults and children,” Obahiagbon said.

UNIBEN Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lilian Salami, thanked the team for the feat.

The obviously elated VC said she was especially pleased with the team for looking inwards to seek solutions to the coronavirus pandemic.

TRIUMPH TO SUPPORT NIGERIA

WHITE FLASH::: President Donald Trump spoke with President Muhammodu Buhari to discuss efforts by both nations to battle the COVID19 pandemic. President Trump affirmed the strong support of the U.S. for the people of Nigeria and offered additional support for the nation’s response efforts. 

WHITE FLASH:::Police arrest killers of Kaduna Catholic seminarian

Killers of Nnadi Michael, Catholic Seminarian of the Catholic Good Shepherd Major Seminary at Gonin Gora, have been arrested, DCP FRANK MBA, spokesperson of the force said on Sunday.
Disclosing this in a statement sent to newsmen, Frank said, Police Operatives have arrested a deadly criminal gang responsible for the kidnap and murder of a Catholic Seminarian, Nnadi Michael of the Catholic Good Shepherd Major Seminary at Gonin Gora, Kakau in Chikun LGA of Kaduna State. Recall that, on January 9, 2020, the criminal gang stormed the Catholic Seminary and kidnapped four (4) seminarians, murdered one of them in cold blood and released the remaining three on 31st January, 2020, having obtained a ransom. The remains of the fourth Seminarian were found in a bush where abandoned.
The suspects: Tukur Usman ‘m’ aged 37, father of 7, Shehu Bello ‘m’ aged 40, father of 5 and Mustapha Mohammed ‘m’ aged 30, father of 1, all of Igabi LGA of Kaduna State were arrested after several months of intensive and extensive intelligence-led operations by crack detectives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

Discreet investigations so far reveal that the arrested suspects are part of a 19-man gang that also carried out the kidnap of Dr Phillip Ataga’s wife and two daughters on January 24, 2020 at Juji Community in Chikun LGA of Kaduna State. Mrs Ataga was killed by the gang following her heroic resistance to the despicable and inhuman attempt by the leader of the gang to rape her. The suspects after killing her released the daughters and corpse of the slain woman to the family after collecting ransom.
Further investigations reveal that the same criminal gang is responsible for the kidnap of six students and two teachers of Engravers College, Chikun LGA, Kaduna, from their school premises on October 3, 2019.
The suspects, known to belong to a hybrid terrorist criminal network causing untold havoc in North-Central, Nigeria, have confessed to several other random operations along Abuja-Kaduna Expressway where they kidnapped, killed and robbed motorists, collecting ransom and valuables running into millions of naira.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni while reiterating that the Force will remain unrelenting in ensuring that crimes across the country are reduced to the barest minimum, assures the nation that the Force will not rest until the other members of the gang also responsible for the above crimes, but currently on the run, are apprehended and brought to book.

WHITE FLASH:::Mysterious deaths not connected with Covid-19, says Kano Govt

Kano State government on Sunday acknowledged recent deaths in the state, promising that the state government is on top of the situation.

This was also as it quickly said that deaths are not connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A statement by the Commissioner of Information, Muhammad Garba, said Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has already directed the state Ministry of Health to conduct a thorough investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the deaths.

Garba, said “although investigation into the cause of the deaths is still ongoing, preliminary report from the state Ministry of Health indicated that the deaths are not connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Reports from the State Ministry of Health has shown that most of the deaths were caused by complications arising from hypertension, diabetes, meningitis and acute malaria.

“Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is earnestly waiting for the final report from the State Ministry of Health so as to take necessary action.

“Governor Ganduje from the onset, demonstrated the zeal and political will to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state.