10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Friday morning, February 28, 2020

These 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers will make your Friday morning, February 28, 2020

1. Italian confirmed as first case of Coronavirus disease in Lagos

The first case of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been confirmed in Lagos. The Minister of Health, Osagie Enahire, announced this early Friday morning. The case is an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and returned from Milan, Italy, on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. The government says the patient is in clinically stable condition, with no serious symptoms and is being managed at the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Yaba, Lagos. Read more

2. CORONAVIRUS: Senate decries lack of proper screening at Nigerian airports

The Nigerian Senate has expressed dismay that there had not been proper screening of passengers for Coronavirus at airports across the country. The President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmad Lawan, who raised this concern on Thursday doubted if the Federal Ministry of Health was putting quality measures in place to ensure there would not be the outbreak of the deadly virus in Nigeria. To this end, Lawan called on the Senate Committee on Primary Health Care to ensure it liaised with the Health Ministry to intensify screening of passengers at the nation’s airports and seaports. Read more

3. Senate proposes stiffer sanctions for gas flaring, as Nigeria loses N217bn annually

The Senate on Thursday considered a bill which proposes stiffer sanctions for any person or corporate entity involved in gas flaring in Nigeria from January 1, 2021. The Gas Flaring (Prohibition and Punishment) Bill, 2020, which scaled second reading during plenary, was sponsored by Senator Albert Bassey Akpan (Akwa-Ibom North East). Read more

4. ZAMFARA: 41 APC members from ex-Gov Yari’s Local govt cross carpet to PDP

No fewer than 41 members of the Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) have jumped ship to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, reports reveal. The defection of the APC members saw the light of day on Thursday when the defectors were led to Governor Bello Matawalle at the Government House by Dr. Sha’aya Shehu alongside the State PDP leadership. Read more

5. KEBBI: Labour sets Tuesday for indefinite strike over minimum wage

The Nigerian Labour Congress, Kebbi State chapter has ruled that it will embark on an infinite strike from Tuesday, March 3, over the state government’s inability to pay the N30, 000 minimum wage. This was revealed on Thursday by the state Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Alhaji Umar Alhassan, who said that there has not been a positive response from the government in respect to their demands. Read more

Read also: 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Thursday morning, February 27, 2020

6. APC chieftain sues party, Oshiomhole over deputy chairmanship position

The Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ado Ekiti local government area of Ekiti State, Michael Akinleye, on Thursday filed a lawsuit against the party over plans to impose a former governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, as the party Deputy National Chairman (South). In the originating summon deposed to by his lawyers, T. J. Omidoyin and Tunde Oke, Akinleye, who is also eyeing the position, said his rights had been violated by the party’s National Working Committee. Read more 

7. Reps query FIRS over audited accounts

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Account on Thursday queried the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Alhaji Mohammed Nami, over non-submission of the agency audited accounts. The Committee described the FIRS action as gross misconduct which would not be tolerated. However, Nami appeared before the Committee headed by Oluwole Oke and pleaded for leniency, saying he only assumed office last December. Read more

8. Return stolen funds or face ICPC, Makinde tells ex-Oyo public officers

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Thursday urged ex-public office holders in the state to return stolen funds in their possession or risk prosecution by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The governor made the call while receiving the ICPC team led by its Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, in his office at the Executive Chambers of the Governor’s Office in Agodi, Ibadan. Read more

9. Why Boko Haram opted for attacks on Christians, churches – Nigerian gov

The Federal Government on Thursday provided possible reasons why Boko Haram terrorists are now targeting churches and Christians in their murderous campaign in the country. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said at a media briefing in Abuja the change of tactics by the terrorists and increasing attacks on Christians and churches were caused by the military relentless onslaught on their facilities and various hideouts. He described the jihadists as blood-thirsty and rapacious killers who subscribe to no religion or faith. Read more

10. PDP had no candidate in Kogi governorship election, Court rules

Justice John Olorunfemi of the State High Court Lokoja, Kogi State, ruled on Thursday the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had no candidate in last year’s governorship election in the state. He declared that the September 3, 2019 primary election which produced Engr. Musa Wada as the PDP candidate was fraught with irregularities. The ruling was in a pre-election matter filed by Abubakar Idris, the eldest son of a former governor of the state, Ibrahim, challenging the emergence of Wada as the PDP candidate in the governorship election held on November 16, 2019. Read more

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