10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Saturday morning, February 29, 2020

These 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers will make your Saturday morning, February 29, 2020

1. Nigerian government to trace contacts of confirmed coronavirus case

The Federal Government said on Friday would trace the contacts of the first confirmed case of Coronavirus in the country. The government had also deployed the Rapid Response Team (RRT) from Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to support the Lagos State Government in monitoring the health of people that travelled with the patient to prevent further spread of the disease. The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, had said on Thursday night an Italian citizen who travelled to Lagos from Milan, had tested positive for COVID-19, thus becoming the first confirmed case of the disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Read more

2. Nigerian footballer contracts coronavirus in Italy

A Nigerian-born forward with the Italian third-tier side, Paul Akpan Udoh, on Thursday became the first footballer to be infected with the deadly coronavirus. Udoh, who plies his trade with Pianese in Seria C, was quarantined by health authorities in the European nation the same day. Read more

3. Buhari approves Oyo-Ita’s retirement, appoints Esan as substantive HoS

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday approved the retirement of Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. The President immediately appointed Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan as the substantive Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. The Permanent Secretary (General Services Office), Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Olusegun Adekunle, announced this in a statement on Friday night. Read more

4. Governors promise swift response to coronavirus, encourage Nigerians to self-quarantine

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) said on Friday the state governments had put in place monitoring infrastructure to ensure quick response and attention to anyone exhibiting symptoms of the coronavirus. The Chairman of the Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said in a statement the governors had encouraged the citizens to self-quarantine if they notice symptoms related to coronavirus and contact the nearest health facility within the states. Read more

5. CORONAVIRUS: Ogun govt quarantines 28 contacts, shuts firm

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, said on Friday 28 people who had contact with the Italian victim of the coronavirus had been identified and quarantined. He also said a firm the victim visited in the Ewekoro area of the state has been shut down. The governor disclosed this while addressing journalists on the discovery of the coronavirus case in the country. Abiodun said the state government had initiated moves to identify more contacts to curb the spread of the disease in Nigeria. Read more

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

6. Rivers is a one party state, just PDP —Wike

The governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has described the state as a one party state. He said the only party existing in the state remained just the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The governor spoke when a former Commissioner of Education and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Chief Allwell Onyesoh defected to the PDP with his supporters at the PDP Secretariat in Port Harcourt on Friday. Read more

7. BENUE: Ortom orders Livestock Guards to impound cattle grazing in the open

The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom on Friday gave a matching order to the state’s Livestock Guards to impound any cattle seen grazen in the open in line with the state’s anti-open grazing law. The governor, who disclosed that armed herdsmen have been flooding the state in recent times with large herds of animals despite the high level of awareness creation to the existence of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, gave the order in Makurdi while inspecting impounded cows at the quarantine unit of the state Ministry of Agriculture. Read more

8. It’s unfortunate ‘giant of Africa’ lacks capacity to conduct credible elections –Wike

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has declared that it is unfortunate that after years of practicing democracy, Nigeria which is often times described as the giant of Africa, cannot conduct credible elections. Speaking on Friday at the Government House Port Harcourt during a solidarity visit by the leaders and people of Okrika and Ogu/Bolo Local Government Areas, Wike said that the inability to conduct credible elections is quite unfortunate. Read more

9. Kaduna govt, Fulani leaders meet on insecurity

The Kaduna State Government on Friday met with the Fulani leaders and other stakeholders from the southern part of the state over growing insecurity in the area. The state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, who represented the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, at the meeting, said the government would explore efforts to bring lasting peace to the area. Read more

10. I will never deceive people who elected me – Lawan

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said on Friday his foray into partisan politics came with a vow never to deceive those who elected him. Lawan said his decision to be transparent in his dealings was due to his determination to deliver effective representation to his people and by extension Nigerians. A statement issued by his Special Assistant on Press, Ezrel Tabiowo, said Lawan disclosed this during the conferment of a traditional title of Mukaddam of Nguru him by the Nguru Emirate Council in Yobe. Read more

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