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The Coronavirus epidemic caused more deaths and disruption on Tuesday after spreading to new countries.

As a result, top health official warned that the world was “simply not ready” to contain it.

As number of fresh cases declines at the epicentre of the disease in China, there has been sudden increase in parts of Asia, Europe and the Middle East, AFP reported.

Entire towns and cities in different parts of the world have been sealed off in an attempt to stop the contagion, while hotels in the Canary Island and Austria were placed under lockdown on Tuesday because of suspected cases.

Iran, which has reported 15 deaths from the disease out of nearly 100 infections, had the country’s deputy health minister, Iraj Harirchi, infested by the virus.

At the World Health Organisation headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Bruce Aylward, who headed up an international expertto China, told reporters that other countries were “simply not ready” to rein in the outbreak.

“You have to be ready to manage this at a larger scale and it has to be done fast,” Aylward said, insisting all countries had to “be ready as if this hits us tomorrow”.

The virus has killed more than 2,600 people and infected over 77,000 others in China.

In the rest of the world, there have been more than 40 deaths and 2,700 cases.

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The Coronavirus epidemic caused more deaths and disruption on Tuesday after spreading to new countries.

As a result, top health official warned that the world was “simply not ready” to contain it.

As number of fresh cases declines at the epicentre of the disease in China, there has been sudden increase in parts of Asia, Europe and the Middle East, AFP reported.

Entire towns and cities in different parts of the world have been sealed off in an attempt to stop the contagion, while hotels in the Canary Island and Austria were placed under lockdown on Tuesday because of suspected cases.

Iran, which has reported 15 deaths from the disease out of nearly 100 infections, had the country’s deputy health minister, Iraj Harirchi, infested by the virus.

At the World Health Organisation headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Bruce Aylward, who headed up an international expertto China, told reporters that other countries were “simply not ready” to rein in the outbreak.

“You have to be ready to manage this at a larger scale and it has to be done fast,” Aylward said, insisting all countries had to “be ready as if this hits us tomorrow”.

The virus has killed more than 2,600 people and infected over 77,000 others in China.

In the rest of the world, there have been more than 40 deaths and 2,700 cases.

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A former Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Agency, Buba Galadima, has accused the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria of witch-hunt after the agency took possession of his business and assets on Tuesday in Abuja.

Galadima, an ardent critic of President Muhammadu Buhari, claimed that he did not borrow money or have unpaid debt with Unity Bank, which lodged a complaint against him and occasioned AMCON’s move on Tuesday.

The properties taken over include House No. 15, Addis Ababa Crescent, Wuse Zone 4, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and House No. 4, Bangui Street, Wuse 2, also in Abuja. 

Reacting to the situation, Galadima said, “This is an attempt to disgrace and break me down. This is injustice and an attempt to humiliate me.

"But I am unbreakable and they can never silence me. They sacked me and over 50 people that sleep in the apartment.

"We don’t know where to go. We will remain on the streets. We will remain on the streets until God provides another place for us.

“They will surely pay for disgracing and humiliating me publicly. I am going back to court.” 

Shedding more light into the matter, a family member of Galadima, who spoke with our correspondent, said the former NMA boss never borrowed money from Unity Bank as claimed by AMCON.

He said, “Engineer Buba Galadima never borrowed any money from the bank.

“He opened a Letter of Credit with a bank, now Unity Bank, to purchase fertiliser for Kano State Government but the LC was never honoured by suppliers because the bank was under FBI investigation.

“The then governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, revoked the contract due to some issues of party politics and Unity Bank never gave Galadima any money but charged him an interest that amounted to N349m.

“The case was taken to the trial court and Galadima was asked to pay the interest even without accessing any fund.

“He then went to Appeal Court and got a judgment in his favour to dismiss the charges.”

However, not satisfied by the court order, Unity Bank informed AMCON that Galadima was indebted to it. 

AMCON soon filed a fresh case and prayed the court to grant an ex-parte order empowering it to take over Galadima's property.

The court, in the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1136/2019, ordered AMCON to take over the business and assets of Bedko Nigeria Limited belonging to Galadima.

 

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A former Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Agency, Buba Galadima, has accused the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria of witch-hunt after the agency took possession of his business and assets on Tuesday in Abuja.

Galadima, an ardent critic of President Muhammadu Buhari, claimed that he did not borrow money or have unpaid debt with Unity Bank, which lodged a complaint against him and occasioned AMCON’s move on Tuesday.

The properties taken over include House No. 15, Addis Ababa Crescent, Wuse Zone 4, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and House No. 4, Bangui Street, Wuse 2, also in Abuja. 

Reacting to the situation, Galadima said, “This is an attempt to disgrace and break me down. This is injustice and an attempt to humiliate me.

"But I am unbreakable and they can never silence me. They sacked me and over 50 people that sleep in the apartment.

"We don’t know where to go. We will remain on the streets. We will remain on the streets until God provides another place for us.

“They will surely pay for disgracing and humiliating me publicly. I am going back to court.” 

Shedding more light into the matter, a family member of Galadima, who spoke with our correspondent, said the former NMA boss never borrowed money from Unity Bank as claimed by AMCON.

He said, “Engineer Buba Galadima never borrowed any money from the bank.

“He opened a Letter of Credit with a bank, now Unity Bank, to purchase fertiliser for Kano State Government but the LC was never honoured by suppliers because the bank was under FBI investigation.

“The then governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, revoked the contract due to some issues of party politics and Unity Bank never gave Galadima any money but charged him an interest that amounted to N349m.

“The case was taken to the trial court and Galadima was asked to pay the interest even without accessing any fund.

“He then went to Appeal Court and got a judgment in his favour to dismiss the charges.”

However, not satisfied by the court order, Unity Bank informed AMCON that Galadima was indebted to it. 

AMCON soon filed a fresh case and prayed the court to grant an ex-parte order empowering it to take over Galadima's property.

The court, in the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1136/2019, ordered AMCON to take over the business and assets of Bedko Nigeria Limited belonging to Galadima.

 

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‘Chief Judge’ of Boko Haram terrorists, Muhammad Shuwa, has been killed in a brutal air raid.

Intelligence sources noted that assessment conducted on the terror group revealed that about 25 top Boko Haram commanders were killed within the last two months following a rise in military offensive in North-Eastern Lake Chad.

Terrorists and inhabitants have continued to flee the Lake Chad general area to neighbouring countries including Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

Source also told PRNigeria of the massive death caused by undetonated improvised explosive devices used to fortify camps by insurgents after aerial attacks.

The source said, "Two foreign terrorist sponsors were killed during the air raid and ground assault by the Nigerian troops in their camps.

“During the operations, most of the foreign commanders fled, leaving behind few local commanders.

“Local fighters were also said to have been forcibly recruited along with some few Budumas who stayed back to hold ground.

"There is anticipation of an imminent and massive protest in the ISWAP camps as some fighters have started accusing the leadership of misleading them.”

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Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has banned street begging by children popularly known as almajiri in the state.

Ganduje disclosed the decision on Tuesday according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar.

He noted that the almajiri system would be fully integrated under the new policy of education in the state.

Ganduje noted that while almajiris will continue acquiring their study of the Holy Qur’an, they would at the same time learn English and Arithmetic.

Ganduje threatened to arrest parents of any child seen begging on the streets, adding that a warning had been issued to teachers of almajiris as well.

He said, “This policy of free and compulsory basic and secondary education goes along with it integration of our almajiri system into the mainstream policy implementation which suggests that English and Arithmetic must be included in schools curriculum.

“When almajiri are caught begging, it is not only that beggar is caught, but their parents or guardians would be taken to court for disrespecting our laws.”

 

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The trial of a former Minister of State for Finance in Nigeria, Nenadi Usman, and others resumed before a Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday with cross-examination of a prosecution witness, Mr Shehu Shuaibu.

Shuaibu is the third witness for the prosecution that had commenced evidence since November 2019 and is now being cross-examined by the defence.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission charged Usman alongside a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, and Yusuf Danjuma, a former Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, in a 17-count charge of N4.6bn money laundering case.

Also charged is a company, Jointrust Dimentions Nigeria Ltd.

They had each pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bails.

On Tuesday, trial resumed before Justice Rilwan Aikawa with first defence counsel, Chief Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), cross-examining the witness.

Orbih asked the witness if he personally took the statements of any of the defendants and the witness replied in the affirmative.

When defence counsel insisted that there was no column in the statement of first defendant showing that her statement was recorded by the witness, he replied, “I wrote the cautionary word and I can show the court my handwriting.”

Witness further explained that although there was a column to be filled by the maker of a statement, such column can be filled by another, who records the statement on her behalf in situations where such defendant cannot do so.

Orbih then asked the witness if it was correct as he had earlier stated under cross-examination that the first defendant asserted in her statement to have known that the funds came from government.

Though the witness earlier said that the monies was not from the expected source, she later discovered that the funds were from the Permanent Secretary of the State House, one Engr Emordi.

In the charge, the defendants were alleged to have committed the offences between January and March 2015.

In counts one to seven, they were alleged to have unlawfully retained over N3.8bn which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act of stealing and corruption.

In counts eight to 14, the defendants were alleged to have unlawfully used over N970m, which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of an unlawful act of corruption.

Meanwhile in counts 15 to 17, Fani-Kayode and one Olubode Oke, who is said to be at large, were alleged to have made cash payments of about N30m, in excess of the amount allowed by law without going through a financial institution.

Besides, Fani-Kayode allegedly made payments to one Paste Poster Co (PPC) of No 125 Lewis St., Lagos, in excess of amounts allowed by law.

All offences were said to have contravened the provisions of sections 15 (3) (4), 16 (2) (b), and 16 (5) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.

The case was adjourned until February 26 and 27 for continuation.

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has invited Minority Leader of the Kano State House of Assembly, Isiyaku Danja, for questioning over an allegation of abuse of office and misappropriation of N1.5bn meant for constituency projects.

The Kano State Government had written the commission alleging the diversion and misappropriation of public funds.

In the course of investigation, numerous suspicious payments were allegedly traced to multiple beneficiaries, including some made to Allad Drilling Limited, a company belonging to the suspect and whose accounts he is sole signatory.

The source said it was also discovered that the funds were withdrawn in cash by the suspect on several occasions.

He said, “Interestingly, he is the one to certify that the jobs were done before any payments are made.”

He added that investigation had commenced to discover the beneficiaries of the other suspicious outflows from the account, which is believed to be over N1.5bn.

He disclosed that the minority leader would be charged to court upon completion of investigation.

 

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Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, sponsor of the bill that seeks to establish an agency for the rehabilitation of repentant Boko Haram members, has said his goal is to reintegrate such persons into mainstream politics in Nigeria.

The lawmaker said this while addressing journalists at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.

Gaidam said, “The agency when established will help rehabilitate and reintegrate the defectors, repentant and forcefully conscripted members of the insurgent group Boko Haram to make them useful members of the society and provide an avenue for reconciliation and promote national security.

“It will also encourage other members of the group who are still engaged in the insurgency to abandon the group, especially in the face of the military pressure and enable the government to derive insider-information about the insurgency group for greater understanding of the group and its inner workings.

“It will enable government to use the defectors to fight the unrepentant insurgents. It will help disintegrate the violent and poisonous ideology that the group spreads as the program will allow some repentant defectors or suspect terrorists to express remorse over their actions repent and recant their violent doctrine and in the long run, re-enter mainstream politics, religion and society.

“The agency would also help to combat future recruitment into the insurgents group. If defectors told their stories and were made more public, their experiences would play a key role in countering Terrorist propaganda, which in turn would lessen the appeal of joining the group.

“In view of the fact that the Boko Haram insurgency is becoming increasingly aggressive since its inception in 2009, marked by extreme brutality and explicit targeting of civilians, it has become necessary for us to go back to the drawing board and adopt an alternative approach, in addition to the military option which has so far performed significantly well.

“There is no doubt that many members of the insurgents’ group have defected and many more are willing to repent given a window of opportunity and this is confirmed by many organisations including NGO’s that have unalloyed access to the Boko Haram.

“There is the need for a more strategic and comprehensive approach to entice those members of the group who, after realising the futility of the course they are pursuing have eventually decided to voluntarily lay down their arms and chose the path of peace. Hence, the need for the establishment of the National Agency for the Rehabilitation, De-radicalisation and Reintegration of Repentant Insurgents to accommodate the defectors.”

 

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A Nigerian Christian leader, Pastor Adewale Giwa, has told President of the United States, Donald Trump, that President Muhammadu Buhari’s levity was emboldening Boko Haram insurgents to wreak havoc in the country.

The pastor said this in a letter to Trump where he asked him to save Nigeria from chaos.

He said, “These terrorists are being tagged ‘repentant Boko Haram members’ and the Federal Government is now treating them like kings.

“The good people of Nigeria, especially Christians, have continued to pray for God’s intervention against terrorism in Nigeria, but it seems that the more we pray, the more the activities of the deadly group known as Boko Haram persist due to inability of the government under President Muhammadu Buhari to do the needful.

“Boko Haram is enriching itself via the millions of dollars thus far paid to it by the Nigerian Government in form of ransom payments. It is no longer news that terrorism has become a lucrative business under the leadership of Mr Buhari. The approach of the Nigerian Government in handling the issue of Boko Haram with levity has further given the group power to continue with its nefarious activities,

“Presently, the Nigerian Senate is proposing to establish an agency that could further take good care of them. A few weeks into the new year, precisely on January 19, the Islamic group released a video of a child who looked to be around 10 years old executing a Christian man in Borno, Nigeria. As if it was not enough, a few days later, on January 22, a Nigerian pastor, Rev. Lawan Andimi, was beheaded by Boko Haram militants.

“Today, Boko Haram appears to be on the rise again as it continues to kill innocent Nigerians consistently.

“One could have thought that President Buhari, being a former General in the army, could be able to defeat this groups, but all he keeps promising Nigeria is to exercise patience while Boko Haram continues to kill the people.

“Mr President (Trump), it is now glaring that Nigeria’s situation has gone beyond prayers, but all we need now is to cry out for help since our government has failed us. It is evident that Boko Haram has overpowered Buhari and his security personnel. We can no longer fold our arms and watch our people being killed. The deadly group has grown wings under the administration of Buhari.

“I write to beg you on behalf of the good people of Nigeria to save us from these terrorist groups.”

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A 35-year-old man, John Pwadon, is currently in police net for stabbing his friend's five-year-old son to death in Yola, Adamawa State.

Spokesperson for the police in the state, Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed to SaharaReporters that Pwadon had confessed to the crime.

The incident is said to have taken place last Friday when Pwadon spent the night at his friend’s house.

While waiting for breakfast in the living room, he was reported to have grabbed the child named David Tarfa and stabbed him with a knife on the neck.

Narrating how it all happened, father of the victim, Stephen, said his child's murderer visited their home after five years of last seeing each other.

Stephen said, “He has been my friend for the past 10 years but we've not seen for at least five years. 

“He came visiting last Friday and we accommodated him just the way anybody would to a respected old friend.

“The next morning, he was with my kids watching cartoon in the living room because it was their midterm break, so they didn't go to school.

“My wife was in the kitchen preparing breakfast and I was in the bedroom when my daughter’s screams caught our attention.

“I and my wife ran to the living room to find John stabbing my son repeatedly on his neck.

“I managed to wrestle him down but it was too late, my son was already dead then.”

After the boy’s burial on Tuesday, our correspondent gathered that Pwadon had only returned to Yola after the ban on commercial motorcycles in Lagos where he had resided all along. 

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President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmad Lawan, disclosed on Tuesday that the upper legislative chamber may next week consider the report of an ad-hoc committee on security challenges with a view to finding solutions to Nigeria’s security problems.

Lawan made the disclosure during the plenary sequel to the consideration of a motion brought to the floor by Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (APC, Adamawa Central).

The Senate had on January 29, 2020, set up the ad-hoc committee chaired by Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, to interface with security agencies on the level of insecurity in the country and report back to the upper chamber within two weeks.

According to Lawan, the Senate will engage with the executive arm of government on the resolutions of the committee as contained in its report.

He added that the upper chamber will also work closely with the House of Representatives and Nigerian citizens towards ensuring that solutions were found to the lingering security problems in the country.

He said, “The Senate discussed and debated so much on the insecurity in the country and set up an ad-hoc committee under the leadership of the Senate Leader.

“The committee is working very hard, we are trying to look for solutions to the insecurity bedevilling the country. We are not going to rest on our oars until we are able to provide solutions.

“This is the essence of our being in government. Of course, it will require that we work with the House of Representatives and executive, as well as the citizens because I believe that the citizens have to be taken into confidence in the fight against insecurity.

“So, we will not waste any time, as soon as the report is ready, I believe by next week, probably the report will be ready. We are going to look at the report of the ad-hoc committee and take those important and very viable resolutions, and engage with the executive arm of government.

“I think we are on the same page with the executive arm of government, everybody is worried, and we will do whatever it takes.”

Consequently, the Senate in a three-point resolution urged Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, to re-establish a military command base in Garkida and also all major settlements bordering Sambisa Forest.

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