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Abayomi disclosed this at a press briefing in Ikeja, the state capital, on Friday.

He said the state was currently developing strategies for managing asymptomatic patients at home to address the projected rise in number of cases.

 

He said, “We’ve been testing more. We’ve been escalating our capacity to test for COVID-19 and what we’ve found is that the more we test, the more we find, which is a reflection of the fact that COVID-19 is spreading within the community and we’re finding more cases than we can manage eventually when we project. 

Akin Abayomi

 

“If we carry on with the rate of positive testing that we are obtaining, we’re going to run out of isolation beds in our established isolation facilities.

 

“Therefore, we are projecting. If we keep getting 150, 200 positives everyday, in another two or three weeks, even though we’re opening new isolation centres all the time, in time, we’re going to run out of beds.”

 

 

 

Abayomi disclosed this at a press briefing in Ikeja, the state capital, on Friday.

He said the state was currently developing strategies for managing asymptomatic patients at home to address the projected rise in number of cases.

 

He said, “We’ve been testing more. We’ve been escalating our capacity to test for COVID-19 and what we’ve found is that the more we test, the more we find, which is a reflection of the fact that COVID-19 is spreading within the community and we’re finding more cases than we can manage eventually when we project. 

Akin Abayomi

 

“If we carry on with the rate of positive testing that we are obtaining, we’re going to run out of isolation beds in our established isolation facilities.

 

“Therefore, we are projecting. If we keep getting 150, 200 positives everyday, in another two or three weeks, even though we’re opening new isolation centres all the time, in time, we’re going to run out of beds.”

 

 

 

Students of tertiary institutions in Ondo State have called on Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to reduce the hike in tuition fees in government-owned schools in the state. 

The students said the situation had forced many of them to drop out of school. 

In a statement by Akinteye Babatunde, NANS JCC Ondo Axis, and Kikiowo Ayode, President of National Association of Ondo State Students, the students decried the deteriorating state of building on campuses of various academic institutions in the state, adding that it was affecting learning. 

Rotimi Akeredolu

The statement reads, "The plight of students under the present government has increased astronomically

"The governor since assumption of office increased tuition fee from an average of N30,000 to N150,000 in Akungba and from N70,000 to N150,000 and even N200,000 in Osustech.

"We unequivocally demand the reversal of tuition fees increased. 

"This has led to thousands of students dropping out of various academic pursuits."
 

Students of tertiary institutions in Ondo State have called on Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to reduce the hike in tuition fees in government-owned schools in the state. 

The students said the situation had forced many of them to drop out of school. 

In a statement by Akinteye Babatunde, NANS JCC Ondo Axis, and Kikiowo Ayode, President of National Association of Ondo State Students, the students decried the deteriorating state of building on campuses of various academic institutions in the state, adding that it was affecting learning. 

Rotimi Akeredolu

The statement reads, "The plight of students under the present government has increased astronomically

"The governor since assumption of office increased tuition fee from an average of N30,000 to N150,000 in Akungba and from N70,000 to N150,000 and even N200,000 in Osustech.

"We unequivocally demand the reversal of tuition fees increased. 

"This has led to thousands of students dropping out of various academic pursuits."
 

Students of tertiary institutions in Ondo State have called on Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to reduce the hike in tuition fees in government-owned schools in the state. 

The students said the situation had forced many of them to drop out of school. 

In a statement by Akinteye Babatunde, NANS JCC Ondo Axis, and Kikiowo Ayode, President of National Association of Ondo State Students, the students decried the deteriorating state of building on campuses of various academic institutions in the state, adding that it was affecting learning. 

Rotimi Akeredolu

The statement reads, "The plight of students under the present government has increased astronomically

"The governor since assumption of office increased tuition fee from an average of N30,000 to N150,000 in Akungba and from N70,000 to N150,000 and even N200,000 in Osustech.

"We unequivocally demand the reversal of tuition fees increased. 

"This has led to thousands of students dropping out of various academic pursuits."
 

Students of tertiary institutions in Ondo State have called on Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to reduce the hike in tuition fees in government-owned schools in the state. 

The students said the situation had forced many of them to drop out of school. 

In a statement by Akinteye Babatunde, NANS JCC Ondo Axis, and Kikiowo Ayode, President of National Association of Ondo State Students, the students decried the deteriorating state of building on campuses of various academic institutions in the state, adding that it was affecting learning. 

Rotimi Akeredolu

The statement reads, "The plight of students under the present government has increased astronomically

"The governor since assumption of office increased tuition fee from an average of N30,000 to N150,000 in Akungba and from N70,000 to N150,000 and even N200,000 in Osustech.

"We unequivocally demand the reversal of tuition fees increased. 

"This has led to thousands of students dropping out of various academic pursuits."
 

Muriel Bowser, Mayor of Washington DC, America's capital, has painted the street leading to the White House with giant Black Lives Matter text.

The move comes days after United States President, Donald Trump, ordered the U.S Park Police and National Guard troops to disperse peaceful protesters outside the White House so he could walk out of the place to St. John’s Episcopal Church for a photo-op in which he held up a Bible.

Protesters have been converging on the street for more than a week to protest racial inequality and excessive use of force by the police after an unarmed black man, George Floyd, was killed by an officer. 

In a Twitter post on Friday to commemorate the birthday of Breonna Taylor, another black man, who died in the hands of police, Bowser said the act was out of determination to make America a great land.

She said, "Breonna Taylor, on your birthday, let us stand with determination. Determination to make America the land it ought to be."

The mayor has also renamed the street Black Lives Matter Plaza. 

She added, "The section of 16th Street in front of the White House is now officially “Black Lives Matter Plaza”.
 

Muriel Bowser, Mayor of Washington DC, America's capital, has painted the street leading to the White House with giant Black Lives Matter text.

The move comes days after United States President, Donald Trump, ordered the U.S Park Police and National Guard troops to disperse peaceful protesters outside the White House so he could walk out of the place to St. John’s Episcopal Church for a photo-op in which he held up a Bible.

Protesters have been converging on the street for more than a week to protest racial inequality and excessive use of force by the police after an unarmed black man, George Floyd, was killed by an officer. 

In a Twitter post on Friday to commemorate the birthday of Breonna Taylor, another black man, who died in the hands of police, Bowser said the act was out of determination to make America a great land.

She said, "Breonna Taylor, on your birthday, let us stand with determination. Determination to make America the land it ought to be."

The mayor has also renamed the street Black Lives Matter Plaza. 

She added, "The section of 16th Street in front of the White House is now officially “Black Lives Matter Plaza”.
 

A Nigerian activist, Martin Obono, who was earlier arrested for a post he shared on Twitter, has been released by the police.

Obono was arrested for a tweet where he accused the police of trying to truncate a rape case involving his clients. 

In a chat with SaharaReporters on Friday evening, Obono, said, “I’ve been released but they want me to sign bail. I’ve been contesting it. But the human right chairman is now here. Deji signed the sheet of paper but I refused to the whatever charge they said.”

The matter is with the Zone 7 police in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.

A Nigerian activist, Martin Obono, who was earlier arrested for a post he shared on Twitter, has been released by the police.

Obono was arrested for a tweet where he accused the police of trying to truncate a rape case involving his clients. 

In a chat with SaharaReporters on Friday evening, Obono, said, “I’ve been released but they want me to sign bail. I’ve been contesting it. But the human right chairman is now here. Deji signed the sheet of paper but I refused to the whatever charge they said.”

The matter is with the Zone 7 police in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.

As cases of COVID-19 continue to be on the increase in Nigeria, the Ondo State Government on Friday said it could be forced to lock down the state if residents keep flouting safety guidelines put in place to prevent a spread of the virus.

Doyin Odebowale, Chairman of the state’s Special Task Force on COVID-19 Enforcement and Compliance, stated this in an interview in Akure, the state capital, on Friday.

Odebowale, who visited some mosques in the state during their Jumat service, said many of the worshippers were not thoroughly observing the social distancing directive.

According to him, the COVID-19 Committee was ready to meet with Muslim and other religious leaders in the state to enlighten them more on the need to observe COVID-19 protocols.   Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu

He said, "We have been engaging the leadership and we hope there will be another engagement.

"We expect them to improve. There was not much social distancing and we are not satisfied.

"We are getting more cases and we are not happy. We don't want a situation where government will lock down the state again. If it continues, the government will lock down the state."

Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr Wahab Adegbenro, told SaharaReporters that the government was concerned about community transmission of the virus among residents.

He said that over 160 persons, who might have come in contact with the three new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state, were currently being traced.

Ondo State has recorded four deaths and discharged 21 patients while eight persons are currently receiving treatment at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Akure, for the virus.

As cases of COVID-19 continue to be on the increase in Nigeria, the Ondo State Government on Friday said it could be forced to lock down the state if residents keep flouting safety guidelines put in place to prevent a spread of the virus.

Doyin Odebowale, Chairman of the state’s Special Task Force on COVID-19 Enforcement and Compliance, stated this in an interview in Akure, the state capital, on Friday.

Odebowale, who visited some mosques in the state during their Jumat service, said many of the worshippers were not thoroughly observing the social distancing directive.

According to him, the COVID-19 Committee was ready to meet with Muslim and other religious leaders in the state to enlighten them more on the need to observe COVID-19 protocols.   Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu

He said, "We have been engaging the leadership and we hope there will be another engagement.

"We expect them to improve. There was not much social distancing and we are not satisfied.

"We are getting more cases and we are not happy. We don't want a situation where government will lock down the state again. If it continues, the government will lock down the state."

Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr Wahab Adegbenro, told SaharaReporters that the government was concerned about community transmission of the virus among residents.

He said that over 160 persons, who might have come in contact with the three new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state, were currently being traced.

Ondo State has recorded four deaths and discharged 21 patients while eight persons are currently receiving treatment at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Akure, for the virus.

In recent years, disasters of various magnitude are becoming more frequent, intense, and geographically diverse in various communities across Nigeria. One of the most occurring and devastating disasters is fire outbreak, which has destroyed properties worth several millions of naira, rendered survivors homeless, jobless and compounded the suffering and poverty in the land. Most of these fire outbreaks, whether domestic, industrial, institutional, commercial, vehicular, or bush has become a common phenomenon across the country. The "World Life Expectancy Report" in 2016 ranked Nigeria first in the World for number of deaths by fire. It has reached a stage where questions are being legitimately raised as to whether Nigerian communities are literally on fire.

Most of the recent fire outbreaks have occurred in state facilities that are of great strategic value, thereby making fires an issue of public concern and debate. For instance, On April 8, Treasury House, a building housing the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) was gutted by fire. Eight days later on April 15, it was also reported that the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) headquarters in Maitama, Abuja was also engulfed with fire. In a similar vein, the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and  the popular Dugbe market in Ibadan were the next to record a fire outbreak just two days after that of the CAC. The month of May was not an exception as it was reported that fire destroyed two IDP camps in Borno state, the popular Ogbeogonogo market in Asaba and Oloyele market in Somolu, Lagos. These and many more point to the fact that Nigerian communities are vulnerable to the impacts of fire incidents. Consequently, communities in Nigeria have become centre of attraction to fire outbreaks of different magnitude.

This may be attributed to various factors such as frequent power outages, power surge, electrical sparks, illegal connection of electricity, improper electrical fittings, substandard building materials, defective or indoor use of generators. Other factors include storing up adulterated fuel at home, siting of filling stations and gas stations near residential and market places. Besides, inaccessibility to most residential areas and market places when there is a fire outbreak also compounded the problem. This is not unconnected with the chaotic nature of roads and the unplanned environment of most Nigerian cities. Another major factor contributing to the increase in the occurrence of fire outbreaks in the country is the total neglect of fire safety measures during the design and construction phases of structures. Likewise, public or private buildings with fire extinguishers, fire and smoke detectors, fire exits, warning signs and designated assemble fire points are hard to come by in the country. 

Over the years, response to fire outbreaks in Nigeria has been unanticipated, unplanned and often poorly coordinated so much so that response could be as bad as the disasters and often compounded the impact of disasters on persons affected. Some states in Nigeria do not have effective and functional fire service stations and those that have are not evenly distributed across their territories. Typical example of this was the recent fire outbreak in Onitsha, Anambra State, that razed over 500 lock-up shops on Iweka Street Market, an incident that caught the state fire service unprepared to intervene. It took the effort of firemen from Delta State Fire Service that were drafted to put out the fire. Equally appalling was a heroic video of a man with a bucket trying to extinguish huge blaze on the roof of a five-storey building in Balogun market, Lagos. This clearly depicts lack of preparedness by federal and state fire services to manage the incidents of fire outbreaks in the country.

To buck this trend, all hands must be on deck by disaster management stakeholders at the local, state and national levels to take proactive-based approaches on fire outbreak prevention and control. The starting point is the strict enforcement of development control regulations that guilds building development against fire outbreak. This would give room for adequate setbacks, widening of roads for easy access to fire services, siting of buildings and consideration for fire safety measures during the design and construction phases of buildings such as use of non-flammable building materials and provision for warning signs and designated assemble fire points in buildings. Also, living in a house without fire extinguishers and smoke detectors should no longer be an option.

Equally important is the enforcement of fire safety regulations. This can be carried out by ensuring that fire safety regulations are consistently followed by households, public institutions and commercial entities in the country. This also includes the rehabilitation of the electrical wiring system (one that follows standard regulations during installation), proper use and handling of combustible materials and installation of fire hydrants.

It is also suggested that the issue of public education be intensified within the country. Both the Fire Service and the Disaster Management Agencies should embark on an intensive educational campaign among the residents regarding fire prevention and safety measures. Residents are expected to know what to do in case of fire in terms of first aid treatment and emergency exit rules pending the arrival of the fire fighters.

Finally, there is need for governments to provide and evenly distribute fire service stations in all the strategic locations of each state for disaster preparedness, prevention, mitigation, response and recovery. It is also imperative to make sure that all the facilities provided and distributed are well equipped and functioning. In the like manner, NEMA as the coordinating agency for disaster management in Nigeria should sensitise the state and local governments on the importance of settling up, funding and equipping their own emergency management agency in order to localise disaster risk management practices in Nigerian communities.

Olasunkanmi Habeeb Okunola is a scholar in disaster risk reduction and community resilience with cross-cutting research and program experiences on climate change adaptation and inclusive education in Sub-Saharan Africa. He tweets @sunkiehabeeb

A renewed attack on Tungwa and Utsua-Daa communities in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State has left over 11 people dead and scores injured.

Narrating the incident that led to the attack, a resident of Bagoni near Tungwa, Sale Umar, told PUNCH that the gunmen invaded Tungwa on Thursday and Utsua-Daa on Friday killing 11 people.

According to Umar, several houses in the two communities located along Bali-Marararba Road were also burnt in the attacks.  File Photo: Gunmen middleeastpress

“We saw 11 dead bodies after the attacks. Many houses have been burnt and people have deserted the communities.

“Many people especially Tiv farmers are fleeing the communities on foot to Bali for safety,” he said.

Caretaker Chairman of Bali Local Government Council, Hon. Musa Mahmud, confirmed the attacks but said five people were killed.

Mahmud, who said he was on the ground at the scene of the attacks, also said several houses were burnt.

“Five people have been killed and several houses burnt, but the situation is under control now.

“I am at the scene of the attack as we speak. For the past two hours I have been here and I can confirm to you that burning and killings have stopped for now.

“I want to call on the people to eschew violence and embrace peace,” he said.

The  renewed attacks and killings is coming  barely eight hours after the Taraba Joint Peace Committee submitted an updated report on the crisis to the deputy governor, Engr. Haruna Manu in Jalingo.

A renewed attack on Tungwa and Utsua-Daa communities in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State has left over 11 people dead and scores injured.

Narrating the incident that led to the attack, a resident of Bagoni near Tungwa, Sale Umar, told PUNCH that the gunmen invaded Tungwa on Thursday and Utsua-Daa on Friday killing 11 people.

According to Umar, several houses in the two communities located along Bali-Marararba Road were also burnt in the attacks.  File Photo: Gunmen middleeastpress

“We saw 11 dead bodies after the attacks. Many houses have been burnt and people have deserted the communities.

“Many people especially Tiv farmers are fleeing the communities on foot to Bali for safety,” he said.

Caretaker Chairman of Bali Local Government Council, Hon. Musa Mahmud, confirmed the attacks but said five people were killed.

Mahmud, who said he was on the ground at the scene of the attacks, also said several houses were burnt.

“Five people have been killed and several houses burnt, but the situation is under control now.

“I am at the scene of the attack as we speak. For the past two hours I have been here and I can confirm to you that burning and killings have stopped for now.

“I want to call on the people to eschew violence and embrace peace,” he said.

The  renewed attacks and killings is coming  barely eight hours after the Taraba Joint Peace Committee submitted an updated report on the crisis to the deputy governor, Engr. Haruna Manu in Jalingo.

History repeats itself because man in his usual frailty learns the stories but never the salient lessons. This weakness of man ensures that events are perpetually recycled when such needless rigmarole could have been nipped in the bud.

In the 2015 build up to the elections in Lagos state, the question of the lips of most Lagosians was Ambode who? He had no political antecedent after leaving the civil service of the economic nerve centre of the country. The then incumbent governor and current Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Raji Fashola, had his preferred candidate in the person of the state’s erstwhile Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Supo Shasore, SAN.

At the end of the day, the ‘Governor-General’ of the state, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had his way and his protégé, Akinwunmi Ambode, won the keenly contested primaries of the newly formed All Progressives Congress. 

Power intoxicates as it is the elixir that makes puppets want to dislodge their masters. Ambode was no different as he wanted to prove to the Jagaban Borgu that he was indeed his own man. He introduced a new form of environmental waste management when he brought in a foreign firm called Vision Scape to manage the waste crisis of the state. It was bad that the firm couldn’t deliver on their grand promises, it was worse that he alienated some stakeholders in the waste management sector who were compensated with it as part of a robust party patronage. Lagosians wouldn’t forget the ordeal of a popular vicar who got a raw deal in the hands of the then first lady with a conspiratorial silence from Ambode.

In 2019, he was taught the political lesson of his life when a hitherto unknown Babajide Sanwo-Olu defeated him in a similar manner a school Principal flogs an errant student in the assembly ground on a Monday morning.

Ambode is now so politically irrelevant that he is alleged to have gone to Ghana on a self-imposed exile when his Ikoyi home became too hot for him to be domiciled in.

In 2016, Edolites asked a similar question: Obaseki who? He wasn’t a known politician as the then Governor Adams Oshiomhole hired him from Lagos where he ran a successful non-bank financial institution, Afrinvest to lead the economic management team of the state popularly known as the Heart Beat of the nation.

He worked quietly and mostly behind the scenes and used his clout to attract some investments to the state. During the campaign, Oshiomhole played the role of the spokesman as he was the one that was publicly lampooning the then PDP Flagbearer, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu who ironically was the Director-General of his second term campaign team in 2012.

The federal might and Oshiomhole combined in harmony to ensure that Godwin Obaseki got elected. Typical of most godsons, he chose to assert himself when he tasted power which didn’t go down well with his former benefactor who later became the National Chairman of the APC.

They clashed and their initial alliance crashed like a pack of cards.

Political pundits were amazed when Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu defected from the PDP to the APC. He had been in and out of the two parties since 2007. He left the PDP for the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) where by his own admission he helped Oshiomhole win the seat in the Dennis Osadebay Avenue. He later jumped ship by returning to the PDP when it was crystal clear that Oshiomhole wouldn’t hand over power to him before his recent defection to the APC.

The psychology of an average Nigerian power is to win elections at all costs and not on any foreign ‘political ideology’ which is viewed as a strange Western phenomenon.

Recently, the Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God was endorsed by all the stakeholders of the APC including seven aspirants who unanimously endorsed his candidacy making it now a straight fight between him and Obaseki.

Oshiomhole has been publicly silent but the ‘Voice of Jacob and ‘Hand of Esau’ can be seen playing itself out here.

Ize-Iyamu is a grassroots politician who has been in the game since the third Republic where he cut his teeth as the personal assistant to Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion when the latter was the Chairman of the Oredo local government. He managed Igbinedion’s campaign when he wanted to become the Governor of Edo state in 1991 when he flew the flag of the then National Republican Convention where he lost to Chief John Odigie-Oyegun of the Social Democratic Party.

He became the Chief of Staff and later the Secretary to the Government when Igbinedion held sway. He later became the National Vice Chairman, South-South of the then ACN. He knows the game like the back of his hand and narrowly lost to Obaseki in 2016. It is worth recalling that he ensured that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan won Edo state in the 2015 presidential election as his campaign coordinator in the state.

Even if Ize-Iyamu defeats Obaseki in the APC primaries scheduled for June 22 this year and becomes the next governor, Oshiomhole cannot still become the Edo state godfather as Ize-Iyamu is far too street smart and wily to be caged like a bird. Where really will that leave Oshiomhole? He would only succeed in replacing his once docile Obaseki with a power hungry Ize-Iyamu.

Obaseki has allegedly been running from pillar to post including a secret visit to Tinubu to ensure that he returns back to power later this year.

Some of his aides have been quietly reading the handwriting on the wall with some jumping ship most notably Francis Taiwo Akerele, his former Chief of Staff, who surprisingly threw in the towel this year.

Can Obaseki who is more of a technocrat than a politician spring a surprise by pulling the rug off Ize-Iyamu’s feet? Will Oshiomhole who has fought many political battles including permanently retiring Late Chief Tony Anenih from Edo politics have the last laugh? Will the PDP cash in on this crisis to win the election as a house divided against itself cannot stand?

Over to you, time!

Tony Ademiluyi wrote from Lagos

The COVID-19 pandemic has no doubt affected every sector; economy, health, social activities amongst several others. Its impact on the education sector cannot be overemphasised.

And while the lockdown is being lifted and relaxed in some states across Nigeria, school activities have not resumed. As such, many schools have been deploying different measures to ensure that students learn effectively during this period. Some private schools have opted for online teaching while some state governments have embraced teaching on radio and television for the purpose of children in public schools.

However, how do these measures affect the curriculum and scheme of work that should be covered in an academic term and how well can students concentrate without being in an academic environment? The option for online learning seems to come with some sorts of blessings for some people and a curse for others.

Some parents who could afford to provide electricity and internet facilities for their children might enjoy the luxury of the online teaching while those who cannot afford it have to stay glued to teachings on radio and television, amidst other programmes that would be disseminated on these channels.

Children in slum communities

For children in slum and urban poor communities who do not have access to internet facilities, they have resorted to staying at home and reading old books pending the time the lockdown is lifted and activities return to normal.

In Monkey Village, a slum community in Ikeja, Lagos, students are staying at home and are learning from the radio lessons, taking notes, and reading through.

Aisha Saleh, a 15-year-old girl, who resides in Monkey Village, explained that she and other children in the community tune to the radio to listen to the classes. She explained that they don't have access to the time table but they usually tune in to the radio and they follow the teachings even if it is for a different class.

She buttressed that, “the goal is to learn, so we ensure that we take notes and we read the notes after, most times they are for different classes but since we won’t sit by the radio throughout the day, we have to take advantage of the ongoing lessons.”

Saleh said the teachings have been explanatory but noted that the challenge is with having access to the radio and distractions from friends, parents, and guardians.

“The radio I use is rechargeable or from my small phone, so if the battery runs out and there’s no electricity supply, it would be difficult for me to catch up with the lessons. Also, because you’re home, some parents expect that you do house chores and send you on errands almost every time and this could be distracting,” she added.

Emmanuel Agunze, founder, Makoko Dream, a floating school for children in Makoko, a waterfront community in Lagos Nigeria confirmed that the pandemic has so much affected the education of children in slum communities, especially without access to internet like other children who are considered ‘privileged’.

He explained that the Makoko Dream School has made provision for children, in higher primary, to come in batches to learn with the iPads twice a week.

“We have already installed Apps on the IPads that are educational. With this, we can still achieve a form of education in this period.”

“We really can't afford to provide internet or data for them to learn every day. So, they go in batches to their teachers' houses which are within the neighborhood, and to ensure they adhere strictly to the social and physical distancing order,” he added.

Children with disabilities

Children with disabilities, CWDs are faced with a double challenge during times like this because of their accessibility and inclusivity needs. The online platforms are not accessible to children with visual impairment and teachers do not take cognizance of the various learning dispositions of learners with intellectual disabilities.

Lawal Adebimpe, an advocate for inclusive education, decried how the government has left out children with disabilities, CWDs in its planning for alternative means of education during the pandemic. Lawal explained that “most children with disabilities are enrolled in school at a very advanced age and are already lagging, this means the lockdown is affecting them the more.

“Looking at the channels the government and schools are using to educate these children from home, they are not inclusive. The classes on the radio are not descriptive for blind students, the TV classes are not signed or subtitled for deaf students, and children with intellectual disabilities like Down syndrome and autism are automatically left out.

“The teachers taking the classes are not special teachers and cannot teach these children. Online platforms are also not coming cheap for parents of CWDs”, she added.

Lawal stressed that if the government had planned for CWDs when designing alternatives during the lockdown, they would have been adequately catered for.

“The government has kept us on one side, most of the things they do for us is an afterthought, if you're planning about education, they should think about PWDs.”

She recommended that inclusive practices should be inculcated into programs, plans, and policies of government ab initio so that PWDs can be catered for.

Parents’ reactions to online teaching

Lawyer and social sector advocate, Enitan Ibironke, who is a parent, explained that she has had to support her children during the online teachings and also designed a semi-structured learning timetable at home so the children can learn despite the closure of schools.

Ibironke explained that online teaching is coming at an extra cost for the family but it has to be sustained. She buttressed that “there's the buying of data for internet connectivity to get the work done and the purchase of learning aids at home from stationary to supplementary items like laptops and laptop parts.”

Speaking about the sustainability of online teaching even when schools are eventually re-opened, “there are definitely good sides of the model and it would be good to have a mixed bag of online learning and physical school. It also helps willing and able parents to be involved in their children's lives and to become more technology savvy.

Adeiye Oluwaseun-Sobo, Founder Intentional Teachers Network, explained that the education sector has been affected especially as the academic calendar has been disrupted by the pandemic.

Oluwaseun-Sobo explained that “the pandemic has really affected the education sector, some private schools have children doing online classes while some schools that do not have the capacity for online teaching had to call parents to take their children’s notes and textbooks so they can read while at home.

“In public schools, you have children staying at home and not learning anything, and staff are affected because they are not earning any income because there is no enrolment in schools.”

She noted that online teaching is coming at extra cost for parents as they have to make payments to the school, which doesn’t include the cost of internet subscription and electricity.

Online teaching: The new trend?

The online teaching platforms have been some sort of ‘saving grace’ for learners, who have access to the Internet. Nigeria as at the end of December 2019 has 126,078,999 persons with active internet subscriptions, providing only 63% of the population access to the internet. Lagos State has 16,660,953 of its population with internet access, leaving over one million people without internet and thereby limiting their access to online teaching.

Ayodeji Ololade, a data consultant, explained that online teaching might be the new trend, however, the shortfalls need to be addressed.

Ololade noted that “Stakeholders (Management, Principals, Teachers, Students, Parents, and the General public) need to address the challenges that students are being faced with.

“Some of the challenges being envisaged are the availability of technological gadgets such as data-enabled mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and (or) desktop computers to facilitate online lessons for students in their respective homes.

“Data subscription which enables connectivity of facilitators (teachers) and students to online learning platforms, adequate power supply in various homes as well as comfortable and convenient workspace, quiet enough for learning to take place.”

On her part, Adeiye Oluwaseun-Sobo, Founder, International Teachers’ Network, noted that “the online teaching is good but might not be sustainable after the pandemic because parents are required to provide support for their children.

She buttressed that, “the reality of online learning is that it is challenging because if you have to work, you won’t be able to provide the required support for your children.”

Students in tertiary institutions

A student at the University of Lagos, Raphael Ikuyinminu explained that his institution has adopted the online platform to teach them but it seems cumbersome for the lecturers to cope with.

“Well, I like to think that universities and schools are trying to march on because it's not easy adapting to this new system after being used to the formal system for decades. I believe we'll all get through this in one piece”

He explained that the different learning styles of students have not been targeted by the online teaching, “Well so far, indulging in E-learning and virtual education, schools are trying but they can actually do better. I think they should also take into consideration that children have various learning patterns.

“Some children are visual learners (videos and pictures), some learn by reading texts (we call them the efiwes a.k.a geniuses), others learn by recitations. All of these should be put into consideration even in the virtual learning system.

He added that online learning might be the new ‘normal’ but “I think it'll be quite difficult for tertiary institutions to adopt the E-learning system due to the large crowd trying to access the site per time. And not everyone has access to the internet which is a problem that should be addressed.

Oluebube James, a student of UNILAG explains that “I miss the classrooms and can't wait to resume, but my friend that attends Yaba College of Technology complains about the online classes, how they have numerous voice notes to listen to and form their notes.”

She added that it could be difficult for many students to cope with and most especially the added cost of data.

Lessons for the government

Emmanuel Agunze of Makoko Dream believed that there are lessons the government can learn from the pandemic regarding the education of children in slum communities so that in cases of emergencies, they won’t be left behind.

He urged the Lagos State government to create catchment centers and support NGOs who work directly in impoverished communities so as to ensure that educational gaps can be breached in situations like this.

Oluwaseun-Sobo, an educationist, opines that if the government had been working towards the attainment of  SDG 4 which aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” perhaps there would have been adequate planning for education during emergencies.

She stressed that “the government needs to be prepared ahead of emergencies so that we are not caught unawares just like what we are facing right now and we can see that it is having ripple effects on our children.”

On her part, Ibironke, a parent, noted that “the government needs to have a more robust and technology-driven educational system. There is also the need to train, retrain, and equip teachers with knowledge and equipment to function better.”

Data Consultant, Ayodeji Ololade, advised that school management in private and public schools need to address the challenges that students are currently faced with and decide the best option at this critical time. He added that such would ensure that children do not lag in their academics as a result of the pandemic.

Regarding children with disabilities, inclusive education advocate, Lawal Adebimpe, recommended that the state government should partner with relevant disabled peoples’ organizations that are willing to support the existing learning programmes with teaching aides and facilities for CWDs.

She also noted that “teachers that are taking the classes on television and radio need to be trained on how to be disability sensitive in their teachings, if possible, special teachers should be engaged to take the classes.”

Reopening of schools

The Lagos State Government has not disclosed when schools will resume but it says efforts are ongoing to develop protocols on how schools will operate after the resumption.

The state’s Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, said on “we are working with development partners and ministries of education across the country to come up with a series of protocols on how we will be able to manage when we open schools. There are many things we are thinking of; we are thinking about pupils not coming to school every day so that we will be able to spread the children across the whole school. Pupils don’t have to be in their class to learn; they can learn in a room with tables and chairs.”

To reopen schools, it is  important for stakeholders to adhere to the recommendations outlined by the World Health Organisation for administrators and staff to implement social distancing practices including “staggering the beginning and end of the school day; canceling assemblies, sports games and other events that create crowded conditions; when possible, create space for children’s desks to be at least one meter apart; and teach and model creating space and avoiding unnecessary touching.”

WHO also highlighted that schools should “create a schedule for frequent hand hygiene, especially for young children, and provide sufficient alcohol-based rub or soap and clean water at school entrances and throughout the school. Enforce the policy of ‘stay at home if unwell’ and waive the requirements of doctor’s note to excuse absence”.

In addition, schools should “consider daily screening for body temperature, and history of fever or feeling feverish in the previous 24 hours. Ensure physical distancing at school and adopt tele-schooling”.

“If tele-schooling is not possible, invite students to take text-books home or arrange to deliver assignments. Consider radio or television broadcasts of lessons, arrange a buddy system for homework with older siblings at home, or with friends by telephone.”

Appropriate and adequate measures should be taken by the government and all relevant stakeholders before reopening schools, and the current practices of online and tele-schooling should capture the needs of all students either poor, rich, or with disabilities.

This outbreak story was supported by the Pulitzer Center and Code for Africa's WanaData women data science initiative

Ibrahim Kabiru Dallah, the man, who led thugs to attack rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, has been discovered to be behind the protest in Abuja against the killing of George Floyd, an American, by a policeman in Minneapolis.

Dallah, SaharaReporters gathered, on December 23 led miscreants to disrupt a peaceful protest organised by a coalition of civil society groups over the continued detention of #RevolutionNow convener, Omoyele Sowore.

The attack happened in the presence of policemen, who watched as Adeyanju and other activists were being manhandled. 

Adeyanju had led protesters to the National Human Rights Commission headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, to present a letter to the Executive Secretary of the commission when he and others were attacked. 

Dallah was also reportedly responsible for mobilising counter protesters on December 5, 2019 when the Department of State Services unlawfully rearrested Sowore inside a courtroom less than 24 hours after he was released from detention. 

Despite his notoriety for breaking the law and launching attacks on law-abiding citizens, Dallah on June 2 championed protests in the name of George Floyd, whose death had sparked global anger against use of excessive force by law enforcement officers. 

In a post on Twitter, he said, "We matched peacefully to the Embassy of the United State of America in Abuja today to demand justice for George Floyd. We say no racism."

President Muhammadu has reappointed Prof Umar Garba Danbatta as Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission.

The reappointment is said to have been at the instance of Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami.  Umar Garba Danbatta

In a statement by Uwa Suleiman, spokesperson for the minister, Pantami directed Prof Danbatta to improve the overall performance of the commission as well as ensure that adequate mechanisms were put in place to facilitate the implementation of all policies of the Federal Government through the Ministry.

The minister also enjoined him to ensure that the interest of telecommunication consumers, Nigerians and investors were adequately protected.