NIGERIAN NOTCH

The PDP has been fingered in the purported release by the office of Chief Press Secretary to IMO state government, about the re naming of IMO State University to Abba Kyari University. In a release made available to newsmen in Owerri the state capital, the Chief Press Secretary to IMO state government said that "The attention of the Office of the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to the Governor has been drawn to a fake news circulating on the social media, purporting that Governor Hope Uzodimma wants to rename Imo State University, Owerri, after the late Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari" He said that the author(s) of the fake news had not only credited to the governor what he could not have said, but they criminally wrote the name of his Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser, Mr. Oguwike Nwachuku as the one who signed the purported statement. He said that since last weekend that Kyari passed on, the same persons have been issuing press statemen

The Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 Pandemic, Mr. Boss Mustapha, has acknowledged the mistakes made during the burial of Late Abba Kyrai, the former CoS to President Muhammad Buhari. In a press release made available to newsmen in Abuja, he said, that "The burial of the late Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, on 18 April 2020, has attracted a lot of concerns from Nigerians over the non-adherence to the physical distancing measures and mass gathering restrictions at the Gudu Cemetery." He stressed that the non observance of physical distancing and the flouting of mass gathering restrictions at the cemetery were due to the failure of crowd control measures, which he said was regrettable. We acknowledge that mistakes were made, we have learnt from these mistakes and would ensure that future events are adequately regulated in accordance with the Presidential Task Force and the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) protocols. It is however impo

The Nigeria Union of Journalists, FCT Council, has urged members of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 that were at the burial rites of Mallam Abba Kyari, former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, to excuse themselves from the daily briefing. In a statement on Monday in Abuja, chairman of the council, Emmanuel Ogbeche, called on the members of the PTF which includes the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and National Coordinator, Mr. Boss Mustapha, to demonstrate dignified responsibility by not putting journalists and others who attend the briefing in harm’s way by not attending. “Following the protocol already established by the PTF and the Presidency in asking all those who attended the funeral rites for the late Mallam Abba Kyari, former Chief of Staff to the President, the NUJ urges in particular, members of the PTF who were at the Defence House and Gudu cemetery, to respectfully not attend the daily Covid-19 briefing until after the 14 days isolat

By Emeka Nzeribe For, it is appointed man to die, once. It is better to rebuke a living to enable him mend his ways than to curse the dead as there is no repentance in the grave. I have kept mute since the death and burial of Mallam Abba Kyari. The more I want to keep mute, the more I read from my people, with majority speaking ill of the dead; the more am pricked to pen a piece and see if I could correct some wrong impressions, the more am weighed down. It has become our tradition to like or hate from the things we heard about a person either for the wrong or right reasons. Late Kyari wasn't much known before his assumption of office. His new role made him vulnerable as he was accused of almost all decisions which were taken by the government and president he served. How many of us pouring curses on him were privileged to meet him one on one during his life time? Before you hate or like a person, you must have come in close contact with that person to be able to have a good

Indigenes of Ndiakwu Otolo Community, in Nnewi, Nnewi North LGA of Anambra state, are indeed happy, to the pleasant surprise of getting palliatives to cushion the effects of the total lockdown, occasioned by the spread of Corona Virus Pandemic, which has been ravaging the world and killing people in there thousands. This surprise came from there son, in the person of Pharm Prince Chris Atuegwu, who in his magnanimity doled out 200 bags of Rice to help cushion the effect of the lockdown, which has affected businesses all over the world. He said the reason he came to the rescue was because of the evidenced hardship, the people are facing because of the closing of businesses to stop the spread of the virus. He asked them to manage it as its his widows mite to his people. The National President General of Ndiakwu Otolo Community, Prince Jude Osumouh, while distributing the palliatives, thanked Pharm Prince Chris Atuegwu for his good gesture in remembering his people at this hard t

Hon.Obinna Okechukwu reticulates water in NASPA Nnewi Market. The Chairman of NASPA Agboedo Nnewi, Hon. Obinna Okechukwu has added another feather to his cap, by the reticulation of water throughout the market, as a measure to ensure that the traders in the market protect themselves from the ravaging Corona Virus in the world, which is also inline with the directives of Chief Willie Obiano for everyone in Anambra to keep here hands clean to avoid contacting the virus. While interacting with Nigerian Notch over the weekend, he said, that the reticulation of water in the market became a top priority to his administration because of the importance he attached to cleanliness, which should be the bedrock of human existence. Hon Obinna stressed that the reticulation of water throughout the market was one of the many projects he has done in the market since he assumed office. He said that with the reticulation of water throughout the market the Anambra state fire service will not hav

Dr Uche Diala Since the first positive case of the Coronavirus was confirmed in Nigeria on the 28th of February 2020, a lot has happened with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. In this installment of my updates, I intend to attempt to crush the numbers, review how far we have come on our COVID-19 journey, where we are presently, and look at our road ahead and in so doing, maybe inspire a factual assessment of our situation and an objective and realistic conversation on our way forward. #FirstSomeData Number Of Positive COVID-19 Cases (Weekly Intervals). Source: NCDC 28th February - 01 22nd March - 30 29th March - 111 7th April - 254 14th April - 373 18th April - 541 #SomeKeyFacts ▪︎On the 20th of March, the Federal government banned all international flights coming into Nigeria. ▪︎On the 30th of March, the President ordered full lockdown of Lagos, FCT and Ogun for 2 weeks. ▪︎On the 14th of April, the lockdown was extended by another 2 weeks. #SomeAnal

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IYCON Group,Chief Ifeanyi Ekwulugo  (Okaonye Egbunaya)has given out food items and cash to the four quarters of Nnewi North LGA in Anambra State. The Lagos based businessman was one of the first to empower his people with food items and cash so that they can observe the stay at home directive from the federal and state government. It would be recalled that Chief Ekwulugo was at the forefront of providing relief materials to the Igbo community in Lagos during the explosion that rocked the state. The CEO, IYCON GROUP, a silent philanthropist has always been empowering the less privileged persons in the society without noise. A sixty years old beneficiary of the latest humanitarian gesture, Mr Chinedu Okafor thanked the IYCON boss for his intervention at this critical period of staying at home. He said the philanthropist has not only written his name in marble in sand of time but has always touched the people in a way he can

-------warns against use of brute force to enforce lockdown The Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Senator Uche Ekwunife has condemned the reported killing at Nkpor by officers of the Nigerian Police. In a statement on Wednesday, Ekwunife expressed shock over reports of the killing of unarmed citizens by men of the Nigerian Police who were said to be enforcing the State government's lockdown order. Her words: "It is with disbelief that I received the reports of the death of two youths during an incident which occurred this afternoon at Nkpor New Tyre, where a police team went to enforce the State government's lockdown order". "While we encourage citizens to obey the government and stay at home, it is completely counterproductive and most condemnable for lives to be lost while attempting to keep citizens safe during this time the country and the world at large are facing a huge health challenge". Continuing, she said: &quo

It was a bad day for the residents of Nkpor near Onitsha Anambra state, as two youths were allegedly killed by a police patrol team on duty, for the enforcement of the lockdown order by Anambra state government in the area. The PPRO SP Haruna Mohammed, said that frantic efforts is ongoing to restore sanity in Nkpor and its axis and that the commissioner of police CP John Abang has ordered a discreet investigation into the remote and immediate cause of the protest by the youths in the area. The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Haruna Mohammed, in the state, however revealed that the incident was caused by an unprovoked attack on Police patrol team, by irate youths with substance, suspected to be acid, while the youths  tried snatching some rifles from the police operatives. He further stated that the police on patrol to enforce the lockdown order around New Tyres by UBA, Nkpor in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State suddenly encountered youths, which as a result of the squabble,

Senator Uche Ekwunife, the Senator representing Anambra Central senatorial district at the National Assembly has called on  Anambrians to obey government’s directives on COVID-19. She stressed that the actions being taken by the state government especially the total lockdown announced by the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, was to prevent the spread of the novel virus in the state. Senator Ekwunife, who was visibly pained by the harsh economic impact coronavirus pandemic has unleashed on the people, however, called on Ndi Anambra and other residents in the state to obey government’s directive as it’s in their best interest. “My dear people of Anambra, I beg you to obey government’s directives and stay at home. Our governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has extended the stay-at-home directive by two weeks. Please obey the governor and stay at home. “This is meant to forestall the spread of coronavirus in our dear state. If we are not careful and observe safety measures as stipula