Top Headlines News Today 23rd of June 2020

Nigeria on Monday reported 675 new cases of the novel coronavirus, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

The new cases bring the country’s total reported cases, since February, to 20,919.

According to the health agency, 7,109 patients have been successfully treated and discharged while 525 have died as a result of the virus







1. COVID-19: PTF to decide on second phase of lockdown by June 30




The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, said on Monday the task force would continue to monitor developments nationwide in order to take informed decisions on the second phase of the lockdown by June 30.

Mustapha, who disclosed this at the PTF daily press briefing in Abuja, said the task force would re-echo the World Health Organisation (WHO) advisory to countries and their citizens not to equate any slow-down in numbers accompanied by loosening of restrictive measures to translate to a reduction in the dangers faced by humanity.

The PTF had early this month announced the commencement of the second phase of lockdown relaxation.

He said: “Sunday, June 21, 2020, Nigeria crossed the threshold of 20, 000, with our total number rising to 20, 244 confirmed cases.

“This signified to the PTF that more testing has been carried out in recent weeks.

“However, we are not deluded that we are getting enough samples to test. I wish to remind all our citizens that the best strategy remains to test, detect, isolate, and treat.

2. No single state in Nigeria is coronavirus-free,' says NCDC DG




Iheakweazu says Nigeria cannot relent in its efforts until a vaccine is found for the coronavirus.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, says no state in Nigeria is free of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

He said, "No single state in Nigeria is COVID-19-free. Not one. No country in the world is COVID-19-free, not even Nigeria.

3. FG urges parents to shun Gov. Makinde’s “insensitive” decision




The Federal Government on Monday kicked against the reopening of schools in Oyo State amidst COVID-19 pandemic, describing such as insensitive to the health of the people.

Mr Emeka Uwajiuba, Minister of State for Education, said this at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 daily news conference in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State had earlier ordered the reopening of schools across the state.

According to the minister, it is expedient to recognise the fact that Oyo State is a government operating under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a Federating

4. EFCC captures fugitive pension thief John Yusuf




Pension thief, John Yusuf, who has evaded serving his six-year prison term has been captured.

According to the EFCC, Yusuf was captured in Gombe.

Based on his re-arrest, Justice Baba Yusuf of the FCT High Court on Monday, June 22, 2020, issued a remand order that will enable him serve his six years jail term in Kuje Correctional Service, Abuja.

Yusuf is one of the six federal civil servants facing prosecution for stealing N32.8billion Police Pension Fund

4. Ex-minister Dalung to Buhari: Human life cheaper in the north than chicken




Former Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, has lamented the growing killings in northern Nigeria and asked President Buhari to sack his service chiefs.

In a video done in Hausa and posted on his Facebook page, Dalung, bemoaned the killings despite huge security expenditure.

“Mr President, you have given these people more money, yet we continue to lose more lives”, Dalung said, according to a translation done by Sahara Reporters.

“These people are only enriching themselves with public money Mr President

5. N-Power Makes Fresh Promise To Batch A And B Beneficiaries Of The Scheme
The e federal government of Nigeria has promised all Batch A and Batch B beneficiaries of the N-Power scheme that all issues about their entitlements in the scheme will be addressed.



Following the announcement by the government that current enrollees of the N-Power scheme (Batch A) will exit June 30, 2020 while (Batch B) will exit the programme on July 31, 2020, many affected beneficiaries have been asking questions bothering their mind.

As previously reported by Naijapadi News, the government explained that the exit plan is to allow a fresh stream of 400,000 beneficiaries come onboard as the normal time for the beneficiaries to remain in the system was initially put at two years (24 months).

It wrote:

“To our Batch A and Batch B beneficiaries,”

“We have seen your questions on the exit plan, backlogs and devices.”

“In the following days, these issues will be addressed individually. Please stay tuned to our social media pages for updates.

#NPowerNG”

6. We have metered over 120, 000 households – Ikeja Electric




Ikeja Electric Plc (IE) on Monday said it had metered over 120,000 households between January 2018 and June 2020 in line with its commitment to bridging the metering gap under its operational network.

Mr Felix Ofulue, Head, Corporate Communications, IE, gave the figure in a statement signed and released to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ikeja.

Ofulue said that the electricity distribution company had doubled its efforts to realise its objective of metering all its customers in the shortest possible time.

He said this was aimed at achieving the mandate of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to bridge the metering gap and reduce the incidence of estimated billing.

Ofulue said: “The company plans to meter another 400,000 customers over the next two years.

7. Nigeria receives essential medical supplies worth $22m from EU, UN to boost Coronavirus fight




The United Nations says it has delivered vital supplies worth 22 million dollars to the Federal Government to help the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

Eliana Drakopoulos, UNICEF Nigeria Chief of Communication, said in a statement in Abuja on Sunday that the medical supplies were jointly delivered by the UN and European Union.

”The shipment, along with others coming soon, are procured through the One UN COVID-19 Basket Fund with a significant contribution from the EU and will be valued at more than 22 million dollars.

“The current shipment includes, among other items, 545 oxygen concentrators, more than 100,000 test kits, infrared digital no-touch thermometers and numerous personal protective equipment (PPEs), laboratory supplies.

8. Ize-Iyamu tells Obaseki to return to APC ahead of Edo governorship election




Ize-Iyamu has called on the incumbent Edo governor to retrace his steps back to the APC.

Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Edo governorship election on Sept. 19 has appealed to Gov. Godwin Obaseki to return to the party.

Ize-Iyamu made the appeal on Monday in Benin while addressing newsmen shortly after his emergence as the candidate of the party.

9. Obaseki will lose, says Gov. Bello after meeting Buhari’s CoS




Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi said the power of incumbency will not guarantee victory for Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo, who recently defected from All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

According to Bello, Nigerians have witnessed incumbent leaders including former President Goodluck Jonathan losing elections.

”We have seen those in power before that are dethroned, we have seen practically that President Muhammadu Buhari of APC dethroned PDP, the former President (Goodluck Jonathan) that was on seat.

“So, that is not any trouble at all. APC is going to win Edo State. But unfortunately, I really felt the leaving of my colleague, His Excellency Governor Godwin Obaseki in whatever circumstance to another political party.

9. group sues Buhari for N50bn over
‘marginalisation’ in appointments



Sixteen socio-cultural leaders from southern Nigeria have instituted a suit against President Muhammadu Buhari for allegedly marginalising the people of the southern region from appointments in his administration.

In the suit filed before a federal high court in Abuja, the plaintiffs led by Edwin Clark are asking the court to award the sum of N50 billion against the president and other defendants as “punitive, aggravated and exemplary damages” to the constituents of the plaintiffs for the “illegal, wrongful discriminatory and unconstitutional acts”.

The plaintiffs are praying the court to determine whether the president has acted in compliance with Section 1(2), section 14(3) section 217(3) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) in appointing top officials since the inception of his administration in 2015.

They also want the court to determine whether it was not “reckless and adverse to the interest of Nigeria”, for Buhari to obtain a loan facility from the Islamic Development Bank, African Development Bank, the World Bank, China, Japan, and Germany amounting to $22.7 billion (USD), for infrastructural development, only to allocate a bulk of the fund to the northern region.