President Buhari has expressed fear of the Coronavirus pandemic making people poorer

Speaking in a recorded video message to a virtual high-level UN meeting on trends, options and strategies in poverty eradication across the world, President Buhari apprised the UN meeting on steps to revive the nation’s economy in the wake of the pandemic and also warned that COVID-19 pandemic risks reversing decades of progress achieved in the efforts to eradicate poverty globally.

He said “It is my conviction that devoting our efforts towards human capital development, efficient management of our resources, greater financial inclusion and transformation of the agricultural sector to ensure food security are crucial to poverty eradication.

”In this regard, Nigeria continues to strengthen its existing social safety net initiative by increasing access to enrolees who fit the various programmes in the scheme.

”Nigeria will also continue to provide easier and increased access to financial services for micro and small-scale businesses through the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme. But we are determined to do more.

”Nigeria holds the view that education is a critical driver of sustainable development and has an immense capacity to eradicate poverty.

”Educating our children, especially the girl-child, contributes significantly to the fight against poverty, environmental sustainability, and improved health, as well as building peace and resilient societies.”

I rape women during operations. It is better Police kill me than take me back to prison ― Suspect

A 27-year-old self-confessed robber and serial rapist, Adeniyi Ajayi, yesterday disclosed that he raped women and maids in the presence of their husbands and bosses, as punishment for refusing to give him money, during operation.

According to vanguardngr, rather than showing remorse for his action, Ajayi, who is an ex-convict, begged the Police to kill him, instead of sending him back to prison. The suspect, who runs a one-man squad, was arrested in a hotel at Ijora 7-up area of Lagos.

His modus operandi was to break into victims’ homes, ordering them to cooperate with him or risk being killed by other members of his gang whom he claimed had surrounded the building.

When news of his arrest filtered round Sabo and its environ, eight victims, some of who were civil servants and lawyers, stormed SARS office to affirm that he raped them during operation.

Among them were also two female staff of a company in Sabo, who disclosed that he raped them right before their male colleagues, in broad daylight on June 16, 2020.

During interrogation, he admitted culpability. He said: ”Yes, I rape women whose husbands refused to give me money, and those tried to make things difficult for me during operation.

I operated alone, with just torchlight. But I would be giving orders to my imaginary gang members, on where to position themselves, just to give the impression that I was not alone.

The solution to this act is for the Police to waste my life because if they take me to prison, I will come back hardened and I don’t want to keep disturbing Nigerians. It is better they waste my life. They should just kill me to end it all.” 📸: Vanguardngr

The attack at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) today Wednesday, July 1, was by relatives of patients – KOGI STATE GOVERNMENT

The Kogi state government says the attack at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) today Wednesday, July 1, was by relatives of patients abandoned by the staff of the hospital.

LIB had earlier reported that unknown gunmen stormed the health facility, carted away vital documents as well as phones and laptops of staff and patients in the hospital. The gunmen also disrupted a COVID-19 press conference earlier scheduled by the management of the hospital.

In a statement released this afternoon, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, said the attack was by protesting family members of patients in the hospital. His statement reads

“The attention of the Kogi State Government has been drawn to the unfortunate scuffle between the Staff of the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja and some patients’ relatives at the hospital, this morning.

Preliminary findings revealed that the violence ensued when relations of patients in the medical facility protested against the failure of the management of the hospital to attend to them. Many people in the emergency ward were left unattended to and a mother delivered at the gate of the hospital. That generated a lot of public tension in the state.

Tension started building since yesterday when patients and their relatives learnt of a plan by the medical staff to stage a protest today, seeking protection from COVID-19. We urge the people of the state to remain calm as government will ensure maintenance of law and order.

We also sue for calm and urge medical authorities to remain committed to their medical profession and responsibilities as Government will protect them in order to give them the confidence to deliver. Healthcare management must never be politicized. Also, government will carry out further investigations to ascertain the remote causes of the breach of peace by the protesters and also address their fears.”