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Market Women, Others Dare Imo Govt Over Fresh COVID-19 Measures

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Many traders in Imo State have expressed worries and vowed not to obey the fresh lockdown ordered by the state government.

The new lockdown is expected to take effect from Monday, 29 as instructed by the Governor to stop further spread of coronavirus in the state.

Traders in Imo State on Sunday reported that the state government may not be having its way on the fresh lockdown given the readiness of traders to resist all government actions, DailyPost reported.

Chiaka Ihuoma, a petty trader at Amakohia Modern Market in Owerri, in an interview said that the government should allow them to sell their wares and provide for the families as they have no other means of livelihood.

She added that the government has not done enough in providing palliatives to the people within this period of lockdown and appealed that they be allowed to fend for their families.

A butcher in the same Amakohia Modern Market who pleaded anonymity said that the COVID-19 cases in the state were not real but politicized.

According to him, the government is feeding fat from the situation, insisting that there is no coronavirus in Imo State.

He dared the task force to get close to his table and see what would happen.

“What is the government trying to achieve by this unnecessary lockdown? Do they want hunger to kill all of us? We heard that they have been sharing palliatives, but none of us has received even one cube of maggi from them.

They take the relief materials and share them to their various families. These people are wicked! Let them allow us or we shall take the laws into our own hands,” he said.

In an interview with a bicycle rider at Nkwor-orji market, Linus Anyanwu, he described the COVID-19 cases in Imo State and Nigeria at large as a scam allegedly perpetrated by the government to siphon money.

He said the government should be bold to tell the people the truth. “Since the news of coronavirus in the state, we have not seen even in pictures the carriers of this virus nor seen the dead bodies where they are being buried.

We are wiser now, government should stop playing on our intelligence. Mounting another lockdown in the state won’t work because the people are angry. No food, no money, no palliatives and you are asking people to stay at home,” he said.

Also in an interview, Olumma Onwuka who deals on beverages at Hadel Junction, Owerri advised the government to allow the people to go about their businesses since they are now aware of the measures in preventing themselves from contacting the virus.

She said the task force should concentrate more on checking people who are not wearing face masks and not maintaining social distancing especially at social gatherings.

Although, she admitted that the virus is real, she however appealed that the people be allowed to go about with their normal businesses and still follow the rules of regular hand washing and use of face masks because, according to her, the virus has come to stay.

It will be recalled that the Governor, in his recent live broadcast expressed his dissatisfaction on the violation of the safety measures against COVID-19 by the people and renewed the measures with effect from Monday, 29.

According to the broadcast, food markets and pharmaceuticals are exempted from the lockdown as all other markets including schools remain closed.

The Governor also charged the security agents in the state to strictly monitor people’s activities and arrest those violating the rules for prosecution by various mobile courts in the state.

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King Charles Reportedly “Really Unwell” And Funeral Plans Are Currently Being Reviewed

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King Charles III’s health is causing concern for friends and the palace as he continues to battle cancer.

“Speaking to friends of the king in recent weeks about his health, the most common response is … ‘It’s not good,’” Tom Sykes of the Daily Beast reported Thursday, April 25.

A friend of the monarch claimed Charles “is determined to beat it and they are throwing everything at it,” adding, “Everyone is staying optimistic, but he is really very unwell. More than they are letting on.”

Royal writer Tina Brown also hinted at the monarch’s health struggles, writing recently that Charles’ cancer has put Prince William and Kate Middleton “in frightening proximity to ascending the throne just when they had hoped for a span of years to parent their children out of the public eye.”

“The prospect of it, I am told, is causing them intense anxiety.”

Sykes also reported that the king’s funeral plans, codenamed “Operation Menai Bridge”, are currently being reviewed.

A separate document that states what went well at Queen Elizabeth’s September 2022 funeral and what could be done better the next time a monarch dies is also circulating, according to the Daily Beast.

All the sources emphasized that royal funeral plans are constantly in review. However, one former staffer in particular conceded that Charles’ health woes have given his plans a different urgency.

“The plans have been dusted off and are actively being kept up to date,” the former staffer explained.

“It’s no more than what you would expect given the king has been diagnosed with cancer. But the circulation of them has certainly focused minds.”

Buckingham Palace announced in February that after undergoing surgery for a benign prostate enlargement, it was discovered that the king has cancer.

We hope the king gets well soon.

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EFCC: New Documents Extracted Shows Yahaya Bello Allegedly Paid School Fees To The Tune Of $845,852,84 For His Family Members

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Still on the EFCC trailing on Ex Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Documents serving as exhibits have shown how he allegedly paid school fees in advance for his family members already in the school and even those to be enrolled in future with hundreds of thousands of dollars withdrawn from the state coffers.

A letter from the American International School of Abuja to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has shown the school admitting that Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, paid $845,852,84 into their bank account since September 2021 as advance school fees for 4 family members from the present class until they graduate.

Payment was also made for any future student to be enrolled by the family.

The document alleges that the payment was made by Mr. Ali Bello, alleged to be the eldest son of Yahaya Bello.

In the document, the school stated that they have deducted the fees for the educational service already rendered to the Bello children in the institution and what is left is $760, 910, which would be refunded to an account provided by the EFCC as the commission continues investigation into alleged money laundering levelled against Yahaya Bello.

the school fees documented payment

The school also added that from the Bello family kids, “no further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition until they graduate from ASIA.”

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Niger State Prisoners Run From Facility After Rainstorm Brings Down Part Of Fencing

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Many prisoners serving time at the Suleja Correctional Centre, located in Suleja Local Government of Niger state, fled the facility after a rainstorm brought down a part of the inner fencing.

This incident happened as a result of the heavy rainfall which fell on Wednesday night. This led to a cell being torn down, providing incarcerated individuals with a chance at freedom.

Reporters gathered that security forces fired many shots in the air, attempting to scare the inmates out of hiding.

While the State Comptroller of Prisons declined to speak to the press, it has been noted that security has been beefed up on the Minna-Suleja and Suleja-Kaduna roads, including the Madalla axis to Abuja road, which is a likely escape route out of the state for the inmates.

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