Illegal Mining during Covid-19
27 Illegal miners comprising of 17 Chinese Nationals and 10 Nigerians (including a traditional ruler) have been arrested in Osun State. While the activities of these illegal miners have impacted on the country’s economy negatively, it has also affected the livelihood of host communities around the Osun River which has been polluted and unsafe for human consumption and irrigation. Another 2 illegal Chinese miners were also arrested in Zamfara state.
Security Personnel Extortion and Sharp rise in increase of Foodstuffs and Consumer Goods.
The lockdown policies in response to Covid-19 has occasioned acute spikes in the prices of foodstuffs and other consumer goods. This has been further complicated by the costs food merchants and truck drivers incur in frequent extortions by state border patrols across the country. Read more
Social Distancing During Covid_19: Public Transportation Doubled in Price
In many places, the cost of public transportation has doubled due to the reduction in the number of passengers transporters are allowed to accommodate in their vehicle per time.
The immediate implication of the rise in cost of transportation and food is an increase in the cost of living for all residents, the impact of which is already being felt across the country.
Reported violations of lockdown and facemask orders
- Vincent Ikechukwu was arrested, tried and convicted by a Magistrate court in Ekiti state on Friday 8th of May, for not wearing a face mask as mandated by the state government. A fine of N40, 000 and three days community service was imposed on him by the court. Read more
- A popular musician Iledare Olajuwonlo-James better known as Jaywon was arrested around 11pm by the Policemen attached to the Dolphin Estate Division of the Lagos State Police Command for violating the curfew order and not wearing a face mask. He was detained before being arraigned on Tuesday 6th May where he pleaded guilty, and was ordered him to pay a fine of N10, 000 and also sentenced to community service for 30 minutes. Read more
- Kaduna state government prosecuted and convicted at least 311 persons who violated the stay at home order, or failed to wear face masks, or violated other traffic laws put in place to as part of the measure to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the state. Read more
Institutional Responses
Aliko Dangote Foundation Donates Laboratory to Kano State
A medical laboratory donated by The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), was inaugurated in Kano On May 3rd . ADF contracted 54Gene, a molecular diagnostics company specialized in research, and diagnostics, to set up a 400 test/day capacity laboratory in Kano State. 54Gene is accredited by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and has already set up labs in Lagos and Ogun States.
Covid-19: IHS Donates Ambulances to NCDC
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced that IHS Nigeria, the largest subsidiary of IHS Towers, has provided four ambulances that will be deployed to four states across the country towards the eradication of COVID-19 in Nigeria.
