Crime Facts

Two types of Police Officers in the Nigeria Police Force

.By Okechukwu Nwanguma The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is composed, basically, of two types of Police Officers.  On the one hand, the NPF has quite a good number of excellent police officers who are inclined to carrying out their duties with the highest levels of integrity, professionalism, fairness and humaneness. It has a surfeit of well educated, well trained, well brought up and cultured officers who strive against the odds to rise above the system, refusing to allow the system corrupt them; officers determined to resist and overcome the institutional constraints and strive to do good at all times. Officers who, although have a choice to do the work ‘the usual way’, but rather choose to always do the right thing. I have encountered and know many of the like. The Nigeria Police Force is a legacy of British colonialism, still retaining the culture and institutions of the colonial Police. The inherited culture of violence, force focus,  repression and corruption were cemented by the nearly 16 unbroken years of military rule which terminated in 1999.  21 years after Nigeria returned to democratic experimentation, the colonial philosophy, mission and operations of the NPF remain significantly unchanged. Democratic policing is yet to take root as expected. Regime policing and protection of the powerful still prevail over service and protection of the population.  The mission and operations of the NPF are still governed and regulated by an obsolete colonial law engendering a faulty and inhibiting system. Only the strong-willed endeavour to live and act above the system. It is easier for good men and women in the police to be co-opted, conform and corrupted by the system than to change it from within. The system makes it easier to do the wrong things than the right. In fact, the system protects officers who choose to be bad than those who choose to be good. Many good officers are victimised for daring to do the right things or just for pointing the right way to doing things – the professional way. While there are many officers who acknowledge that the system is bad and predisposes those inclined to doing things right to resort to doing things the usual system way, yet they can’t stand the way the system operates. These ones become the victims of the bad system. These are officers who, when they see their colleagues, especially, their senior colleagues, who ought to be role models, doing despicable things, such as perverting justice, oppressing the poor and the helpless to please the rich and powerful for personal aggrandizement, discretely alert some ‘outsiders’ such as human rights defenders,  who are in a position to intervene to save the situation. The recruitment process is circumvented leaving room, as former President Obasanjo said,  for ‘criminals and misfits to find their way into the police’. There are some senior officers who are good role models to the junior cadre.  Yet, their are other senior officers who are terribly bad examples reinforcing and perpetuating evil in the system. It is such terribly bad officers, who take advantage of the system, and without any qualms of conscience, abuse their police powers and authority to sell justice to the highest bidder. They revel in bribery and corruption, unscrupulously interfere in every case, take sides with the rich and powerful, compromise investigations and subvert justice. They transfer officers under them who speak or act contrary to their whims and caprices. They are terror, subjecting officers under them under intense fear, forcing them to  acquiesce  and  act contrary to their conscience for fear of being victimised. Under them, corruption is glorified as the fundamental objective, and injustice and oppression the directive principles. Those in this later type are in their great numbers, both at the lower cadre levels and at upper echelon of the police hierarchy. Corruption at the highest levels makes it difficult to achieve change at the lower levels. A typical example of a bad police officer is the DIG in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) at the Force Headquarters, DIG Michael Ogbizi.  Since he was promoted DIG and posted to head the SCID, he has turned that important and sensitive department into a bribe-taking criminal syndicate. He is available for any hatchet job:  ordering the release of arrested suspects and causing transfer and taking over of cases from anywhere and compromising investigations;  subverting justice and ‘killing’ high profile cases, and providing police cover for electoral violence and manipulation.  Typically, when an aggrieved person  addresses a petition to any state command, or any other unit, or department in the NPF, all the accused person, especially when you’re rich and powerful needs to do is run to Ogbizi, ‘discuss’ with him and he promptly orders a transfer of the case to his office where the case is twisted and the complainant becomes the accused, arrested and detained. Most times this happens before investigation commences at the original station where the petition is addressed, or mid way into the investigation. There are many reports in the media concerning DIG Ogbizi’s perverse, unprofessional and discreditable activities. At his level as a DIG, Ogbizi can easily become an IGP. Imagine what will become of the NPF if a man of such perverse and perverted character becomes IGP!! Ogbizi’s activities have dire consequences for the Police. It brings the image of the police to utter disrepute. It negatively affects public perception of the police and undermines public trust and respect. Ogbizi is a malignant cancer that must be extracted from the police system to save the NPF. The Police Service Commission must act fast to stop Ogbizi before he causes further and irredeemable damage to the image of the NPF.

Commander who raised alarm on how Boko Haram was out-gunning Nigerian Army, redeployed

The Nigerian Army has removed Major-General Olusegun Adeniyi as Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole, which represents the frontline of the Nigerian soldiers fighting Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East region of the country. Adeniyi who, had only days ago, spoken out in a viral video, against the lack of weapons and accurate intelligence to fight terrorists in the region, was redeployed to the Nigerian Army Resource Centre as Senior Research Fellow after his outburst apparently embarrassed the military high command. The Nigerian Army which had announced the redeployment of senior officers, had averred that the move was in a bid to inject fresh ideas into the war against terrorism in the country. The posting, which was approved by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai, led to the removal of Adeniyi from his command position in the frontline. In a statement on Tuesday, Acting Director Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, said, “The major highlight of the posting includes the posting and appointment of Maj. Gen. A.C. Agundu from Special Task Force, Operation SAFE HAVEN, Jos, to Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC), Abuja, as Senior Research Fellow; Major General H. Bature from Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Defence Liaison Office, National Assembly Abuja, to Army Headquarters, Department of Civil Military Affairs and appointed Chief of Civil-Military Affairs; Maj Gen U.M. Mohammed from Nigerian Army Property Limited (NAPL) to the Office of the Chief of Army Staff and appointed Special Adviser Nigerian Army University Biu/Deputy Chairman Board of Trustees NAPL, while the erstwhile Special Adviser Nigerian Army University Biu Maj. Gen. C.C. Okonkwo now redeployed to STF Operation SAFE HAVEN, Jos  and appointed Commander, Maj. Gen. F. Yahaya from Headquarters 1 Division Kaduna to Headquarters Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE (OPLD) Maiduguri and appointed Commander, while Maj. Gen. O.G. Adeniyi is redeployed from Headquarters Theatre Command OPLD Maiduguri to NARC as Senior Research Fellow; Maj. Gen. S. Idris from Sector 2 OPLD Damaturu – Yobe State redeployed to DHQ Abuja and appointed Director Liaison. Others affected include – Maj General A.A. Adesope from Office of the Chief of Army Staff Directorate of Audit and Financial Management to NAPL and appointed Group Managing Director; Maj. Gen. M.G. Ali from Headquarters Theatre Command OPLD Maiduguri to Headquarters 4 Special Forces Command Doma, Nasarawa State as Commander while the erstwhile Chief of Civil-Military Affairs AHQ Abuja Maj Gen U.S. Mohammed has been redeployed to 1 Division Kaduna and appointed General Officer Commanding. “Similarly, Brig Gen H.I. Daniel from the Defunct  Army Special Forces Command Maiduguri to Headquarters, Training and Doctrine Command, Minna and appointed Director Army Training Support; Brig. Gen. B.E. Onyeuko is to remain in DHQ Abuja as Acting Director Defence Media Operation; Brig. Gen. N.M. Jega from Training and Doctrine Command Minna to Infantry Corps Centre Jaji and appointed Chief of Staff; Bri.g Gen. L.A. Araba from Nigerian Army Welfare Limited by Guaranty Abuja now redeployed to Sector 2 OPLD Damaturu, Yobe State as Ag. Commander, Brig. Gen. V.O. Ita from DHQ, Abuja to Headquarters 402 Special Forces Brigade Azare and appointed Commander while Brig. Gen. J.A.L. Jimoh from Sector 3 Artillery Brigade OPLD Monguno to Headquarters 31 Brigade Minna and appointed Commander and Brig. Gen. G.T.O. Ajetunmobi has been redeployed from 31 Brigade Minna to Nigeria Army Welfare Limited by Guaranty, Abuja as Executive Director Operation.

COVID-19 :Our Vice Chancellor not infected – UNIZIK

Authorities of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra state Tuesday debunked reports that it’s Vice Chancellor , Professor Charles Okechukwu Esimone has tested positive for coronavirus. Tales around Awka, the Anambra state capital insinuate that the Vice Chancellor was infected by the virus following his association with some top government functionaries who attended the last convocation ceremony of the institution last month. But  a press release signed by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Mrs. Chika Gladys Ene and made available to newsmen in Awka dismissed the assertions insisting the Vice Chancellor is hale and hearty. It read in part: “Much as we would not want to join issues with the peddlers of this story, it has become imperative that we make the following clarifications: “That in the last six months, the Vice Chancellor has not travelled out of the country. “That those the Vice Chancellor had contact with since the spread of the virus in Nigeria have not tested positive to the virus. “That the Vice Chancellor has been discharging his duties as since inception till date.” The release however urged members of the public to discountenance the speculations as they are not only untrue but a calculated attempt to malign the image and reputation of the Vice Chancellor and that of the Uversity. The statement adde that Chinese teachers who traveled home last December were advised to remain in their country pending when a solution to the COVID-19 spread and has not returned to Nigeria since then.

Gas shortage: Blackout looms nationwide as GenCos cut generation

As millions of Nigerians continue with the forced restriction of their movements in the face of the raging COVID-19 pandemic and are expected to stay at home monitoring latest news on the pandemic and other critical developments, there are strong indications that most would experience worsening blackout in the days ahead. Already, gas supply shortage had forced four of the power Generation Companies (GenCos) to shut down while 10 others have been adversely affected as they are now cutting their power generation. Confirming the worrisome development at this time electricity customers’ need stable electricity, Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN’s) spokesperson, Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, in a statement on Monday disclosed that only two GenCos – Azura and Odukpani – are operating at full capacity on the national grid. The GenCos had reported the shortages earlier on 7 March 2020 which was expected to improve 10 days after a gas pipeline maintenance exercise. However, in its latest update, TCN said the gas shortage has persisted till date. “This has restrained optimal generation into the grid and consequently the quantum of electricity transmitted to distribution load centres,” Mbah confirmed. The four gas-based power plants mostly affected by the shortage include Geregu Gas which generated zero megawatts (MW) instead of 435MW capacity; Sapele NIPP GenCo has 230MW capacity but limited to 0MW; Olorunsogo NIPP can’t generate its 112MW, and Gbarain NIPP can’t generate its 112MW capacity. The 10 others are with limited generation due to gas shortage. They include Geregu NIPP which generated 81MW leaving out 354MW; Olorunsogo Gas generated 70.5MW with a shortfall of 195.5MW, Omotosho NIPP generated 110MW with a shortfall of 220MW, Egbin generated 860MW but lost 264MW, Delta II-IV Gas generated 306.8MW and lost 128MW. Others are, Okpai Gas which generated 159MW but lost 291MW, Rivers IPP lost 40MW, AFAM IV-V lost 60MW and Paras Energy lost 30MW. AFAM VI which does not have gas supply problem however has a faulty unit. Mbah further clarified that “with the current situation, therefore, a few of the distribution companies that can pick more load are unable to, because what is generated into the grid is what TCN strives to distribute equitably to DisCos nationwide.” TCN stressed the need to urgently address the issue of gas shortage to thermal generating power plants nationwide to avert serious system disturbance. Source: Economic Confidential

COVID-19: We are starving, quarantined hotel occupants cry out

The Imo state government had confirmed that Fancy Hotel in Umuguma, Owerri West council area of the state and about 41 occupants had been locked down in quarantine by authorities. As such, no one leaves or enters the hotel without official clearance until the lockdown is lifted. What they may not have told the public is the current state of the occupants of the hotel who have been holed up in the hotel since 1:00am last Saturday. Investigations by our correspondent indicate that all may not be well with the occupants of the hotel most of who still do not have exact details of why they have been locked-in in the Hotel against their will.  One of the occupants in quarantine at the hotel who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity lamented that they are not being fed well. “They say we are about 41 here but the only food that has been brought to us was a half bag of raw rice which we are supposed to cook with scanty ingredients, and with neither meat nor fish for protein. How do they expect us to eat rice in the morning, afternoon and night? That is unfair.” The source continued: “From 1:00am last Saturday when the security men besieged our hotel, they told us that medics were coming to test us, but till this morning we haven’t seen any medic. Now some are saying that we shall be tested after we have stayed 14 days in here. “My concern is that we need to be fed well at least. We do not need to starve to death here because we have been quarantined. Not when somebody dies of malnutrition here, they will say the person died of Coronavirus. Some of us told our family to bring us food, that’s why we are still holding up. If they want us isolated, they should feed us well please.” Efforts made to reach the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mrs. Damaris Osunkwo, who is also a member of the Imo State Taskforce on COVID-19 proved abortive as she did not take her calls on the two occasions our correspondent tried to reach her. Fancy Hotel is still on lockdown and this is the second day in isolation for the 41 occupants locked-in in the hotel and the occupants are already panicked by poor feeding of those in quarantine. Meanwhile, the Imo state Covid-19 taskforce has maintained a non-communicative stance without updating the public on the situation – possible and immediate dangers – faced by residents. Unlike the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), there are no press briefings by the Imo COVID-19 taskforce; there is no website and there are no social media handles to convey updates on the status and situations in the state to the public. The lack of communication and dissemination of timely information seems to be creating more tension in the state than they set out to manage.

NNPC loading depots to remain operational, as FG promises product availability

In its bid to ensure that the Presidential directive on the lockdown of some states is adhered to without concerns about availability of petroleum products, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has announced the activation of measures to guarantee seamless distribution of fuel across the country throughout the period of the lockdown and beyond. A press release by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, Dr. Kennie Obateru, quoted the Managing Director of Petroleum Products Marketing Company, NNPC’s downstream subsidiary, Mr. Musa Lawan, as saying that the PPMC workforce has been mobilized to provide loading services throughout the period of the envisaged lockdown. “If you recall, two days ago, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, stated that we have 60 days sufficiency of Premium Motor Spirit. That is very correct. As a matter of fact, we have about 2.68 billion litres of petrol in-country and in marine storage. At the prevailing daily consumption rate of 45 million litres, that translates to roughly 60 days,’’ Lawan stated. The PPMC boss called on motorists and other consumers of petroleum products not to engage in hoarding or panic buying of petrol, noting that the Corporation was ready to provide enough products across the country. Lawan also disclosed that two more petrol laden vessels were expected to berth at the Ports by Tuesday, noting that the vessels would be discharging 250 million litres of petrol. On the recent complaints of non-availability of personal protective equipment against the Coronavirus for tanker drivers by the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Lawan assured that the PPMC was engaging with the stakeholders’ to address the issue of safety kits for tanker drivers. Source: Economic Confidential

Coronavirus and the deregulation of common sense

.By Oluseyi Olufemi   Fela Anikulapo Kuti, renowned Nigerian poet, prophet and priest, in his melodic hymn “Teacher don’t teach me nonsense” best captured the reasons for the present scenario of people’s growing distrust of the world’s established body of medical orthodoxy in the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. While the urbane mind readily accepts the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) claims about the innocuous origins of the virus and the absence of a cure with equanimity, the majority of people are weary of any explanation that denies a conspiratorial cause of the virus or one that repeats the disclaimer, ‘there is no cure’. However, long before this disease outbreak, in all facets of life the world over, people had begun to increasingly dismiss conventional wisdom, creating their own lived truths. For instance, during the American presidential primaries in 2016, the Republican establishment cancelled Donald Trump as a Republican presidential hopeful. They dubbed him a con man of the Trump University fame, an uncouth misogynist, coal advocate, an irredeemable racist and even a child. He was so out of place that when he mysteriously emerged the Republican presidential candidate, the two most recent Republican presidents declared that they would not vote him in the general elections. On the other side, the educated, enlightened, refined and respected political left got busy with fair speeches, brilliant analysis of polls, setting before the free world a classic female candidate to lead America. All the while the American public just kept quiet. Eventually, on election day, they came out and chose the most unthinkable man to lead the free world. But Why? Why did America do this? The whole world was confused. But this repeated itself in the United Kingdom. David Cameron, the prime minister, overestimated the power of superior reason alone and offered his people a referendum on leaving the European Union. The people disappointed him. They equally messed up Lady May, his replacement, as she sought to navigate a sane and safe exit from Europe. They got Boris in there and quickly got their Brexit dream done anyhow. Brazil and other countries did the same. Even here in Nigeria, the country in a moment of mass hysteria threw out a teacher president and his highly sophisticated team and pushed in instead a cool septuagenarian tourist to ruin – sorry, run the affairs of their state. While we may still try to accommodate these political vagaries at the borderline of reason, it is difficult to comprehend people’s disregard for health advise in the face of an existential crisis as the corona virus plague. But the reasons are not far-fetched. Fela had envisioned this present moment of disillusion with received knowledge and defiance of the expert: Teacher, Teacher o no be lecturer be your name Teacher, Teacher o, no be lecturer be the same Make you no teach me I dey go Person you teach finish yesterday he don die o Person you teach finish yesterday he don die o Me and you no dey for the same category … All the wahala, all the problems, all the things wey we think he good for this world he start When teacher, school boy and school girl jam together… WHO be teacher, I go let you know… Na the problem side of teacher and student I go sing about To paraphrase these cryptic lines in classroom English, we may render them this way: There comes a time when the student no longer defers to the teacher; a time when the student actually defies the teacher. Since those who followed the teacher blindly yesterday have ended up dead; it no longer makes any sense to remain in that category of people. All the hardships and problems together with the seemingly good knowledge in this world emanate from the conventional teacher who misconstrues the humility of each of his new set of students as a sign of their utter cerebral vacuity, in contradistinction to his own perceptual superiority. So this teacher dismisses the student’s raw and urgent questions and gives them his own intellectual questions instead, thereby foreclosing their chances to articulate their own original problems or construct a solution for their recurring plights. It is an understatement to say the coronavirus plague is a problem, globally and locally. Yet we have the visionary Fela’s muse that the world’s problems, COVID-19 infections and fatalities not the least of them, arise from a disconnect between taught theories and street realities. For example, recently, a notable medic in the state of Texas in the United States set up a white board on camera and began to do maths with human lives, and she simply demanded her audience to heed her advice on preventions, “since we don’t have a cure for this virus. We don’t have an antivirus drug that works, and we don’t have a vaccine.” And this is the wahala of the literati. They keep studying books but don’t study people. They classify people only the way their books tell them to. People become mere statistics to them – mere figures. They don’t look into the eyes of that person. They ignore the unspoken word. They’ve lost touch with raw humanity. Yet, no matter the height of logic you bring to the table, if you don’t stop to look into someone’s eyes, if you don’t stoop to meet someone in their heart, you’ve lost them. That fine medical doctor knows so much maths but is so ignorant about the fact that human beings no longer have any respect for people who say there is no hope. And this is the wahala of the literati. They keep studying books but don’t study people. They classify people only the way their books tell them to. People become mere statistics to them – mere figures. They don’t look into the eyes of that person. They ignore the unspoken word. They’ve lost touch with raw humanity. Yet, no matter the height of logic you bring to the table, if you don’t stop to look

Funds donated for COVID-19 must be accounted for – CISLAC

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has urged the Nigerian government to ensure accountability and transparency for all the funds spent in fighting the Coronavirus pandemic. In a statement on Monday, the CISLAC’s Executive Director, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, also called for the inclusion of the media and other accountability entities in the utilization of the funds to ensure transparency and accountability. Mr Rafsanjani noted that the recent composition of the Presidential task force on Covid19 was a welcomed decision. He, however, lamented that the committee failed to have a balanced representation, especially in the area of inclusion of media and other accountability entities. “In times of global public emergency, proactive measures to ensure judicious utilization and distribution of these funds are needed more than ever. “Inclusion of media and other accountability entities in the committee would compel transparency and accountability in the utilization and dissemination of managed funds”. “At this critical junction, Nigeria cannot afford mismanagement and misappropriation of public and donated funds,” Mr. Rafsanjani further noted. The non-governmental organization warned that diversion of funds will be a betrayal of the trust of Nigerians. “We on this note have no hesitation to state that diversion or misappropriation of the funds would be tantamount to total betrayal, unpatriotic, unsympathetic and selfishness in the management of the nation’s treasury which are punishable under relevant laws,” the statement noted. Mr. Rafsanjani, therefore, disclosed that the CISLAC would monitor the funds and how it is spent. “While we monitor with keen interest response of various authorities to the commitment of the Federal Government towards alleviating impacts of the newly pronounced lockdown in some states, we demand sincere effort to ensure relief materials and other financial and material assistance are deployed accordingly to citizens irrespective of their socio-economic status with a holistic and transparent strategy to adequately appropriate relief package to citizens at the grassroots level.”

COVID-19: FG sues H-Medix, three others over hike in prices of sanitizers

The Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is set to prosecute four supermarkets and their proprietors in Abuja for alleged arbitrary hike in the prices of sanitizers, hand-wash liquids, disinfectants and other anti-bacterial hygiene products. Court documents obtained by Premium Times Newspaper on Friday named the four supermarkets, which also include their pharmacies as Prince Ebeano Supermarket Limited and its proprietor, David Ojei, and Bakan Gizo Pharmacy & Stores Nigeria Limited, and the representatives, Ray Opia and Luter Irene. The others are H-Medix Pharmacy & Stores Limited, and the representatives, Sandra Ejekwu and John Oluwagbemiga, as well as Faxx Stores & Trading Limited and the representative, Adogah Ahmed. In the statement of claim filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja, the Commission preferred a six-count charge against the four Supermarkets and their owners. The charges against them were for violating Section 125 (1) (a) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018 and punishable under Section 155 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018. The charges included allegations of “false, misleading, deceptive representation in relation to the price of sanitizers, hand-wash liquids and disinfectants of various existing brands on display at their retail outlets.” The other charges included exploiting the national public health emergency of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic to engage in price gouging of hand sanitizers and surgical disposable face masks of various existing brands and thereby engaged in the use of undue influence, pressure, unfair tactics and other obnoxious practices in connection with the supply of goods.” Also, they were charged for conspiracy to unreasonably enhance the price of sanitizers, hand-wash liquids and disinfectants, and make false, incorrect and deceptive representations to consumers in relation to the prices at which hand sanitizers and surgical disposable face masks may be sold or supplied. The four supermarkets were also charged with supplying hand sanitizers and surgical disposable face masks of various existing brands to consumers at a price that was manifestly unfair, unreasonable and unjust; as well as disobeying without lawful excuse the lawful orders and directives of the commission against such practices. In the wake of the viral spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Commission issued statements on February 28 and March 24 warning marketers of dire consequences for unreasonable increases in the price of personal hygiene products required by consumers for prevention and against the further spread. The Commission accused Prince Ebeano Supermarket Limited and H-Medix Pharmacy & Stores Ltd of committing the offences between February 28 and March 6, 2020. Faxx Stores & Trading Ltd was accused of committing the offences between February 1 and March 24, 2020, and Bakan Gizo Pharmacy & Stores Nigeria Ltd February 1 and March 9, 2020. The Commission said the allegations against the accused were discovered following complaints from consumers through various social media channels as well as visits to their Supermarkets and pharmacies by representatives of its Surveillance and Enforcement office. “This unusual and inordinate practice of unreasonably increasing the prices of these products in an indiscriminate manner, on account of the national public health concern (Coronavirus) violates both moral codes and extant laws,” the Commission said. “Abusing citizens’sensitivity, apprehension, anxiety and vulnerability, especially during emergencies that could adversely affect national security is a violation of the law, specifically, Section 17(s) of the Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA)  which prohibits “obnoxious trade practices”, or the “unscrupulous exploitation of consumers”.

COVID-19: Eleven days after sitting with Bauchi state governor, Obiano goes into self-isolation

 Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state has gone into self isolation. This followed the Council of States meeting 11 days ago in Abuja where Obiano sat side by side with the Bauchi State governor, Senator Bala Mohammed who has since tested positive to the Coronavirus. Officials of the Anambra state government have also noted that the governor’s self isolation does not imply that the governor has been infected with the virus, stressing that because he sat side by side with the Bauchi state governor in the meeting does not translate to him contracting the virus. Speaking during the official donation of the sum of N28.5 million by the United Bank for Africa (UBA) to the Anambra state government in support of the fight against the COVID 19 spread in the state, the Chief Of Staff to the governor, Mr Primus Odili noted that he was the first person to meet with the governor when he returned from Abuja adding that ever since, the governor voluntarily opted to go into self isolation. Odili further explained that the governor has been discharging his constitutional duties as the governor and is not in any way quarantined. Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Professor Solo Chukwuzubelu said that the governor is hale and hearty and has been communicating with him. The SSG who said the Governor has nothing to hide declared that Anambra state needs as much as N2 billion to tackle the spread of the virus in the state.  He eulogized UBA for their donation to the state.