The Basketball Africa League, which was supposed to launch next week in Senegal, has been postponed due to worries over the coronavirus outbreak. This was made known by the  NBA  in a statement on Tuesday.

The cancellation was done after advice from the Senegalese government, following the confirmation of its first case of COVID-19, the second infection in sub-Saharan Africa.

READ ALSO NIGERIA EMERGES AFRICA'S LARGEST ECONOMY AS SOUTH AFRICA FACES RECESSION

12 teams including Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, Egypt, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Tunisia were scheduled to compete. The league is being organised in partnership of America’s National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

Basketball Africa League President Amadou Gallo Fall confirmed the postponement. In his words, “Following the recommendation of the Senegalese government regarding the escalating health concerns related to the coronavirus, the BAL’s inaugural season will be postponed. I am disappointed we are not able to tip off this historic league as scheduled but look forward to the highly-anticipated launch of the BAL at a later date.”

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CORONAVIRUS: INAUGURAL AFRICA BASKETBALL LEAGUE POSTPONED

Following South Africa's second recession in two years, Nigeria has replaced South Africa as the biggest economy in Africa. 

According to the data from Statistics South Africa on Tuesday, while South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product experienced a 1.4 per cent decrease in the last quarter of 2019, following a revised 0.8 per cent contraction in the third quarter, Nigeria’s GDP grew by 2.55 per cent in Q4 2019, its highest quarterly growth since the recession of 2016.

The country’s economic growth rose by 2.27 per cent in 2019, compared to a growth rate of 1.91 per cent in 2018.

READ ALSO THE REASON BEHIND RECURRENT ATTACKS- BUHARI 

Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that the position of any country as the biggest economy on the continent had long depended on which exchange rate is used for the West African nation. Currently, both the official naira rate of 306 per dollar and the weaker market exchange rate of  about 360 places Nigeria tops, according to the report.

The report further stated, “Nigeria’s economic growth beat forecasts in the fourth quarter, helping its economy to expand the most in four years in 2019 as oil output increased and the central bank took steps to boost credit growth. The GDP in the West African country stood at $476bn or $402bn, depending on the rate used.

“South Africa’s economy went the opposite direction. It slumped into a second recession in consecutive years, contracting more than projected in the fourth quarter as power cuts weighed on output and business confidence.

“For the full year, expansion was 0.2 per cent, the least since the global financial crisis, and even less than the central bank and government estimated. Based on an average rand-dollar exchange rate of 14.43 for the year, the GDP was $352bn.”

According to Bloomberg, projections show Nigeria’s economy will continue to grow faster. While the International Monetary Fund cut its forecast for Nigeria’s 2020 growth to two per cent from 2.5 per cent last month due to lower oil prices, South Africa’s GDP was forecast to expand only by 0.8 per cent.

NIGERIA EMERGES AFRICA'S LARGEST ECONOMY AS SOUTH AFRICA FACES RECESSION 

The Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), Garba Shehu, released a statement in Abuja on Monday, expressing the President's  deep sorrow over the attack and killing of several people in Kaduna. 

According to the statement, President Muhammadu Buhari  condemned the recent gruesome  attack in Kaduna state, in which many people lost their lives. He added that the insurgents have resorted to killing innocent people because of the military offensive against them.

The statement further read, “From reports received, it is obvious that these bandits are unleashing their fury and frustration on innocent people because of the ongoing military and police offensive against them in the Birnin Gwari and Kaduru forests.”

President Buhari assured the people of Kaduna State and other parts of the country that his  government would not be forced by the bandits to abandon military operations but continue to deploy all available resources to fight insurgency. 

“These criminals should make no mistake that they can establish a reign of terror on the people without feeling the full might of the government which was elected to protect the citizens,” the statement added.

The President, commiserated with  the victims of the heinous attack in Kaduna State, and sent a strong warning to the killers:

“The criminals cannot be lucky always; we are determined to frustrate and defeat them, and no matter how long they run or where they hide, they would be smoked out and brought to justice,” the statement quoted him as saying.

THE REASON BEHIND RECURRENT ATTACKS- BUHARI 

• Stop Beating Drums of War, BMO to Obasanjo 

Former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s call for restructuring of the federation amounts to inciting Nigerians against President Buhari's government, the Buhari Media Organisation has said. 

The former President called for restructuring at the first memorial lecture of the founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr Frederick Fasehun, held at the weekend in Lagos. Chief Obasanjo advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to rebuff agitation for restructuring of the polity as he warned that it could degenerate into demand for outright self-determination and result in anarchy. 

However, the Buhari Media Organisation accused Chief Obasanjo of beating drums of war and inciting the populace against the government.

In the BMO's words, "Obasanjo’s comments during the lecture amounted to a call for anarchy and must be condemned.” The President's failure to initiate some of the changes he was proposed while he was in the saddle as president for eight years was also pointed out. 

READ ALSO FEBRUARY ALLOWANCE NOT DIVERTED TO CORONAVIRUS: NYSC

“Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, spoke on the issue of restructuring and asked the Executive and Legislative institutions to work towards this. He refused to acknowledge that this matter is currently before the National Assembly of which a Restructuring Committee chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, was inaugurated only recently.

“But it has always been the practised style of Obasanjo to play the ostrich, especially when it involves matters related to the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. He consciously takes effort not to see anything positive in the Buhari led administration.

“The most pretentious, and in fact where Obasanjo’s hackneyed hypocrisy came to play, was when he did not admit his failures as President when he held the reins of Power. He, as President had the opportunity to work with the National Assembly to bring about the reforms he is suggesting today; but rather, he chose to manipulate the National Assembly at every point for his selfish ambitions, and whenever they did not toe his line he used all manners of subterfuge, including, as alleged by many, bribing officials to sack the leadership of the National Assembly.

“This same Obasanjo, when he had an opportunity to work with the National Assembly to change Nigeria for the better, rather sought tenure elongation – a sinister move that fell flat and failed.”

BMO further claimed that by lending his voice to power devolution, the former president was “using the restructuring conversation to sneak in his sinister agenda and find himself relevant among Nigerians. His irresponsible remarks subtly calling on self-determination groups to take up arms against the state. Such calls will not be tolerated by peace-loving Nigerians.

“Obasanjo pretended to mean well when he claimed that he would die for the unity of Nigeria. But in another breath, he urged that elements seeking self-determination take up arms against the Nigerian state.

“We believe that the former President was only using the restructuring conversation to sneak in his sinister agenda and find himself relevant among Nigerians.”

The former President has been asked to caution himself and refrain from preaching violence. 

OBASANJO INCITING NIGERIANS AGAINST BUHARI'S GOVERNMENT - BUHARI MEDIA ORGANISATION 

Corps Members Are FG's Top Priority - NYSC

The National Youth Service Corps has debunked statements going round that  the February allowances of corps members had been diverted to contain  the spread of  coronavirus in the country.

According to the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Adenike Adeyemi, the reports were said to have been orchestrated by  mischief-makers and that the NYSC claims to be  making efforts to apprehend them. 

The body said the welfare of corps members would always remain top priority to the Federal Government. 

READ ALSO GUNMEN ABDUCT BENUE CATHOLIC PRIEST

The NYSC said, “The attention of the management has been drawn to an announcement purported to have been made by the NYSC Director-General, Brig Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim, to the effect that the February allowances of corps members had been channelled into  the fight against coronavirus.

“Every discerning mind knows that the press release is not true and can never be issued by the NYSC DG. For  all  intents and purposes, the false representation by the fabricators of that mischievous post smacks of insensitivity. A global issue such as the coronavirus represents a threat to humanity and should not be reduced to an object of jokes.

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“While urging corps members to disregard the ill-conceived post, the management strongly admonishes mischief-makers to desist from generating and circulating false stories about the scheme. The full weight of the law shall be visited on anyone caught in the act henceforth.”

FEBRUARY ALLOWANCE NOT DIVERTED TO CORONAVIRUS: NYSC 

A Catholic priest, Reverend Father David Echioda, has been abducted by gunmen in Otukpo area of Benue State while returning from Sunday mass at Utonkon, Ado Local Government Area of the state.

Confirming the report, The Director of Information, Catholic Diocese, Otukpo, Reverend Father John Okopopu, confirmed the report and said the victim was kidnapped along Alla-Akpa road as he  returned from a missionary work. 

The Benue State Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Catherine Anene, also confirmed the abduction of the priest to The PUNCH.

The abductors have not made contact with anyone regarding the priest.

Bill Illegal And Unconstitutional, Amounts to Revictimization- SERAP

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), A Lagos based non-governmental organisation has urged the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan to facilitate the drop of the bill that would grant repentant Boko Haram terrorists access to public funds to enjoy foreign education. 

SERAP also asked the Senate President to sponsor bills that would ensure justice and reparation for the victims of Boko Haram terrorist group.

According to the group, “The bill, which has passed the first reading at the Senate, would give opportunities to ‘repentant terrorists’ to receive foreign education, including by accessing funds from the Universal Basic Education Commission, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, and subventions from the government.”

In an open letter dated February 28 and signed by the group's deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said: “This bill erodes justice and makes a mockery of the suffering of victims, and the unspeakable human tragedy, humanitarian crisis, and appalling atrocities committed by the Boko Haram terrorist group.”

It added: “By calling Boko Haram members ‘ex-agitators’, the bill mocks the victims of appalling atrocities committed by the terrorist group, and is a blatant affront to victims’ dignity. Repentant Boko Haram terrorists’ are not ‘ex-agitators’; they are terrorists under Nigerian and international laws. Boko Haram members should not be allowed to enjoy foreign education while over 13 million Nigerian children of school age are roaming our streets.

READ ALSO: CATHOLICS PROTEST IN ABUJA OVER INCESSANT KILLINGS

“Alleged perpetrators of gross violations should not get the benefits at the expense of these and other deserving children. Rather than allowing perpetrators to access public funds to enjoy foreign edu­cation, the Senate should be promoting reparation for victims, to prevent future criminality and ensure the best interest of justice.”

“Should the Senate go ahead to pass the bill, and should the bill be supported by the House of Representatives and assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Registered Trust­ees of SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions nationally and internationally to challenge the legality of any such law and ensure that it is never implemented.”

According to SERAP, “Prioritizing the education of Boko Haram members over the rights of Nigerian children to quality education is discriminatory, as it violates Nigerian constitutional provisions, international and regional human rights obligations, and will undermine national development.

“This bill serves neither justice nor the public interest. The bill also does not represent value for money for Nigerian taxpayers, especially coming from an institution whose individual member reportedly takes home about N182 million yearly, translating to N15.1 million monthly or N45.3 million quarterly.

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“Internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in many parts of the country are in shambles, with people lacking access to basic necessities like food, clothing and children of victims lacking access to basic education.

“Without justice, the seeds of future criminality and militant terrorism will grow. This bill, if passed, would only lead to more terrorism and suffering.

“The Senate should focus on passing bills that would ensure access of victims to effective remedies including adequate reparation, and effective prosecution of ‘repentant Boko Haram members’ rather than rewarding them with opportunities to study abroad.

“Prioritising alleged perpetrators’ rights at the expense of the victims’ rights, interests and needs is discriminatory, illegal and unconstitutional, as it amounts to ‘re-victimisation’. While the alleged repentant Boko Haram terrorists have the right to an impartial and fair trial, they have absolutely no right to enjoy foreign education.”

SERAP TO SENATE: DROP BILL PROPOSING FOREIGN EDUCATION FOR REPENTANT TERRORISTS

President's Silence Breeding Mistrust- Catholics

Aggrieved Catholics bishops led other Catholic faithfuls to the streets of Abuja on Sunday to protest the incessant killings of Nigerians, particularly Northern Christians by Boko Haram terrorists and kidnappers.

The protesters all dressed in black, held the protest on behalf of over the 50 million Catholics and over 100 million Christians in Nigeria, despite the downpour in Abuja and proceeded on a peaceful prayer procession from the Ecumenical Centre to the Our Lady Queen of Nigeria in Area 3. 

The President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Augustine Akubueze, who led the protesters, accused the Federal Government of being insensitive to the plights of victims of insurgency and said Nigerians were tired of the unending claims by the Federal Government that Boko Haram had been technically defeated, even in the face of continued killings. 

He said, “The killing of God’s children is evil; the failure to protect innocent people from the relentless attacks is evil, the lack of prosecution of terrorists is evil, our government’s response to terrorist attack is, for lack of better words, far below average.

“There have been too many mass burials, too many kidnappings of schoolchildren, travellers, invasion of peoples homes, invasion of sacred places like churches, mosques, seminaries.

READ ALSO: NIGERIAN STUDENTS IN WUHAN BEG TO COME HOME

 “We sometimes hear or read of our government sending condolence messages to western countries when there is a terrorist attack which has led to the death of one or two persons. We commend the Federal Government for doing this, but we are surprised that in Nigeria, the Federal Government will not even send a condolence message to families that have suffered fatalities in the hands of Boko Haram. Our President rarely visits or speak to Nigerians when there are terrorists’ attacks.

“Your silence is sowing and breeding seeds of mistrust and the longer it stays this way, the more you lose those who could have given you the benefit of the doubt. As things stand now, it appears only a few Nigerians can defend you with reasons, only few Nigerians can argue that your silence is not an endorsement of the barbaric actions of the terrorists and criminals.

“We cannot understand why the government’s reaction to the beheading of Rev. Lawan Andimi (Michika LG CAN chairman) has not shown that there is going to be any consequences for those responsible.

“Nigerians are tired of reading of such killings as that of an orphan seminarian who was just 18 years old and of a young wife and mother. Nigerians are tired of hearing of the inexcusable actions of the government in their response to these and many other sad cases.

“As we march, pray and protest today, we want all Catholics in Nigeria not to be hopeless, we want Catholics and other well-meaning patriotic Nigerians to stand together and fight this terrorism.”

CATHOLICS PROTEST IN ABUJA OVER INCESSANT KILLINGS 

No Amount of Money Can Take The Place of Home

Isolation for One Month Having Psychological Effects

Nigerian students in Wuhan, China have again implored the Nigerian government to evacuate them as  the novel coronavirus disease continues to spread rapidly. The students  claimed that staying indoors for about a month with little or no human contact has taken its toll on them psychologically. 

While the Nigerian students acknowledged  the Federal Government’s recent donation of RMB235,000 (N12m) to Nigerians living in Wuhan,  they complained that they spent most of the money on food supplies, hand gel sanitizers, disinfectants, face masks, hand gloves, as well as electricity, internet and phone bills.

The outbreak of the disease was first recorded on December 31, 2019, in Wuhan and has since spread across the world with over 86,000 cases, 39000 recoveries, and 2900 deaths recorded. 

“Coming home isn’t and shouldn’t be negotiable. No amount of money can compensate for the psychological and emotional trauma we are going through. We have had none to very limited human contact for a month. The money sent isn’t sufficient as prices have increased significantly. How long would we have to endure this? No one is certain,” one of the students said  while expressing concern that the government had not shown any sign of evacuating them, and it seemed that the government simply donated the N12m to keep them in China.

The students said no financial gesture from the Federal Government could replace that of evacuating them from Wuhan.

“Inasmuch as we received money from the Federal Government, we still want to be evacuated because staying indoors for almost a month now is really affecting us psychologically, coupled with the fact that the virus outbreak is still on the rise,” he said.

NIGERIAN STUDENTS IN WUHAN BEG TO COME HOME

Mrs Rebecca Sharibu, the mother of Leah Sharibu, the Dapchi schoolgirl kidnapped by the Boko Haram insurgents, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of failing in his promise to secure her release. She said the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), called her seven months after the abduction of her daughter and assured her of Leah’s quick release.

Mrs. Rebecca Sharibu, who spoke in London in an interview on the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari did not contact her family until seven months after the pupils were taken away by the insurgents.

READ ALSO BOKO HARAM TARGETING CHRISTIANS TO START RELIGIOUS WAR- LAI MOHAMMED

Mrs. Sharibu said: “I have come to Britain to lay my complaints, I need their help. They should help me; I will like my daughter to be freed from captivity.

“My daughter was abducted among others by Boko Haram terrorists, it was seven months later that President Muhammadu Buhari called me.

“When he called me, he told me that my daughter would returned; that she would not stay long.

Two weeks after the President called, Rebecca said three ministers also visited her home and assured her of the President’s commitment to Leah’s safe return.

“The ministers said they were in my house to reassure me that my daughter would soon return. But since that day, I never heard anything again from the government.

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“My major worry now is for the government to do whatever possible and free my daughter from captivity. Because, I am seriously disturbed, but there is nothing I can do. If the government is doing nothing, what can I, an ordinary citizen, do?”

Leah Sharibu and 109 other female students of the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi in Yobe State were kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents in 2018.While the insurgents released some of the girls, Leah Sharibu was held captive by the terrorist group and was reported to have been forcefully married to an insurgent.By February 2, 2020, Leah had spent two years with the insurgents.

FG NOT COMMITTED TO RESCUING LEAH SHARIBU- MOTHER 

The Boko Haram insurgents and their ally in the Islamic State in West Africa, ISWAP, have changed their pattern of indiscriminate  onslaught on Nigerians, focusing on Christians and churches, and the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has attributed this to constant brutal attacks by the military. 

The minister, who stated this at a briefing in Abuja yesterday, insisted that the unceasing pounding of the terrorists and their allies by the military had forced them to lose territories they once occupied. 

READ ALSO NIGERIA'S FIRST CASE OF CORONAVIRUS RECORDED IN LAGOS

The minister said: “Recall that Boko Haram insurgents did not discriminate between Christians and Muslims when they carried out their attacks in the past. Churches and mosques, Christians and Muslims were attacked without discrimination. When they targeted motor parks, the religion, gender, ethnicity or political leaning of the victims didn’t matter, as long as they inflicted the maximum damage to lives and property. 

“But in the wake of a renewed onslaught by our tireless military against Boko Haram and their ISWAP allies in recent times, the insurgents have apparently changed their strategy: They have started targeting Christians and Christian villages for a specific reason, which is to trigger a religious war and throw the nation into chaos. Apparently, they have realized how emotive and divisive religion can be, when exploited by unscrupulous persons.

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“Lest I am misunderstood, let me repeat: the insurgents, who delude themselves as Muslims whereas they are nothing more than blood-thirsty, rapacious killers who subscribe to no religion, have recently started targeting Christians with a view to sowing the seed of confusion between the two great religions. This did not in any way signify that they have stopped attacking Muslims. But they seem to now have a deliberate policy of attacking Christians.” 

BOKO HARAM TARGETING CHRISTIANS TO START RELIGIOUS WAR- LAI MOHAMMED 

Senate Blames FG for Inadequate Screening at Ports

The Ministry of Health, Lagos State has confirmed its first case of the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This makes it the first in Nigeria and in West Africa, and the second confirmed case in Africa following one recently recorded in Algeria in North Africa.

The case was confirmed in a statement released today by the state Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi. The novel virus has been reported in over 20 countries across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and lately in Africa. And similar to the case confirmed in Algeria, the victim, an Italian traveller, arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday from Milan on a business trip via the Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos.

The statement from the government read, “The case is an Italian citizen who entered Nigeria on the 25th of February from Milan, Italy for a brief business visit.

“He fell ill on the 26th February and was transferred to Lagos State Biosecurity Facilities for isolation and testing. COVID-19 infection was confirmed by the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, part of the Laboratory Network of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The patient is clinically stable, with no serious symptoms, and is being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos.”

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The state government claims to be working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and other  groups to ensure the case is effectively managed. The Federal Government recently released N386million to two health agencies to strengthen Coronavirus preparedness in Nigeria. However, the Senate, yesterday lamented the failure of the Federal Government to ensure the screening of passengers coming into the country from the nation’s airports and seaports.

NIGERIA'S FIRST CASE OF CORONAVIRUS RECORDED IN LAGOS

Nigerian newspapers,on one page.