Man Imprisoned for 28 YEARS after Woman Dreamed that He Raped Her to be Freed After Another Man Confesses

A man imprisoned for 28 years after a woman said she dreamed that he raped her could be freed after a Denver judge overturned his conviction, saying he would likely be acquitted at a new trial because someone else confessed to the crime.

Clarence Moses-EL, a man imprisoned for 28 years after a woman said she dreamed that he raped her could be freed after a Denver judge overturned his conviction

Clarence Moses-EL was convicted in 1988 and sentenced to 48 years in prison for raping and assaulting a woman when she returned home from a night of drinking. When police initially asked who attacked her, she named the man who later confessed.

More than a day after the assault, while in the hospital, the woman identified Moses-EL as her attacker, saying his face came to her in a dream.

Moses-EL has long claimed he was innocent. But his efforts to appeal his conviction were unsuccessful, in part because Denver police threw away DNA evidence from the attack. 

Police destroyed body swabs and the victim's clothing despite a judge's order to preserve it for testing that could have confirmed Moses-EL's guilt or innocence.

The case inspired legislation requiring the preservation of DNA evidence in major felony cases for a defendant's lifetime. Lawmakers also took the rare step of sponsoring a bill ordering a new trial for Moses-EL, but it was scrapped after then-Gov. Bill Ritter, a former prosecutor, threatened to veto it.

His break came in December 2013 when another man, L.C. Jackson, sent him a letter in prison saying he couldn't believe Moses-EL was accused of raping the woman because he 'had sex' with her at the same time that night.

'I really don't know what to say to you, but let's start by bringing what was done in the dark into the light,' Jackson wrote, according to court documents. 'I have a lot on my heart.'

The letter led to a hearing in July, where Jackson testified that he became angry during sex with the woman and hit her in the face. The woman told police that she was lying down to sleep when a man put his hands around her neck and raped her.

Jackson has not been charged in that case. But DNA evidence led to his conviction in the 1992 rapes of a mother and daughter that happened about a mile and a half away from the first woman's home. There was no way to immediately reach him Wednesday, with records showing he is in prison.

Owner of Minneapolis Restaurant: ‘Let My Building Burn, Justice Needs to Be Served’

Yesterday, demonstrators gathered in Minneapolis (as well as other cities) for the third night in a row to protest the police killing of George Floyd. Some protesters set fire to the Minneapolis Police Department’s 3rd Precinct, as well as to other properties including a nearby liquor store and Gandhi Mahal, a restaurant that a Minneapolis Star-Tribune editor calls “beloved.” It was one of several restaurants in its building that, the paper reports, “appear to have been heavily damaged.” 

Affected Buildings

But it is owner Ruhel Islam’s words of solidarity that are being shared, and not photos of damage. “Let my building burn, justice needs to be served, put those officers in jail,” he said, according to a Facebook post written by his daughter, Hafsa.

Published on the restaurant’s Facebook page and since widely shared, Hafsa’s post asks people not to worry, and ends the update with a message of support for their neighbors. Hundreds have responded with messages of support and pride, with one person writing “thank you for living your public life with such integrity and continual love for your community.” Many others have shared similar comments about Ruhel, an immigrant from Bahar Mordan, Bangladesh, who has talked about issues of food insecurity.

Ruhel’s words have been shared across social media by everyone from San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic Soleil Ho, a former Minneapolis resident, to television host and chef Andrew Zimmern and activist DeRay Mckesson, as a powerful expression of the value of human life over property.

Wife Of United States Policeman Who Knelt On George Floyd's Neck Till He Died Files For Divorce

The wife of Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer, who is charged with murder in the death of George Floyd, has filed for divorce, according to her attorneys, ABC News reports.

Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of Floyd on Friday.

Wife, Kelly and Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin

"This evening, I spoke with Kellie Chauvin and her family. She is devastated by Mr Floyd’s death and her utmost sympathy lies with his family, with his loved ones and with everyone who is grieving this tragedy. She has filed for dissolution of her marriage to Derek Chauvin," the Sekula Law Office said in a statement.

"While Ms Chauvin has no children from her current marriage, she respectfully requests that her children, her elder parents, and her extended family be given safety and privacy during this difficult time."

Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of Floyd on Friday. 

More arrests and charges are anticipated, according to Hennepin County Attorney, Michael Freeman.

Video of Chauvin pinning Floyd to the ground with his knee pressed to his neck set off widespread protests across the United States this week since his death on Monday. 

Many of those protests have turned chaotic and violent in cities like Minneapolis, New York, Atlanta and several others.

JPMorgan Chase Romances Crypto-Exchanges

News broke yesterday that banking giant JPMorgan would be extending banking services to two of the world’s most prominent crypto exchanges. This is significant news considering that the bank’s CEO previously called Bitcoin a “fraud.”

JPMorgan Romances Crypto-Exchanges

One billionaire investor is now explaining that this news is significant, as it acts as a validation of the role that Bitcoin and crypto will play in the future, while also marking a step towards crypto being legitimized on a widespread scale.

JPMorgan extends banking services to Gemini and Coinbase

According to a recent report from the Wall Street Journal, JPMorgan has now decided to take on its first cryptocurrency clients, extending banking services to Gemini and Coinbase – two of the world’s largest exchanges.

Paul Vigna – the reporter who first broke the news on behalf of the WSJ – spoke about the breaking development, saying:

“JPMorgan Chase has taken on two bitcoin exchanges, Coinbase and Gemini Trust, as bank customers, the first time it has accepted cryptocurrency clients.”

This marks the latest development in the banking giant’s winding road when it comes to their approach towards digital assets.

Jamie Dimon – JPMorgan’s CEO – previously went so far as to call Bitcoin a “fraud” before later walking back these comments and noting that “the blockchain is real.”

The bank even released its own digital asset called JPM Coin aimed at conducting bank-to-bank transfers.

The addition of crypto exchanges Coinbase and Gemini is the latest development within the bank’s crypto journey.

Billionaire investor: Latest JPMorgan news is a “big deal” for Bitcoin

The importance of this development should not be understated.

Michael Novogratz – the founder of Galaxy Digital and a prominent investor – spoke about the news in a recent tweet, explaining that it marks a recognition of the importance that Bitcoin, crypto, and blockchain, will play in the future.

“The JPM announcement that they will provide banking services to Coinbase and Gemini is a big deal.  Go BTC.   It is recognition that the future will include crypto currencies, digital assets, and blockchain based systems.”

These two exchanges are well-established and highly compliant with global regulations, so they are obvious first picks for crypto-related clients.

It is possible that the bank will begin extending its banking services to more Bitcoin and crypto-focused companies in the months ahead.

How Unai Emery convinced Arsenal flop Denis Suarez to leave Barcelona, and Snub AC Milan, Others

Unai Emery played a big role in convincing Denis Suarez to join Arsenal on loan from Barcelona – a move that turned out to be a disaster.

Denis Suarez

Suarez, who had played under Emery previously at Sevilla, had an ill-fated spell at the Emirates, struggling with a groin injury throughout his time in north London.

He failed to start a single game for the Gunners – playing just 67 minutes of football in the Premier League – and has subsequently signed for Celta Vigo.

Emery has since followed him out of the Arsenal exit door and Suarez admitted it was a ‘risk’ to even move to the Premier League on loan in the first place when clubs such as AC Milan and Sevilla were keen to sign him on a permanent basis.

‘Unai told me he was looking for a winger — where Alex Iwobi or Henrikh Mkhitaryan played,’ Suarez told The Athletic.

‘It is not my best position but I can play on the wing. He insisted to me, “Come here. You will play. Don’t stay in Barcelona. Play, play, play and then we can sign you”.

‘I wanted Arsenal to sign me but the club were not able to at that time. Instead, they said, “Come here, get the continuity, then when you have a year remaining on your contract, we can sign you”.

‘So, OK, it sounded good. The truth is I rejected other teams: Real Betis, Sevilla, AC Milan all wanted me. I took the risk of going on a loan.

‘I could have signed for those other clubs on a four or five-year deal. That’s how much I wanted it to work at Arsenal. So people don’t know fully what happened.’

Rights Activist Challenges Government On Infected Cases In Lagos Mainland

Comrade Wale Balogun, an activist in
Nigeria, has challenged the Lagos State Government on the number of confirmed cases of #Coronavirus recorded in Lagos Mainland.

Lagos Mainland

The rights activist also challenged the Chairpersons of Lagos Mainland Local Government Area, Mrs Omolola Rashidat Essien; and Yaba Local Council Development Area, Mr Kayode Omiyale, on the steps they are taking to prevent the uncontrollable spread of the virus in the area.

According to the Lagos State Government, Lagos Mainland had recorded over 500 cases of the total cases confirmed in the country.

In an open letter to Essien and Omiyale, Balogun said residents of the local governments found it hard to believe the figures being reported as no member of the council areas was missing. 

He said, “This question becomes necessary because as at April 18, Lagos Mainland was reported to have recorded 114 positive cases while the new figure of 541 cases was not only worrisome but dreadful.

“Residents of our community believed COVID-19 is real but find it difficult to belief that over 500 of them are reported positive without knowing them. Which part or streets of Lagos Mainland is the pandemic more prevalent? Who are the victims that the residents cannot at least notice are suffering from one aliment or the other.

Covid-19

“We are asking this question because Lagos Mainland is a community where we know ourselves because of our close affinity and very close social interaction.

“We are also aware that it is not ethical to disclose the victims because of possible and attendant stigmatisation while they have the personal choice of sharing their experience if and after they recovered from the killer virus. But then, the issue remains we know ourselves, none of us are missing.”

Balogun added that while the residents would not be taking chances by not adhering to safety precautions, government must provide necessary clarifications and enlightenment being demanded by residents of the community on the reported cases. 

The rights activist challenged the political representatives of the local government to make public what they have done so far in preventing the spread of the virus.

He said, “Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency residents will like to know what you have done so far to curb and prevent the spread of the deadly pandemic in our community. 

“Thus, hope our community is not being stigmatised for being the hotbed of Coronavirus pandemic for pecuniary reasons by the Lagos State Government while the local government authorities keep mute in connivance.

“It is our collective responsibility to stamp out Coronavirus pandemic in Lagos Mainland by obeying instructions from professional health practitioners.”

We Are Under Pressure To Declare Fake Covid-19 Case

Kogi State Governor, Yahya Bello

The Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Haruna, has said the state is under pressure to declare that it has COVID-19 cases where there is none.

The commissioner made the claims in a statement on Thursday. He, however, said the state would not succumb to the pressure.

The statement followed a report, which claimed that four persons suspected to be COVID-19 patients had died at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja in the last one week.

He said that as the state commissioner for health, a member of the Governing Board of the FMC Lokoja, and also the incident manager for COVID-19 in the state, he had yet to be informed of any claimed cases.

“There is also a representative of the FMC Lokoja in the state’s squadron against COVID-19/Lassa fever and never for once was any such case raised in our meetings.

Kogi Health Commissioner, Haruna Saka

The commissioner alleged that the aim of those putting pressure on the state was to politicise the situation as they are not happy that the current administration has been scored high by local and international observers on health care.

He added, “First and foremost, it is imperative that the public realise that there is no state government that can deliberately put her people in harm’s way for whatever political reason and the current administration has been scored high by local and international observers on health. We have and will continue to put the health of our people as first priority.

“We have been in an annual fight against Lassa fever as the state is located in the Lassa fever belt, recording several cases with regrettable loses. We were first to establish a Biosafety Laboratory for Lassa fever in Nigeria and this year alone we have confirmed 30 cases of Lassa fever that was duly announced. To accuse the state of a cover-up of COVID-19 cases is mischievous and at best politically inclined.”

Atiku's University sacks 400 staffs

The American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, owned by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has sacked 400 staff.

Atiku Abubakar

The AUN is the second Yola enterprise owned by Atiku to sack staff in five days, after Gotel Communications, a television and radio firm, sacked 46 workers on May 1, Workers Day.

President of the AUN, Dawn Dekle signed the letters disengaging the 400 university workers.

The university immediately issued a statement, however, explaining why the workers had to go.

The Vice President in charge of University Relations of the AUN, Abubakar Abba Tahir, said the action by the institution is part of it’s restructuring for sustainability.

Abubakar Tahir said, “Certain structural elements have been initiated by the new Governing Council of American University of Nigeria (AUN), in response to NUC requirements, mandating the institution to align with an approved governance structure for all tertiary institutions operating in the country.

American University of Nigeria (Atiku owned University) 

“Until now, AUN has operated a student-staff ratio which balance had continued to affect the sustainability of the university. This is clearly an uncommon and hardly workable tradition in all institutions and organizations around the world. Obviously it is unattainable.

“Thus, consequent upon the university’s new Governing Council vote to restructure the institution in line with its agenda for sustainability, a process of workforce rationalization has been in the pipeline.

“It is now time for the university to look back, look around and look ahead, to ensure that realistic and globally competitive administrative practices can be achieved in structure, strategy and focus.”

Madagascar Found Herbal Remedy to Covid-19, President Ignores WHO, Promotes it.

Madagascar has begun exporting a herbal tonic which authorities have claimed is a cure for the COVID-19 coronavirus to countries across the African continent.

There is currently no scientifically proven cure for the coronavirus, despite countries and corporates across the world investing heavily in research and development. The most optimistic estimates suggest that a vaccine will likely not be found until early next year, and even in that case experts say it would require extensive testing to be proven safe

However, according to Madagascan authorities, the African island country has already found a cure – a drinkable herbal tonic, which it is now exporting abroad.

Madagascar’s government launched the herbal drink last month after three weeks of testing on fewer than 20 people, the Madagascar President’s Chief of Staff Lova Hasinirina Ranoromaro said in a BBC report. It is currently being distributed for free to those most vulnerable and to schools throughout Madagascar, with children encouraged to drink it throughout the day.

The East African nations of Tanzania and Comoros are now set to import the product, which is produced from the artemisia plant known for its anti-malarial properties, and has separate preventative and cure versions.

On Saturday, Madagascar shipped the drink to West Africa’s Guinea-Bissau, with the country’s President Umaro Sissoco Embalo at the airport to oversee the cargo, AFP correspondents reported.

Embalo's chief of staff Califa Soares Cassama told reporters that part of Saturday's shipment was to be passed along to the other 14 members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

There was no indication of how Guinea-Bissau, poor even by African standards and politically unstable, would handle the required logistics.

Equatorial Guinea received a shipment from Madagascar last Thursday. The country said it would distribute the drink to those infected in hospitals for two weeks.

                Madagascar's herbal remedy sitting on school child's table

Madagascar claims that the drink is able to cure patients of the coronavirus within 10 days, with President Andry Rajoelina claiming that two people have already been cured through the drink, the BBC reported.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the herbal tea's effects had not been tested, and there are no published scientific studies of the drink.

In a statement reported by the BBC, the WHO urged caution and did not recommend “self-medication with any medicines … as a prevention or cure for COVID-19.”

The Director General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has further warned that there are no short-cuts to finding an effective way to fight the coronavirus.

Madagascar has reported 149 infections of the coronavirus, with 99 recoveries so far.

Tanzania President, Magufuli faults covid-19 test results as disguised goats and pawpaw tests positive

Tanzania's President John Magufuli has dismissed imported coronavirus testing kits as faulty, saying they returned positive results on samples taken from a goat and a pawpaw.

Magufuli made the remarks during an event in Chato in northwestern Tanzania on Sunday. He said there were "technical errors" with the tests.

The president, whose government has already drawn criticism for being secretive about the coronavirus outbreak and has previously asked Tanzanians to pray the coronavirus away, said he had instructed Tanzanian security forces to check the quality of the kits.

They had randomly obtained several non-human samples, including from a pawpaw, a goat and a sheep, but had assigned them human names and ages.

These samples were then submitted to Tanzania's laboratory to test for the coronavirus, with the lab technicians left deliberately unaware of their origins.

Samples from the pawpaw and the goat tested positive for COVID-19, the president said, adding this meant it was likely that some people were being tested positive when, in fact, they were not infected by the coronavirus.

"There is something happening. I said before we should not accept that every aid is meant to be good for this nation," Magufuli said, adding the kits should be investigated. 

On Saturday, Magufuli announced that he had placed an order for a herbal treatment for the coronavirus touted by the president of Madagascar.

"I have already written to Madagascar's president and we will soon dispatch a plane to fetch the medicine so that Tanzania can also benefit from it," he said.

The herbal remedy, called "Covid Organics" and prepared by the Malagasy Institute for Applied Research, is made out of Artemisia, a plant cultivated on the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar.

Despite a lack of scientific evidence, President Andry Rajoelina of Madagascar claimed that the remedy has already cured some Madagascans of COVID-19. Children returning to school have been required to take it.

Chinese Court Declares Ethereum Legal Property with Economic Value

A district court in China has reportedly ruled that Ethereum’s cryptocurrency is legal property with economic value. This ruling follows a couple of other verdicts on the legality of cryptocurrency, including bitcoin, by various Chinese courts. While cryptocurrency is not legal tender in China, people can hold and transfer them like property.

Court Ruling: ETH Is Legal Property in China

The Shenzhen Futian District People’s Court in Guangdong Province, China, has ruled that ether is legal property, protected by Chinese law, local media reported last week. This means that the Chinese are not barred from owning or transferring the cryptocurrency, local publication 8btc explained, adding that according to the court ruling:

The crypto assets represented by ETH have economic value and can be traded publicly.

Details of the Cryptocurrency Theft Case

The theft case involved a blockchain engineer, known by the name Li, who worked at a company called Shenzhen Xinyijia Technology Co. Ltd. in March last year. The following month, he participated in a project called “Haode Star,” a joint venture between his company and Shenzhen Haode Trade Co. Ltd., the plaintiff of the case. Li was in possession of the project’s private key and payment password.

He left his employer on May 31 last year after his probationary period ended. Unhappy with the termination, Li used the Haode Star project’s private key and payment password on June 20, 2019, to log into Haode Trade’s account at the cryptocurrency exchange platform Imtoken. He allegedly stole 3 ETH and 4 million Haode coins. The court also found that on July 15, 2019, Li stole an additional 0.4 ETH from the same account using the same credentials, the news outlet detailed. He proceeded to transfer the plaintiff’s cryptocurrency to his own accounts at Okex and Imtoken.

According to the transaction records provided by Haode Trade, the value of the supposedly stolen ETH was more than 6,000 Chinese yuan ($846). Li has returned all of the Haode coins and the 0.4 ETH he took. In addition to paying the plaintiff 5,536.99 yuan, he was sentenced to seven months in prison and ordered to pay a fine of 2,000 yuan.

This is not the first time a Chinese court has ruled that cryptocurrency is property. In 2018, the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration ruled in favor of protecting an “equity transfer agreement” involving bitcoin, bitcoin cash, and bitcoin diamond. In the same year, the Shanghai Hongkou District Court found that ETH was property protected by Chinese law in the general legal sense. While China does not recognize the monetary properties of cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin and ether, the court said at the time that “we cannot deny the fact that ether should be protected by law as a general property.”

What do you think about the Chinese court’s ruling on ethereum? Let us know in the comments section below.

CALIFORNIA DOCTORS SAY COVID-19 IS LIKE THE FLU. OPEN THE COUNTRY ALREADY!

COURTNEY KIRCHOFF

APRIL 28, 2020

UPDATE: YouTube removed part one of Dr. Erickson's COVID-19 briefing for "violating community standards." Holy crap. 

But someone has re-uploaded the video. Watch it here...
Watch

Listen up, America: it should be great news that COVID-19 isn't as bad as the initial models predicted. Hard stop. The data is in, the kung flu isn't nearly as deadly as the pandemic pornographers hoped. So why are we still closed? Why is the country still shut down? These are questions you must ask yourselves regardless of your To Wear a Mask or Not attitude. Dr. Erickson and Dr. Massihi from Kern County, California, sat down with the press to discuss what he has found about COVID-19 and to go over data that is readily available to absolutely everyone: millions of infection, very low rates of death. These are real doctors seeing real patients. They are not academics sitting in ivory towers. These real doctors are calling to open up the country, and that "sheltering in place" may have made this sucker worse.

These doctors are seeing real people. The data they cited is, as I already said and they said, readily available to anyone curious enough to Google. Sadly, not enough people will want their world view questioned.

I love how they explained how boosting your immune system actually works: not sheltering in place, not quarantining the healthy, not wearing a mask (if you're healthy) and not sterilizing your home. So basically, not doing everything media and the know-it-all buttmunches have suggested for the past 6 weeks.

Suck it, you pandemic pornographers.

We have given up (not all of us, but enough) our civil liberties to fight this disease. But it's as deadly, if not less fatal than, Influenza A and B. Yet the country didn't shutdown — ever — for the flu. Think about that before you tell me I hate old people.

So what the heck are we doing?

Here's part two:

Watch

"If you listen to the word safe, that's about controlling you."

Damn right, sir. This whole COVID-19 pandemic reaction has always been about control. OPINION: Coronavirus Panic is a Trojan Horse for Socialism.

Spread these videos far and wide. Egos be damned. Real lives are at risk not just from COVID-19, but our reaction to it. The country needs to open. It never should've closed. Ever.

CENSORSHIP? YOUTUBE REMOVES VIRAL VIDEO OF DOCTORS REVEALING TRUTHS ABOUT COVID-19

If you weren't asking questions about COVID-19 and the world's reaction to it (specifically how media, governments and Big Tech are filtering information) consider this your wake up call. Over the weekend, a video from two doctors out of Kern County, California explaining the actual data surrounding COVID-19, and what those doctors thought about the virus and what they were seeing first hand, was removed from YouTube for "violating community standards."

The full video has since been uploaded again by someone else, but who knows how long that video will be available before YouTube takes it down again.

This is Courtney's opinion now, but I suggest you download the video as soon as you can before YouTube removes it. Let me give you a few quick points as to what Doctors Erickson and Missihi discuss in the video:

• The data about infection rates for COVID-19 and the fatality rate. Spoiler alert: high rates of infection, very low mortality rates, similar to the flu.
• The secondary affects of COVID-19: how hospitals are near empty, staff is being laid off, spiking depression, higher rates of child molestation, suicides, high unemployment.
• Practices in quarantines and how the COVID-19 shutdown doesn't actually make sense from an immunology and microbiology perspective. Quarantining the healthy is unheard of. Yet that's what we did.
• Wearing masks doesn't really make sense for the healthy. Sorry all you mask-wearers thinking you're making a difference. No.
• The woeful inaccuracy of early models predicting high death from COVID-19.
• How the data we have now about COVID-19, in comparison with the flu, doesn't necessitate our global reaction to the virus, i.e. shutting down entire industries, economies, outdoor areas, etc.
• How COVID-19 spreads: the virus lives on plastic for up to three days. So if you bring water bottles home from Costco, there's a chance COVID-19 is on the bottles.
• Why are we allowed to go to Costco but not allowed to go to work, knowing COVID-19 lives on plastics?
• That it is counterproductive to sterilize your environment as it lowers your immune system. Yet the "experts" have suggested sterilizing everything.
• That sheltering-in-place and social distancing not only didn't help, they might actually make everything worse. Yes, worse.
• We need to remove fear from society about this virus. Yes, the doctors said that.

The video came in two parts. Part one was removed from YouTube. Part two is miraculously still up. In part two of the video, Dr. Erickson sounds a major alarm when referring to another ER doctor in Wisconsin who has similar experience with COVID and a similar opinion. Doctor Erickson says this about "safety." And I quote:

"If you listen to the word 'safe' that's about controlling you."

Bingo.

Ask questions, everyone. Find some answers for yourselves. Stop taking the presidential pressers about this virus as truth. The models Trump cites as reasons to shutdown the economy are false. 2.5M people were never going to die of this thing. The mortality rate of COVID-19 is that of, or BELOW, the rate of the flu. It wasn't worth the global shutdown. No it wasn't. Stop telling yourself it was.

If you don't think there's more to this than keeping you "safe" think again.

Lockdown lifted... I can't allow millions of my people die of hunger and starvation or by causing their businesses to collapse... Obiano

Willie Obiano, governor of Anambra , says he decided to relax the lockdown in the state to avoid social unrest.

The governor, had on Sunday, relaxed the lockdown — four weeks after it was declared as part of efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus.

In a statement by C-Don Adinuba, the state commissioner for information and public enlightenment, the governor said the lockdown had taken an “enormous toll” on the people of the state.

He said in as much as his government has the responsibility to protect the people from the disease, he cannot allow them die of starvation through the lockdown.

“Like every other government, the Anambra State administration is bound to protect its people from the ravages of COVID-19 but it cannot afford to do so by unwittingly allowing millions of its people to die of hunger and starvation or by causing their businesses to collapse through an unmitigated lockdown, “he said.

“The 28 days of lockdown, when all markets were shut down, vehicular and human movements restricted, schools closed, traditional religious services suspended, funerals, wedding and title taking ceremonies practically stopped, have already taken an enormous toll on the people’s well being.

“Social unrest must be avoided. If people in developed nations could not accept more than three weeks of lockdown, despite the immense social safety nets for the poor and the huge amounts paid by governments directly to the citizens who lost their jobs in the wake of COVID-19, we can imagine what the most vulnerable in our society and elsewhere in Africa have been going through.”

He added that although the lockdown had been relaxed, appropriate restrictions still remain in the state.

“Schools are not yet open. Most civil servants still work from home. Burials, funerals, title taking and award ceremonies and marriages are still not taking place because they are likely to attract more than 30 persons in each instance,” he said.

Govs Wants Internal Lockdown Eased, Prefers Inter-State Border Closure and Facemasks. PTF Disagrees, Prefers Extension.

• The 14 days lockdown extension ordered by the federal government will end on Monday, April 26

• NGF has demanded the relaxation in Lagos, Ogun and the FCT
• Buhari will address the nation on Monday, April 27, to decide whether the lockdown would be extended or not

A report by The Nation indicates that the federal government is not disposed to the call by state governors for the relaxation of the current lockdown in the country over the coronavirus pandemic.

Our source reports that the newspaper said that sources said federal authorities are much in favour of partial restrictions in 33 of the 36 states with a view to mitigating the effects of the current lockdown in many parts of the country as against the relaxation being sought by the governors.

It was gathered that the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 which President Muhammadu Buhari relies on principally for advice on the pandemic is not in agreement with the governors that the government should soft-pedal in the FCT, Lagos, Ogun and Kano states. 

he president who is billed to address the nation on Monday, April 27, is said to be weighing the options before him.

Members of the PTF were locked in a marathon meeting on Saturday, April 25, on the format of the partial restrictions to put in place in 33 states without fueling the spread of the coronavirus.

The task force considered the status report on COVID-19 spread in each state of the federation, the input of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and local and international technical evaluation of the pandemic in the country.

According to the report, a top-level source said: “We are inching towards partial restrictions in some states and the Federal Capital Territory. There is clamour for the partial lifting of the lockdown. This is why the PTF is meeting

he president who is billed to address the nation on Monday, April 27, is said to be weighing the options before him.

Members of the PTF were locked in a marathon meeting on Saturday, April 25, on the format of the partial restrictions to put in place in 33 states without fueling the spread of the coronavirus.

The task force considered the status report on COVID-19 spread in each state of the federation, the input of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and local and international technical evaluation of the pandemic in the country.

According to the report, a top-level source said: “We are inching towards partial restrictions in some states and the Federal Capital Territory. There is clamour for the partial lifting of the lockdown. This is why the PTF is meeting". 

"One of the knotty issues is a recommendation by the NGF that there should be internal free movement but with restrictions on large gatherings and assemblies nationwide. But the PTF took exception to partial lifting of the lockdown in the FCT, Lagos, Ogun and Kano states.”

A member of the NGF was reported to have said that the forum was on the same page with the PTF on the input of the governors except for one recommendation.

The source said: “I don’t think they (the PTF on COVID-19) have serious objection except with internal free movement where they believe that we should not relax the lockdown in the epicentres of Lagos, Kano, FCT and Ogun. They may be right.

“We have done our bit by presenting our input. You can contact the Chairman of PTF on COVID-19, Mr. Boss Mustapha for details.”

The NGF in its letter on Friday to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said: “Please refer to the above subject matter and to our teleconference meeting with the vice president on Wednesday, April 22.

"Recall at that meeting it was agreed that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) articulates the issues that it would want to be included in the next presidential pronouncement on COVID-19 so as to have a uniform and coordinated policy on COVID-19 at both the national and sub-national levels.

“Subject to Mr. President’s approval, the NGF would want the following incorporated into Mr. president’s pronouncements: inter-state lockdown excluding movement of essential supplies foods, beverages, medical and pharmaceuticals, petroleum supplies and agricultural products:

"Internal free movement but with restrictions on large gatherings and assemblies; overnight curfews, the lockdown of flights: and compulsory use of face masks/ coverings in the public.

It was reported that the patient managed to escape and sneaked into the Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Maiduguri, where he mingled with his family and relatives.