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Lassa Fever Kills 188 In Three Months
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), yesterday, revealed that between January, 2020 and now 963 cases of Lassa fever have been confirmed in the country.
The NCDC added that within the period, the deadly Lassa fever has struck dead 188 Nigerians.
“Since the onset of the Lassa fever outbreak this year, 963 confirmed cases and 188 deaths have been recorded.
“A National Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) was activated to coordinate all response activities.
“We’ve not dropping the ball regardless of #COVID19Nigeria,” it said.
“Health care workers are advised to have a high index of suspicion and adhere to standard precaution always,” the body said.
It would be recalled that Lassa fever was first discovered about 50 years ago in Nigeria and is endemic in the country.
In Bauchi, no fewer than 19 persons have died this year following the resurgence of Lassa fever in the State.
The state Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela, disclosed this at a press conference held, yesterday, at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Bauchi.
He said no fewer than 48 persons were under watch and undergoing treatment for the deadly disease in the state.
He said, “It is not as if we have gotten rid of Lassa fever completely in the state; No, we have not.
“And so far as at week 14 of our campaign, the total number of death to Lassa fever is 19 and we don’t have any new case so far.
“And we are following up contacts of about 48 persons and those 48 have been confirmed and are under medication and they are recovering fast.”
The deputy governor, who is also the chairman, Bauchi State Task Force Committee on Covid-19 and Lassa fever, stated that the biggest challenge the state has is that there is a low level of awareness among the citizens.
He urged the people of the state to always report any suspected case of Lassa fever in the state, adding that early discovery and treatment could help patients recover.
Meanwhile, Nigeria has recorded another 34 new cases of Coronavirus, with the total figures jumping to 407.
According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 18 of the 34 cases were recorded in Lagos.
Twelve cases were also recorded in Kano, two in Katsina, one in Delta and one in Niger.
“Thirty-four new cases of #COVID19 have been reported as follows: 18 in Lagos, 12 in Kano, 2 in Katsina, 1 in Delta and 1 in Niger.
“As at 11:20pm April 15, there are 407 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. 128 have been discharged with 12 deaths,” NCDC said on its twitter handle.
By Wednesday, the NCDC said that 34 new cases of #COVID19 have were recorded across the country.
According to NCDC, Lagos had 18 cases, Kano 12, Katsina 2, Delta and Niger 1 each.
As at 11:20 pm 15th April there are 407 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. 128 have been discharged with 12 deaths#TakeResponsibility
As at 11:20 pm 15th April, number of states with confirmed cases of #COVID19: 19 + FCT
Till date, Lagos has recorded 232 cases; FCT – 58; Osun – 20; Kano – 16; Edo – 15; Oyo – 11; Ogun – 9; Katsina – 7; Bauchi – 6; Kaduna – 6; Akwa Ibom – 6; Kwara – 4; Delta – 4; Ondo – 3; Enugu – 2; Ekiti – 2; Rivers – 2; Niger – 2; and Benue and Anambra – 1 each.
Lagos has continued to record huge figures.
The state recorded 25 new cases on Tuesday and recorded another 18 cases on Wednesday.
The state has discharged 85 Coronavirus patients so far after it discharged 16 patients who survived the virus on Wednesday.
In the same vein, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) disclosed that it has carried out about 7,000 tests for Coronavirus till date.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, who made this known, yesterday, in Abuja, at the briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19, said that henceforth, it will release to the public the numbers of tests done weekly.
According to him, “With respect to the number of persons that have been tested, so far, we are just around 7,000 but we want to release the numbers and potentially even give a breakdown of what we tested in every lab within the network. We have agreed every Friday by 6pm to announce the number of tests for that week.”
Speaking in an interview on a cable TV, yesterday, the NCDC boss explained that it is doing all within its capacity to increase testing capacity, while urging private facilities to come on board and be added to their network of laboratories, provided they meet its criteria.
He said: “We have been hearing a lot of people say we should test more and sincerely we want to, but unfortunately we have to work with what we have. Every day, we are testing more. We have intensified efforts Lagos and Abuja.
“We are also converting the GeneXpert for Tuberculosis and HIV for Covid-19 testing. The equipment are ready, but there’s been a global bottleneck on reagents. So, we have been working very hard with our partners to unblock that.
“As soon as we have our hands on it, we will include it in our testing processes. These are not issues that money can solve; it is a global shortage of reagents. As soon as we get these in, we will be able to scale radically our testing capabilities.
“With regards to the use of tests kits, a lot of antigen, antibodies testing don’t work. Many countries haven’t started, reason being that you need to have a test that you know works. So, until we get there, we are stuck with this PCR testing. We are now going to move to some high throughput mechanisms.”
Concerning carrying along universities in the drive to add to the body of research on Covid-19, Ihekweazu said: “Universities don’t need to be carried along because this is their core mandate. Nobody should wait to be carried along in this work; everybody should come forward and bring out their ideas.
“The primary institute at the Federal level is the Nigerian Institute for Medical Research in Lagos. You will see their works around sequencing. They have been very proactive around this. They will be leading on the federal side for research, but that is the core mandate for universities.”
In his remarks, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, during the PTF briefing said: “The national testing capacity has been increased to 3,000 per day in 13 molecular laboratories nationwide activated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The target this week is to significantly increase the national testing capacity further; two more laboratories are scheduled to come online in Borno and Sokoto states.
“States have been supplied sample collection kits and are encouraged to develop innovative methods to improve testing capacity such as engaging the private sector to outsource and diversify sample collection sites and improve logistic support.
“This next phase of our strategy, due to the available evidence of community transmission in Nigeria, now focuses on the community. There will be more community testing and social mobilisation at the grassroots to ensure physical distancing and advisories on the use of masks or improvised face coverings like handkerchiefs or scarves over the mouth and nose, to reduce risk of transmission.
“I shall use this opportunity to again strongly advise health professionals against private or secret management of people who have Covid-19 outside of accredited health facilities. We cannot afford avoidable morbidity and mortality.
“Private facilities must obtain accreditation to treat this highly infectious disease. Practitioners engaging in unauthorised treatment of Covid-19, run the risk of being shut down for decontamination,” he added.
President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) said over 17 million Nigerians travelled out between 2023 and 2024.
This is as the association announced that it would be organising a maiden edition of Eastern Travel Market 2025 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital from 27th to 30th August, 2025.
Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone, Hope Ehiogie, disclosed this during a news briefing in Port Harcourt.
Ehiogie explained that the event aims to bring together over 1,000 travel professionals to discuss the future of the industry in the nation and give visibility to airlines, hospitality firms, hospitals and institutions in the South-South and South-East, tagged Eastern Zone.
He stated that the 17 million number marks a significant increase in overseas travel and tours.
According to him, “Nigerian travel industry has seen significant growth, with 17 million people traveling out of the country in 2023”.
Ehiogie further said the potential of tourism and travel would bring in over $12 million into the nation’s economy by 2026, saying it would be a major spike in the sector, as 2024 recorded about $4 million.
“The potential of tourism and travel is that it can generate about $12 million for the nation’s economy by 2026. Last year it was $4 million.
“In the area of travels, over 17 million Nigerians traveled out of the country two years ago for different purposes. This included, health, religious purposes, visit, education and others,” Ehiogie said.
While highlighting the potential of Nigeria’s tourism, he said the hospitality industry in Nigeria has come of age, saying it is now second to none.
The Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone further said, “We are not creating an enabling environment for business to thrive. We need to support the industry and provide the necessary infrastructure for growth.”
He said the country has a lot of tourism potential, especially as the government is now showing interest in and supporting the sector.
Ehiogie emphasized that NANTA has been working to support the industry with initiatives such as training schools and platforms for airlines and hotels to sell their products.
He added, “We now have about four to five training schools in the region, and within two years, the first set of students will graduate. We are helping airlines sell tickets and hotels sell their rooms.”
Also speaking, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NANTA, Stephen Isokariari of Dial Travels, called for more support from the industry.
Isokariari stated, “We need to work together to grow the industry and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
“With the right support and infrastructure, the Nigerian travel industry has the potential to make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy.”