The arrival of Chinese doctors to assist Nigeria to contain the spread of coronavirus as well as the plan to allow the private sector to manage the nation’s refineries dominate the headlines of Nigerian press on Thursday.
Channels Television and many newspapers reported the arrival of a 15-man medical team from China at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The team arrived in Nigeria in a chartered Air Peace aircraft on Wednesday afternoon.
This Day said the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has vowed that its members would not interact or collaborate with the 15-member Chinese medical team that arrived in Nigeria.
The Nation reported that the country recorded 22 new Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases on Wednesday, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Of the positive cases, 15 were recorded in Lagos, four in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Abuja, two in Bauchi and one in Edo State, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 276.
The Daily Trust said that the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) have aligned with the Federal Government to provide a two-month rebate of free electricity to customers nationwide.
The Punch reported that more Nigerians living in West African nations have started returning to the country through land borders, following the rise in COVID-19 cases globally
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, at a press conference organised by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja on Wednesday, said that 67 persons had already arrived at the country’s land borders.
The Leadership newspaper said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has reported that it would no longer be involved in the management of the nation’s refineries after their rehabilitation.
The Sun newspaper said that amidst concern by a cross section of Nigeria over an early morning inferno at the Treasury House, Abuja, the Minister of State, Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mr. Clem Agba and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Idris Ahmed, yesterday said there was no cause for alarm.
The Guardian said that as some Lagos residents slowly attempt to return to their daily grind, about 78 violators have been arrested and were yesterday charged to court for violating the lockdown directive of the Federal Government. They were immediately sentenced to 30 days of community service with 14 days in the isolation centre.
MM/GIK/APA