Business News
Bulls hit back to support U.S crude oil amid panic sell-offs in global equity markets
U.S. crude rose on Tuesday morning, but a historic fall in its May contract, which plunged below zero, raised concerns among investors
U.S. crude rose on Tuesday morning, but a historic fall in its May contract, which plunged below zero, raised concerns among investors and triggered the deepest fall in Asian stock markets.
Oil traders could not sell the WTI contract for May yesterday, after the scarcity of oil storage facilities turned holders of the oil contracts expiring later today, to compulsory sellers.
US crude was trading at $20.95, up 2.55% as at 8 am Nigerian local time.
In Asia’s trading sessions, the MSCI’s broadest index outside Japan plunged about 2%, as did the Japanese Index Nikkei 225.
(READ MORE: Banking Stocks stop the raging bulls at the Nigerian Stock Market index down 0.01%)
The panic sell-off also came together with more signs of a slowing recovery amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
READ MORE: Two new gold refineries to begin operation in Nigeria soon
In America, the three major indices suffered heavily, as the Dow Jones 30 index dropped by 2.44%, to close at 23,650.44. The S&P 500 index also lost about 0.8%, to close at 2,823.16.
The Nasdaq 100 index, comprising mainly tech brands like Apple, Facebook, and Google, took a hit too, losing 1.03%, to close at 8,560.73.
READ ALSO: Oil prices drop to 21-year low as demand and storage crises persist
Gold futures climbed up as much as 1%, as the panic sell-off by global investors made gold a safe place to place their bets, but by the time the Asian trading session ended, gold futures dropped by 0.22% at $1,710.50 by 8am local time.
Business
Lagos Commissioner of Police dismantles road blocks on Lagos-Badagry expressway
The Commissioner warned the concerned Area Commanders to take action on full compliance as any defaulter will be sanctioned accordingly.
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered the immediate dismantling of all illegal roadblocks by police teams from the command on the Lagos-Badagry expressway.
The directive is to checkmate the illegal activities of the police on that route which have been condemned by the government, some stakeholders and international bodies and also bring sanity and decency to their operations along that axis.
That disclosure is contained in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Saturday, April 10, 2021.
Adejobi in the statement said that CP Odumosu gave the order on Friday while addressing Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers in the command on the general security situation in the state and reviewing the anti-crime strategies of the command in order to sustain its feats on crime control.
What the statement from the Lagos State Police Command is saying
The statement from the Lagos Police Command partly reads, “In his bid to restore sanity and decency to the operations of the police along the ever-busy international route, Lagos/Badargy Expressway, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered for the immediate dismantling of illegal roadblocks by the police teams from the Lagos State Police Command.
The police boss, while reacting to some complaints from the general public and some security reports on the police activities along the international route, ordered the Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers whose jurisdictions fall along the Badargy Expressway; Festac and Area K, Marogbo, to withdraw their men from the illegal roadblocks and embark on aggressive motorised patrol and surveillance to police their areas and the route.
The Commissioner of Police confirmed that the illegal police roadblocks along the route have been condemned by the government, international bodies and interest groups and they must be dismantled without delay,” he said.
The Commissioner, however, noted that other police operatives from other police formations, outside the supervision of the Lagos State Police Command who operate along the route, would be contacted to adjust and do the needful to restore sanity to their operations.
The CP Odumosu then warned the concerned Area Commanders to desist and take necessary action on full compliance with his order as any defaulter will be sanctioned accordingly.
REF NO. CZ: 5650/LS/PPRO/VOL.3/85
LAGOS CP DISMANTLES ILLEGAL ROAD BLOCKS ON BADAGRY EXPRESSWAY
*Threatens to Sanction Defaulters*In his bid to restore sanity and decency to the operations of the police along the ever-busy international route, Lagos/Badargy
— Lagos State Police Command (@LagosPoliceng) April 10, 2021
Business News
COVID-19 Update in Nigeria
On the 10th of April 2021, 84 new confirmed cases and death was recorded in Nigeria
The spread of novel Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria continues to record significant increases as the latest statistics provided by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reveal Nigeria now has 163,736 confirmed cases.
On the 10th of April 2021, 84 new confirmed cases and 1 death was recorded in Nigeria.
To date, 163,736 cases have been confirmed, 154,098 cases have been discharged and 2,060 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
A total of 1.8 million tests have been carried out as of April 10th, 2021 compared to 1.7 million tests a day earlier.
COVID-19 Case Updates- 10th April 2021,
- Total Number of Cases – 163,736
- Total Number Discharged – 154,098
- Total Deaths – 2,060
- Total Tests Carried out – 1,803,177
According to the NCDC, the 84 new cases are reported from 13 states- Lagos (26), Akwa Ibom (16), Rivers (10), Ebonyi (9), Abia (6), Kano (6), Osun (3), Bauchi (2), Delta (2), Edo (1), Jigawa (1), Kaduna (1), and Ogun (1)
Meanwhile, the latest numbers bring Lagos state total confirmed cases to 57,950, followed by Abuja (19,703), Plateau (9,030), Kaduna (8,984), Rivers (6,986), Oyo (6,838), Edo (4,892), Ogun (4,620), Kano (3,924), Ondo (3,226), Kwara (3,120), Delta (2,615), Osun (2,547), Nasarawa (2,378), Enugu (2,259), Katsina (2,097), Gombe (2,034), Ebonyi (2,008), Anambra (1,909), Akwa Ibom (1,794), and Abia (1,677).
Imo State has recorded 1,655 cases, Bauchi (1,538), Borno (1,337), Benue (1,188), Adamawa (1,051), Niger (930), Taraba (910), Bayelsa (871), Ekiti (868), Sokoto (774), Jigawa (525), Kebbi (450), Cross River (385), Yobe (365), Zamfara (234), while Kogi state has recorded 5 cases only.
READ ALSO: COVID-19: Western diplomats warn of disease explosion, poor handling by government
Lock Down and Curfew
In a move to combat the spread of the pandemic disease, President Muhammadu Buhari directed the cessation of all movements in Lagos and the FCT for an initial period of 14 days, which took effect from 11 pm on Monday, 30th March 2020.
The movement restriction, which was extended by another two weeks period, has been partially put on hold with some businesses commencing operations from May 4. On April 27th, 2020, Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari declared an overnight curfew from 8 pm to 6 am across the country, as part of new measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19. This comes along with the phased and gradual easing of lockdown measures in FCT, Lagos, and Ogun States, which took effect from Saturday, 2nd May 2020, at 9 am.
On Monday, 29th June 2020 the federal government extended the second phase of the eased lockdown by 4 weeks and approved interstate movement outside curfew hours with effect from July 1, 2020. Also, on Monday 27th July 2020, the federal government extended the second phase of eased lockdown by an additional one week.
On Thursday, 6th August 2020 the federal government through the secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 announced the extension of the second phase of eased lockdown by another four (4) weeks.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State announced the closed down of the Eti-Osa Isolation Centre, with effect from Friday, 31st July 2020. He also mentioned that the Agidingbi Isolation Centre would also be closed and the patients relocated to a large capacity centre.
Due to the increased number of covid-19 cases in Nigeria, the Nigerian government ordered the reopening of Isolation and treatment centres in the country on Thursday, 10th December 2020.
On 26th January 2021, the Federal Government announced the extension of the guidelines of phase 3 of the eased lockdown by one month following the rising cases of the coronavirus disease in the country and the expiration of phase 3 of the eased lockdown.
On 28th February 2021, the federal government confirmed that the first tranche of Covid-19 vaccines will arrive in Nigeria on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021.
On Tuesday, 2nd March 2021, the National Primary health Care Development Agency announced the arrival of the expected COVX Astrazeneca/Oxford covid-19 vaccines.
On Saturday, 6th March 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari and his vice, Yemi Osinbajo received vaccination against the covid-19 as the State House in Abuja.
READ ALSO: Bill Gates says Trump’s WHO funding suspension is dangerous
