Pope Francis has tested negative for coronavirus after he had a “slight indisposition” which forced him to cancel all official activities amid fears in Italy over an outbreak of coronavirus.

The 83-year-old pontiff was reportedly given a ‘routine’ test after falling ill on Ash Wednesday with symptoms of a cold including a cough, fever, chills and sore throat.

He was given a swab test as a precaution but the results have come back negative, according to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero.

Concerns for the Pope’s health started after the pontiff prayed for coronavirus sufferers on Ash Wednesday, while mask free, and even took time to shake hands and kiss worshippers, including a child, in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

The pontiff canceled a series of engagements last week due to illness, and announced on Sunday during his weekly address that he is canceling a planned spiritual retreat because of a cold.

The death toll from Italy’s coronavirus outbreak has risen to 52, as the number of confirmed cases in Europe’s worst affected country climbed past the 2,000 mark.

The Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has uncovered a criminal syndicate of bankers that specialized in forging signatures of dead bank customers, and stealing from their accounts.

Forging signatures of dead customers of banks.They also execute fraudulent financial transactions, including unauthorised debits of depositors’ funds.

The members of the criminal syndicate, which include, Mbong Essien, Akwa Ephraim Akwa, Precious John, Kenneth Udoetuk and Ubong Udom were on Monday, March 2, 2020 arraigned before Justice Archibong Archibong of the AkwaIbom State High Court sitting in Uyo, on a 23-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, obtaining by false pretence and criminal conversion of depositors’ funds to the tune of N37,690,000.

The management of Fidelity Bank Plc, Abak Road branch in Uyo and 72 of the bank customers had in a petition dated December 9, 2019, alerted the Commission of suspicious withdrawals from customers’ accounts, including that of a deceased customer.

Investigation by the EFCC revealed that Mbong used his position as the Head, Operations and Transaction Service and Delivery, established a criminal syndicate that specialized in perpetrating the fraudulent transactions and deductions.

Further investigations also showed that without the authorization or knowledge of the management of the bank, the defendants managed a fictitious fixed deposit account with interest accruing to it.

Tonto Dikeh has fired back at her ex-husband Olakunle Churchill who in a post shared this evening, asked Nigerians not to succumb to the temptation of some persons who want to use his name to trend. Tonto’s response above. 

Tonto Dikeh Ex husband Olakunle Churchill posted this after he and his ex-wife, actress Tonto Dikeh, came for each other on Instagram

Nigerians are furious with other Nollywood actors and actresses for their failure to assist one of the nollywood finest actors of our time the deceased Kayode Odumosu aka Pa Kasumu when he was very ill. 
 Pa Kasumu, few years ago became seriously ill and bedridden due to some internal ailments that got him bedridden, kept him out of stage for years.

Recall that the ex Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun and Raji Fashola, at a time, came to his aid to get him back on his feet.

The last time people saw the veteran actor was towards the end of last year, when Foluke Daramola celebrated him along other legends. Many people cried seeing his condition that day.

Pa Kasumu died on 29th of February at the age of 67, with tributes pouring in from other Nollywood actors.

Following his demise Nigerians are not happy with the way his colleagues handled his matter with kid gloves.

The back lashing by some concerned Nigerians, thus;

Ojo Badero: All these Nollywood actors are hypocrites. They did not help the man hen he was on sick bed. Now they will be saying rest in peace. Bad people.

Famojuro Samuel: People won’t support ..wen u need help..dere are always to pay useless condolences visit. .he didn’t advert wen he needed help..but gone. Making it know to d public.. wat a wicked world.. Sabi I believe u are happy now…dat is dead. Useless media. God punished u..and ur media… useless… people..only bad news.. Wentin u gain…..

Sacked deputy governor attempts suicide.The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, made this known  on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Monday.

The governor-elect, David Lyon; and the deputy governor-elect, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, were sacked by the Supreme Court on the eve of their inauguration while the Peoples Democratic Party took over the leadership of the state.

He said, “I’m dealing with a former deputy governor that is on the verge of committing suicide. Every day I had to call to find out that he hasn’t done anything to himself. 

Lyon said; 

“Anybody that says it is not a matter of life and death doesn’t really understand the issue. 

“I’m today, dealing with a former deputy governor that is on the verge of committing suicide. Every day I have to call to be sure that he hasn’t done anything to himself.

“If you were here and somebody just said you forged your certificate, you built your life on that integrity and somebody–seven people, five people, all of a sudden bring everything down, that can actually lead to suicide.

“You’re now stigmatised for life as having forged your certificate.

“If you have a case in court challenging the authenticity of the certificate of a candidate, that is a different problem, but if you say you’re going to establish forgery and you have not heard from the person concerned, then you have not established anything.

“You haven’t gone to school or university where this person studied to confirm the veracity of the certificate and from paper evidence, you condemn such a person, it’s really very sad and for me, it is very dangerous.

“Forgery is supposed to be a criminal offence and when you have this kind of situation you have to come out and correct the impression. There was no forgery here at all. There were just variants of the name on the certificate and the Supreme Court went ahead to uphold the judgment of a lower court.”

Lyon who asked Bayelsans not to blame Degi-Eremienyo for Lyon’s removal, stated that the Supreme Court made a decision against the principles of justice. 

He added; 

“We are also saying that the Supreme Court has introduced extraneous things to that judgment. That judgment said that the deputy governor had been disqualified, but that judgment did not disqualify the governorship candidate. 

“Supreme Court went ahead and disqualified the governorship candidate. Where did that come before the court because you don’t give what was not asked?

“We’re not saying that the Supreme Court erred, were saying that they overlooked certain things.”