Bandits abduct worshippers from Zamfara mosque

 

Bandits have abducted scores of worshippers in one of the mosques in Tsafe town, the headquarters of Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

An indigene of the area simply identified as Garba told PUNCH Online that the bandits invaded the mosque around 5 a.m. on Thursday when the people were about to start the morning prayer.

Garba said, ”We were about to start the morning prayer today, Thursday when suddenly they (bandits) entered into the mosque and directed everybody to go out and follow them.

“Everybody scampered for safety but the bandits blocked everywhere and warned us that they would kill anybody who tried to run away.

“I was able to jump out of the window and ran quickly into one of the uncompleted buildings near the mosque where I hid myself.”

Garba maintained that the bandits left their motorcycles far away from the mosque so that the worshippers would not notice their movement.

“They came on foot, leaving their motorcycles outside the town so that they would not attract the attention of the people of the area.“They later marched the worshippers to their motorcycles and took them to the forest,” he added.

According to Garba, the number of abducted worshippers could be more than 30.

He added that “the mosque was full to capacity when the bandits attacked the place and very few of us were able to escape.”

One of the community leaders who spoke to PUNCH Online on the phone on condition of anonymity said members of the Community Protection Guards are on the trail of the bandits in order to rescue the kidnapped worshippers.

Tsafe Local Government is one of the local government areas in the state worst hit by banditry.

The Tsafe-Gusau Road which is 56km has now become the most dangerous spot in the state where people are being kidnapped daily.

Scores of bandits lost their lives a few days ago within the local government when two rival groups clashed.

Two foreigners held for ‘forex manipulation’

 

Two Binance executives — an American and a British- Pakistani — have been detained on the orders of National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu over alleged involvement in foreign exchange manipulations.

Their namIt was learnt last night that the Federal Government obtained a Court Warrant to detain the men for 12 days, pending further investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

They were taken into custody at a Guest House operated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).es were not made available.

The duo allegedly flew into Nigeria yesterday following the Federal Government crackdown on Cryptocurrency exchange. The government plans to ban Cryptocurrency trading owing to alleged sharp practices through their websites.

Speaking on Tuesday after the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Dr. Olayemi Cardoso, claimed that billions of dollars had passed through the channel from unidentified sources.

The CBN boss said: “In the case of Binance, in the last one year alone, $26 billion passed through Binance Nigeria from sources and users who we cannot adequately identify.

“We are concerned that certain practices go on that indicate illicit flows going through a number of these entities and suspicious flows, at best.”

The NSA has asked Binance to provide the data on its operations in Nigeria in the past seven years.

The arrested executives declined a request to delete all Nigerian information from their platform, insisting that they would not do so until they are taken to their (countries’) embassies.

Boat mishap: 75% of boats on Lagos waterways not seaworthy – NIWA

 

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has lamented that 75% of the boats operating on Lagos waterways are not seaworthy.

The agency stated this following recent boat mishaps on the state waterways, which have resulted in the deaths of some persons.

Addressing reporters on Wednesday, NIWA’s Lagos Area Manager Sarat Braimah said that the boat accidents were mainly human errors, from boat operators to captains, jetty owners, and passengers.

She also noted that, with the majority of the boats not in good condition, there’s a high chance of developing a fault in the middle of the waterways while ferrying passengers. She, however, added that the agency had put in some conditions for boat operators to meet or forget about the ferry business.

Her words: “What NIWA wants to do now is to sanitise those boat operators. We cannot wait until accidents happen again. From the two major accidents that happened this year, we have been able to analyse our investigations, and we discovered that it was due to human errors. What I mean by human errors is down to the maintenance of the boats.

“Most times, boat engines will go off mid-stream because of the speed the boat captains need. They won’t get it on the channel. So, they will move out of the channel to go to the shallow area so that they can maintain speed.

“As I speak to you, our Marine Unit is in Ikorodu. I have embargoed boat movements in Ikorodu except for those certified.

“Yesterday, we certified 10 boats, and only those 10 boats will operate for now. For other boats, we have instructed the operators to bring them down to our office here in Marina. We are not even going to Ikorodu to do the inspection.

“Most of the boats,” she added, “have a single hull, and these single hull boats cannot withstand stress. Any single hit on the waterways, they will tumble. This is why some of them will hit a little pipe on the waterways and they will tumble. I have been inside a boat where we hit a wreck and the boat did not capsize because it had a double hull.

“Majorly, we have to scrap these boats. About 75 per cent of them are not seaworthy. The time they bought the boats, registered them, maintained them – even the maintenance has dropped – and their life span too has dropped.

“So, we want to know if it is 20 boats that are fit to operate from Ikorodu, Ibese jetty; let it be so. If it is 20 in Ebute, let it be so.“The owners of the jetty are also part of the problem because they know that the fewer the number of boats, the smaller the money they make. But we don’t care about how much a jetty makes. If it’s just 10 boats that are certified fit, let them pay for jetty use. I’m not targeting anybody; we are just after safety.”

More than 20 dead in migrant shipwreck off Senegal

 

Rescuers pulled more than 20 bodies from the sea off northern Senegal on Wednesday after a Europe-bound boat loaded with migrants sank, a regional governor told AFP, with fears rising for the missing.

“A little more than 20 bodies” had been found, Saint-Louis regional governor Alioune Badara Samb said by telephone, adding that another 20 people had been saved.

“Since the afternoon, we have been witnessing lifeless bodies wash up,” he said, with local rescuers and the navy searching for survivors after nightfall.

Badara Samb did not say how many passengers were aboard the vessel but survivors told AFP that the number could have been in the hundreds.

Mamady Dianfo, a survivor from Casamance in the far south of the country, said there were about 300 passengers when the boat left Senegal a week ago.

Another survivor, Alpha Balde, spoke of 200 passengers.

Dianfo said the vessel reached Morocco, where the captain said he was lost and could no longer continue the journey.

“We asked him to take us back to Senegal,” he added, saying the accident happened in the notoriously dangerous waters off Saint-Louis.

Senegal’s coasts are an increasingly common departure point for African migrants heading to the Spanish Canary Islands, their port of entry into Europe.

According to EU border agency Frontex, Senegal and Morocco are the most common nationalities of migrants arriving on the Atlantic archipelago.

In 2023, the number of migrants reaching the Canaries tripled to almost 40,000, the Spanish government said.

Security situation getting better, not worse, says Police

 

The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, Muyiwa Adejobi, says the security situation in Nigeria is getting better.

“The security situation is getting better; I don’t agree that it is getting worse. It is improving,” Adejobi told newsmen in Ibadan on Wednesday.

He stated this in Ibadan for the presentation of awards to the overall winner of boxing and archery competitions in the 14th Biennial Nigeria Police Game (BIPOGA 2024).

He said that most of the unfortunate incidents of insecurity being circulated on social media were old stories.

“They are being recycled to make people believe they are new or current incidents. Actually, they are not.

“You cannot see any conventional media house publishing these stories the way we have them on social media.

“The security situation in Nigeria is not bad. Let us always analyse the situation based on empirical facts and not just on speculation,” he said.

Adejobi said that the Nigeria Police Force collates data and has information on the security situation from all its offices.

“We shall tell Nigerians if the security situation is worrisome.

“We have issued statements to tell Nigerians that most of the kidnapped cases were fake and have given instances and even paraded some suspects for Nigerians to know.

“It is not in all situations that these incidences are real; some people fake and plan kidnappings to get ransom from their families.

“Let us always differentiate between the real and staged kidnapping,” he said.

Adejobi said that the force was not denying the fact that there are isolated cases of incidences of insecurity, but pointed out that the force had arrested and neutralised many kidnappers.

He said that the police and other security agencies in Nigeria would continue to collaborate towards securing the country. (NAN)

Ghana parliament passes anti-LGBTQ bill

 

Ghana’s parliament voted to pass a controversial bill to severely restrict LGBTQ rights on Wednesday in a move condemned by activists.

The bill still has to be validated by the president before becoming law, which observers believe is unlikely before a general election in December.

Activist groups have called the “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values” bill a setback for human rights and urged President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government to reject it.

But the bill is widely supported in Ghana, where Akufo-Addo has said gay marriage will never be allowed while he is in power.

Commonly referred to as the anti-gay bill, the sweeping legislation received sponsorship from a coalition comprising Christian, Muslim and Ghanaian traditional leaders, and passed through an unopposed voice vote.

Gay sex is already illegal in the religious West African nation, but while discrimination against LGBTQ people is common no one has ever been prosecuted under the colonial-era law.

Under the provisions of the bill, same-sex relations could be punished with imprisonment ranging from six months to three years.

Those advocating for LGBTQ rights could be subject to harsher penalties, with potential jail terms of three to five years.

UN rights chief Volker Turk condemned the passing of the bill.

“I call for the bill not to become law,” he said. “Consensual same-sex conduct should never be criminalised.”

He warned that such measures can expose people to hate crimes, and urged the government to “ensure everyone can live free from violence, stigma and discrimination, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

In Washington, the US State Department said it was “deeply troubled” by the legislation is it would “threaten all Ghanaians’ constitutionally protected freedoms of speech, press, and assembly.”

“Limiting the rights of one group in a society undermines the rights of all,” agency spokesman Matt Miller said in a statement.

A human rights coalition known as the Big 18, an umbrella group of lawyers and activists in Ghana, has also criticised the bill.

“You cannot criminalise a person’s identity and that’s what the bill is doing and it’s absolutely wrong,“We want to impress on the president not to assent to the bill, it totally violates the human rights of the LGBT community,” Manuh told AFP.

Opposition lawmaker Sam George, the main sponsor of the bill, called on Akufo-Addo to assent to it.

“There is nothing that deals with LGBTQ better than this bill that has been passed by parliament. We expect the president to walk his talk and be a man of his words,” George said.

Members of Ghana’s LGBTQ community are worried about the implications of the bill.

Founder and director of the organisation LGBT+ Rights Ghana Alex Donkor said “the passing of this bill will further marginalise and endanger LGBTQ individuals in Ghana.”” said Takyiwaa Manuh, a member of the coalition.

“It not only legalises discrimination but also fosters an environment of fear and persecution,” he said.

“With harsh penalties for both LGBTQ individuals and activists, this bill threatens the safety and well-being of an already vulnerable community.”

Around 30 African countries currently ban homosexuality, according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA).

Uganda, Mauritania and several northern Nigerian states punish same-sex relations extremely harshly, with those accused possibly facing the death penalty.

South Africa is the only nation on the continent to allow gay marriage, which it legalised in 2006.

Same-sex relations have been decriminalised in only a handful of countries: Cape Verde, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Mozambique, and the Seychelles, according to the ILGA.

Buhari destroyed Nigeria’s economy, he’s responsible for current hardship – Shehu Sani

 

A former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central in the Senate, Senator Sani Shehu, has claimed that former President Muhammadu Buhari destroyed Nigeria’s economy, saying the former president is responsible for the current economic hardship in the country.

Sani stated this in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday.

He said some of the economic policies that President Bola Tinubu is implementing now, which triggered the economic hardship, should have been implemented by Buhari.

The Kaduna senator said former President Buhari failed to implement the policies, which consequently allowed the economy to deteriorate.

Sani said, “We must be very factual and realistic with ourselves; the problem we find ourselves today, originated, was engineered, fabricated and sustained by the Buhari administration.

“The Buhari administration, institutionally, fundamentally destroyed the Nigerian economy,” he added.

Sani absorbed Tinubu’s blame for the current situation, noting that, having said he (Tinubu) would implement the policies he has implemented so far during the campaign, Tinubu did not deceive Nigerians.

He said, “When Tinubu took over, he knows there is not going to be subsidy and to be realistic, he was very frank during his campaign. I am going to remove subsidy and whatever protest that will come out of it I will not back down’ and then people went ahead and voted for him, so he has not deceived Nigerians.

“Now he is in power, we are paying the price for the mistake of the past, for the failure of the past and for what we have refused to do in the past, so this is the reality,” he said.

Recall that some Nigerians in some states have taken to the streets to protest the situation over the economic hardship occasioned by some of Tinubu’s policies, especially the removal of petrol subsidy and the unification of forex rate.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) also joined the protest over hardship on Tuesday with a nationwide action.

Japa: FG recruits 2,497 doctors, others in six months

 

                                             Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate        

        The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Alli Pate, on Wednesday, said the Federal Government has recruited 2,497 doctors, midwives, nurses, and Community Health Extension Workers in the last six months to bridge the manpower shortage in the health sector.

Prof Pate disclosed this on Wednesday at the third edition of the ministerial press briefing series initiated by the Ministry of Information in Abuja.

The briefing series was initiated to provide a platform for public officials to reel out their achievements and apprise Nigerians of the challenges of governance.

Nigeria with a low doctor-population ratio, is experiencing a massive exodus of physicians. The PUNCH reported that at the end of 2023, 1,417 resident doctors moved to the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

       The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria also stated that nine out of every 10 medical and dental consultants were leaving the country.

Poor remuneration, rising insecurity, inadequate diagnostic facilities, unconducive work conditions, and economic conditions are some of the reasons for the mass exodus.

Pate, however, said President Bola Tinubu had made remarkable strides made in enhancing healthcare accessibility, affordability, and quality.

He noted that the government has prioritised the revitalisation of primary healthcare facilities, and ensuring they are adequately equipped and staffed to provide essential services to communities.

“Through sustained investment and strategic partnerships, we have expanded access to vital healthcare services, particularly in rural and underserved areas, improving health outcomes and reducing the burden of preventable diseases.

“As a result of our efforts, we have recorded an increase in the proportion of women who attend antenatal care. Over 550,000 women now attend their first antenatal care and are armed with the right information and care to improve their pregnancy outcomes and reduce maternal and child mortality.

“The achievements we have recorded signal progress and improvements. To sustain and continue to build on these gains, in the last six months, the Government of Nigeria recruited 2,497 Doctors, Midwives/Nurses, and CHEWs to bridge the gaps due to attrition. An additional 1,400 health facilities now have Skilled Birth Attendants to assist in deliveries at the health facilities. This has increased the number of health facility deliveries to as high as 230,000 deliveries per month.”

The minister also announced the FG will be releasing N50 billion as the first tranche of the Basic Healthcare Fund, a significant increase from N25bn allocated in 2022.

“This infusion of funds will breathe new life into our primary healthcare facilities, ensuring that quality care is accessible to all citizens,” he said.

Tinubu to visit Akeredolu’s family, Fasoranti in Ondo

 

                                             President Bola Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu is expected to arrive in Ondo State soon for a condolence visit to the family of the late governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, in Owo.

It was also learnt that the President would visit the Olowo of Owo Kingdom, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, after which he will visit the national leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, in Akure, the state capital.

The President is expected to make the visit in the company of the state governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa and some national and state leaders of the All Progressives Congress.

Some chieftains of Afenifere are already seated at Fasoranti’s residence, expecting the President.

There is already a heavy presence of armed security men in Akure and Owo communities in preparation for the President’s visit.

Kwara police rescue two kidnapped victims, arrest five suspects

 

Officers of Kwara State Police Command, in conjunction with local hunters in Alo village, Ifelodun local government area of the state, have rescued two kidnapped victims, killed one of the suspects, and arrested five others in a recent kidnapping attack on the village.

The suspects in police custody include Ibrahim Muazu (30), Asimu Salisu (25), Aminu Alaka (25), Aminu Temino (20), and Zakariyau Suleiman (20).

Vanguard Correspondent reliably gathered that during the brazen attack by the kidnappers on the camp of Alhaji Taofio Fulani in Alo Village, Ifelodun LGA, on Saturday evening, three persons were initially abducted and taken to an unknown destination.

It was further gathered that though one of the victims escaped, prompt intervention of the police and support of the local hunters led to the rescue of two other victims and the arrest of the suspects, during which one of them was killed.

Ammunitions recovered from the suspects include two fabricated locally made guns, twelve 7.62mm AK47 live ammunition, eight expended 7.62mm AK47 ammunition, one empty magazine, one cutlass, and several plugs.

According to the Spokesperson of the Command, Ejire Adetoun Adeyemi, who confirmed the incident in a statement made available to journalists in Ilorin:’

“Swift responses by police operatives and vigilantes resulted in a coordinated search operation in the surrounding bush.

“As a result, one Babangida Soliu ‘M’ narrowly escaped from the kidnappers, while two victims, Halimat Umaru ‘F’ and Husseinat Isiaka ‘F’, both aged 20 years, were successfully rescued unharmed. They have since been reunited with their families.

“In further pursuit of the kidnappers and the ensuing gun duel, one of the perpetrators, whose identity is yet to be confirmed, was neutralised.

“In addition, two suspects, Saidu Soliu and Soliu Abass, sustained serious injuries and were promptly taken to the hospital for medical treatment.”

Adetoun also said in the statement that the case is currently under investigation and assured the public that every effort is being made to ensure the perpetrators face the full wrath of the law.

CBN plans tough sanctions for banks

 

                                             CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, has vowed to pursue an aggressive regulatory environment to reduce infractions in the country’s banking system.

He said this on Tuesday in Abuja at the Monetary Policy Committee meeting of the apex bank, the first since he assumed office in September 2023.

He also stated that an in-depth investigation was underway to determine the necessary actions against banks involved in infractions, stressing that the bank was in the process of formulating “stringent regulations” to cleanse and purify the country’s foreign exchange market.

The governor, responding to questions on steps taken to promote trading on the foreign exchange market, also revealed that its foreign reserves increased to $34bn as of February 20, up by $2bn from the $32.23bn recorded at the end of January.

The naira has depreciated to an all-time low since the new administration floated the currency and unified the exchange rate windows.

The Nigerian currency weakened from over N700/$1 in May 2023 to over N1,500/$1 on Tuesday.

However, Cardoso said that the apex bank was moving to a “very aggressive regulatory environment”, adding that the CBN would do all within its powers to curb arbitrage aided by banks and BDCs.

He said, “What we are doing at the moment is a collaboration between the central bank and the law enforcement agencies to ensure that we can understand better what is going on in the market and where infractions are taking place. They will be speedily dealt with.

“Now, I must say that we are moving as far as the central bank is concerned, we are moving to a very aggressive regulatory environment, where those policies have been coming out, as you can see, and tolerance for people not to abide by the regulations that are coming out and to comply is zero.

“People will have to abide by those regulations, and those that do not will face the consequences. I can assure you that a very thorough exercise is going on to identify what needs to be done on banks aiding infractions. And once we come out with the outcome of those, it is not something that we will keep to ourselves. We will advise you accordingly and we will do what we have to do.”

According to Cardoso, the apex bank would continue to make the market more liquid and to ensure that those who are genuine and want to abide by the rules and regulations that have been set by the central bank will be free to do so, adding that those who do not should be ready to face the consequences.

“Gross external reserves stood at $34.51bn on February 20, 2024, compared with $32.23bn at the end of January 2024. The improvement was driven by reforms in the foreign exchange market and an increase in oil production amongst others in the global economy,” he disclosed.

Cardoso revealed that the apex bank had paid another $400m out of $2.2bn of valid FX backlog to those who were genuinely identified.

According to the CBN governor, the bank will work to restore the confidence of the public and remains committed to its FX backlog to businesses being owed.

He stated, “In terms of the backlog, we are committed to clearing the backlog of identified and genuine requests that are pending. We are committed to doing that and I can tell you that just today, we paid out $0.4bn to those that were identified, and we are committed to continuing doing so in one form or the other to those genuinely identified and proven cases.”

The CBN had a $7bn FX backlog when Cardoso assumed office as the apex bank governor on September 15, 2023.

However, the CBN governor stated in an interview that the legitimate FX obligation of the bank stood at over $4bn and the bank had cleared around $2.3bn with about $2.2bn remaining.

Also, the Governor stated that around $2.4bn of FX claims were not valid after the bank instituted a forensic audit of the claims.

 Reiterating his stance on the suspension of intervention programmes and loans by the bank, the former Lagos State Finance Commissioner, said, “Interventions have two dysfunctions as far as I am concerned, from the central bank space. One is that it takes away a lot of your time for something that really and truly you do not have the expertise to do. And two, it also, if not carefully handled, creates a lot of distortions in your economy through the inflow of money supply. The interventions that took place in the recent past were estimated in excess of N10tn.

“I am not talking about ways and means. I am talking about interventions, over N10tn. What was the budget of the Federal Government of Nigeria? What was the budget of the largest state in Nigeria? Do the math and it will tell you the extent of damage. Too much of what may appear to be good things can do (harm) to an economy. So, for me, it is a major issue.”

Army rewards officers for rejecting N1.5m bribe

 

The Military Special Task Force in charge of maintaining peace in Plateau State has rewarded eight personnel of Operation Safe Haven for rejecting N1.5m bribe from suspected cattle rustlers in the state.

A statement by the spokesman for the task force, Capt. Oya James, said the eight personnel, deployed at OPSH Sector 4, intercepted 30 rustled cows belonging to one Shehu Umar at Bisichi checkpoint in Barkin Ladi local government area of the state.

He added that the cattle were rustled in Mangu and were being transported to an undisclosed location when troops of the task force on a stop-and-search operation intercepted them.

According to the statement, “the occupants of the vehicle, Anas Usman, 20 years old, and Gyang Cholly, 42 years old, immediately approached the troops in a bid to bribe them and secure a security pass for the stolen cattle.

“The monetary plea was rejected and the suspects were arrested, as well as the money offered for the bribe.”

According to the statement, the commander, Operation Safe Haven, Maj. Gen. Abubakar, while presenting a cash reward to the distinguished personnel, urged other security personnel to continually exemplify good conduct and bravery in the discharge of their responsibilities.

“Represented by the Chief of Staff OPSH, Brig. Gen. M.O. Agi, the commander further charged them to emulate the excellent conduct of the eight personnel,” the statement said.

Hardship: Tinubu not responsible for economic woes – Ambode

 

Former Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has said President Bola Tinubu is not the originator of the current economic challenges in Nigeria.

He said Nigerians need to face the current hardship and economic challenges frontally.

The former governor said this when he addressed attendees at the 2024 Leadership Colloquium and Award hosted by the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation (AAF) at Alliance Francaise in Lagos.

The ex-governor said citizens would continue the blame game if they do not understand the fundamentals of the problems facing the country.

“It has nothing to do with the singular person called Mr President; but if we don’t understand the fundamentals, we will start playing the blame games. We need to face our problems frontally,” he said.

“The major issue is that we are even tired of not fixing our issues. Now, we have found somebody that has decided in person of President Tinubu.

“Until we decide ourselves to say that we should unite for the common cause called Nigeria, the security issues will not go.

“We don’t have to wake up in the morning and talk ill of Nigeria. We get what we profess about Nigeria.”

Tension as Enugu College of Education sacks 95 workers

 

At least 95 staff members of the Enugu State College of Education Technical, ESCET, have been sacked, DAILY POST learnt.

The development was communicated to the affected staff members on Tuesday by the Registrar of the College, Mr Pat Aneke.

A source at the meeting said the sack was blamed on alleged irregularities in the employment of the workers who have served for three years.

One of the workers, who spoke under anonymity, said tension has enveloped the institution, with the development coming amid the hardship being experienced in the country.

“We were informed today, (Tuesday) that a government implementation committee is carrying out the recommendations of an investigative committee earlier set up.

“By this action, they said 95 workers, both academic and non-academic employed in 2021 have been sacked.

“The management said letters will be made available to the affected staff members today, Wednesday.

“It was received with huge shock, with some people collapsing upon getting the news. There is tension all over the college.”

While describing the development as heartbreaking, the worker, who spoke under anonymity, said they were being owed several months of salary areas.

“All these while, we have been forced to bear the brunt of unpaid salaries in a country ravaged by economic turmoil and hyperinflation, where every naira counts.

“Now, they want to terminate our job after three years; the weight of this injustice is crushing.

“Imagine the despair of those who have diligently served their institution, sacrificing their time, energy, and expertise, only to be met with this injustice,” he lamented.

Meanwhile, one of the affected workers has appealed to Governor Peter Mbah to come to their aid.

He told our correspondent that “we are mothers, fathers, breadwinners, whose livelihoods have been snatched away.

“We are appealing to the government to rescind this decision. We are begging Governor Peter Mbah to consider the economic situation in the country and halt this action by the implementation committee.”

Man kills father, removes eye for suspected Yahoo Plus in Umuahia

 

A 27-year-old man, Chinalu Ogbonna has been apprehended in Umuahia, Abia State by the police for killing his father.

Chinalu, who is suspected to be engaging in ‘Yahoo Plus’, was said to have strangled his 57-year-old father, Mmaduka Ogbonna, at their residence at Umueze Road, Umuahia, before removing his father’s left eye with the intention of using it for money ritual.

Confirming the ugly development to journalists, the spokesperson of the Abia State Police Command, ASP Maureen Chinaka said a murder case involving Mmaduka Ogbonna, a 57-year-old male, allegedly killed by his son was reported to the Central Police Station (CPS) on Monday at about 0800hrs.

According to Chinaka:

“Detectives from CPS Umuahia visited the crime scene and found the deceased’s lifeless body with his left eye gouged out.

“The suspect, Chinalu Ogbonna, a 27-year-old male residing with his father at Umueze Road, opposite Junior Girls Secondary School Amuzukwu Ibeku, has been apprehended.

“Investigations revealed that he strangled his father to death and intended to use his left eye for money rituals. The corpse has been deposited at the morgue for autopsy and exhibits have been recovered.”

The Police PPRO added that “the case is currently under investigation and will be charged to court.”

DAILY POST recalls that a man, Marcel Udeh, from Umunneochi LGA, over the weekend, killed his son for allegedly eating the last portion of food inside his family’s kitchen, without his permission.

Udeh has also been apprehended by the police and the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation.

FG, IOM evacuate 147 irregular Nigerian migrants stranded in Libya

 

 

The Federal Government, in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), successfully repatriated another batch of 147 irregular Nigerian migrants stranded in Libya on Tuesday.

Amb. Kabiru Musa, Charge d’Affaires En Titre of the Nigerian Mission in Libya, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

Musa said the evacuees who departed Tripoli International Airport on Tuesday aboard chartered flight UZ 189 were expected to arrive at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on the same day in the evening.

“Under the continuous evacuation exercise of the Federal Government, which is supported by the IOM in Libya, we successfully evacuated another batch of 147 irregular Nigerian migrants who were stranded in Libya.

“The evacuees included 78 males, 55 females, 13 children, and one infant. They departed Libya successfully and are expected to arrive at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, where they will be received by relevant officials.

“We would continue to evacuate stranded Nigerians who have expressed willingness to return to Nigeria under the IOM’s Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR) programme, in line with the’renewed hope’ agenda of the present administration to ensure all citizens have a better life.

“We are also pleased with the regular repatriation exercise, which shows that a lot of Nigerians are willing to return home to contribute to the nation’s development,” Musa said.

Musa expressed appreciation to the Libyan authorities, who have, at all times, supported successful exercises. (NAN) 

Why I removed subsidy on petrol – Tinubu

 

President Bola Tinubu explained on Tuesday that the decision taken to remove subsidy on petrol was a challenging one but necessary to ensure a transparent and accountable energy sector.

The President, who spoke at the opening of the 2024 Nigeria International Energy Summit, NIES, in Abuja, acknowledged that the decision has led to hardship, especially amongst low-income earners, assuring that eventually the economy will improve and the benefits will manifest. 

Represented by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Tinubu said energy security was a priority for his administration. 

He said: The petroleum subsidy has, over the years, strained our economic resources, leading to inefficiencies and, most importantly, hindering our ability to invest in critical areas of energy security.

“By removing the subsidy, we are creating a more transparent and accountable energy sector. The funds that were previously allocated to subsidising petroleum products are now redirected towards developing and upgrading our energy and other social infrastructure. 

“Furthermore, the removal of the subsidy has encouraged further private sector participation in the energy industry, with the potential to attract more local and international investors and foster innovation and competition that will drive down costs and improve the overall efficiency of our energy sector.”

Acknowledging the hardship caused by the decision, the President said: “I am acutely aware of the immediate impact this decision may have had on our citizens, especially those with lower incomes.

Therefore, in parallel with the subsidy removal, my administration is committed to implementing social intervention programmes to mitigate the short-term effects on vulnerable populations. These programmes will ensure that the burden of subsidy removal is shared equitably and that the most vulnerable among us are protected.

“The decision to remove the petroleum subsidy is not an easy one, but it is a necessary one for the long-term energy security and economic prosperity of our beloved nation. I call upon all stakeholders, including industry experts, policymakers, and the general public, to engage in constructive dialogue and collaboration as we navigate these challenging but transformative times.“Together, we can build a resilient and sustainable energy future for Nigeria.”

People with disability seek govt intervention over economic hardship

 

                                             Jake Epelle, Convener, Disability Inclusion Nigeria.

The People with Disabilities have lamented over the high cost of living, inflation, insecurity, and hardship in the country.

The PWDs expressed their grievances in an open letter to President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday.

The Nigerian Labour Congress and other related unions on Tuesday embarked on a nationwide protest to make their grievances known on the current economic hardship across the country.

Meanwhile, the letter which was signed by the Convener, Disability Inclusion Nigeria, Jake Epelle, noted that the economic hardship was becoming an additional burden to the PWDs.

Epelle said, “We write to express our deep concern for the welfare of all Nigerians and our profound alarm at the devastating impact of the current economic situation on the most vulnerable members of our society, particularly persons with disabilities.

“The skyrocketing inflation rate has severely eroded the purchasing power of Nigerians and impeded access to necessities like affordable healthcare, education, transportation, and food, pushing countless Nigerians further into the abyss of poverty and despair.

“This crisis disproportionately affects persons with disabilities, who already face significant barriers due to pre-existing societal and infrastructural challenges.”

The convener, however, stated that addressing economic challenges required a comprehensive and
inclusive approach.

He proposed that “There should be an inclusion of PWDs in any existing committee or the establishment of a committee that includes representatives from the disability community tasked with investigating and addressing the specific challenges faced by Nigerians in the wake of the economic downturn.”

Epelle recommended inclusive interventions that the Federal Government can undertake to support all Nigerians, particularly those with disabilities.

He noted, “Government should provide palliative care for persons with disabilities by establishing food banks and stamps, preferably in the 774 local government or six geopolitical zones in the country, and encourage private sector participation in this initiative.

“They should allocate additional resources to support inclusive education initiatives, including training teachers, providing assistive technologies, subsidising school fees, and generally creating accessible learning environments.

“Prioritise the development and maintenance of affordable transportation infrastructure accessible to persons with disabilities, ensuring their mobility and independence are not compromised due to economic constraints.”

He further advised the FG should design and implement skills development programs tailored to the specific needs and abilities of persons with disabilities, adding that it should “provide incentives and support to employers who hire and create inclusive workplaces for persons with disabilities, including reasonable accommodations and accessible work environments.