Lagos police intensifies action against Black Axe Day celebration
The Lagos State Police Command says efforts had been intensified to clamp down on suspected cultists planning to celebrate the 7/7 Neo Black Movement of Africa Day, otherwise known as the Black Axe Day in the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, says credible intelligence at the disposal of the command revealed that some hoodlums and cultists had perfected plans to celebrate the Black Axe Day this Thursday, July 7, 2022.
Hundeyin says the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, has warned the groups to shelve their plans, also warning hoteliers not to allow their facilities be used for any cult-related gathering as owners of such facilities will be liable to prosecutions.
Consequently, the command’s tactical teams, Area Commanders and DPOs in collaboration with other sister agencies are fully prepared to clamp down heavily on organizers, leaders and progenitors of such sinister groups aiming to cause violence in the state
UK, US warn residents against travel near Kuje prison, 19 states
The United States Embassy has warned its citizens in Nigeria against travelling on the airport road in Abuja.
The warning came after suspected terrorists attacked Kuje prison and freed inmates.
Also, United Kingdom citizens are warned to be cautious of travelling to 19 states in Nigeria.
Among the states are Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River.
They are advised to only embark on essential travel to Bauchi, Kano, Jigawa , Niger, Sokoto, Kogi, within 20km of the border with Niger in Kebbi State, Abia and non-riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Plateau, and Taraba.
Terrorists attack Buhari’s advance team, kill two policemen
Suspected terrorists have ambushed the convoy of cars conveying the Presidency’s advance team of security guards, protocol and media officers, near Dutsinma, Katsina State, killing two policemen in the process.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, confirmed the attack saying, that the Presidency officials were travelling to Daura ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s trip to his hometown for Sallah.
The spokesman of the Katsina State Police Command, Gambo Isah, in a separate statement, confirmed that the Police Area Commander for Dutsinma, Aminu Umar, and one other were killed in the ambush.
ASUU gives condition to ‘immediately’ call off strike
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has issued a condition that will cause it to immediately call off the strike that led to the closure of many public universities in Nigeria.
ASUU’s president, Emmanuel Osedeke, stated this condition on Monday night during an interview, challenging the federal government to accept the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) payment platform for it to call off the ongoing strike.
Osodeke says the strike will continue unless the government accepts UTAS and honour the 2009 agreement.
The ASUU president said their demands are in the interest of Nigerian students who are learning under unconducive environments.
ASUU strike enters 140th day, SERAP, others lampoon FG
The strike action declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, enters its 140th day this Monday (today), while the strike action declared by the Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and other Allied Institutions, enters its 68th day today.
Also, recall that the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union just commenced a two-month strike, while the National Executive Council of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics is currently meeting in Jigawa State after calling off a two-week warning strike.
Following these reports, the Socio-Economic Rights Accountability Project, SERAP, and the Reform Education Nigeria and Education Rights Campaign, have condemned President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration over the prolonged shutdown of academic activities in the nation’s tertiary institutions.
77 kids rescued from Ondo church reunite with parents
Ondo State Police Command has said all the children who were allegedly kept in an underground apartment of a church, have been released to their respective parents.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami, stated this on Sunday saying all the victims have been released to their parents after their parade at the state police headquarters, Akure, and the pastor of the church, David Anifowose, and his assistant, Peter Josiah, have been arrested for alleged kidnapping.
Repots have it than more than 77 kids had abandoned their homes and parents for a church, the Whole Bible Deliverance Church, in the Valentino Area of Ondo Town in Ondo State, claiming their parents were not teaching them the way of God.
UK DEPORTS 30 NIGERIANS, SEEKS NEW AGREEMENT WITH FG
THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS SAID IT IS INITIATING A NEW AGREEMENT ON MIGRATION COLLABORATION FOLLOWING THE DEPORTATION OF ABOUT 30 NIGERIANS AND EIGHT GHANAIANS WHO LANDED AT THE MURTALA MUHAMMED INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, IN LAGOS.
THE UK GOVERNMENT IS REQUESTING FOR “MAJOR NEW AGREEMENT” WITH NIGERIA TO COLLABORATE ON MIGRATION ISSUES, FOLLOWING SIMILAR ARRANGEMENTS WITH GHANA AND RWANDA, AS THE UK HOME OFFICE, RESPONSIBLE FOR MIGRATION ISSUES IN NIGERIA STATED THAT THE FLIGHT CARRIED ALSO EIGHT GHANAIANS.
THE FLIGHT THAT BROUGHT BACK THE DEPORTED NIGERIANS WAS OPERATED BY PORTUGUESE CHARTER CARRIER HI FLY, BUT IT WAS NOT CLEAR WHY THE NIGERIANS AND GHANAIANS IN THE FLIGHT WERE DEPORTED.
LAST MONDAY, THE UK GOVERNMENT HAD ALSO DEPORTED SOME NIGERIANS AND RECORDS HAD INDICATED THAT OVER 10,000 PEOPLE HAVE SO FAR BEEN DEPORTED FROM THE UK BETWEEN JANUARY 2019 AND MAY 2022.
MARKETERS DENY FG’S N74BN PAYMENT, WARN OF MASSIVE FUEL QUEUES
OIL MARKETERS HAVE WARNED NIGERIA COULD WITNESS “THE MOTHER OF ALL QUEUES” FROM NEXT WEEK IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FAILS TO PAY THE 12 MONTHS BRIDGING CLAIMS BEING OWED OPERATORS IN THE DOWNSTREAM OIL SECTOR.
DEALERS UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE INDEPENDENT PETROLEUM MARKETERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA, WHICH CONTROLS ABOUT 70 PER CENT OF FILLING STATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ALSO DENIED BEING PAID N74BN BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS BRIDGING CLAIMS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS.
ON WEDNESDAY, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH ITS NIGERIA MIDSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM PETROLEUM REGULATORY AUTHORITY SAID IT PAID N74BN AS BRIDGING CLAIMS TO OIL MARKETERS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN SEVEN MONTHS.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAID WHILE REACTING TO ALLEGATIONS MADE BY IPMAN, SULEJA BRANCH, THAT THE SCARCITY OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS IN NIGERIA WAS DUE TO THE NON-PAYMENT OF BRIDGING CLAIMS.
NLC PLANS ONE-DAY PROTEST OVER ASUU STRIKE, OTHERS
THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS HAS SAID IT WILL HOLD A ONE – DAY NATIONAL PROTEST TO FORCE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF UNIVERSITY-BASED UNIONS.
THE CONGRESS SAYS REPORTS FROM A MEETING OF ITS CENTRAL WORKING COMMITTEE SHOWED LACK OF PROGRESS IN THE NEGOTIATION WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF UNIVERSITIES, SENIOR STAFF ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES, NON-ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF UNIVERSITIES AND NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGISTS.
THE PRESIDENT OF NLC, AYUBA WABBA SAID THIS IN ABUJA DURING THE OPENING OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CONGRESS WHERE HE DIRECTED ALL THE AFFILIATE UNIONS OF THE NLC TO ISSUE DIRECTIVES ON THE PLANNED ONE-DAY NATIONAL PROTEST FROM NEXT WEEK.
LAWMAKER KICKS AS WATER BILL RESURFACES AT HOUSE OF REPS
THE CONTROVERSIAL NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES BILL, 2020, HAS RE-EMERGED ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AMIDST SUSPICIONS FROM MEMBERS.
A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE FROM BENUE STATE, MARK GBILLAH, WHO RAISED THE ALARM WHEN THE BILL WAS TO BE TAKEN FOR THE FIRST READING SAYS HE IS AWARE THE MATTER LISTED FOR FIRST READING, THE NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES BILL, GENERATED A LOT OF CONTROVERSY WITHIN THE HOUSE AND EVEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WONDERS WHY THE ISSUE IS BEING RE-PRESENTED ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE AS SOME OF THE HOUSE MEMBERS ARE NOT COMFORTABLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL IN THE FIRST INSTANCE.”
UPON THE OBJECTION TO THE BILL BROUGHT BY GBILLAH THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE SPEAKER, FEMI GBAJABIAMILA SAID HE ASKED THE CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON WATER RESOURCES GAVE AN THE ISSUES OF CONTROVERSY THAT WERE RAISED INITIALLY HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY ALL THE GOVERNORS SAYING IT IS A NEW BILL, THAT ALL THE GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERATION – BOTH SOUTH AND NORTH – PARTICIPATED AS THE LEGISLATION WOULD CAPTURE ALL THE INTERESTS OF THE STATES.
IT WILL BE RECALLED PRESIDENT, MUHAMMADU BUHARI HAD IN 2017 PRESENTED THE CONTROVERSIAL BILL TO BOTH CHAMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY WHICH SEEKS TO TRANSFER THE CONTROL OF WATER RESOURCES FROM THE STATES TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.