FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo says the Nigerian youths participating in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests are fighting a legitimate cause and deserve a listening ear. “What the youth (protesters) are demanding are very legitimate and should be listened to or why should they be denied what rightfully belongs to them? “They are frustrated, they are hungry, they are angry, they are unemployed, they deserve to be given listening ears,” Obasanjo said at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Obasanjo spoke while receiving six members of the House of Representatives who are co-sponsors of bills on single term of six year, rotation…
Author: Hamza Rufai
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THE Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Sule wants the north to address its challenges, saying most of the protesters during the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations in the state were Almajiris who knew nothing about the rallies. The #EndBadGovernance demonstrations which started on August 1 across cities in the country – to press home for a better economy – were largely peaceful initially. But the protests assumed worrying dimensions after looting and destruction in some northern states led to the imposition of curfews. Governor Sule who is worried that some of the people who protested were young persons said most of them did not know…
THE Department of State Services has dismissed reports stating that its operatives raided the headquarters of the Nigerian Labour Congress in Abuja. On Wednesday, it was reported that armed men, purportedly from the DSS, stormed the NLC’s office and made off with several documents. According to the NLC, the incident occurred around 8:30 pm, when operatives reportedly broke into the Labour House. Head of Media and Public Relations, NLC, Benson Upah, stated that the assailants ransacked the bookshop on the second floor, seizing hundreds of books and other publications. “The invading team claimed that they were searching for seditious materials…
HEAVILY armed security personnel stormed and raided the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja on Thursday, the union has said. According to the union, the operatives stormed the Labour House, as its headquarters is called, around 8:30 pm. “They broke in and ransacked the bookshop on the 2nd floor carting away hundreds of books and other publications,” said a statement by the NLC’s head of Media and Public Relations, Benson Upah. “The invading troop claimed that they were looking for seditious materials used for the #EndBadGoveranance Protests.” The NLC is not immediately able to ascertain all the…
SEVEN Polish nationals arrested in connection to the violent nationwide protest against hunger and hardship in Kano State are currently under investigation, according to the Department of State Service (DSS). This was revealed by a representative of the DSS when the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tugar held a meeting with members of the diplomatic corps on Wednesday. While responding to questions, the DSS Rep explained that they were picked up as a result of their display of foreign flags in the North-West region. According to him, those picked up are being investigated. He assured that their arrest was not…
THE Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has said the police, military and other security agencies did not use excessive force on the #EndBadGovernance protesters. Speaking at a meeting of security agencies heads on Tuesday in Abuja, the IGP said there were attacks on security operatives deployed to manage the protests. According to the police boss, the military and police did not use live ammunition during the protests. “The police and the military, indeed no other security agency involved in the management of this protest has deployed excessive use of force. Instead, what we had were attacks on security agents during…
THE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecommunications operators to review and reduce their tariff plans, bundles, and promotional activities. Of late, many Nigerians have expressed frustration about how their airtime and data plans which lasted longer before now evaporate in days amid agitation by telcos seeking NCC’s approval to hike tariff plans. NCC spokesman Reuben Muoka in a statement on Monday said the regulator has mandated all telcos to release clear, easy-to-understand, and accurate information about the cost of voice, short messaging service (SMS) and data services to all subscribers. “The guideline is the outcome of consultations with industry…
FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that those benefiting from the lucrative business of fuel importation are going to make efforts to frustrate the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. Obasanjo stated this in the wake of allegations by the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, that some ‘mafias’ were making efforts to frustrate the $20bn refinery. This came as it was gathered on Monday that the multi-billion dollar refinery and other domestic refineries had yet to purchase crude oil in naira based on the directive of President Bola Tinubu to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. In an interview with…
THE Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Christopher Mustapha has cautioned those flying the Russian flag, saying it is a treasonable offence. Some #EndBadGovernance protesters in the northern region of the country have been spotted waving the Russian flag as the demonstrations entered Day 5. That has sparked a wave of comments from several quarters including the CDS who described the move as unacceptable. “All of us have seen where foreign flags have been flown within the sovereignty of Nigeria, and that is totally unacceptable. We are warning in clear terms and the President has also said we should convey…
THE Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, has released the list of six institutions that have received its disbursement of N2,026,163,340 as institutional fees. The list was released on the official X handle of the fund on Saturday. The institutions include: the University of Ibadan, Bayero University, Kano, University of Ilorin, University of Benin, University of Maiduguri and Federal University, Dutsinma, Katsina State. The fund disbursed N853,775,000 to Bayero University, Kano, N589,001,500 to the University of Maiduguri and N304,961,800 to the Federal University, Dutsinma, Katsina State. Further details showed that the University of Ibadan got N201,114,650, University of Ilorin got N52,897,890,…
FORMER Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has hailed Nigerians who trooped to the streets in protest against the government of his main opponent in the last general election. This newspaper reports that Atiku ran against President Bola Tinubu in last year’s election but came second. In a statement on Friday, Atiku commended Nigerians for their courage while condemning the hoodlums who hijacked the protest in some states. He also asked security operatives to be mindful of how they conduct themselves and cease harassment of journalists and reckless shooting. The former Vice President asked the Tinubu administration to come down “from its high…
GOVERNOR Usman Ododo of Kogi State has commended the youths of the state for shunning what he termed politically motivated protest in the country, saying the young Nigerians stand on positive side of history for not giving up themselves to be used as agents of chaos. Governor Ododo, who described the youths as “a force for nation building and the bulwark of national development”, said the decision of Kogi youths to organise a summit that examined the roles of Nigerian youths in nation building, showed they were patriotic and believed in the transformative agenda of President Bola Tinubu. The governor…
A MORNING tour of Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, on Thursday revealed no signs of protests. This newspaper reported that the areas visited were clear of any gatherings. At the popular post office along the Lokoja-Kabba/Okene road, traders were seen cautiously opening their shops halfway, carefully assessing the safety situation before fully opening. Security personnel, including police, civil defence officers, and local vigilantes, were observed patrolling key locations throughout the town. At the Secretariat of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, police were stationed at the gate, monitoring the movement of individuals entering and exiting the venue of the…
OPERATIVES of the Kano State Police Command have dispersed some youths who tried to break into a store along Zoo road in the state capital. The suspects had attempted to force their way into the two storey building housing Sadaraki Stores. But the police quickly moved in to stall their action. However, before the arrival of security operatives, the suspects had destroyed windows of the building. So far, there is low compliance with the protest against hunger in the ancient city as many residents are indoor. Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf had, on Wednesday, said he had intelligence that evil-minded persons…
IN a generous act of philanthropy, Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, the President of MAAUN Group of Universities, has donated N5 million to support the education of 30 orphans enrolled in the primary section of Intercontinental Schools Kano. Prof. Gwarzo announced the donation during the Speech and Prize Giving Day of the School for 2023/2024 academic session held at the Afficient Event Centre, Kano on Tuesday. According to him, the gesture would go a long way in supporting the pupils to pursue their secondary school education after completing their primary education in the school. This significant contribution aims to enhance the…
SENATE President Godswill Akpabio has taunted those calling for demonstration over the economic hardship in the country. According to him, those interested in the protest can go ahead “but let us be there eating”. Akpabio spoke at an event organised by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on Tuesday in Rivers state. His comment comes on the heels of the planned which organisers said would take off on August 1 and end August 10. Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, met with some of the organisers on Tuesday in Abuja, appealing to them for virtual protest but they insisted on going…
THE Federal Government paid over ₦633.30bn on electricity subsidy in the first quarter of 2024, findings have shown. According to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission quarterly report, the sum represented a 150.5 per cent increase from ₦252.76 billion in Q4, 2023. The sum paid in the first three months of the year is higher than ₦628.61bn paid from January to December 2023. A breakdown of the ₦633.30bn showed that subsidy gulped ₦36.02bn in the first quarter, ₦135.23bn in the second quarter, ₦204.6bn in the third quarter and ₦252.76bn in the fourth quarter of 2023. The electricity market regulator blamed the…
THE senator representing Borno South at the National Assembly, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has rejected a new office allocated to him by the Senate Services Committee. Ndume, in a letter addressed to the Chairman, Senate Services Committee on Tuesday, said the office given him does not reflect his seniority and high ranking posture at the Senate. The letter, signed by his Chief Confidential Secretary, Yati Shuaibu Gawu, reads: “I am directed to inform you that, Distinguished Senator Mohammed All Ndume, has rejected the allocation of office number 3.10 by the Committee. “This is because offices are traditionally allocated on seniority basis.…
THE Federal Government has called for calm on the proposed nationwide protest, saying it had created centres across the country where Nigerians can purchase a 50kg bag of rice for ₦40,000. This was revealed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris while briefing correspondents on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja on Monday. According to Idris, the initiative was part of initiatives by the Tinubu administration to ease living conditions for citizens. He argued that there was no longer a need for the nationwide…
THE military and the Police have commenced a massive nationwide deployment of soldiers and police personnel ahead of the August 1 #EndBadGovernance protest planned by some youths and civil society groups. Findings by this newspaper on Monday also indicate that the security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, have put their personnel on red alert in anticipation of the proposed nationwide rally organised to draw the government’s attention to the economic hardship faced by citizens. The organisers, who have refused appeals by the Presidency and police authorities to abandon the demonstrations, want an improvement in the soaring…