News
Makinde, police disagree on killing of #EndSARS protester in Oyo
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has confirmed the death of one Jimoh Isiaka who reportedly died on Saturday during the #EndSARS protest in the Ogbomoso area of the state.
The video footage of the reported shooting by the police of the victim and efforts to save his life by other protesters was shared via social media and it went viral for hours on Saturday.
The governor, who also confirmed at least seven other persons were seriously injured during the protest, said the situation was highly regrettable.
But the state police command debunked the reported shooting of EndSARS protesters in Ogbomoso by its personnel.
It said its men only fired teargas to scare away some protesters who tried to force their way into a police station.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some youths had, on Saturday, stormed major streets in Ogbomoso to demand the ban of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigeria Police Force.
One of the protesters was said to have been shot by the police in the process.
An eyewitness told NAN that the victim was shot in the leg by the police when the protesters reached Owode police station in Ogbomoso.
The witness said that the man was shot, as the policemen were trying to ensure that the station was not attacked by the protesters.
Makinde said he had contacted Commissioner of Police, Nwachukwu Enwonwu, and other relevant agencies, adding that investigations into what led to the incident were still ongoing.
The governor, in a message shared through his social media handles, promised to pay a personal visit to the family of the deceased and pursue the investigations to a logical conclusion.
He called for calm on the part of the people and appealed to the police to allow the residents to protest peacefully without fear of being assaulted.
He said, “I have received with deep sadness the news of the passing of one of our children, Jimoh Isiaka, who was shot during the ENDSARS protest in Ogbomoso. He later died at Bowen University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, earlier today.
“Also, at this same protest, Abdulrasaq Olawale, Oluwadamilare Gbolohunmi, and five other persons sustained injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment.
“This situation is highly regrettable. I have contacted the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State, Nwachukwu Enwonwu, and other relevant agencies, and investigations into what led to the unfortunate incident are still ongoing. I pray that God grants the parents of Jimoh Isiaka the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss.
“The ENDSARS protests are a strong indicator of a systemic failure. It is a failure on the part of those who have been constitutionally empowered to protect the citizens. It again calls into question why State Governors are called chief security officers of their state, whereas they do not have the necessary powers to control the police force.
“I will be paying a personal visit to the family of Jimoh Isiaka and I promise to pursue the investigations to a logical conclusion.
“Peaceful protests are a big part of our democratic process. The right to freedom of speech and assembly are guaranteed by our Constitution, and I will never support any attempt to rob citizens of their fundamental human rights.
“I call on all residents of Oyo State to please remain calm. I also call on the Police to allow residents of Oyo State protest peacefully without fear of being assaulted.
“Again, I express my deepest sympathies to the family of Jimoh Isiaka, may his soul rest in peace.”
Reacting, the Public Relations Officer of the state police command, SP Olugbenga Fadeyi, in a statement issued in Ibadan, said that the police did not fire a single shot at any protester.
He said that the protesters were allowed to express their grievances for over one hour.
The statement read in part, “According to the information I gathered from the officers monitoring the protest, the police did not fire a shot at anybody.
“The protesters were allowed for over one hour to carry out their protest and express their grievances until when some of them wanted to forcefully enter the police station with a view to attacking it.
“The police only fired teargas to disperse the protesters; they did not fire shot at anybody as widely reported.”
News
Tinubu to critics: I won’t reduce my cabinet size
Tinubu to critics: I won’t reduce my cabinet size
President Bola Tinubu on Monday unequivocally responded to critics who described his cabinet as “bloated” by saying he is unprepared to reduce the size of his 48-man cabinet.
“I am not ready to shrink” the size of my cabinet, Tinubu said during a media chat at his Bourdillon residence in the highbrow Ikoyi area of Lagos State.
“I am not prepared to bring down the size of my cabinet,” the former Lagos governor said, arguing that “efficiency” has been at the core of his selection of ministers.
The president also said he has no regret removing the petrol subsidy in May 2023, saying Nigeria cannot continue to be Father Christmas to neighbouring countries.
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“I don’t have any regrets whatsoever in removing petrol subsidy. We are spending our future, we were just deceiving ourselves, that reform was necessary,” he told reporters.
Tinubu appointed 48 ministers in August 2023, three months after his inauguration. The Senate immediately screened and confirmed the ministers. One of the ministers, Betta Edu, was suspended in January while another, Simon Lalong, moved to the Senate.
There were calls for the President to reshuffle his cabinet as many Nigerians have not been impressed by the performance of some of the ministers, especially in the face of unprecedented inflation, excruciating economic situation and rising insecurity.
In October 2024, Tinubu re-assigned 10 ministers to new ministerial portfolios and appointed seven new ministers for Senate confirmation. He also sacked five of his ministers but critics insist that the President’s cabinet remains large, especially with the creation of a Livestock Ministry with a minister.
Tinubu to critics: I won’t reduce my cabinet size
News
Tinubu: Food stampede incidents, grave error
Tinubu: Food stampede incidents, grave error
..Don’t publicise gifts distribution if you don’t have enough
President Bola Tinubu has described the recent three stampede incidents during distribution of relief materials to children and others as a grave error.
He told people to be more organised and stay away from giving palliative or publicity of the giving if they had insufficient materials.
He stated this during his first presidential media chat on Monday.
The President said he had been sharing palliatives in his Lagos residence for 25 years without any incident and blamed the recent food stampedes in the country on poor organisation.
A total of 35 children died on December 18 during a stampede that happened at a funfair event in Ibadan, Oyo State.
10 people, including children, also died on December 21 in another stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in the Maitama district of Abuja during the distribution of palliatives.
Another 22 people were reported dead during a rice distribution event at Amaranta Stadium in Ojika, Ihiala LGA, on the same day.
“It’s unfortunate and very sad, but we will continue to learn from our mistakes. I see this as a grave error on the part of the organisers,” he said.
But the President insisted that the incidents should not dampen the “happiness of the season”.
“It is very sad that people are not well organised. We just have to be more disciplined in our society. Condolences to those who lost members, but it is good to give,” Tinubu said.
“I’ve been giving out foodstuff and commodities, including envelopes in Bourdillon, for the last 25 years, and I’ve never experienced this kind of incident because we are organised and disciplined.
“If you know you won’t have enough to give, don’t attempt to give or publicise it.”
The President compared the situation to food banks in countries such as the United States of America (USA) and Britain, noting their structured approach.
“Every society, even in America, has food banks. They have hungry people. In Britain, they have food banks and warehouses, and they are organised. They take turns m lining up and collect,” he added.
News
Tax reforms pro-poor, here to stay, says Tinubu
Tax reforms pro-poor, here to stay, says Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has said the tax reforms initiated by his administration are here to stay.
He stated this during the presidential media chat on Monday, adding that the new tax deal is pro-poor people.
Tinubu also said the tax reforms were initiated to “eliminate colonial-based assumptions” in the country’s tax environment.
Nigeria, he said, would not continue to use old methods in today’s economy.
The President said those calling for more consultations on the tax reform bills would still do so even if he delayed the presentation.
“Tax reform is here to stay. In today’s economy, we cannot continue to do what we were doing in the past. We can’t retool with old and broken folks,” he said.
“The essence of tax reform is to eliminate colonial-based assumptions in our tax environment
“Every tax situation without outcry is not a tax. You can’t satisfy uniformly the largest community of tax evaders. Look at this tax reform; it is pro-poor. The vulnerable are not to pay taxes.
“The hallmark of a good leader is the ability to do what you have to do at the time it ought to be done. That is my philosophy.”
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