Youths protest fuel scarcity, hike in price, demand suspension of 2023 polls – Newstrends
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Youths protest fuel scarcity, hike in price, demand suspension of 2023 polls

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Nigerian Youth Congress for Peace and Development (NYCPD) on Sunday protested the persistent fuel scarcity across the country and the unbearable hike in price by the few independent marketers that have the product.

Addressing the press in Jos, the Plateau State capital, the group, led by its president, Dennis Ebi, described the scarcity as artificial and the hardship Nigerians are facing as unbearable, calling for the head of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva.

Ebi said: “The recent adjustment in the pump price was done without adequate consultation with relevant stakeholders in the oil and gas value chain.

“To our greatest surprise, His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, like other Nigerians first got to know about the increment of the price from rumour mills.

“That triggered him to issue a press statement through his Media Adviser, Mr. Horatius Egua, denying the obvious fact of the adjustment and also assured Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari hasn’t approved the upward review of PMS price. He also assured Nigerians that Mr. President has not seen any reason why the price of the product has to go up.”

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He said that the minister described what was happening as the handiwork of mischief makers and those planning to discredit the achievements of President Buhari in the oil and gas sector of the economy.

According to him, “In response to this, our team delegated some of our members to visit NNPCL retail to ascertain the extant price of the product. To our greatest surprise, NNPCL has since adjusted their pump price. The same applies to all stations owned by major marketers. Numerous independent marketers are now selling above N400 per litre, where it is available.

“Does NNPCL no longer report to the Minister of State for Petroleum and Resources, who is the middle man between it and Mr. President, who is the senior minister?

“Is NNPCL now in the hands of mischief makers and those planning to discredit President Muhammadu Buhari? It is our considered view that the lack of cohesion between the Petroleum Ministry and the NNPCL has thrown Nigerians into this untold but avoidable hardship.

“As we plan towards the 2023 election amidst gross hardship, our members can’t be disenfranchised and stopped from travelling to states where they registered to vote due to artificial fuel scarcity.

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“Therefore, we want to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend all election processes and address the suffering of Nigerians and set up the mechanism for the installation of an Interim National Government.

“We demand immediate overhaul of the leadership of NNPCL and some of its subsidiaries over the role they played in increasing PMS pump prices without adequate consultation, thereby triggering inflation and throwing millions of Nigerians into poverty.

“The president should immediately order NNPCL and oil marketers to reverse the current PMS that was done without due consultation until necessary palliatives to cushion the impact of the adjustment is put in place.

“Where our demands above are not met in two weeks, we shall be forced to mobilize our people to the streets to ensure that our demands are met.

“By this notice, all our states and local government structures are hereby mandated to commence mobilization for the mother of all protests.”

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Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

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Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab

Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

The Lagos State Government has rolled out stricter measures to combat noise pollution, requiring nightclubs, lounges, bars, and worship centres to obtain permits for events involving amplified sound.

The measure, it said, aimed to safeguard the health and well-being of Lagosians during the festive season and beyond.

Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced this via his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, emphasizing the government’s zero-tolerance stance on noise pollution.

Wahab highlighted that events with amplified sound must be conducted in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect residents from the harmful effects of excessive noise.

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“Establishments such as worship centers, nightclubs, lounges, and bars must now obtain permits for events involving amplified sound and ensure these activities take place in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect neighboring residents,” the statement read in part.

To enforce these directives, the government said it had established a Special Task Force on Noise Pollution under the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).

This task force, in collaboration with the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps (LSNSC) and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), would oversee compliance, arrest offenders, and prosecute violators of noise regulations, it stated.

The statement further noted that starting January 2025, the government would roll out a public awareness campaign to educate Lagosians on acceptable noise levels and the benefits of a quieter environment.

 

Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

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Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

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Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as Verydarkman

Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

Singer, Dammy Krane has stated that social critic, Very Dark Man, is joking with claims that N180 million was diverted from the NGO account he created in October this year.

VDM shocked Nigerians on Friday, December 27 when he released a video claiming hackers had breached his NGO website and moved N180m leaving only N20 million.

The news shocked many Nigerians who took to social media to slam him.

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However, in a post shared on his Instagram page this evening, Dammy Krane claimed that VDM is renovating a school in Jos, and was only joking with the story of stolen funds.

Also, a Human Rights activist, Omotayo Williams, claimed the man VDM showed in his video as an officer accompanying him to Jos is a well-known member of the Kogi State Taxi Taskforce.

Alleged missing N180 million: It?s a prank. VeryDarkMan is renovating a school in Jos - Singer Dammy Krane says

Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

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Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

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Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi

Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has expressed support for the proposed implementation of Sharia law in the South-West, emphasizing its historical presence in Yoruba culture.

Oba Akanbi noted that Sharia principles have long been part of Yoruba land, citing examples such as Sharia banking and the existence of a Sharia college in Iwo, Osun State.

He stated, “Sharia law has been in Iwo for over 100 years… It’s the right of Muslims to choose customary law or the high court.”

Recall that the discussion around Sharia law gained traction after plans were announced for the inauguration of a Sharia council on January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre in Oyo. However, the event has been postponed indefinitely following widespread public criticism.

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Critics have argued that the Yoruba-dominated South-West, where Muslims and Christians coexist, is distinct from the predominantly Muslim northern region where Sharia is more widely practiced.

Addressing concerns, Oba Akanbi explained that Sharia law is already embedded in Nigeria’s constitution and should not cause alarm for non-Muslims.

“Sharia law is only for Muslims and does not concern others. If any other person likes it, they can convert to Islam, and Muslims can also convert to Christianity. Everyone is free,” he said.

The monarch also drew attention to the challenges faced by Muslims under existing laws, particularly in matters such as inheritance and divorce, where Western legal frameworks may not align with Islamic traditions. “Many Muslims feel disenfranchised… Western education doesn’t understand the ways of Muslim divorce, marriage, and inheritance,” he added.

Oba Akanbi emphasized that Sharia law represents the inalienable rights of Muslims and should not be viewed as a threat to other religions. “No government can deny Muslims their inalienable rights,” he concluded.

Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

(PUNCH)

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