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NURTW leaders accuse NLC of insincerity, plan protest

Published

7 months ago

October 25, 2023

NURTW leaders accuse NLC of insincerity, plan protest

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has accused the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) of insincerity in its mediation into the internal crisis of the transport workers’ group.

It also hinted of plans by members and leaders of the union to occupy the premises of the NLC through a national protest.

It condemned the action of the leadership of the NLC for smuggling the internal crisis as one of the reasons for embarking on the recent nationwide strike.

The NLC had listed the transport workers’ crisis as one of the conditions for restoring industrial peace.

But the NURTW Acting General Secretary, Comrade Kayode Agbeyangi, in a rejoinder to the NLC’s position, said, “It is within public knowledge that the initial demand of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress was based on the unresolved issues surrounding the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.

“The internal matter of NURTW was smuggled into the documents for mischievous reason.”

The NURTW scribe lamented that the NLC in its attempt to support an individual against the majority threw caution to the wind.

“It is a shame and against the NLC’s time tested tradition of mediation and reconciliation of conflicts involving affiliate unions to take sides with an individual against the majority and unfortunately, the government never saw the plot but now bears the brunt of NLC blackmail.”

He expressed surprise at the turn of events, saying it was the NLC that dragged the matter to the Ministry of Labour in the first instance.

“It was the NLC that took the matter to the Minister of Labour and Employment for mediation and the minister in his wisdom and within his powers has upheld the provisions of th constitution of the NURTW and resolution of the majority of members as represented by the branches and state councils at mediation meeting held in the minister’ s office.

“So why is the NLC now turning round to castigate the ministry for performing its statutory duties.”

He vowed that members and leaders of the union were making plans “to occupy the premises of the NLC through national protest”.

metro

Rainstorms kill seven, many others injured

Published

12 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Trends Admin

Rainstorms kill seven, many others injured

No fewer than seven people have been confirmed dead as rainstorms affect Houston, Texas, authorities announced Friday.

The three new deaths occurred after Houston, the fourth-largest city in the United States, was slammed Thursday by severe rain and winds gusting up to 100 miles (160 kilometres) per hour, leaving downtown streets coated in glass from broken windows.

Residential areas were littered with downed trees and power wires, and the National Weather Service reported that a tornado had touched down in Cypress.

Rainstorms kill seven, many others injured

metro

Police inspector dismissed, three others demoted over N29.8m theft

Published

12 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Trends Admin

Force Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi

Police inspector dismissed, three others demoted over N29.8m theft

Adabo Mohammed, a police inspector has been dismissed over alleged involvement in robbery and kidnapping in the federal capital territory (FCT).

Announcing this on Friday, May 17, the Nigeria Police Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi said Mohammed and five others were members of an armed robbery gang allegedly responsible for the stealing of N29.8 million from a victim during a robbery operation in the Gwagwalada area of Abuja.

The dismissed officer was also part of a gang that kidnapped one Ikechukwu Emmanuel Okafor, in the Tunga Maje area of Abuja and collected N4.4 million in ransom. He further revealed that Mohammed has been charged to court.

Police inspector dismissed, three others demoted over N29.8m theft

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Breaking: Women protest against return of armed Okuama youths (+ Photos)

Published

13 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Trends Admin

Breaking: Women protest against return of armed Okuama youths (+ Photos)

The women of Okoloba community in Bomadi local government area, weekend, protested against what they called the return of armed youths of Okuama in Ughelli South local government area, who they alleged were threatening the peace of the riverine area.

The placard carrying women, led by the chairlady of Okoloba community, Mrs Timipakebi Goodwin, and secretary, Mrs Mary Koibi, staged a peace protest on black attires along the coastal fringe of Okoloba community, chanting against violence and bloodbath, as well as sending an S.O.S. to the federal government to come to their aid.

Some inscriptions on the placards read: ‘We say No to violence’, ‘Enough of the killings on our land’, ‘Armed Okuama youths returning in a commando style’, ‘We say No to the return of armed youths of Okuama’, ‘Resettle Okuama people among their Ewu brothers in Ughelli South LGA’, ‘We mourn the killing of the 17 soldiers’ and among others.

The chairlady of Okoloba, Mrs Goodwin, speaking to newsmen with a written address that was made available to security apparatuses, which include the police, DSS, NSCDC, JTF as well as the acting chairman of Bomadi local government council, noted that the latest killing by the youths of Okuama showed that they could kill human beings at the slightest provocation.

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The women’s presentations as well as the written address read in part: “First, we the women of Okoloba community sympathize with the killing of 17 soldiers and officers of the Nigerian army on a peace and rescue mission to Okuama, following the kidnap of our son. We sincerely mourn their untimely death and pray for the repose of their souls. We also pray for their families.

“However, less than 24 hours after the exit of the troops from Okuama, fresh crisis erupted with another neighbouring community, culminating in the killing of one person while three other persons were seriously injured. The person who was killed and those sustaining machete wounds were alleged to have gone there to loot.

“The latest killing showed that the people of Okuama can kill a human at the slightest provocation; the sanctity of human life means nothing to them. It also shows that neighbouring Ijaw communities like Okoloba are not safe.

“So, resetting the people of Okuama in their present location, which is in-between communities in Bomadi local government area, is an attempt to encourage further communal clashes and bloodbath.

“Just last week, youths of Okuama community came out of the Mein-toruabubor creek, which leads to Ewu, on three speedboats and all of them on camouflage. They shot sporadically in the air before proceeding to OKuama. They moved to and fro the creek three times, and at every time they shot their guns in the air at the entrance of the creek.

“We are calling on the federal government to come to our aid, and the panacea to these incessant clashes and killings is for the government to relocate Okuama to Ewu clan in Ughelli South Local Government Area, where they truly and rightly belong.