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Hardship: MURIC, Miyetti Allah, civil society back out of mass protests

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MURIC Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola and National President, MACBAN, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello-Bodejo

Hardship: MURIC, Miyetti Allah, civil society back out of mass protests

Many civil societies, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore have resolved not to participate in planned nationwide protests against economic hardship in the land scheduled for August 1, 2024.

A total of 259 civil society organizations (CSOs) under the Coalition for Transparency and Economic Reforms (COTER) have voiced their opposition to the mass protest idea.

While MURIC gave the same position in a press statement issued on Monday (today) by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, Miyetti Allah announced its stand at a press conference on Sunday held in Karu, Nasarawa State.

MURIC’s statement signed by Professor Ishaq Akintola, its founder/executive director, worried that the protect could be hijacked by enemies of the nation to cause mayhem, destroy public property and lead to loss of lives as done with the Endsars protests.

The statement read in part, “We are aware of preparations being made to protest against economic hardship in the country.

“Although we have made our stand known concerning inflation and the attendant hardship in the country, we must again reiterate the fact that rising prices, hunger and other forms of hardship are not restricted to Nigeria.

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“Other countries around the world are facing the same predicament and they are finding solutions to it instead of embarking on destructive protests.

“The last #EndSARS protest was a colossal calamity as burning and looting took the central stage.

“Lagos bore the brunt of the damage as more than 300 brand new air-conditioned buses were burnt down by marauding hoodlums. It must not be allowed to happen again.

“Protesters forgot that government has no special property. All such properties referred to as government’s properties belong to the general public. They are owned by the citizens whose taxes were used to procure them.

“Any protest that targets properties is an exhibition of wastefulness, foolishness and madness.

“The trajectory of the new protest being planned has taken a similar dimension. Lagos is being targeted like before and revenge for electoral loss appears to be uppermost on the list of motives.

“No explanation has been given for making Lagos a main target even though the city is far away from the Nigerian capital.

“This gives us more than enough reason to reject the protest. It is irrational, sectional and vengeful. Count us out of it. MURIC will not partake in this protest.”

It added, “MURIC will only join hands with people who want to build Nigeria. We wash our hands off rebellious subjects, enemies of peace.

“We have a duty to remain constant with the motto of our organization which is ‘Dialogue, Not Violence’. We will not participate in burning and looting. We prefer to bring smiles on the faces of Nigerians, not pain and anguish.”

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On its part, Miyetti Allah at the Nasarawa State press conference addressed by Alhaji Abdullahi Bello-Bodejo, the national president, with the support of Engr. Saleh Alhassan, the national secretary, said it believes in peaceful dialogue and not mass protest that could become violent.

Bello-Bodejo said, “Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore unequivocally and strongly asserts that we do not support the planned protests and our members will not be participating.”

He emphasized the association’s preference for constructive engagement with the authorities over mass protests.

The group also praised the recent establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development by President Bola Tinubu administration.

In a related development, Alhaji Abdulkarim Dayyabu, a social critic and leader of the Movement for the Restoration of Justice, expressed scepticism about the authenticity of the faceless groups advocating mass nationwide protests.

Speaking to newsmen in Kano, Dayyabu urged the public to remain patient and supportive of the current leadership, suggesting that the government had been advised on the prevailing issues and was addressing them.

In response to the planned nationwide protests organized by the #EndBadGovernance group, 259 civil society organizations (CSOs) under the Coalition for Transparency and Economic Reforms (COTER) have voiced their opposition.

COTER cautioned the protest organizers at a press conference led by National Coordinator Adeshina Animashaun.

Animashaun noted that the protests could lead to chaos and violence reminiscent of the October 2020 #EndSARS demonstrations.

Hardship: MURIC, Miyetti Allah, civil society back out of mass protests

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Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister

The Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has described President Bola Tinubu as an epitome of wealth with no interest to loot Nigeria’s resources.

Olawande stated this while speaking at the Joint Union Negotiating Council’s week of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development branch in Abuja.

The minister also appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the president, noting that in no distant time there will be positive changes.

He said, “I urge you to be patient with this administration. In no distant time, the country will take good shape and the lives of the citizens will be transformed.

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“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a pauper; he is an acknowledged epitome of wealth and so it cannot be said of him that he desires to loot the treasury of Nigeria.”

Olawande continued, “He has seen money and as a result of this, he is not interested in looting the nation’s treasury.”

He emphasized that the administration is putting in efforts to transform the lives of Nigerians through various policies of the federal government.

Olawande thanked the staff of the ministry for being supportive of the government policies and assured them that their welfare will not be compromised.

Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister

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BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS

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BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS

Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased to 32.15% in August 2024 down from the 33.40% recorded in July 2024, reflecting a decrease of 1.25 percentage points.

This represents the second consecutive monthly slowdown in inflation after easing in the previous month.

This is according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

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However, on a year-on-year basis, the August 2024 inflation rate was 6.35 percentage points higher than the 25.80% rate recorded in August 2023, indicating a significant increase over the past year.

On a month-on-month basis, the inflation rate in August 2024 stood at 2.22%, slightly lower than July’s rate of 2.28%, signaling a slower pace in the increase of the average price level compared to the previous month.

BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS

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Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures

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Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested six young men in a hotel located in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Benin City with fake letterheads, stamps, and forged signatures belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its chieftains.

The young men, who were apprehended with incriminating materials such as printers, mobile phones, power banks, laptops, and a photocopy machine, are believed to have been involved in drafting and circulating fake PDP letters and statements.

Their objective was to paint the PDP as instigators of unrest ahead of the forthcoming Edo governorship election, scheduled for Saturday, September 21, 2024.

The arrest, which was made following a tip-off, uncovered an elaborate scheme allegedly designed to discredit the PDP and its leaders by sending fabricated documents to unsuspecting journalists.

These fake letters and statements, according to police sources, were intended to portray the party as warmongers and troublemakers in the run-up to the critical election.

A police officer involved in the operation, who asked to remain anonymous, revealed that the suspects had been using the hotel as their base of operations for weeks.

“We found that these individuals were using forged PDP letterheads, stamps, and signatures to create fake documents.

“Their goal was to send out these documents to journalists in an attempt to misrepresent the PDP and create an atmosphere of tension ahead of the elections,” the officer said.

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In addition to the counterfeit materials, the police discovered that the young men had several technological devices, including laptops and printers, which they used to produce and disseminate the fraudulent documents.

“Their setup was sophisticated. They had everything they needed to make the documents appear legitimate, from forged letterheads to printers.

“We also found power banks, mobile phones, and a photocopy machine, which they used to mass-produce the fake letters,” the officer added.

Further investigation has revealed that the six young men were funded by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Meanwhile, another police source disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force, Edo State Command, has come under intense pressure from senior APC figures, who are reportedly pushing for the release of the arrested men.

“Since the arrest, there has been immense pressure on us from certain chieftains within the APC, urging the command to release these individuals.

“We believe that their involvement with these young men is being covered up, and they are worried about the potential fallout from this arrest,” the source noted.

A journalist with one of the prominent national newspapers, who had been unknowingly receiving fake statements from the group, expressed shock upon hearing about the arrests.

“It’s alarming to think that we’ve been receiving statements from people who were impersonating the PDP. This shows how low some people will go to try and sabotage the other party. The integrity of this election is now under serious question,” the journalist stated.

The Edo State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, but sources within the command say investigations are ongoing, and the suspects remain in custody.

Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures

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