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Updated: Afenifere says Tinubu slipping into dictatorship, condemns protesters’ detention

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Updated: Afenifere says Tinubu slipping into dictatorship, condemns protesters’ detention

Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has condemned the prosecution by the government of some young people who protested against bad governance in the country.

The group which said the prosecution was an aberration in a democratic setting warned the Bola Tinubu administration against slipping into dictatorship.

Afenifere said this in reaction to the recent detention of #EndBadGovernance protesters who took to the streets to express their discontent over the widespread hardship in the country.

10 protesters who were charged with treason and attempting to destabilize the country were granted N100 million bail by an Abuja Federal High Court, on Wednesday.

But in a statement by the group loyal to Pa Ayo Adebanjo and signed by Oba Oladipo Olaitan (Afenifere Deputy Leader) and Prince Justice Faloye (National Publicity Secretary), the association warned the government not to kill democracy in Nigeria.

Afenifere demanded the “immediate unconditional release” of the protesters and warned Tinubu’s administration against “slipping into dictatorship that criminalizes the inalienable right to protest for self-preservation and upholding of social contracts.”

It said the suspicion of being backed or financed by a foreign country is not enough to jail protesters, reminding President Tinubu that he was once backed by foreign interests to protect against President Goodluck Jonathan.

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He said, “Purporting that some protestors, despite not backed by arms, politicians nor ideology, were treasonable because of suspected foreign financers, President Tinubu and his party must be reminded that they were once financially and morally backed by foreign institutions to protest, launch anti-corruption and political campaigns against President Jonathan, who though publicly complained, never charged them with treason, despite clear evidence of foreign foundations and institutions involvement.

“So President Tinubu and his ruling party have no moral right to charge any protester against bad governance, especially unarmed and underage protestors.

“The government can’t jail Nigerians feeling the pain and protesting its debilitating economic policies and fuel shortages due to a privatized NNPC that has privatized its retail wing to those monopolizing petrol stations, where huge queues accumulate to buy slightly cheaper petrol at newly acquired NNPC stations while other petrol stations either don’t have fuel or have to sell at exorbitant prices.”

Afenifere stated that rather than accuse the protesters of treason, the government is guilty of “economic treason” due to its “economic misgovernance”.

According to the group, the petrol and foreign exchange issues were at the root of the nation’s economic hardship. It said this could have been resolved within 100 days of the administration by “halving our import bill made up of fuels/oils – 33% ($21b), Vehicles 21% ($13.42 billion) and edibles 10% ($6.71b).

Updated: Afenifere says Tinubu slipping into dictatorship, condemns protesters’ detention

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Four-Storey Building Collapses in Enugu, Workers Trapped Inside

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An early-morning building collapse in Enugu has left one person dead and four others injured after a four-storey structure under construction suddenly gave way in the Independence Layout area of the state.

 

The incident occurred around 6 a.m. on Sunday on Ogbalu Street, where workers were reportedly sleeping inside the construction site when the building collapsed.

Four workers were pulled from the debris alive and taken to the Enugu State Teaching Hospital for medical treatment.

Enugu collapsed building

Authorities said six people had been sleeping at the site before the incident, but one of them had reportedly stepped out shortly before the structure came down. The body of another victim was recovered from the rubble.

 

The rescue operation has drawn the involvement of several emergency and security agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency, Nigerian Red Cross Society, State Emergency Management Agency, Enugu State Capital Territory Development Authority and the Police.

Officials are still working at the scene to determine whether anyone else may be trapped beneath the debris.

The cause of the collapse remains unknown as of the time of reporting.

The incident has also renewed questions about compliance with construction standards, site safety and the effectiveness of regulatory monitoring in Enugu.

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Adeleke Orders Arrests After Associate Ajagungbade Is Reportedly Killed in Ife

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Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has directed security agencies to arrest anyone found to have been involved in the reported killing of his associate, Olamilekan Ajagungbade, popularly known as Emir Ajagungbade.

Ajagungbade was reportedly shot dead in Ile-Ife on Sunday amid a dispute connected to the leadership of a motor park.

Reacting to the incident, Adeleke ordered Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Zungura to take immediate action against those responsible. The directive was disclosed by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed.

The governor also ordered rival groups involved in the park dispute to leave the motor parks while security agencies work to restore calm.

There will be no sacred cows as all culprits will be brought to book” Adeleke said, while urging residents to remain calm.

As part of his response, the governor announced plans to bring back the Park Management System across the state, saying an Executive Order would soon be issued to provide the legal backing for the arrangement.

The renewed system is expected to regulate the operation of motor parks and garages and address disputes over their management.

Ajagungbade was described in the report as a close associate of the governor and a member of the Accord Party.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting and the identities of those responsible had not been fully disclosed at the time of reporting.

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Police Arrest Two in Delta, Recover Guns, Daggers and Battle Axe

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Two suspects are in police custody in Delta State following separate raids that resulted in the recovery of firearms, ammunition and other items, the state police command has said.

The latest operation involved the arrest of Chukwuka Nzete, also known as “Ododo”, in Isupe Community, Ndokwa West Local Government Area.

Police said Nzete was suspected of dealing in illegal firearms and alleged that he ran a shrine used to fortify suspected criminal elements.

Items recovered during a search of his residence included a pump-action gun, four dagger knives, a battle axe and pots containing substances suspected to be charms.

The command said detectives were investigating to establish the extent of Nzete’s activities and whether he had links with other criminal groups.

A separate operation also led to the arrest of Joel Iwomi, 36, in Umuebu, Obiaruku.

According to the police, Iwomi resisted attempts by operatives of the Command Anti-Cult Unit to enter his residence before officers eventually gained access and conducted a search.

The search allegedly produced a pump-action gun and 18 live cartridges.

Both suspects have been taken into custody while investigations continue.

The Delta State Commissioner of Police, Samuel E. Erale, said the command would continue efforts to keep illicit firearms away from criminal elements and prevent weapons capable of threatening public safety from circulating in the state.

He urged residents to cooperate with security agencies by reporting suspicious movements, illegal firearms and other criminal activities.

The police said information supplied by members of the public would be handled confidentially.

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