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Corper who criticised Tinubu govt under pressure to apologise, says Sowore

Published

4 days ago

March 18, 2025

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Corps member, Ushie Uguamaye

Corper who criticised Tinubu govt under pressure to apologise, says Sowore

Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist and the publisher of Sahara Reporters, stated on Monday that Ushie Uguamaye, a youth corps member who lambasted President Bola Tinubu’s administration for hardship, is under enormous pressure to apologise.

Sowore, who accompanied the corps member to the NYSC Local Government Inspector’s office in Lagos with a team of attorneys, stated that government officials, including ministers, had been contacting Uguamaye to pressure him to apologise.

Speaking on Arise TV on Monday night, Sowore argued that the corps members had not committed a crime by opposing Tinubu’s administration.

In a now-viral TikTok video, Uguamaye, a Lagos-based corps member, lambasted President Bola Tinubu’s government on Saturday, expressing anger with Nigeria’s deteriorating economic conditions and lamenting rising inflation and economic hardship.

She also lambasted the president, branding him as a “terrible leader”, and questioned the government’s efforts to ameliorate citizens’ hardships.

The corp member said, “I’m coming from a supermarket where I went to grab some food, and everything has gone up again. Prices seem to go up every week.

“I want to know, what is the government doing about this increase? If a lot of Nigerians come out and start speaking about what we are going through, maybe changes will be made in the government.

“I don’t know if there is any other president that is as terrible as you (Mr Tinubu). But you (Mr Tinubu) are such a terrible president.”

She then claimed that she had received threats as a result of her words, triggering a national debate over free speech and political opposition in Nigeria.

She also uploaded a screenshot of an invitation from the NYSC, calling her to appear before the LGI office at Eti Osa 3 on Monday at 10:00 a.m.

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On Monday, Sowore disclosed in a video posted on X that he had met with Uguamaye in Lagos and would be accompanying her to the NYSC Local Government Inspector’s office with a team of attorneys.

“The journey with youth corper, Ushie Rita Uguamaye, has commenced in Lagos.

“She is scheduled to appear before the LGI (Local Government Inspector) today, and we will escort her to their offices. We are all en route with attorneys,” Sowore captioned the video.

Giving an update later, the activist wrote: “We arrived at Eti-Osa LGI offices of the National Youth Service Corps with youth corper, Ushie Rita Uguamaye, in Lagos. She was scheduled to appear before the LGI today, and we escorted her to their offices with attorneys Festus Ogun, Adeyinka Oyesomi and Ojienoh Justice, but LGI officials had absconded, failing to show up throughout our stay. We will be back! #RevolutionNow #tinubuisaterriblepresident.”

Meanwhile, Agba Jalingo, an activist and journalist, encouraged Nigerians and authorities to show Uguamaye empathy and support rather than criticising her over the viral video.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Jalingo stated that Uguamaye experienced a personal tragedy as a result of poor government policies when her father, Raphael Ushie, a Chief Inspector of the Nigeria Immigration Service, died in May 2019 while protesting the demolition of his palm plantation for the Obudu International Airport project.

Jalingo explained, “There was a protest by youths and women of the Ukambi community over the demolition of their community farmlands for the Obudu International cargo and passenger airport.

“According to a CrossRiverWatch report, her dad, Ushie, who was also the younger brother of Governor Ayade’s physician, Dr Vincent Ushie, died after he was rushed from a hospital in Obudu to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, having participated in the protest.”

He explained that Ushie, who was nearing retirement, had put his life savings into a palm plantation in Ukambi.

When he heard that demolitions had begun in surrounding settlements and were approaching Ukambi, he rushed home to preserve his property.

“He arrived and went straight to the farm in his uniform and met the bulldozer nearing his plantation. He faced the operator and tried to prevent him from encroaching on his land before other community members joined him.

“He participated fully in the day’s protest, and the demolition collapsed afterwards. He was rushed to a hospital in Obudu. The matter couldn’t be handled there, and he was moved to UCTH in Calabar, where he passed on,” Jalingo recounted.

Jalingo stated that despite losing her father and their farm, Uguamaye’s family received no compensation, leaving her mother to struggle with her education.

“And this young girl goes to the market and comes back to complain about what everyone in the country, including the president’s supporters, are grumbling about, and some persons are calling for her head?” Jalingo questioned.

“If you were in her shoes—you live in a country where the system kills your dad for no reason when you are only 19, your mother suffers to see you through school, and when you try to express your frustrations publicly, the same nation that killed your father threatens to kill you too—so where is the freedom of expression?” he added.

Corper who criticised Tinubu govt under pressure to apologise, says Sowore

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‘We’re not hiring,’ NNPC denies viral recruitment adverts

Published

4 hours ago

March 21, 2025

Trends Admin

‘We’re not hiring,’ NNPC denies viral recruitment adverts

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company, (NNPC) Limited has warned the public to beware of fraudulent recruitment advertisements circulating online, stating that it is not conducting any hiring process at the moment.

In a statement issued on its official X handle on Friday, the state-owned oil company cautioned job seekers against falling victim to fake recruitment schemes, emphasizing that all legitimate job openings would only be announced through its official channels.

“The general public is hereby informed that NNPC Limited is not recruiting.

“Official recruitment announcements will only be made through our website and verified social media platforms,” the statement read.

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The company reiterated that its recruitment process is “transparent, merit-based, and requires no external assistance.”

The company urged Nigerians to disregard any unofficial job advertisements that claim to be from NNPC Ltd., as they could be attempts to defraud unsuspecting applicants.

The management further assured the public that it remains committed to upholding the integrity of its hiring process and would notify Nigerians whenever recruitment officially commences.

“We advise the public to always verify information directly from our official platforms to avoid being misled by scammers,” the company stated.

The company urged individuals to report any suspicious recruitment advertisements falsely linked to NNPC Ltd. to the appropriate authorities.

‘We’re not hiring,’ NNPC denies viral recruitment adverts

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Communal Clash: Gov Adeleke imposes new curfew on Ifon, Ilobu communities

Published

4 hours ago

March 21, 2025

Trends Admin

Governor Ademola Adeleke

Communal Clash: Gov Adeleke imposes new curfew on Ifon, Ilobu communities

In response to the resurgence of hostilities between Ifon and Ilobu communities, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has imposed curfew on Ifon and Ilobu communities in Orolu and Irepodun Local Government Areas, respectively.

Kolapo Alimi, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, announced the new directive in a statement issued in Osogbo on Friday, emphasizing the government’s determination to prevent further escalation of the crisis.

“Following a resurgence of the crisis between Ifon and Ilobu communities, Gov. Ademola Adeleke, in a move to curb its further spread, has announced a new curfew time frame from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. daily, until lasting peace is restored,” he said.

Expressing deep concern over the renewed violence, the governor condemned the fresh outbreak of communal clashes.

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“Gov. Ademola expressed unhappiness and dissatisfaction with the breakout of fresh communal crises in Ilobu and Ifon.

“To this end, the governor has directed that the initial 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. curfew on the communities now be extended to 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., effective today, Friday, March 21, until further notice,” Alimi stated.

The commissioner further revealed that a joint security team, comprising the Nigerian Army, Police, and Civil Defence, had been instructed to sustain 24-hour surveillance in the affected areas to uphold law and order.

“In addition, the governor directed that an immediate stakeholders’ meeting, including the Olufon of Ifon, the Olobu of Ilobu, and other stakeholders from both communities, be held tomorrow, Saturday, to discuss further resolutions of the conflict,” he added.

Governor Adeleke called on residents, traditional rulers, and all stakeholders to embrace peace.

Communal Clash: Gov Adeleke imposes new curfew on Ifon, Ilobu communities

metro

BREAKING: IGP redeploys 38 police commissioners

Published

4 hours ago

March 21, 2025

Trends Admin

Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun

BREAKING: IGP redeploys 38 police commissioners

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the immediate posting of 38 Commissioners of Police to various State Commands and Police Formations.

The deployment comprises 9 commissioners of police to key state commands and an additional 29 CPs to various police formations across the country.

A statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Friday, said the commissioners of Police deployed to state commands include CP Ibrahim Balarabe Maikaba to Zamfara State, CP Bretet Emmanuel Simon to Taraba State, CP Christopher Ado Emmanuel to Yobe State, CP Olusegun Eyitayo Omosayin to Cross-River State, CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman to Niger State, CP Sani Omolori Aliyu to Bauchi State, CP Bello Shehu to Katsina State, CP Saka Adewale Ajao as Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and CP Ojo Adekimi to Kwara State.

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“In addition to these State Command appointments, the deployment also includes the posting of 29 CPs to various police formations as part of a broader effort to address rising security challenges and ensure effective policing that is responsive to community needs. Each CP will be tasked with implementing tailored strategies that reflect the unique requirements of their respective formations, ensuring that policing is both proactive and effective.

“The IGP charges the newly deployed CPs to prioritize their responsibilities in curbing insecurity and misconduct, reinforcing the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to uphold law and order through robust intelligence-led policing. This deployment reflects the dedication of the new Police leadership to ensure that the Nigeria Police Force is well-equipped to address the challenges of maintaining peace and security in the country,” the statement said.