metro
Discordant tunes over sealing of Dangote Cement factory in Kogi
Tension has gripped the mining community of Obajana in the Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi State following the incident that led to the closure of the Dangote Cement factory.
Many workers of the company were reportedly injured on Wednesday when hundreds of youths invaded the main gate of the factory and had confrontations with the policemen guarding the plant.
The Corporate Affairs and Communication Department of the Dangote Group in a statement on Wednesday said several staff members of the company received gunshot wounds when over 500 armed members of the Kogi State’s security outfit, the Vigilantes, stormed the factory.
The statement added that the said vigilante group members were wielding arms of different kinds wheny the stormed the factory.
It added that the injured staff had been taken to hospitals for treatment.
But, in a swift reaction, the Kogi State government stated that it was jubilant youths who chased the workers away after sealing the factory.
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The state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kinsley Fanwo, in a statement, said the state government sealed the factory in Obajana following agitations by Kogi indigenes on the questionable circumstances surrounding the acquisition of the company.
Reports from the communities on Thursday stated that the residents of the cement town were wearing mourning looks, bemoaning the unfolding crisis rocking their communities.
Many shops, business centres and eateries in the town remained under lock and key for fear of the unknown.
However, discordant tunes have been trailing the sealing of the company.
The mining community of Iwa and Oyo in the Obajana enclave described the action of the youth as falling short of maturity and civility.
In particular, the spokesperson of the Iwa mining community, Rotimi Kekereowo, stated that the coming on the stream of the company to their community had helped them, saying they will not support any action that will bring hardships to their community.
Also, the spokesperson for the Oyo mining community, Mr David Oluruntoba, called for caution, describing the incident as ‘’primitive and disgraceful’.
He said the community had just signed a Community Development Agreement (CDA) with the company besides providing them with jobs.
The Olu of Akpata in the mining community, Fredrick Balogun, said royal fathers “will continue to seek the path of reconciliation and amicable resolution of any misunderstanding. We don’t have issues with the company.”
Meanwhile, the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, has said that the state is ready to open up discussions once Dangote Company Plc is ready to come clean.
The governor disclosed this in Lokoja on Thursday during the public presentation of the report of the Specialised Technical Committee on the Evaluation of the Legality of the Alleged Acquisition of Obajana Cement Company Plc by Dangote Cement Company Limited.
Bello said that he had taken the bold step in line with his mandate to safeguard the lives and livelihood of the people of Kogi.
“We received several petitions from the general public over this particular subject matter. In the past five to six years, all efforts to sit with the proprietors of the Dangote Conglomerate failed.
“We set up a committee to look into this and invited the Dangote company to discuss with them and tell them the imminent dangers they are exposing the people to, but it all fell on deaf ears,” he said.
Daily Trust
metro
Sokoto governor axes 15 district heads over insecurity, others
Sokoto governor axes 15 district heads over insecurity, others
Sokoto State Government has sacked nine district heads for allegedly aiding insecurity and encouraging land racketeering.
The state government also sacked another six district heads said to have been irregularly appointed by the immediate past government of the state.
Abubakar Bawa, the Press Secretary to Governor Ahmed Aliyu, announced this while briefing newsmen on the development on Tuesday.
Those axed over alleged insecurity are the district heads of Unguwar Lalle, Yabo, Wamakko, Tulluwa, llela, Dogon Daji, Kebbe, Alkammu and Giyawa.
Bawa said the six district heads were dropped because of the way they were haphazardly appointed and their rejection by their people.
The affected six district heads are Marafan Tangaza, Sarkin Gabas Kalambaina, Bunun Gongono, Sarkin Kudun Yar Tsakkuwa, Sarkin Tambuwal and Sarkin Yamman Torankavwa.
“The cases involving District Heads of Isa, Kuchi, Kilgori and Gagi have been re commended for further investigations,” Bawa added.
However, Sarkin Yakin Binji, senior counselor in the Suktanate Council, was transferred to Nabunkari while the District Head of Sabon Birni was deployed to Gatawa.
Bawa said this followed the recommendations of the Committee on the Review of the appointments of Traditional rulers, Renaming of Tertiary Institutions and the Dissolution of Governing Boards of State Parastatals.
metro
Passengers overpower bandits in Zamfara
Passengers overpower bandits in Zamfara
In a courageous act, the family of a bride-to-be and a group of passengers thwarted a kidnapping attempt by killing a terrorist in Zamfara State.
PRNigeria reports that the incident unfolded when the family of the bride-to-be and other travellers were ambushed by bandits along the Talata Mafara-Gusau highway.
The bride’s family had embarked on a journey to purchase clothing and other wedding materials in Kano. However, their plans took a harrowing turn when armed bandits targeted them.
An eyewitness, who spoke to PRNigeria, revealed that the response was spontaneous once the bandits had selected their victims.
Despite one of the bandits managing to escape, the brave passengers captured two AK-47 rifles.
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Narrating how the events unfolded, the eyewitness said: “A few kilometres away from the Fangal Tama checkpoint, the travellers heard gunshots echoing all around.
‘’To their shock, they encountered two well-armed bandits on motorcycles, blocking the road and halting vehicles.
“The bandits immediately ordered the young woman (the bride-to-be), her father, mother, and two other relatives to exit their car.
‘’With guns pointed at them, the terrified family members were coerced to follow the bandits into the nearby forest.
“Realising the grave danger they faced in forced abduction, the passengers decided to act swiftly. They rallied together and launched an attack on one of the two bandits.
‘’In a fierce struggle, they managed to overpower him, resulting in his instant death. The other bandit, however, escaped, leaving behind his firearm.
“The courageous group retrieved the two guns and emerged from the forest. They promptly handed the weapons over to the military at a nearby checkpoint.’’
Passengers overpower bandits in Zamfara
metro
BREAKING: EFCC freezes 300 illegal forex accounts
BREAKING: EFCC freezes 300 illegal forex accounts
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has frozen 300 illegal forex accounts trading on a peer-to-peer platform.
The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, revealed that the accounts were suspended on Monday following a court order.
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Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, Olukoyede explained that over $15bn passed through one of the forex platforms in the last one year, outside the financial regulations.
He said the EFCC action was taken to ensure the safety of the foreign exchange market and protect the economy.
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