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Hardship: Nigerians call for subsidy return

Published

2 months ago

February 27, 2024

Hardship: Nigerians call for subsidy return

Residents of Osun State staged a peaceful protest on Monday in demand of the return of subsidy to alleviate the rising cost of living and economic hardship in the country.

Nigerians also fault the decision of the Federal Government to give the proceeds of oil subsidy removal to the governors.

Speaking during a protest held by the groups in Osogbo, the state capital, one of the conveners, Mr. Waheed Saka, said the protest was organized to prepare the ground for a bigger demonstration against the economic crisis ravaging the country.

The protesters had converged at Freedom Park, Osogbo, from where they moved around the streets before they assembled under Olaiya Bridge, where they spoke to journalists.

A large number of armed policemen, as well as operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, were at the venue of the protest, observing happenings as the protesters sang various songs depicting the hardship Nigerians were going through.

Speaking further, Saka, who warned that current economic hardship may lead to bigger crises if not checked, declared that governors have not been good managers of resources entrusted to them in the past.

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He said, “The essence of this protest is to mobilise the people for a bigger and larger protest that will be done nationwide, that will force the arms of government to do the right thing. We are not requesting too much; we are saying to fulfil your promise. That is not too much to ask from the government, and the promise is not to make life difficult for the people or increase hardship for average Nigerians.

“That is not what President Bola Tinubu promised us. We understand that there are a lot of issues, but we said don’t remove subsidy and give the money to governors. Governors over the years have not been able to manage their resources effectively; why are you taking off the relief of an average Nigerian and giving the money to governors to spend?

“That is not sustainable, and now the devaluation of the naira has led to an increase in the price of fuel because it is having a snowball effect on food and livelihood. President Tinubu should act now because he is already pushing our people to the precipice.

“We are saying act right; we are saying enough is enough because we can’t continue, year in and year out, to talk about doing the right thing. We are saying enough about IMF and World Bank policies.

“We know that over the years we have had an average leader here working for all these international multilateral agencies, but we don’t expect somebody who has promised that he has been planning to be president for many years to toll the same line of being a puppet of the IMF and World Bank.

“People are enjoying subsidy in different countries; why can’t Nigerians enjoy subsidy too? That is the only thing you give us; why are you taking the only thing that people are enjoying away?That is why we are protesting, and that is why we are on the street to mobilize ordinary people. This is not a labour movement issue; it is a concern for every Nigerian, and that is why we are here.”

Hardship: Nigerians call for subsidy return

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BREAKING: EFCC, Cubana Chief Priest agree to settle out of court

Published

2 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Trends Admin

BREAKING: EFCC, Cubana Chief Priest agree to settle out of court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and celebrity bartender, Pascal Okechukwu, popularly called Cubana Chief Priest, have agreed to settle the naira abuse charge slammed against the socialite out of court.

The Federal High Court in Lagos State, on Wednesday, April 17, granted Cubana Chief Priest N10m bail with two sureties in like sum.

The court on Thursday fixed June 5 for a report of settlement in the case

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He was arraigned before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on three counts bordering on abuse of naira, spraying and tampering with the nation’s currency at a social event contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

The socialite was alleged to have sprayed the naira on February 13, 2024 at Eko Hotel.

Cubana Chief Priest was said to have also committed the offences while dancing during a social event.

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Security forces, vigilantes arrest kidnapper terrorising communities in Kogi

Published

4 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Trends Admin

Abubakar Ali Damina

Security forces, vigilantes arrest kidnapper terrorising communities in Kogi

Security forces have arrested a suspected kidnapper and gun runner terrorising communities in Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The suspect, Abubakar Ali Damina,43, was arrested on Monday at Ofodo village close to Igabada during a joint operation conducted by security forces and vigilante operatives led by Mohammed Ajitata.

Abubakar, who hails from Bida in Niger State, was found in possession of a single-barrel dane gun, along with various suspicious items including charms, a gun firing cap, and local bullets.

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Preliminary investigations revealed his connection to an unidentified Hausa man from Shanawa, Lokoja LGA, from whom he allegedly purchased the gun.

Abubakar confessed to his involvement in criminal activities and disclosed his migration history from Niger State to various locations before settling in Igabada, Igalamela/Odolu LGA, in 2021.

The Igamela-Odolu Local Government Departmental Security Officer, Mohammed Aminu, who confirmed the arrest on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, said the suspect is currently detained at the Kogi State Vigilante Service facility for further investigation.

Security forces, vigilantes arrest kidnapper terrorising communities in Kogi

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Three ‘EFCC officials’ arrested for kidnapping, robbery in Nasarawa

Published

4 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Trends Admin

Three ‘EFCC officials’ arrested for kidnapping, robbery in Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State Police Command has announced the arrest of three fake officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the Nasarawa Local Government Area of the State.

This was contained in a press statement in Lafia on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Ramhan Nansel.

According to Nansel, the suspects who had been disturbing the peace of residents of the area recently launched an attack around the Federal Polytechnic in the Nasarawa LGA where they robbed people of their belongings and subsequently abducted a National Diploma student of the institution, Adudu Kingsley.

He further explained that the victim was released and the suspects arrested following painstaking efforts by officers of the command.

“On 17/04/2024 at about 1545hrs, a distress call was received that four individuals posing as the EFCC personnel, using a Toyota Corolla, green in colour, with registration number, Abuja YAB 509 TT, robbed some students of the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa at Samakwe Lodge behind Government College, Nasarawa LGA and abducted one Adudu Kingsley, an ND II Student of the same Polytechnic.

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“Reacting to the unsavoury development, police operatives gave the suspects a hot chase and a roadblock was mounted at the Laminga junction to stop the suspects from escaping with the victim, but they hit the barrier and fled.

“Furthermore, police operatives at Anguwan Madugu were contacted to mount another roadblock, which the suspects sighted from a distance, abandoned their operational vehicle and the abducted student and fled.

“Luck ran out of one of the suspects as he was caught and beaten mercilessly by a mob before the arrival of the police while others fled. The suspect was rescued from the mob by the police and rushed to the Primary Health Care, Laminga, where he died while receiving treatment.”

However, it was stated that the operational vehicle of the suspects was recovered and taken to the station where a search was conducted and two identification cards identifying the fleeing members of the syndicate were recovered.

“A follow-up investigation into the case led to the arrest of three other members of the gang namely: Hyelda Aliyu Ibrahim, Henry Patrick Okwu and Shuaibu Abubakar (the operational driver of the syndicate) all males of Custom Quarters and Up Market area of Masaka where one iPhone 12 Promax, Huawei and one Tecno Spark 5 earlier robbed from some of their victims and fake EFCC ID cards were recovered from them as exhibits.

“The suspects have confessed to being the syndicate responsible for robbing and terrorising student areas in Keffi and Nasarawa LGAs. Efforts are ongoing to arrest one identified suspect who is at large.

Also, victims of their nefarious activities have come forward and identified the suspects.”

Nansel added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Nadada, had ordered the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Lafia, while assuring the public that the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution upon the conclusion of an investigation into the matter.T