metro
Obasanjo slams labour leaders for betraying workers over minimum wage

Obasanjo slams labour leaders for betraying workers over minimum wage
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has sharply criticized the N70,000 minimum wage approved by President Bola Tinubu for Nigerian workers, calling it grossly inadequate to meet workers’ basic needs, such as transportation, food, and housing.
Obasanjo expressed concerns that the amount falls far short of addressing the rising cost of living in the country.
He also accused labour leaders of betraying workers by prioritizing personal interests over the collective welfare of the Nigerian workforce.
“That is the situation in Nigeria in the third decade of the 21st century.
“The minimum wage does not even cover transportation costs for some workers, let alone food, housing, and family upkeep,” Obasanjo wrote in his newly released book, “Nigeria: Past and Future”.
In Chapter 17 of the book, Obasanjo accused labour leader of neglecting leaders while pursuing personal interests.
“Workers need more attention than they are getting. It is their right, and they have been denied it for too long. They have become victims of those meant to protect their interests.
“How did it happen that a trade union leader, while in office, was negotiating with a political party to be adopted as a gubernatorial candidate?
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“Because of their political ambitions, most union leaders are ineffective compared to the founding fathers’ expectations.
“The workers thereby become victims of selfish leaders who use their positions to achieve political heights.
“Rather than negotiate in the interest of the workers, they do sabre-rattling and they are called into the room and money in large amounts is stuffed into their hands and they keep quiet.
“That has been the case since 2015. And, if anything, it is going from bad to worse.”
Obasanjo also criticised government officials who openly admitted to paying off labour leaders to stop agitation.
“How do we explain a senior official close to the President saying, ‘We have paid them to keep quiet and stop agitating’?
“What contributions are such labour leaders and their unions making to the country’s progress? You do not get the best from a frustrated and depressed worker.”
While acknowledging that anyone has the right to pursue politics, Obasanjo argued that it was unethical for labour leaders to use their unions as platforms for political advancement, as it creates a conflict of interest.
He proposed a law requiring labour leaders to wait at least five years after leaving office before participating in politics.
On July 29, 2024, Tinubu signed the N70,000 minimum wage into law after negotiations with organised labour and the private sector were finalised on July 18, 2024.
This concluded months-long talks in which Tinubu reduced labour’s initial N250,000/month demand to N70,000/month.
Before this, the country’s minimum wage stood at N33,000, signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari on April 18, 2019.
Obasanjo slams labour leaders for betraying workers over minimum wage
metro
Police recover bodies of father, son after mysterious death

Police recover bodies of father, son after mysterious death
Authorities in Ebonyi State have recovered the remains of a man and his son who were found dead under unclear circumstances in the Ebebe Junction area of Abakaliki.
State Police Command spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the evacuation to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.
Ukandu said the deceased, identified as Mr. Light Nwodor and his son Miracle, were found lifeless, prompting swift action by officers in the area.
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“When I was called by an individual about the incident, I quickly called the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area,” he said.”They swung into action and the dead bodies have been evacuated.“The police have launched investigation into the matter.”The command will definitely inform the general public on completion of investigation.“Right now, nobody knows what caused their deaths,” he added.
He also noted that no updates had been received from the DPO regarding any arrests linked to the case.
Initial unconfirmed reports circulating online suggested that the deaths may have resulted from eating food prepared by a woman who is allegedly now at large.
Police recover bodies of father, son after mysterious death
metro
Many missing, one killed in Ebonyi community clash

Many missing, one killed in Ebonyi community clash
One person has been shot dead, two injured and many people missing in Ndiagu Amagu, Ikwo in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State following a leadership tussle. The deceased, Nwoyika Ugbaloke and Thomas Ngaragu were reportedly attacked by some gunmen, but Ugbaloke couldn’t survive the attack.
Many people are said to be missing in the attack.
It was gathered that trouble started when a faction in the community imposed N40, 000 level on all the adults in Nduche Umuomara in the community, which did not go down well with another faction in the area.
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It was also gathered that the faction that imposed the N40,000 levy on the adults was also selling lands belonging to the faction that opposed the levy.
A son of the deceased, Nwoyika Kingsley Emeka, lamented the killing of his father and called for arrest of his killers. He said the killers were moving freely in the community, sealing people’s farmlands with palm fronds and warning them never to set their feet on the farms until the fines were paid.
He alleged that the perpetrators were being protected by some highly placed persons in the community.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu said he had not received any report on the incident.
Many missing, one killed in Ebonyi community clash
metro
EFCC declares four persons wanted over CBEX scam

EFCC declares four persons wanted over CBEX scam
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared eight suspects wanted in connection with the alleged loss of approximately N1.3trillion to Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).
Apart from two of the suspects based in Ibadan, the rest six were said to be from Idimu-Egbeda Road in Lagos.
But the EFCC has held on to two suspects it earlier arrested.
According to a notice by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Dele Oyewale, all the suspects are wanted for “fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).”
The first set of suspects, who are Nigerians, include, Oloyede, Emmanuel Uko, Adefowora Oluwanishola and Adefowora Abiodun Olaonipekun.
The foreigners are Johnson Okiroh Otieno, Israel Mbaluka, Joseph Michiro Kabera and Serah Michiro.
The Adefoworas and Michiros are suspected to be couples.
The statement described the second set of suspects as “foreign accomplices wanted by the EFCC. “
The statement added: “The public is hereby notified that the persons whose photographs appear above are suspected foreign accomplices wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).
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“Anybody with useful information as to their whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, llorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: info@efcc.gov.ng or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.”
Asked about those two earlier arrested, a source in EFCC said: “They are still in custody. “
The Director-General of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr Emomotimi Agama has said CBEX is unregistered with it.
He said the commission cannot be of help to the victims.
He said: “There is nothing the commission can do”.
“We are worried that this went on for long without anyone drawing our attention to it. That is why we are doing more enlightenment and asking people to come forward to report this for early detection.”
SEC said preliminary investigations revealed that CBEX, which also operates under the corporate identity of ST Technologies International Ltd, Smart Treasure/Super Technology, had held itself out as a digital asset-trading platform, offering high returns to investors in Nigeria.
It said: “The Commission hereby clarifies that neither CBEX nor its affiliates were granted registration by the Commission at any time to operate as a Digital Assets Exchange, solicit investments from the public or perform any other function within the Nigerian capital market.”
EFCC declares four persons wanted over CBEX scam
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