RTEAN decries extortion of members by Sanwo-Olu’s caretaker committee – Newstrends
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RTEAN decries extortion of members by Sanwo-Olu’s caretaker committee

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2 years ago

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RTEAN’s Executive National President, Musa Mohammed

The leadership of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has expressed displeasure at the alleged extortions of its members by the caretaker committee for the association constituted by the Lagos State government.

RTEAN’s executive national president, Musa Mohammed, told journalists in Lagos that its members would not pay any “illegal” levy to the caretaker committee.

Mr Mohammed said that members had been compelled to buy union tickets despite the suspension of operations.

“They have hijacked our operations because it is the same thing that we are doing that the committee the government set up is doing too,” he said.

On September 29, 2022, the government suspended all activities of RTEAN. It dissolved the union’s elected executive members in the state following some pockets of violence recorded in Ojo and Lagos Island the same day.

Also, the leadership of RTEAN, before the ban, had announced the suspension of one of its Lagos State vice-chairmen, Oluwaseyi Bamgbose, popularly known as ‘Student’, for allegedly instigating unrest in the association.

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Consequently, Sola Giwa, the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transportation, announced the constitution of a 35-man caretaker committee to take over the union’s activities.

However, Mr Mohammed lamented, “The government said they had suspended our operations in the state, and our operation is for us to sell our tickets.

“The government has asked the committee to print tickets, and that is the ticket they are selling now to our members.

“Immediately after our last press release was out, the committee called another meeting to dissolve our constituted zones and chapels because those zones and chapels could not collect the five million naira and N400,000 they initially proposed to collect respectively.

“The association has about 350 chapels and 50 zones; asking all the 350 chapels and 50 zones to bring money to the chairman of the caretaker committee directly just because the collection of N5 million and N400,000 did not work,” he said. “This cannot work.”

The RTEAN boss urged all members not to take union money to anyone, adding, “If it is tax, we will know it is tax.”

“This one that the government says they have suspended us and now put someone to head a committee to collect money for the state government or himself, we will not agree,” he stated.

Mr Mohammed called on the state government to address the alleged extortion of the association’s members.

“Already we are aware that our operations have been suspended by the Lagos State government, and we have gone to court because we are labour workers working directly under the federal government, and the state government cannot stop us.”

Decrying the suspension, Mr Mohammed said the state government should rather set up a committee to address offences.

(NAN)

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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10 mins ago

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November 14, 2024

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Yahaya Bello

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.

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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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We are understaffed, ICPC boss laments

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14 mins ago

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November 14, 2024

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Chairman of the ICPC, Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN

We are understaffed, ICPC boss laments

Musa Adamu Aliyu, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has stated that the Commission is understaffed and under-resourced. Aliyu says this is limiting the commission’s efficiency.

According to a statement on the ICPC website published on Wednesday, Aliyu made this known on Monday while presenting the Commission’s performance scorecard to the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes.

“Currently, we have 21 state offices, but they are severely understaffed and under-resourced, which affects our efficiency nationwide,” he said.

Aliyu mentioned that the ICPC suffered from inadequate funding, which hampers the pursuit of investigations, legal proceedings and public education efforts.

Cases involving politicians, where external influences can challenge the impartiality and integrity of investigations, are also some of the challenges bedevilling the ICPC.

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Aliyu cited slow court processes as one of the factors preventing the swift resolution of corruption cases and undermining public trust in anti-corruption efforts.

“Our work requires diverse expertise, from forensic analysis to psychology, yet rising living costs make it increasingly difficult to maintain high morale among staff. Reviewing salaries and welfare benefits is essential for sustainable productivity,” Aliyu said.

“Additionally, ICPC personnel face security risks, especially during high-stakes investigations, making it critical to provide them with adequate security measures similar to those granted to other agencies.

“We urge you to consider the Commission’s requests for adequate funding to strengthen operational resources. Such support will enable us to pursue a more effective, inclusive, and resilient fight against corruption in Nigeria.”

 

We are understaffed, ICPC boss laments

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Wike claims Adeyanju became activist after he rejected request to be PDP Publicity Secretary

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37 mins ago

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November 14, 2024

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Wike claims Adeyanju became activist after he rejected request to be PDP Publicity Secretary

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, has disclosed how rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, had approached him, seeking his blessings to become the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, a plea he turned down.

Wike said Adeyanju who became jobless on account of the rejection has now become an emergency activist, using every opportunity to attack the FCT Administration under him.

The minister spoke on Wednesday evening during a live media chat in Abuja.

Adeyanju who had recently attacked Wike for allegedly concentrating development on the city centre, an allegation that has been severally denied by the Administration, with video and pictorial proofs.

Adeyanju also last week led a protest against Wike over the demolition of Ruga, a settlement along Metro line corridor in Wuye District.

Reacting, Wike said; “I saw one young man, they call him Adeyanju. He is from Kogi State. This young boy came to me that he wants to be the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP and I said ‘No’..

“I said he won’t be, and he was not. I have no regrets about it. He has suddenly become a civil society activist. He has no job and that is why he decided to turn to a civil society activist”.

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Shortly after the live media chat, Adeyanju had posted on his Facebook page that he was too busy with clients that he would not be making any response until Friday. He however did not explicitly mention the Minister’s name but rather used expletives.

Wike had on Sunday vowed to go ahead with demolitions of shanties and illegal structures in the territory, saying government will not succumb to blackmail by few individuals who would rather that the status quo be maintained.

Wike who had held an emergency security council meeting on Sunday evening had in company of the security chiefs and journalists visited the Ruga community in Wuye District where town planning officials and security personnel had earlier gone on clearance operations.

There were reports that a handful of the squatters had protested alongside a lawyer, but spokesman of the community, Abba Garu conceded that they were illegal squatters and that previous administrations had carried out at least 22 demolitions of the area but the people always returned.

While he noted that the community was a mini-Nigeria as it had people from different tribes, Garu begged the administration for compassion.

In response, Wike asked him to nominate four other members of the community to meet with officials of the administration in order to come up with a humane solution.

Wike claims Adeyanju became activist after he rejected request to be PDP Publicity Secretary

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