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Scores injured, houses set ablaze in Kwara communal crisis

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Scores injured, houses set ablaze in Kwara communal crisis

A bloody clash between the Yoruba and Batonu people at Chikanda in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State has claimed the lives of scores of people, while several houses were also set ablaze at the weekend.

Vanguard reliably gathered that the recent crisis was allegedly orchestrated by one Nafiu Amuda, of Yoruba extractions who circulated an offensive and provocative audio on social media, abusing the people of Baruten, their host community, and calling them animals and all sorts of names.

He was alleged to have escaped to Ibadan immediately after the audio started generating controversy, to avoid being lynched by aggrieved Baruten people.

A source, who craved anonymity in an interview with a Vanguard correspondent late Sunday, said the build-up to the clash started three days ago when some Yoruba people, arising from heated debate about the controversial audio, attacked Baruten people who were returning from their farms.

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He also claimed that it was the retaliatory attack by the Baruten people on Saturday morning that escalated to burning of houses, with no fewer than seven people severely injured.

Several houses were burnt,and more than seven people severely injured.

Meanwhile, the TIC Chairman of Baruten Local Government has mobilised the security to wade into the situation to ensure that calm and normalcy return to the the crisis area,” he said.

Meanwhile, a Civil Society Organisation, Barutem Patriotic Agenda, BPA, has appealed to Kwara State governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, to take swift and decisive action in restoring peace and harmony in Chikanda and its surrounding areas.

BPA, in a statement issued by its secretary, Aliyu Jibril Seko, also called on all relevant stakeholders, including security agencies, to join hands in resolving the crisis before it escalates beyond control.

“Your Excellency, we trust in your leadership and commitment to the welfare of the people of Kwara State, Batombu inclusive. We believe that with your prompt intervention and the collective efforts of all stakeholders, the crisis in Chikanda can be resolved, and peace restored.

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Scores injured, houses set ablaze in Kwara communal crisis

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UK hikes visa fees as new rates take effect April 9

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UK hikes visa fees as new rates take effect April 9

The United Kingdom Home Office has announced an upward revision of visa application fees across various categories, with the cost of study visas for main applicants and their dependents rising from £490 to £524.

According to an update published on the Home Office website on March 19, the new fees will apply from April 9. The cost of a six-month visit visa will increase from £115 to £127, while a two-year visa will now be issued at £475, up from £432. Additionally, the fee for a 10-year visa has been raised from £963 to £1,059.

Transit visas have also been affected by the changes, with the direct airside transit visa fee increasing from £35 to £39, and the direct landside visit visa rising from £64 to £70.

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The UK has long been a preferred destination for Nigerian students looking to further their education, often as a way to escape economic challenges at home. However, the number of Nigerian students applying to study in the UK has dropped significantly in 2024 following a government policy barring most international students from bringing their family members.

The rule, which does not apply to postgraduate research students, has led to a decline in study visa applications from countries such as Nigeria and India. A March 2024 report by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service highlighted the shift, noting that many prospective students are now seeking admission in alternative destinations.

UK hikes visa fees as new rates take effect April 9

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Ramadan ends in Nigeria, Sultan announces March 30 as Eid-el-Fitr

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Ramadan ends in Nigeria, Sultan announces March 30 as Eid-el-Fitr

 

Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar Sa’ad, says the crescent moon marking the end of Ramadan fasting has been sighted.

The Sultan, who is president of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSIA), said in a broadcast on Saturday night, “Today marks the end of the Ramadan fasting and Sunday, March 30, is the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.”

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Embrace environmental sanitation during Eid-Fitr, LAGESC boss tells Lagosians

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Embrace environmental sanitation during Eid-Fitr, LAGESC boss tells Lagosians

By Dada Jackson

The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) has urged Lagosians to embrace proper environmental practices and obey the state’s environmental laws ahead of the Eid-l-Fitr festivities to mark the end of the Ramadan fast by Muslim faithful around the world.

Corps Marshal of the agency, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (retd), sounded the call at the agency’s command headquarters at Bolade-Oshodi.

He said, ‘‘The Ramadan fast is a testament to the willingness of Muslim faithful to adhere to the pillars of their faith and it is enjoined that cleanliness is an important religious practice in all faiths, which is why we admonish Lagosians to imbibe proper waste disposal and keep their environment clean during the celebration.”

Cole also advised Lagosians to make proper use of pedestrian bridges for their safety instead of crossing highways to prevent ‘hit and run’ cases by speeding motorists.

He equally read a riot act to miscreants in the habit of converting pedestrian bridges to sleeping areas which deters Lagosians in transit, pedestrians vowing that anyone caught w be made to face the state Environmental laws as amended

The KAI boss also revealed that the agency had recorded giant strides and would not relent in ridding pedestrian bridges across Lagos of criminal obstructions, traders and hawkers with daily arrests made alongside secured prosecutions by the Courts.

The Corps Marshal also warned Lagosians to desist from street trading, use of Styrofoam pack, hawking in traffic, patronage of cart pushers for refuse disposal, and erection of illegal structures on laybys, setbacks, medians, road verges, kerbs or around public schools in the state.

The KAI head said offenders would be made to face the consequences via prosecution in a competent court of appropriate jurisdiction.

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