News
SERAP sues Tinubu ban on 25 journalists from Presidential Villa
SERAP sues Tinubu ban on 25 journalists from Presidential Villa
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued President Bola Tinubu over the withdrawal of the accreditations of 25 journalists, including a Vanguard correspondent and media houses from covering events at the Presidential Villa.
This is after the expiration of a 48-hour ultimatum issued by SERAP to the FG to reverse the the ban.
SERAP asked the President to publicly instruct the officials at the Presidential Villa to allow journalists and media houses to freely do their job and discharge their constitutional duty of holding those in power to account.
The Federal Government on 18 August 2023 withdrew the accreditation tags of the 25 journalists and media houses from covering activities at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The affected journalists were said to have been told at the main gate of the Presidential Villa to submit their accreditation tags.
The banned journalists reportedly include those from Vanguard newspaper; Galaxy TV; Ben TV; MITV; ITV Abuja; PromptNews, ONTV, and Liberty.
Other media personnel affected by the withdrawal are mostly reporters and cameramen from broadcast, print, and online media outlets.
In the suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, Kolawole Oluwadare, and Ms Valentina Adegoke, on Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP is seeking “an order to direct and compel President Tinubu to reverse the revocation of the accreditations and ban on 25 journalists and media houses from covering the Presidential Villa.
“An order of perpetual injunction to restrain President Tinubu or any other authority, person or group of persons from arbitrarily and unilaterally revoking the accreditations of any journalists and media houses from covering the Presidential Villa.”
SERAP is also seeking “a declaration that the withdrawal and revocation of accreditation tags and ban on the journalists and media houses from covering the Presidential Villa without any lawful justifications is inconsistent with the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, participation, and media freedom.”
SERAP sues Tinubu ban on 25 journalists from Presidential Villa
News
Drama as Delta workers boo Gov Oborevwori over minimum wage
Drama as Delta workers boo Gov Oborevwori over minimum wage
Delta State workers expressed their disappointment with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Wednesday as he failed to address the issue of minimum wage during the 2024 May Day celebration in Asaba, themed “People First.”
Anticipating news on the minimum wage, the workers were disheartened when the Governor concluded his speech without mentioning it, prompting them to chant, “no, no, no, we no gree, pay us our minimum wage.”
Despite the interruption, Oborevwori stood firm, stating, “Listen to me, listen to me, calm down, calm down, you cannot cajole me.”
The celebration, which included a march past by various affiliate unions, turned sour due to the workers’ dissatisfaction with the governor’s silence on the wage issue.
READ ALSO:
- Neighbour, son beat mother of four to death in Edo
- London sword attack leaves British-Nigerian teenager dead
- Lagos uncovers 86 rooms under Ikoyi bridge where tenants pay N250,000 rent
According to a union leader, previous attempts to address the matter with the Governor proved futile.
In response, Governor Oborevwori announced plans to establish a committee to address the workers’ demand for salary increases amidst prevailing economic challenges. He praised the workers for their support and assured them of his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare.
“I have listened attentively to your requests, and I have taken note of them; they are, no doubt, legitimate demands and as a responsible government, I will deliberate with my team on how best to address them within the limits of the resources available to us,” he affirmed.
In a statement delivered by Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, he emphasized the importance of politicians keeping their promises, stating, “We want promise keeper politicians because, as workers, we keep records of promises.”
Drama as Delta workers boo Gov Oborevwori over minimum wage
News
Two million bank accounts closed over BVN, NIN, others
Two million bank accounts closed over BVN, NIN, others
Commercial banks in Nigeria closed 2.021 million bank accounts in the first quarter of 2024, Q1’24, to clean their books of questionable accounts and comply with regulatory orders on the linkage of bank accounts to the National Identity Number, NIN.
This is contained in a report by the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System, NIBSS, which also indicated that the number of inactive bank accounts grew month-on-month, MoM, by four million or 2.0 per cent to 19.7 million in March 2024 from 19.3 million in the previous month, February.
A bank account is classified inactive when it records zero transactions including deposits, withdrawals, transfers or point-of-sale transactions for six months.
READ ALSO:
- Senate insists on 16 years as requirement for tertiary institution admission in Nigeria
- Minimum wage: Labour threatens nationwide strike by end of May
- UCL: Füllkrug gives Dortmund 1-0 first-leg win over PSG
However, details of the “Industry Bank Account Database”, a monthly data reported by banks, and compiled by the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System, NIBSS, also indicated that the number of active bank accounts grew by 6.62 million or 3.0 per cent to 219.64 million from 213.02 million in February.
Recall that in December 2023, the CBN issued a directive to all commercial banks in the country to restrict tier-1 accounts without proper Biometric Verification Number, BVN, and National Identity Number, NIN, that are not linked by Thursday, March 1st, 2024.
According to NIBSS data on BVN enrollment count, 61.6 million Nigerians have BVN as of April 2024.
Two million bank accounts closed over BVN, NIN, others
News
Senate insists on 16 years as requirement for tertiary institution admission in Nigeria
Senate insists on 16 years as requirement for tertiary institution admission in Nigeria
The Nigerian Senate has moved to clarify recent discussions regarding the minimum age requirement for admission into tertiary institutions.
The red chamber assured Nigerians that the current age requirement of 16 years has not been altered and that recent comments suggesting an increase to 18 years were personal opinions.
READ ALSO:
- Minimum wage: Labour threatens nationwide strike by end of May
- UCL: Füllkrug gives Dortmund 1-0 first-leg win over PSG
- Adopt quarterly exchange rate for Customs duty, economist advises FG
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Adeyemi Adaramodu, emphasised that any changes to the age requirement would require legislative action following due process.
Adaramodu explained in an interview with journalists that comments made by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, about increasing the minimum age limit were not legally binding but rather personal opinions.
The Minister of Education had previously hinted at plans to review and raise the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions to 18 years.
Senate insists on 16 years as requirement for tertiary institution admission in Nigeria
BREAKING: EFCC, Cubana Chief Priest agree to settle out of court
Security forces, vigilantes arrest kidnapper terrorising communities in Kogi
Three ‘EFCC officials’ arrested for kidnapping, robbery in Nasarawa
-
metro2 days agoLabour Day: Nigerian workers are dedicated, resilient, says NURTW leader
-
Education3 days agoBREAKING: JAMB releases 2024 UTME results
-
Auto19 hours agoAppeal court takes over NURTW case as NIC withdraws
-
metro2 days agoWoman arrested in Ogun after husband commits suicide
-
metro3 hours agoSecurity forces, vigilantes arrest kidnapper terrorising communities in Kogi
-
Sports3 days agoFinidi George appointed Super Eagles head coach
-
News3 days agoSeun Kuti retracts allegation on P&ID fraud, tenders apology
-
News2 days agoFG set to repatriate 20,000 Nigerians from Chad, Cameroon