DIG Alabi Chargés Police Officers On Kïdnapping, Arméd Robbéry, Advisés Them To Collaboraté With Tradïtional, Relïgious Leaders

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June 8, 2024

By Ayodele Oni

The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in-charge of South-West Region, Abiodun Sylvester Alabi, has asked Police Officers in Ondo State to put an end to pockets of kidnappings and robberies in the State.

He said this was achievable by engaging traditional rulers, community and religious leaders in fighting kidnapping and other crimes in the state and its environs.

Alabi gave the directive while addressing police men and officers in Akure, the state capital, as part of his visitation to States as directed by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to assess security situations.

Alabi who noted that policing was evolving and not a tea party, stressed that Police Force needs collaboration of all stakeholders to protect people.

The DIG also charged police officers to imbibe professionalism in their daily operations to eradicate criminalities.

Alabi said that the time had come for police officers to engage community and religious leaders to tackle criminality in the society,

He also said fighting crimes in the South-West has yielded positive results, but there is the need to do more.

Alabi, therefore, called on Police Officers to imbibe the ethics of the job, saying corruption and extortion would not be condoned.

“When something happens unexpectedly, it is the duty of the officer to go back to the drawing board and re-strategize.

“Policing is not a tea party, it is a very serious, tedious, physical and mentally challenged job.

“So, it’s a job that entails total commitment and total dedication, because we owe members of the public a duty to secure their lives and properties.

“Generally, South-West is one of the most peaceful zone we have in the country today, but I don’t want you to be carried away so that you will not get embarrassed.

“So, its time for you to double your efforts and ensure the pocket of occasional kidnapping and occasional armed robbery being experienced becomes a thing of the past.

“We need to sit down and do a serious planning to eradicate completely any incident of kidnapping in Ondo State,” he said.

“As police officers, you can do your job and earn a good job without delving into all those unprofessional and unethical conducts.

“I am admonishing you to desist from that and it is better for you to attract goodwill for yourself from well-meaning Nigerians

“Because if you do your job diligently and show that you a man of integrity, you will be loved by people and gain more confidence and trust from people.”

In his speech, Abiodun Asabi, Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in-charge of zone 17, assured the DIG that the zone would continue to fall in line with the agenda of the IGP.

“We are not going to rest on accolades that our zone is the most peaceful in the country, we will continue to push our zone more to be free from any form of criminality,” he said.

In his address, Abayomi Oladipo, Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, appreciated the DIG’s visit, saying that the command would continue to engage officers and men on professional conduct for effective service delivery.

“Our display of professionalism during the governorship primaries in the state came to bare as we were non-partisan and followed the guiding principles as laid down in the electoral act.

“Currently, the command has mapped out plans to ensure that the state is devoid of actions and inactions that can heat up the polity.”

Abayomi explained that he had a meeting with political stakeholders and all relevant organisations involved in electoral activities, and called on politicians to warn their supporters against causing chaos in the state.

“Our Govt Néver Opérated In A Väccum” – Kebbi Dep. Gov. Carpéts PDP Over Cläims Of Differénces Betwéen Him And Gov Idris

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Suleiman Anyalewechi

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June 8, 2024

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Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida - Kebbi Deputy Governor

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Kebbi State Deputy Governor, Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida, on Friday, June 7, 2024, rubbished insinuations of a frosty relationship with his boss Governor Nasir Idris.

News of the frosty relationship has been making the rounds in opposition camps, especially. But Senator Tafida Insists that he and his boss are enjoying the best of working relationships.

The Source reports that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last few days, has sought to play up the alleged failure of Governor Idris, who has been away from the State for a while to officially transmit power to his Deputy.

But at a press briefing at his official lodge, Senator Tafida described the alarm being raised by the PDP and other opposition camps as absolutely “unnecessary and nonsensical.”

He accused opposition forces of only trying to build a political capital out of a non existent foundation .

He assured that the opposition plot will fail, just as others before it.

The Deputy Governor noted that from inception, “there has been an understanding within the governmental system, which has so far ensured that vacuum never existed for a day.”

He insisted that Governor Idris has been religious in entrusting the State’s administrative machineries to his Deputy ,when ever he is out of the state ,in line with relevant constitutional provisions.

Besides the good working relationship between his office and that of the Governor, Senator Tafida informed that both the members of the State Executive Council have been united in their resolve to take Kebbi State to the next level .

He therefore, warned that “no amount of political subterfuge and blackmail by the opposition forces will be able to puncture the cordial and harmonious relationship that currently pervade the All Progressive Congress APC led administration in the State.”

In the same vein,the APC.Kebbi State has blasted the PDP over its claims of alleged refusal of Governor Idris to transmit power to his Deputy, noting that the opposition party appears to be out of tune with the realities on the ground .

In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Isah Assalafy, the ruling party described PDP’s claims as malicious and devoid of adequate knowledge of the constitution of the country.

The APC while vouching for the harmonious working relationships between Governor Idris and his Deputy since they came into office ,said the PDP’s misguided plot is ,already dead on arrival ..

“It is gratifying to note that the duo in the last one year have been enjoying cordial and just relationship as there have been no time when the Deputy Governor Umar Tafida have had cause to complain of being marginalized by the Governor.

“Let me use this opportunity to admonish the opposition PDP to desist from faceless media attack on the Kebbi state Governor ,Dr Nasir Idris ,even as the party listens to reasonable and constructive criticisms.” the APC stated.

Ekiti Set To Host Annual Festival, To Showcase Cultural Endowments

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Ayodele Oni

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June 7, 2024

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By Ayodele Oni

Ekiti State Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy is set to host this year’s Ekiti Festival.

The festival, which commenced in 2012, has become an annual event, during which the state showcases its cultural endowments to the outside world.

The Commissioner of the ministry, Prof Rasaki Ojo-Bakare, disclosed this at a press conference held at NUJ, Press centre, Ado-Ekiti on Friday.

He assured tourists and Ekiti residents of adequate security during 2024 Ekiti Festival(EKIFEST) scheduled for 6th and 10th August, 2024.

The Commissioner explained that 2024 EKIFEST would afford local government and communities to showcase their talents, products and services to the world.

He advised Local Government chairmen to embark on talent hunts saying thousands of talents are abound in rural areas.

“EKIFEST was established to project and exhibit talented individuals at the grassroots, in a bid to bring Ekiti on the map of global culture.

“We are inviting visitors from all over Africa and beyond. These fellows are not just coming as tourists, but to see what our people are capable of doing with their talents so that they can invest and take the products beyond the borders of Ekiti and Nigeria.”

The Commissioner further said that EKIFEST started in 2012, saying it is an annual event which promotes economy of the state.

Rasaki Ojo hinted on the activities for the festival, to include: competitive events such as: performing Art, Visual Art, fashion Art, creative art, traditional wrestling, street carnival, among others.

Ayokunle, Fmr CAN President Says Multïple Taxatïon Kïlling Nigerians

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The Source

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June 7, 2024

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By Ayodele Oni

A former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr Samson Ayokunle, has cried out that multiple taxations are killing Nigerians.

He advised President Bola Tinubu, to stop multiple taxations introduced by federal and state agencies on hungry Nigerians.

Ayokunle, also a former President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, who was a guest on Channels Television on Friday, urged the president to open up the economy and mobilize investment into the agriculture and mining sectors to tap the goldmines locked up in them.

“Let’s delve into other aspects of our economy. Nigeria is rich, let’s explore, not just taxing, taxing. If you tax people, people will die.

“If you continue to tax them and tax them, they will die and if people die without fulfilling their life ambition, you will be held responsible.

“I know that the president wants to help Nigerians, but he should stop adding tax to tax, but enough is enough. How will people survive? How will people breathe?

“Tomorrow is not certain for many people with the way we are going and they are still raising more taxes, electricity tariff hike, and others.

“Where will people get these monies? Don’t you know the amount you pay them per month? Do you want to kill them or drive them away from the country?”

He lamented that Nigeria is many years behind considering the resources at the nation’s disposal when compared to the performance of the country.

“The economy is in shambles. The pains Nigerians are facing is unprecedented. I don’t know what to classify this whether it is hyper-inflation or something else.

“The cost of things has spiralled unimaginably that it is difficult for Nigerians to survive.”

The former CAN President said, “The new administration took some steps that were very good and they also took some steps, if not many steps backwards.”

He condemned the hastiness of the removal of petrol subsidy by the Tinubu administration.

“The hastiness without considering the implications, line by line, of petrol subsidy removal.

“This government is trying to address the issue of foreign exchange, but they have not gotten it. Something drastic must be done.”

The cleric added that the economic situation has become unbearable for young people who can “no longer take it because hope deferred makes the heart weary.”

He, however, commended the student loan scheme by the current administration.

NGF Insîsts States Can’t Päy N60,000 As Minimum Wäge

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Ayodele Oni

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June 7, 2024

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By Ayodele Oni

The Secretariat of the Nigeria Governors Forum, (NGF) has come out on the position of 36 state governors on the new minimum wage.

It stated that the governors rejected the N60,000 that was earlier proposed by the Federal Government as the new minimum wage.

The Governors, after their meeting on Thursday, had set up a committee headed by Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma to work out a realistic figure that can be sustained.

They had earlier resolved that since one of them, which is Edo, has commenced payment of N70,000 as minimum wage, others can maintain this.

The Director of Media and Public Affairs for the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Halimah Salihu Ahmed, announced this in a statement on Friday.

The governors argued that the N60,000 wage, which the federal government had proposed and rejected by the organized labour, is unrealistic and unsustainable.

They claimed that implementing it would force some states to borrow funds to pay workers’ salaries.

The statement read, “The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) agrees that a new minimum wage is due. The Forum sympathizes with labour unions in their push for higher wages.

“However, the Forum urges all parties to consider that minimum wage negotiations also involve consequential adjustments across all cadres, including pensioners.

“The NGF cautions parties in this important discussion to look beyond just signing a document for the sake of it; any agreement to be signed should be sustainable and realistic.

“All things considered, the NGF holds that the N60,000 minimum wage proposal is not sustainable and cannot be implemented.

“Many states would spend all their FAAC allocations on salaries alone, with nothing left for development purposes.

“In fact, a few states would end up borrowing to pay workers every month. We do not believe this will be in the collective interest of the country, including workers.

“We appeal that all parties involved, especially the labour unions, consider all the socioeconomic variables and settle for an agreement that is sustainable, durable, and fair to all other segments of society who have legitimate claims to public resources.”

Kanu Talks Tőugh On IPÕB As A Térrorist Organisation

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James Orji

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June 7, 2024

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Incarcerated leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu has threatened legal action against anyone or group who describe the self-determination group as terrorist organization.

The IPOB leader issued the warning through his legal team on Friday.

Kanu said a court in the country has ruled that IPOB was not a terrorist organization.

The order was granted in October 2023 by Justice A.O Onovo following a suit brought before the court by the IPOB legal team led by Aloy Ejimakor, challenging the 2017 proscription of IPOB as a terror organization by the federal government.

The court judgement must be respected, according to the IPOB legal team.

“Henceforth, any further reference to IPOB as a terrorist organization will be met and countervailed with a muscular litigation and other lawful measures, regardless of who the entity is,” the group said.

Delivering judgement seven month ago, Justice Onovo, in the suit marked E/20/2023, declared as unconstitutional “the practical application of the Terrorism Prevention Act and the executive or administrative action of the respondents (Southeast Governors Forum and the federal government) which directly led to the proscription of IPOB and its listing as a terrorist group.”

Nigeria’s Economy To Hït Closé To $2trn – IMF

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James Orji

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June 7, 2024

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The International Monetary Fund has hinted that Nigeria’s economy may hit $1.85 trillion by year 2029 based on Purchasing Power Parity PPP terms.

According to the IMF data, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product in PPP terms has been steadily increasing, from $1.36 trillion in 2023 to $1.852 trillion in 2029.

The prediction, analysts insist, portend a milestone for Africa’s biggest economy in terns of Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

The Bretton wood-based, United States of America, USA organization assertion is also coming on the heels of the plans by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to raise the nation’s economy to the $1 trillion mark by the end of 2026.

President Tinubu made the promise to grow Africa’s economic powerhouse to $1 trillion from the current less than $500 billion mark.

Nigeria’s GDP currently trumps that of South Africa, and Egypt in second and third positions, according to global economic ratings.

The IMF data shows a consistent growth trend in Nigeria’s economy, with a notable increase of 5.5 per cent expected in 2029.

The Fund also predicted Nigeria’s share of global GDP based on PPP to reach 0.78 per cent by 2029.

This represents a slight increase from 0.77 per cent in 2023, indicating a steady growth trajectory for the country’s economy, the fund stated ion the report.

The data suggests that Nigeria’s economy is gradually expanding, albeit slowly, and is expected to continue this trend over the next five years.

MFM Dénies Främing Ex-Pastor Jimoh Who Spént 9yrs In Prïson

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James Orji

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June 7, 2024

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The Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, MFM, has debunked the claim by a former pastor, Femi Jimoh, that the Church framed him up and plotted his remand in the prison for nine years.

Jimoh had alleged MFM’s culpability in his predicament, insisting that he was wrongly punished for a crime he didn’t commit.

His emotion laden story had generated mixed reactions among Nigerians, putting the Church in a bad light.

But, the pentecostal Church in a swift reaction, stated that Jimoh alongside Caleb Oloruntele had planned to rob the Church and cart away the ‘First Fruit Offering’.

At a press briefing held at the MFM’s headquarters in Lagos, addressed by Davidson Adejuwon, a lawyer MFM said Jimoh had engaged some persons including; Orji, Aboki and Omojomolo on how to hire a gun for the purpose of robbing the church.

Adejuwon asserted that Jimoh and others agreed to carry out the ignominious plan, which the church got wind of , and informed the police.

Jimoh was eventually arrested alongside his alleged co-plotters.

Adejuwon debunked the claim that the church framed Jimoh, leading to his detention for nine years, rather, he was remanded by the police, and he failed to meet the bail conditions which required the provision of credible sureties.

He said: “Jimoh and his Co-conspirator failed to meet the Bail conditions which does not include payment of any sum as being misunderstood by majority of people who are not lawyers.

“Is it not curious to push a narrative that Dr. D.K Olukoya, the General Overseer of MFM locked them up when all members of their family refused to get two individuals for nine years to stand as their sureties for them to be released?

Adejuwon added that Dr. Olukoya did not jail Jimoh or any person for nine years as been circulated, adding that of what purpose will it serve the revered Clergyman to frame up two of his Ministers.

Corroborating Adejuwon, Pastor Oluwadamilare Odunsi, stated that Jimoh was an unquestionable character leading to his redeployment to Lagos Headquarters for engaging in immoralities.

Also, the three individuals contacted by Jimoh to rob the Church also corroborated the allegations against him. The accused was not been witch-hunted by the Church as he is presently claiming, according to them.

Adejuwon further shed light on the ruling by the National Industrial Court, that Jimoh and Oloruntele should be paid their Nine years arrears of salary because their appointments has not been terminated by the Church.

Timi Frank Cänvasses For N250,000 Mïnimum Wäge

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The Source

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June 7, 2024

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By Ayodele Oni

Bayelsa State born political activist, Timi Frank, has advised the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) and Trade Union Congress, (TUC) to reject any minimum wage offer from the federal government that is less than N250,000.00 per month.

Frank, reacting to reports of alleged Federal Government’s offer of N105,000.00 to workers as new minimum wage during their ongoing tripartite negotiation, said: “any amount below N250,000.00 cannot be considered a decent wage for Nigerian workers considering the present socio-economic hardship in the country.”

Federal Government has however denied offering N105,000 as new minimum wage.

In a statement in Abuja, on Friday, Frank accused the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration of double standards in the fixing of salaries, saying what is good for judicial office holders is good for Nigerian workers.

According to him, Tinubu recently sent a Bill to the National Assembly in which he proposed 300 per cent increase in the salaries and allowances of Supreme Court Justices, Appeal Court Justices, President of the National Industrial Court, Judges of the Federal and State High Courts as well as Grand Khadi of State Sharia Courts, among others, in the country.

The former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) noted that the Bill has been hurriedly passed as proposed by the President in both chambers of the National Assembly and now awaiting the assent of the President to become enforceable law.

“How can you increase the salary of an arm of government that is already earning a humongous salary by 300 per cent and add peanuts to the paltry N30,000 that workers have been compelled to live with in this country as minimum wage in the last five years?

“Why did the President send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly to effect a 300 per cent upward review in the salaries of Judicial Office Holders but set up a tripartite committee to negotiate a ‘starvation wage’ for suffering Nigerian workers instead of a ‘living wage’ he promised them on assumption of office in May last year?”

He pointed out that the executive, legislative and judicial arms of government ought to reduce their salaries and allowances to accommodate Nigerian workers.

“Nigerians are no fools as they know that the proposed generous increase in the salaries of Judicial Office Holders is meant to pay them for the devious work they did to ratify the stay of key political office holders in this administration.”

He reiterated that workers are the engine room of the nation’s economy and that paying them a living wage will boost their morale to work diligently and even pay the supreme price in line of duty for the country’s development if need be.

He therefore urged the leadership of organized labour to be resolute in their demand to ensure that workers get a deserved living wage at this time in the Nation’s developmental journey.

States Őpt For Minimum Wäge Of N70,000

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Ayodele Oni

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June 7, 2024

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By Ayodele Oni

State Governors seem to have taken a stand on the new minimum wage as they are unanimous on paying a wage of N70,000.

This is as they constituted a committee, headed by Governor Hope Uzodimma, to look at all presentations and make recommendations.

The tripartite committee set up by the federal government is continuing with its meeting to agree on a specific figure.

The governors made this disclosure after a meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum(NGF) held on Thursday.

The governors who reviewed the economic situation in the country said that any amount of money above N70,000 is not feasible and affordable.

Sources close to the meeting stated that “After deliberation on the minimum wage, we decided to consider options between N60,000 and N70,000 a month. We could not reach a concrete decision on the wage rate for states.

“Eventually, a committee, to be led by Governor Uzodimma, was mandated to look at all presentations and make recommendations.

“The NGF will soon reconvene to consider the Uzodimma committee report.

“No state can afford to pay a N105,000 minimum wage and we have ruled out this benchmark.

“Records available to us indicated that some states are still paying N18,000 because they are unable to afford N30,000 (which came into effect in 2019). Only a state has adopted a N70, 000 wage.”