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EndSARS: Viral LASG Memo Stirs Up Anger

By
James Orji
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EndSARS Portest at Lekki
Three years after youths stage  protests against police brutality in the country under the aegis of ENDSARS, a leaked memo from the Lagos State government, has brought back the issue to the front-bunner of national discourse.
On October 20, 2020, many youths were believed to have been killed by soldiers who stormed the Lekki Toll gate, Lagos, in the night where the protest was being held.
The state government had denied allegation by local and foreign human rights bodies that some youths were killed by the soldiers, who were said to have dumped some of the bodies into the lagoon.
The state government later set up a judicial panel headed by Justice Okuwo I to investigate the killings following the outcry from Nigerians.
But on Sunday, a viral memo detailed how the state government planned to conduct a mass  burial for some EndSARS victims.
The leaked document from the state Ministry of Health had sought approval from the state governor on how to bury over 100 casualties from the protest.
Since the memo went viral, not a few Nigerians, particularly from the state have criticized the government for being economical with the truth over the EndSARS saga.
According to those who reacted, there is more truth to what the state government revealed to the public on the matter, particularly on the actual number of people killed during the protest.
The state government had plainly maintained that it did not order the soldiers to storm the venue of the protest, it also denied that people were killed at the Lekki Toll gate.
While reiterating its earlier position on the matter, the state government, in a statement issued on Sunday said the memo was the work of mischief makers, urging the public to disregard it.
In the statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, the state government said those it was planning s mass burial for are not from the Lekki Toll gate shooting.
It said those peddling the rumour are only trying to disrupt peace in the state, adding that the 103 casualties were picked up from other parts of the state during the protest.
Ttled RE: MASS BURIAL OF ENDSARS VICTIMS (MISCHIEF MAKERS AT WORK) the government said, “The attention of the Lagos State Government has been drawn to some social media publications about a purported mass burial plan for casualties of the 2020 #EndSARS incident. Peddlers of the news are deliberately misinterpreting and sensationalising a letter from the Lagos State Government Public Procurement Agency titled: Letter of No Objection — Mass Burial for the 103, the Year 2020 ENDSARS victims, to misinform the public, stir public sentiment and cause public disaffection against the Lagos State Government.
“While the Lagos State Government would not have dignified the mischievous elements peddling such news with a response, we consider it appropriate to set the records straight and draw the attention of well-meaning citizens to the antics of some unscrupulous elements who are hell-bent on disrupting the peace and tranquillity of Lagos with distorted news and half-truths about the PPA letter.
“It is public knowledge that the year 2020 #EndSARS crisis that snowballed into violence in many parts of Lagos recorded casualties in different areas of the State and NOT from the Lekki Toll Gate as being inferred in the mischievous publications.
“For the records, the Lagos State Environmental Health Unit (SEHMU) picked up bodies in the aftermath of #EndSARS violence and community clashes at Fagba, Ketu, Ikorodu, Orile, Ajegunle, Abule-Egba, Ikeja, Ojota, Ekoro, Ogba, Isolo and Ajah areas of Lagos State, including a jailbreak at Ikoyi Prison. The 103 casualties mentioned in the document were from these incidents and NOT from Lekki Toll-gate as alleged. For the avoidance of doubt, nobody was retrieved from the Lekki Toll Gate incident.
“In the aftermath of the #EndSARS violence, the office of the Chief Coroner invited members of the public Throughout public adverts and announcement who had lost loved ones or whose relatives had been declared missing between 19th and 27th October 2020 from various clashes as mentioned above, to contact the department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to help with identification of these casualties deposited in State-owned mortuaries. Relatives were to undergo DNA tests for identification purposes. It is important to state categorically that nobody responded to claim any of the bodies.
“However, after almost three years, the bodies remain unclaimed, adding to the congestion of the mortuaries. This spurred the need to decongest the mortuaries, a procedure that follows very careful medical and legal guidelines in the event that a relative may still turn up to claim a lost relative years after the incident.
“Decongestion of our public morgues is a periodic and regular exercise approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to free up space in mortuaries that have a large number of unclaimed bodies.”
Meanwhile, those monitoring the development said the EndSARS issue has not been totally closed, noting that more revelations are bound to emerge in the future.

Subsidy Removal: Reject Workers’ N200,000 Wage Demand, LCCI Warns FG

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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The federal government has been cautioned over the demand of workers in the country for a N200, 000 minimum wage.
The President of the Lagos  Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, Micheal Olawale-Cole said the government should make some interventions to drive down the cost of essential commodities.
Nigerian workers under the aegis of Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC,  had in view of the removal of petrol subsidy demanded the huge pay rise in order to be able to cope with the current economic situation.
On June 8 for instance, the TUC President, Festus Osifo and Secretary, Nuhu Toro issued a statement demanded a pay rise of N200, 000, among other requests for its members, which it said is for “immediate implementation”.
“For immediate implementation: Status quo ante of PMS pump price should be maintained while discussion continues. The minimum wage should be increased from the current N30,000 to N200,000 before the end of June 2023, with consequential adjustments on the cost of living allowance, COLA, like feeding, transport, housing, etc,” TUC said.
Reacting to the workers’ demand the LCCI urged the federal government not to succumb, saying paying the workers that amount will further drive up the cost of goods and services.
 
The Chamber also warned of the long term  spiral effects on the economy of the workers are paid so much.
It said the burden will be too much on state governments who are still struggling to pay workers the N30,000 minimum wage.
Olawale-Cole insist that proposing N200,000 minimum wage for workers was not the best option as palliative for the fuel subsidy removal, saying many states were yet to comply with the N18,000 and N30,000 minimum wage.
He explained that pumping more money into circulation will further worsen inflation in the country, with its attendant long term spiral effects on the fragile economy.
According to him,  “Let me just say on the issue of the proposed N200,000 minimum wage by the TUC. “The current N18,000 and N30,000 minimum wage, how many states are paying it regularly? Many states in Nigeria are owning their workers, except only the federal and some few states that have complied.
“So when you talk of it going to N200,000 I don’t think that should be the responsibility of the government giving cash to Nigerians, they can go into areas where people are operating with their monies.
“Because the value of money is what money can buy. If you give me N400,000, since things around are expensive, it will mean nothing to me. But if you put that money in those things that would bring cost of goods down, it will make sense. “
Recall that Senate President, Godswill Akpabio said last week that the federal government was already working on modalities to increase the minimum wage in the country.

CBN Can’t Obtain Customers’ Facebook, Twitter Handles- SERAP Tells Court

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has been sued by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, over the bank’s recent directive to commercial banks in the country to obtain customers’ social media handles.

The CBN issued the directive to commercial and money banks earlier this month, saying it’s necessary for the purpose of identifying their customers.

What this means, according to those familiar with the apex bank guidelines, is that the CBN wants to be able to monitor bank customers through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social platforms.

Not a few Nigerians have kicked against the directive, citing for instance how it violates their rights to privacy, even though the CBN said the order is in line with the provisions of Section 6 of its Customer Due Diligence Reg­ulations, 2023.

But SERAP in a suit it filed against the apex bank said the directive violates the privacy of customers, and that there’s no legal ground for such.

According to the suit filed at the Federal High court in Lagos, the rights group is seeking an order to direct and compel the CBN to withdraw the directive issued to commercial banks on June 20, 2023.

SERAP is seeking “an order of manda­mus to compel the CBN to de­lete the unlawful provisions of Section 6 of its Customer Due Diligence Regulations, 2023 for being inconsistent with Section 39 of the Nigerian constitution 1999 (as amend­ed) and Article 9 of the Afri­can Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

“An order restraining the CBN from carrying out or giving effect to the unlawful provisions of Section 6 of its Customer Due Diligence Reg­ulations, 2023 directing banks and other financial institu­tions to obtain information from customers’ social media handles.

“The mandatory requirement of social media handles or addresses of cus­tomers does not serve any legitimate aim. Such infor­mation may be used to unjus­tifiably or arbitrarily restrict the rights to freedom of ex­pression and privacy.”

SERAP insists that “unless the reliefs sought are granted, the CBN will imple­ment and enforce the unlawful directive in contravention of citizens’ rights to freedom of expression and privacy.

“There are other means of identification such as pass­port, driver’s licence, Bank Verification Number (BVN), and Tax Identification Num­ber (TIN), which banks and other financial institutions al­ready require their customers to provide.

“The additional require­ment of obtaining details of a customer’s social media han­dle or address fails to meet the requirements of legality, necessity, and proportionality.

“The facts that there are sufficient means of identifica­tion for CBN, banks and other financial institutions to rely on to meet the requirement of Know Your Customer also heighten concerns of over­reach, and confer far-reaching discretion on banks and finan­cial institutions.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Ko­lawole Oluwadare and Ms. Blessing Ogwuche, also read in part: “Obtaining infor­mation on customers’ social media handles or addresses as means of identification is more intrusive than necessary.

“According to Section 6(a) (iv) of the CBN Regulations, banks and other financial in­stitutions ‘shall identify their customer and obtain infor­mation on the social media handle of the customer.’ Sec­tion 6(b)(iii) contains similar provision.

“The purported mandatory requirement would inhibit Ni­gerians from freely exercising their human rights online. If ob­tained, such information may also be misused for political and other unlawful purposes.

“The CBN regulations and directive to banks and other financial institutions would impermissibly restrict the constitutional and interna­tional rights to freedom of ex­pression, privacy and victims’ right to justice and effective remedies.

“Requiring social media handles or addresses of cus­tomers as a means of identi­fication would have a dispro­portionate chilling effect on the effective enjoyment by Nigerians of their rights to freedom of expression and privacy online.

“The requirement of necessity implies an assess­ment of the proportionality of the grounds, with the aim of ensuring that the excuse of ‘regulations on customer due diligence’ is not used as a pretext to unduly intrude upon the rights to freedom of expression and privacy.

“The CBN regulation does not demonstrate how the use of social media handle or ad­dress as a means of identifica­tion would serve to improve banks and other financial institutions’ ability to imple­ment and comply with the laws and regulations relating to customer due diligence.

“The directive by the CBN, which does not in any event carry the force of law, also fails to provide any explanation as to how social media handles or addresses can facilitate com­pliance with regulations relat­ing to customer due diligence.

“Obtaining the details of customers’ social media han­dles or addresses would un­duly interfere with the rights to freedom of expression and privacy. It would also be dispro­portionate to any purported legitimate aim that the CBN seeks to achieve.”

Icarus Syndrome: A Lesson For Ikenga Ugochinyere

By
The Source
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By James Chinonyerem

Anyone conversant with English literature will recall Christopher Marlow’s Dr Faustus, a chart buster piece. It is a play in parody of human vanities. The main character, with same name as the title, Dr Faustus demonstrates the inordinate ambition of man to surpass himself in his bid to dominate all around him. It also reflects the dangers of pride, mendacity, magical feats, mischiefs, and outright abandonments of essence of God’s intentions for man. Dr Faustus  validates the inevitability of the fall of man occasioned by desire to equate self with his creator. Dr Faustus,  consumed by the inordinate desire to dominate his environment and all things therein, sought and obtained power from the devil. This power was tenured for twenty four years in exchange of his life. He exercised the power in full relish but suffered eternal damnation afterwards.

Another round of reading of the play text draws mind Icarus the son of Daedalus, a sub character in text and the nexus between and Ikenga Ugochinyere, the son of Ikeawgwuonu.

Comparatively, both are young, enterprising and adventurous. They seek higher grounds in boisterous manners. While one (Icarus) is a mythical character, the other, Ugochinyere is a real character. Therefore, he, Ugochinyere needs to learn from the misadventures of his mythical cousin, Icarus.

Ikenga Ugochinyere should learn and avoid the pitfalls of Icarus. Among these are, lack of self deflections, courting of omnipotence, recklessness, restlessness and contemptuous behavior etc.

Icarus’ bane was pride. He was not a hero but sought to play one. He had the environment to flaunt his pride, his new possession. His father playing the kind one, made for him, wings from wax so that he could fly as he desired, flew he did. The caveat from his father to him was, never go near the sun.

As the cliche goes, pride goes before fall, so Icarus’ hubris went before him and took him to the sun against the father’s advice. His wings melted and he fell into the sea and drown. Icarus became a metaphor for recklessness, vaulting ambition, disobedience, indiscretion, boastfulness, vainglorious posturing and boyish exuberance.

Those who love Ikenga Ugochinyere should recommend the text, Dr Faustus to him. Let him read and be wise and better guided. Let him know what to say, how to say it, when and where to say it. Let him avoid I repeat, the Icarus paradox.

He is lucky to be who he is. Some say he worked hard for it. Others opined that he’s not the most hardworking. Whichever, he is now in the national assembly as the representative of his people. He will be judged by the quality of good he brings home and not the numbers of hurried press conferences and releases he issued. He should allow himself a somber mood,  change the tenure of his discourse because he is now in a new field of discourse.

Pointing on the state governor, Sen Hope Uzodimma so cheaply and childishly, spinning infantile yarns against him and trying to set the fish against the sea will certainly not achieve good results for him. If anything, it will boomerang against him. He should be reminded of the Igbo adage which says, a child who sets traps in between the legs of his own mother, will only catch his father or his mother’s male friends. Either way, the child is doomed.

Let Ikenga Ugochinyere begin to see himself more as a patriot, stakeholder and co-builder of the state than his belligerence which no doubt, is  becoming rather anachronistic approach in view of the needs of the hour.

Time ticks for him. His score card as his people’s representative will be read loud in the open space. The results will be counted in concrete terms and in the unnecessary garrulousness fashions he presently prefers.

Ikenga Ugochinyere should stop stirring controversies, his serial attacks on the person of the governor and the office as a state institution, is wrong and condemnable. He should rather channel his intelligence and energy towards the efforts to build a better and greater Imo state as encapsulated in the 3R philosophy of the shared prosperity government. He needs not be a member of APC to do this, all he needs is to be a statesman politician with focus on collective collaboration and participation across the political divides.

This is the cardinal lesson Ikenga Ugochinyere should learn and apply to avoid being the modern Icarus.

Nze Chinonyerem wrote from Owerri

Why We Demolished Alaba Market-LASG

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Hope Uzodimma and Babajide Sanwoolu

The demolition of some buildings at Alaba International Market was carried out to save lives, the Lagos state government has said.

The state government’s reaction followed the accusation that the demolition was a vendetta to punish Igbo traders in the market.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the state made its position on the issue known on Saturday after Gbolahan Oki, General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, LABSCA, paid an on-the-spot assessment to the market.

Oki said the demolition was not a witch-hunt on the people of the southeast as being peddled by some persons, adding that the action of the state government has nothing to do with the acquisition of the land.

Oki visited the market amid heavy downpour alongside his counterpart in Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authourity (LASPPPA), Mr Kehinde Osinaike, and the seven-man committee set up by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the aftermath of the demolition exercise.

They were led on the trip by Oluwole Sotire, Permanent Secretary of their parent parastatal, the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that South-East traders in the market, led by Imo Governor, Mr Hope Uzodimma, met with Gov. Sanwo-Olu of Lagos to put to rest allegations of tribal bias behind the demolition exercise.

During the on the spot assessment, Oki explained that the demolition was simply to enforce building regulations and laws, to prevent building collapse.

According to him, most of the demolished buildings were without permits, and necessary documentations needed by the state government were also ignored.

“All we are after is that the lives of traders and other Nigerians are extremely important to the Lagos State Government.

“I have seen people painting buildings that are delapidated, that are not good, it is not painting that makes a building new. Our lives are more important,” he said.

Oki urged owners of distressed buildings marked for demolition to remove them within two weeks, to prevent disaster, or else government would move in to take action.

“My mandate is to remove anything that is dilapidated, that is harmful to the people that even owns it,” he said.

The General Manager said Sanwo-Olu set up the seven-man committee to look into the demolition without causing disaffection among the traders at Alaba International Market.

Why I deserve Re-election, Uzodimma tells Imo Citizens in U.S.

By
The Source
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Hope Uzodimma - Imo Civil Servant Promotion

Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma has declared that he deserves re-election based on his sterling performance in the last 43 months and his vision for the State in the years ahead.

He said his re-election come November 11, 2023 will also bring stability to the political space since the newly adopted Imo Charter of Equity will bring about orderly transfer of power beginning with his re-election.

Senator Uzodimma spoke in far away United States of America on a day a former Secretary to the State Government, Sir Jude Ejiogu endorsed the governor for a second tenure.

Ejiogu said that other candidates in the coming election are no match to Governor Uzodimma.

Speaking at the annual convention of Imo State Congress of America Inc (ISCA), held in Houston, Texas, Uzodimma, expressed confidence that Imo people will return him to office based purely on his outstanding performance.

The governor, who was represented by his Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon Declan Emelumba, noted that he started from nothing to post the incredible performance that has seen him transform the State in all sectors.

He said that apart from prudently managing the resources of the State, including eliminating corruption, he has ensured that his administration is not tainted by corruption, as was the case in the  past.

He noted that contrary to the sing song of the opposition concerning insecurity in the State, he has been able to tame the monster, notwithstanding the fact that insecurity in Imo is politically contrived.

” I can assure you that the security situation in the State is far better than what it was three years ago. But don’t forget that the opposition contrived the insecurity, starting with the jail break at Owerri Correctional facility. But to the glory of God and the efforts of the security agencies,we have curbed the situation,” Uzodimma told his audience.

He regretted that those who foisted the insecurity wanted to use it to slow him down but declared that they could not stop him as he has delivered both in infrastructure, and good governance generally.

His words: “From our road revolution to urban renewal, from automation of the civil service to youth empowerment and from health to education, I have made the difference and Imo people as the beneficiaries can testify to that. I believe they will reward me with reelection.”

The governor called on the Imo citizens resident in the U.S. and other places across the globe to question the opposition who are politicizing insecurity, of their contribution to stem the tide even when they could not condemn the beheading of traditional rulers and other heinous crimes.

“It is easy for them to use insecurity as a campaign propaganda. But ask them what they have done to condemn what has been happening. Do they need to be governor before they can speak out against evil, or were they justifying the crimes because Hope Uzodimma and his allies were the victims?” he asked.

The governor also spoke about his vision of making Imo State the economic hub of the South with the dredging of Oguta Lake to ORASHI RIVER to Degema to Atlantic ocean, which he said will also enhance the economy of the South East.

He urged Imo people to ignore those he called rabble rousers and support his re-election for the political stability of the State.

He said that with the newly adopted Imo Charter of Equity, which supports his re-election after which power will naturally shift to another zone, unnecessary rancour and acrimony will be eliminated in the political process.

However, the former SSG, Sir Jude Ejiogu, emphasized that even without the Charter, Uzodimma has merited re-election.

Ejiogu, who was one of the APC governorship aspirants that stepped down for the governor in 2019, expressed satisfaction with his  performance and urged Imo people to return him to office.

Also speaking, the President of the Imo State Congress of America, Mr. Sam Ude,  expressed appreciation to Governor Uzodimma for sending a high cabinet member to brief them on the performance of his administration.

Ude said apart from being satisfied with the briefing, the officials of the association will be looking forward to meeting the Governor physically in no distant time.

NIMASA: Govs Laud Demised Son Of Court of Appeal President

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Bashir Jamoh, Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, has lauded one of the agency’s employees who died recently, Prince Paeke Dongban.

While commissioning a multi-purpose hall built in honour of Late Paeke in Ngootlong, Plateau State, Jamoh described the deceased as a morally upright young man who was ethically conscious and a good example in the midst of his peers.

Describing Paeke from the workplace perspective, Dr. Jamoh said the deceased was known for punctuality, commitment to work and sincerity to the cause of nation building.

Jamoh said “An emotional void created in the hearts of the NIMASA family members by the demise of Prince is filled by the noble deeds he was noted for and the many positive ways he touched lives at work and at play.

” Prince was an ambassador of the modern Nigerian youth.

The NIMASA DG while commending the parents of the deceased for making efforts to immortalise their late son with the building of a multipurpose hall in his honour, reassured that the agency and all friends of Paeke, will always stand by them.

Paeke’s mother Hon. Justice Monica Dongban -Mensem is serving President of the Federal Court of Appeal

Other dignitaries present at the event who spoke glowingly about the deceased and strengthened the family were the governors Caleb Muftwang of Plateau; Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Hyacinth Alia of Benue; Abdullahi Sule of Nassarawa and former Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and Jonah Jang of Plateau

Also present was the President of  Nigeria Bar Association, Yakubu Maikyau, traditional rulers and other dignitaries

The high point of the gathering was Dr Jamoh’s formal commissioning of the multipurpose hall in honour of the deceased.

Prince Paeke who was born on 29th January 1984  died on 23rd July 2022

Jonathan In Cambodia, Charges World Leaders To Seek Peace Through Functional Democracy

By
The Source
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Jonathan In Cambodia-2

Former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has charged global leaders to seek to enthrone peace in the world through the practice of true democracy and people-oriented leadership in their respective countries.

Dr. Jonathan also made a case for good governance, which he described as the trigger for political stability, progress and inclusive development, adding that world leaders should commit to building on the common ground of promoting a democratic culture anchored on justice and solidarity among all peoples.

The former President stated this on Saturday in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, at the International Leadership Conference, jointly  organised by the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP)  and the Asian Vision Institute (AVI).

Speaking on the need for true democracy, Dr. Jonathan noted that when citizens are allowed to freely exercise their electoral mandate, they would be voting for lasting peace and sustainable development and standing up against repression, dictatorship and abuse of the rights of citizens.

The former President who spoke a day before the Cambodian general election, said further:  “We are all happy to be here today and we will be glad to witness the good people of this great country exercise this democratic right on Sunday, to elect the leaders of their choice for the next governance cycle in Cambodia.

“I urge world leaders to truly imbibe and embrace these principles of true democracy by not just overseeing routine elections but conducting elections that are  free, fair, inclusive, transparent and credible towards placing governance at the service of the people and establishing a culture of global peace and harmony.

“Frankly speaking, talking about elections, it is important to note that election value chain through voting in the field, processing and collating of results to announcement of the outcomes, and in some countries, the judicial procedures where the processes go through litigations, must be built on a solid foundation of justice for democracy to function effectively.

“The International Summit Council for Peace, ISCP-Africa,  which I chair, will continue to advocate for a democratic culture rooted in free, fair elections, rule of law and good governance.”

He further charged world leaders and nations to foster mutually beneficial cooperation and interdependence  in the interest of global wellbeing and harmony. He said:  “The world will be better for it when we commit to building on the common ground we all share as one human family and promoting greater solidarity among all peoples.

“On this note, let me remind all of us that before COVID-19 Pandemic, some nations had been under the impression that they could survive solely on their own. However, the COVID-19 experience has made it very clear that the whole world must work together for the peace and security of humanity. Of course up to this time, many nations are still struggling to recover from the harmful effect and deadly impact of the pandemic. The experience has indeed demonstrated the need for inter-dependence, mutual prosperity and shared values as enunciated by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF).”

Ikechukwu Eze

Edo: Obaseki Blames FG After Convoy Disgracefully Trapped On Benin-Sapele Road

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Obaseki inside Flood

Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki has blamed the state of federal roads in the state on the federal government.

The governor spoke after a viral video showed his convoy trapped along the Benin-Sapele road.

For minutes, Obaseki and his entourage battled unsucessfully to salvage the situation to the admiration of the people in the community, who mocked the governor blaming him for the bad conditions of roads in the state.

But speaking after the incident, Governor Obaseki said the federal government should be held responsible for the harrowing experience motorists, commuters, and other road users pass through on the roads which are in a state of disrepair.

He said the federal government has refused to work out a modality with the state on how the roads will be repaired, and later be reimbursed.

The governor who spoke on Channel Television described the state of roads as ‘scandalous’ saying the region that produces the nation’s oil wealth has been abandoned.

According to Obaseki, “I was on Sapele Road recently. After the heavy downpour, the road was impassable. What is going on on Benin-Sapele Road is scandalous. I don’t think that any region where the oil resources that sustain the Country come from should be neglected. We have done everything possible. We don’t know what to do again to draw the attention of the federal government to these roads.

“The Auchi-Ibillo Road was so bad that some of our contractors couldn’t go to their quarry site. We appealed to the Federal Government to do palliative work on that road, but they refused, saying the road is under contract. If I want to do the same for Benin-Sapele Road, I am not allowed to do so. They claim the road has been given out to a contractor.

“Last year, the Benin-Auchi Road was locked for about two weeks as food, animals, and petroleum products could not reach their destination. We don’t want such situations this year, so they should help us. We are not here to criticise them but to appeal for help.

“At a point, they said we could apply and take over the repair of federal roads, but I am yet to see a state they have given Federal roads to fix,” he stated.

Meanwhile, not a few watching what is happening in the state have opined that states governor must take responsibility for what is happening is their states instead of blaming the federal government.

After all, it’s the people of the state that are using the roads and not those in Abuja. So what is he talking about?

Senior Police Officer Crushed By Hit And Run Driver In Ondo

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

A Police Officer with the Ondo State Police Command was, on Sunday, hit by a vehicle and killed instantly.

The incident, happened at the Ifon/Sobe road in Ose local government area of the state.

The deceased officer, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, mounted a check point along the road when the incident happened.

The suspected driver was said to have refused to stop and drove on a high speed towards Edo State.

Ondo State Police Spokesperson, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, who confirmed the incident, explained that “A suspected vehicle driver, while the police were trying to stop him (driver), he didn’t stop.

“So, our officers were alerted on the highway but on getting to a particular place around Ifon, the driver swapped and hit an ASP and the officer died immediately.

“The driver was, however, pursued and fortunately for us, he (driver) was arrested by the military men at Sobe in Edo state.”

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