Category: News

The Nigerian Air Force says its air strikes have killed several terrorists on the fringes of Lake Tchad in Borno State.

According to the Nigerian Air Force, Boko Haram and Islamic States of West Africa Province, terrorists were neutralised after air strikes destroyed their hideouts and destroyed their structures and strategic logistics base in the region in air strikes on the fringes of Lake Chad in Borno State.

“Similar strikes were also undertaken at Tumbun Shitu after structures believed to be terrorists’ hideouts were observed tucked under thick foliage,” a Monday statement by NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, read.

“Additionally, three-gun trucks with terrorists were sighted moving into the location. The need to strike the location thus became imperative. The aftermath of the air strike revealed several terrorists were neutralised and the trucks destroyed.”

Gabkwet said Tumbun Fulani and Tumbun Shitu were struck between September 27 and September 30 after confirmation of the terrorists’ activities which constituted a threat to military formations and law-abiding Nigerians residing within the locations.

He said the terrorists were observed loading jerrycans in two gun trucks concealed under shrubs at Tumbun Fulani.

Channels TV

The panel, which commended President Tinubu for the CNG initiative, however cautioned against extra budgetary spending.

The committee chairman, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, in a statement, said it would be illegal to spend tax payers money on any project without the approval by the National Assembly.

He also emphasised the need for the President to come up with a supplementary budget to enable the government fund the gas value chain, including the provision for CNG infrastructure and CNG vehicles.

Jarigbe said the National Assembly was poised to support the lofty programmes of Tinubu’s administration, adding that a 2023 supplementary budget would be most appropriate, instead of resorting to extra-budgetary spending.

Following the removal of fuel subsidy, the Tinubu administration plans to roll out CNG-run vehicles to ease public transportation.

In his Independence speech, the President had said that, “We have opened a new chapter in public transportation through the deployment of cheaper, safer CNG buses across the nation. These buses will operate at a fraction of current fuel prices, positively affecting transport fares.

“New CNG conversions kits will start coming in very soon as all hands are on deck to fast track the usually lengthy procurement process.”

He said his administration was also setting up training facilities and workshops across the nation to train and provide new opportunities for transport operators and entrepreneurs.

Daily Trust

Organised labour have suspended its planned nationwide indefinite strike action for the next month.

This was contained in a memorandum of understanding signed Monday by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja; as well as the TUC President, Festus Osifo, and Secretary General, Nuhu Toro.

The three-page document was also signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Dr Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

“The NLC and TUC accept to suspend for 30 days the planned Indefinite Nationwide strike scheduled to begin, Tuesday, the 3rd of October, 2023,” the MoU reads in part.

“The Federal Government grants a wage award of N35,000 (thirty-five thousand
Naira) only to all Federal Government workers beginning from the month of
September pending when a new national minimum wage is expected to have
been signed into law.”

The decisions come at the end of an hours-long meeting between the Federal Government, NLC, and the TUC on Monday.

See the full MoU below:

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REACHED BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA AND THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS (NLC) AND TRADE UNION CONGRESS OF NIGERIA (TUC) AS A RESULT OF DISPUTE ARISING FROM WITHDRAWAL OF SUBSIDY ON THE PRICE OF PREMIUM MOTOR SPIRIT (PMS) ON MONDAY, THE 2ND DAY OF OCTOBER, 2023

Arising from the withdrawal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by the Federal Government and the resultant increase in the price of the commodity, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) issued a strike notice which had elapsed and they were poised to embark on a strike billed to commence on Tuesday, the 3rd of October, 2023. Consequently, a meeting was called by the Federal Government to avert the strike and after much discussion, the following agreements were reached:

1. 1. The Federal Government grants a wage award of N35,000 (thirty-five thousand Naira) only to all Federal Government workers beginning from the month of September pending when a new national minimum wage is expected to have been signed into law.
   2. A minimum wage committee shall be inaugurated within one month from the date of this agreement.
   3. Federal Government suspends collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) on Diesel for six months beginning from October, 2023.
   4. Federal Government accepts to vote N100 billion for the provision of high capacity CNG buses for mass transit in Nigeria. Provisions are also being made for initial 55,000 CNG conversion kits to kick start an auto gas conversion programme, whilst work is ongoing on state-of-the-art CNG stations nationwide. The rollout aims to commence by November with pilots across 10 campuses nationwide.
   5. The Federal Government plans to implement various tax incentive measures for private sector and the general public.
   6. On the leadership crises rocking the NURTW and the purported proscription of RTEAN, the Federal Government commits to handling Labour matters in line with relevant ILO Conventions and Nigerian Labour Acts. A resolution of the ongoing impasse is expected by or before October 13.
   7. The issue of outstanding Salaries and Wages of Tertiary Education workers in Federal-owned educational institutions is being referred to Ministry of Labour and Employment for further engagement.
   8. The Federal Government commits to pay N25,000 per month for three months starting from October, 2023 to 15 million households, including vulnerable pensioners.
   9. The Federal Government will increase its initiatives on subsidized distribution of fertilizers to farmers across the country.
   10. The Federal Government should urge State Government through the National Economic Council and Governors Forum to implement wage award for their workers. Similar consideration should also be given to local government and private sector workers.
   11. The Federal Government commits to the provision of funds as announced by the President on the 1st of August broadcast to the Nation for Micro and Small Scale Enterprises. The MSMEs beneficiaries should commit to the principle of decent jobs.
   12. A joint visitation will be made to the refineries to ascertain their rehabilitation status.
   13. All parties commit to henceforth abide by the dictates of Social dialogue in all our future engagements.
   14. The NLC and TUC accept to suspend for 30 days the planned Indefinite Nationwide strike scheduled to begin, Tuesday, the 3rd of October, 2023.
   15. This Memorandum shall be filed with the relevant Court of competent jurisdiction within one (1) week as consent judgment by the Federal Government.

Signed:

NLC:

President NLC

General Secretary

TUC:

President

Secretary General

Federal Government:

Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment

Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment

Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation

Channels TV

The CJN would administer the oath of office on the judges at the main courtroom of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Abuja, at 11am, a statement by the Court’s Director of Press and Information, Dr. Festus Akande, disclosed yesterday.

The new Judges are: Dipeolu Deinde Isaac from Ogun State; Ogundare Kehinde Olayiwola from Ekiti State; Agbaje Olufunmilola Adetutu from Lagos State; Musa Kakaki from Kaduna State; Abdullahi Muhammad Dan-Ige from Sokoto State; and Sharon Tanko Ishaya from Kebbi State.

Others are Salim Olasupo Ibrahim from Ogun State; Yilwa Hauwa Joseph from Gombe State; Wigwe-Oreh Chituru Joy from Rivers State; Owoeye Alexander Oluseyi from Kogi State; Anyalewa Onoja-Alapa from Benue State; Amina Aliyu Mohammad from Katsina State; Abiodun Jordan Adeyemi from Kwara State; Hauwa Buhari from Federal Capital Territory; and Aishatu Auta Ibrahim from Borno State.

The rest are Hussaini Dadan-Garba from Bauchi State; Ibrahim Ahmad Kala from Gombe State; Mashkur Salisu from Zamfara State; Onah Chigozie Sergius from Enugu State; Egbe Raphael Joshua from Bayelsa State; Ariwoola Olukayode Jnr. from Oyo State; Ekerete Udofot Akpan from Akwa Ibom State; and Ogazi Friday Nkemakonam from Ebonyi State.

Meanwhile, a valedictory Court session would be held on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, in honour of the late Justice Chima Centus Nweze at the Main Courtroom of the Supreme Court at 10am.

As customary, the Chief Justice of Nigeria would preside over the session which would among other things, feature the presentation of tributes by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chairman of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, and President of the Nigerian Bar Association, in honour of the departed Jurist.

Justice Nweze died on Saturday July 29, 2023, in Abuja after a brief illness at the age of 64 years.

He was sworn-in as Justice of Supreme Court on October 29, 2014. He was born in Obollo, Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State on September 25, 1958.

He attended St. John Cross Seminary, Nsukka from 1972 to 1977, emerging with a Distinction in the West African School Certificate Examination.

He gained admission into University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus in 1979 where he graduated with a Degree in Law in 1983. In the same year, he represented the Law Faculty and, indeed, all Nigerian Law Faculties, at the Philip Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Washington DC, as the Chief Oraclist.

Justice Nweze did his NYSC between 1984 and 1985 in Bauchi, after being called to the Nigerian Bar in 1984.

He equally had his Doctorate Degree in Law from the same University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.

Arise News

The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, stated this in an interview with State House reporters yesterday after a four-hour meeting with the government delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Ajaero said the organised labour could not unilaterally shelve the indefinite strike it scheduled for October 3 without recourse to its organs.

“I don’t have much to say than what the Chief of Staff has said. We’ve been meeting and we’ve looked at almost all the issues, all the promissory notes from the government and we’ll look at how to translate them to reality and to be workable.

“Then, we’re going to take those promises to our organs. Of course, you know these people here cannot just wake up and review and call off action.

“So, like he (Gbajabiamila) said, we are hopeful that our organs will have a look at them and give us a fresh mandate on what next to do. So, it’s a simple one,” Ajaero said.

The acting president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Tommy Etim Okon, who also addressed journalists, said the labour would meet its organs today to review the outcomes of the meeting with the government delegation.

He added that the team from the organised labour would return for another meeting today.

He said, “Let me, on behalf of the TUC, also point out to the fact that we have had series of conversations surrounding the issue raised and we do hope that by tomorrow (today), we are going to get across to our organs so that we can also look at it and cross-fertilize ideas and see the way forward. I am sure we are coming back again tomorrow (today) for that.”

In a statement after the meeting, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved N35,000 provisional wage award for all treasury-paid federal government workers for six months, following further consultations with the Federal Government delegation that met with the leadership of the NLC and the TUC yesterday.

President Tinubu had, earlier yesterday in his 63rd Independence Day Anniversary broadcast, announced the N25,000 increment for low-grade federal workers.

The minister said during the meeting, the labour unions made case for higher wage award.

He said a sub-committee would be constituted to work out the details of implementation of all items for consideration regarding government interventions to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

The NLC and the TUC had called for an indefinite strike commencing on October 3 in protest against the alleged failure by the government to provide palliatives and implement policies to cushion the effect of the petrol subsidy removal on the masses.

Several workers’ unions across the country had declared their readiness to join the strike.

The unions include the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutes (SSAUTHRIA); the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, and the Medical & Health Workers Union of Nigeria.

In different statements signed by their respective leaderships, the unions had directed their affiliates across the nation to start maximum mobilization of all its members without delay while urging all-out compliance from members.

The information minister said at the meeting between both parties, the Federal Government pledged its  commitment to fast-tracking the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to ease public transportation difficulties associated with the removal of PMS subsidy.

He said the Federal Government also committed to the provision of funds for micro and small-scale enterprises as well as waivers on VAT on diesel for the next six months.

“Furthermore, the Federal Government announced that it will commence payment of N75,000 to 15 million households at N25,000 per month, for a three-month period  from October-December 2023,” he stated.

Idris said the government urged the labour unions not to embark on strike as the issues in dispute could only be resolved when workers are at work.

“The lingering matter of Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN)  and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State needs to be addressed urgently.

“NLC and TUC will consider the offers by the Federal Government with a view to suspending the planned strike to allow for further consultations on the implementation of the resolutions above,” the minister added.

Earlier while addressing reporters on the outcome of the meeting,  Gbajabiamila had stated that all cadres of workers in the Federal Civil Service would benefit from the N25,000 wage increment for six months.

He said a lot of issues concerning the average Nigerian worker were addressed during the meeting.

“We have reached certain agreements that are for the benefit of the Nigerian worker.

“Agreements on wage bill, agreements on committees on salary increment, CNG buses, on several other things, I believe, both TUC, labour and government side.”

The chief of staff, who said the organized labour would brief its branches and executives today on the agreement, clarified that the president agreed that all categories of workers would benefit from the N25,000 wage increment for six months.

He said, “Hopefully, we expect that labour will call a meeting of their various branches and executive tomorrow (today) to present the agreements that have been reached, and we pray and we believe and we hope that the strike will be called off on Tuesday.

“So, I want to once again thank labour for taking time out on a good Sunday like this one when they should be with their families to come and discuss in the interest of the workers.

“There was a lot of chatter on Twitter about the issue of low-income workers only falling into the category of the provisional wage increase. And we did communicate with the president and he quickly did say and agreed that all categories of workers will be given the wage bill, there is nothing like low income, median income or high income. I think that it was worthy of clarification tonight,” Gbajabiamila said.

Governor Abdulrazak Abdulrahman of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, participated virtually in the meeting.

Also in attendance were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong; the Minister of State, Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite; the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

The labour delegation was led by NLC President, Joe Ajaero; Deputy President, TUC, Dr Tommy Etim Okon; NLC General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja; TUC General Secretary, Nuhu Toro; among others.

Daily Trust

The presiding judge, Nancy Maldonado, dismissed Tinubu’s objection, issuing a two-day ultimatum to CSU to release the documents to Atiku.

She also upheld the September 20 ruling of US Magistrate Judge, Jeffery Gilbert, who ordered the CSU to release Tinubu’s academic records as requested by Atiku, stressing that the PDP candidate Atiku had the right to have access to the records.

“For the reasons stated in the Court’s accompanying Memorandum Opinion and Order, the Court overrules President Tinubu’s objections (44] and adopts Judge Gilbert’s recommended decision [40] in full.

“The Court therefore grants Mr. Abubakar’s application under 28 U.S.C. § 1782. [1],” Justice Maldonado of the Northern District of Illinois ruled.

According to the judge, CSU must complete all necessary filings regarding the release by 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

The court ruled, “Respondent CSU is directed to produce all relevant and non-privileged documents in response to Requests for Production Nos. 1 through 4 (as narrowed by Judge Gilbert and adopted by the District Court in its opinion) in Mr. Abubakar’s subpoena, by 12:00 p.m. (noon) CDT, on Monday, October 2, 2023.

“The Rule 30(b)(6) deposition of CSU’s corporate designee must be completed by 5:00 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.”

Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had approached the US District Court in Northern Illinois to compel the university to release Tinubu’s academic records, arguing that it would boost his suit challenging the President’s election in the February 25 presidential poll.

The PDP candidate had requested the documents for use in Nigerian courts to support his argument that Tinubu forged a certificate he claimed to have obtained from CSU in 1979 and submitted to Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for the 2023 presidential election.

Channels TV

 

Through the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, the Organised Labour also pleaded with royal fathers and other well-meaning Nigerians to advise government to listen to labour and lessen the suffering across the country.

“This nation can work for all of us. This nation can be made beautiful but good things do not just happen; they are worked out. Liberty is not a ripe fruit that falls to the ground on its own accord. With our hands joined together as the owners of Nigeria, in truth and one heart, we can work for our freedom. Let us awaken this giant and make it work for us,” the NLC said in an emotional tone.

This came as Sunday Vanguard learnt that the Federal Government is expected to meet with labour leaders today in Abuja in an effort to avert the planned strike beginning from October 3.

In an independent anniversary massage titled Nigeria: ‘The travails of a mismanaged giant’, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said the struggle from October 3 is for Nigeria to rise and shine once more as a beacon of hope and prosperity for all its citizens.

Ajaero noted that Nigeria, with all its flaws at conception, possesses a great potential to be amongst the best economies of the world.

“As we mark this Independence Day, let us do so with a renewed sense of purpose. Let us acknowledge our past, confront our present challenges, and collectively work towards a brighter future for Nigeria,” he stated.

“Together, we can reclaim the greatness that has eluded us for too long. It is time for Nigeria to rise and shine once more as a beacon of hope and prosperity for all its citizens. Remember, when we stand as one refusing to be divided, we will triumph. We call on all Nigerians to join us on the 3rd day of October around Nigeria to begin our march to freedom through the indefinite nationwide strike.

”To this end, the Nigeria Labour Congress beckons on all of us to join hands from all parts of the nation; the North, the East, the West and the South to build the needed coalition to make our nation truly an independent nation.

“As we celebrate Nigeria’s 63rd independence anniversary, it is important that we drew our attention to the fact that this nation was once a great nation filled with great hope inspired by great leaders until inept and corrupt leaders took over the helms of affairs and ran the country aground. The crisis of leadership is truly the crisis of our national development.

“The continued mismanagement of our resources has made it difficult for us a nation and as a people to make sustainable progress rather, we have continued to march backwards with every preceding year looking worse than the previous one.

“Regrettably, the decades that followed were marked by a series of missteps, mismanagement, and missed opportunities. The erosion of ethical governance, rampant corruption, and political instability became defining features of our nation. Instead of harnessing our potential for the collective good, our leaders often pursued personal interests, leaving the masses to grapple with the consequences.

”There is no other way to explain the fact that about 43 years ago, Nigeria had a vibrant Airline called the Nigeria Airways with a large fleet of Aircraft flying to several parts of the globe and owning large properties which spans almost half of Ikeja GRA and in London and capital cities of Europe. We had a national Shipping line that had in its fleet several Vessels which competed favourably with other shipping lines all over the world.

“Yet, as a nation, we have managed to deliberately become a nation with neither a national Airline nor a national shipping line. We became a nation that derives happiness in making a mockery of ourselves as was typified by the Nigeria Air debacle where we had to fake the ownership of an Airline by shamelessly borrowing and repainting an Aircraft from Ethiopian Airline.

“This period of independence must serve as a time when all of us have to seriously seek to question ourselves and thoroughly re-examine our actions as a people and as a nation.

We have to soberly reflect on why we have moved from a once prosperous nation to become a country that is the poverty capital of the world with over 133million multi-dimensionally poor people. This number has since increased after the hike in the price of petrol (PMS) by His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“It is indeed an opportunity to find how we have moved to a nation that had a refinery that was operational in the 1960s which grew into another three refineries in the 1980s but which have been deliberately made obsolete by those we have entrusted the leadership of our nation.

”Nigerians must seek to find out why we have become a nation that must import a product which can easily be refined in our nation and why the conscious sabotage of our economy by those who occupy the helm of affairs in our country? We must make conscious effort at finding out what the phantom called fuel subsidy is, how much was it worth, who was receiving the monies claimed to have been spent and why the obvious lies when the Direct Sales and Direct Purchase (DSDP) agreement was the framework for the import and distribution of products in Nigeria?

“Also of great importance is the willful bastardisation of the Naira and the attendant Dollarisation of the economy by the nation’s leaders. We need to find out whether truly a genuine foreign exchange market exists in its true sense in Nigeria. Why would the value of the nation’s currency continue a free fall when the value of accruals from crude is rising? What magic has made it difficult for the value of the Naira to remain stable against the Dollar especially when the Dollar is being pummeled all over the world?
”Workers all over Nigeria would want to find out why almost all the privatized entities were sold at a give away price to the so-called investors? Why is it that most of them have either been stripped and scrapped and no longer operational? Who are the real buyers of these entities? We will want to find out who bought the GENCOS and DISCOs, who bought the Ikot – Abasi Aluminium Smelter company.

Why it is no longer producing but has been shut down? Nigerians deserve to know and we must ask this question: what is going on here?

”This Independence Day celebration should allow us to ask those who are leading us why they have refused to fund public Universities appropriately and have instead decided to establish and own private universities? We may wish to know why they have turned Nigeria from a country where foreigners took pride in coming for education to a country where majority of the citizens go abroad to obtain quality tertiary education. We would want to know why the elites have managed to price education out of the reach of the poor.

”It is also an opportunity for Nigerian workers to ask our leaders why our hospitals have been turned into places to go and die instead of places to go and be healed? We would want to find out why our healthcare system that used to boast of the patronage of influential individuals and families from all over the world have suddenly become anathema both to foreigners and the Nigerian rich? We want to find out why the rich throng abroad to treat minor ailments instead of making use of our health facilities?

”We want to find out what happened to the Ships in the defunct Nigeria Shipping line and what happened to the Aircraft and properties of Nigeria Airways that scattered all over the world. Who acquired them and at how much and where is the money from their acquisition? It will also be interesting to find out who acquired the Steel companies and why none of them is producing steel today?

”Much more, Nigerian workers will want to find out why it has become difficult for an army that fought the Civil war and won, fought in Lebanon, Sierra Leone and in Liberia to defeat the Boko Haram insurgents? We want to find out whether it is a deliberate tool to keep Nigeria in perpetual crisis.

”One of the most painful aspects of Nigeria’s journey has been the economic struggles faced by the majority of our citizens. Despite being blessed with abundant natural resources, poverty and unemployment have become entrenched in our society. The promise of prosperity for all remains elusive, as a significant portion of our population continues to live in abject poverty.

“Moreover, social disparities have widened, with a yawning gap between the privileged few and the marginalized many. Access to quality healthcare, education, and basic
infrastructure remains a distant dream for millions of Nigerians. This inequality not only undermines our social fabric but also hampers our collective progress.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government and Labour leaders are expected to meet today in an effort to find a common ground and avert the planned nationwide industrial action from Wednesday.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that the meeting will hold at the Aso Rock Villa.

Sources informed Sunday Vanguard that the meeting will commence at 12 noon.

Recall that leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and their Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterparts, on Friday, shunned a meeting called by the Federal Government in a desperate effort to avert the planned nationwide strike from October 3.

According to the two labour centres, government’s invitation came late as they had scheduled engagements outside Abuja.

Labour leaders had requested for a rescheduling of the meeting, which the government had done.

Vanguard