Declare bandits as terrorists now – NYCN tells Buhari

 

The National Youth Council of Nigeria, (NYCN) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately declare the invading bandits across the nation as terrorists.

It said doing so would be a major move towards curbing insecurity currently ravaging the entire nation.

This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the council’s Vice President, South West, Comrade Dotun Omoleye.

According to the statement, declaring those behind rampant kidnappings as terrorists had become necessary as it would allow for proportional actions to be taken against the criminal elements.

The NYCN said it was worried by the incessant and fearless move by those bandits to launch attacks on defenceless students and others despite the resolve of the Federal Government.

It lamented that Nigerians were no longer safe in their home, schools, roads and even farm land.

The council described Buhari’s recent declaration that the Zamfara school abduction would be the last as regrettable, owing to the current spike in insecurity despite his declaration.

NYCN cited the 39 students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation in Mando area of Kaduna State who were abducted from the school premises on Thursday night as a sign that the president’s promise failed.

The statement reads in part: “The attack on the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, coming just few days after gunmen attacked FAAN’s quarters in Igabi Local Government Area of the state is becoming an eyesore, and a wake-up call on the government to appropriately designate these enemies of the State as terrorists following the determination of President Buhari’s opposition to negotiating with these bandits,” Omoleye stated.

“Without doubt, if we do not want our nation to be overrun by violent and gun-wielding criminals by whose activities the peace and stability of our nation is becoming fragile daily; the Federal Government must be courageous enough to bandy these enemies as terrorists as they do not deserve the perceived pampering they currently enjoy.

“We salute the sacrifices of the Nigerian security agencies towards protecting the people but it is becoming obvious that unless these bandits are so classified, the presidential directive to shoot holders of illegal AK-47 may not yield productive results”.

- DAILY POST

Former Enugu governors to get 900% of salaries as pension — while retired teachers are being owed

At a time retired primary school teachers are being owed their entitlements, the Enugu state government is planning to provide life benefits running into billions of naira for former governors and their deputies.

Last Thursday, the Enugu house of assembly introduced a bill that seeks to provide life pension for ex-governors and their deputies in the state.

The executive bill tagged, ‘Enugu State Gubernatorial Pensions Bill 2021’, covers all former governors and their deputies.

This is happening at a time when some states including Lagos and Kwara are moving to block such life benefits for ex-governors.

Apart from coming amid the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, it will further deplete the resources of the state which has a 58 percent poverty rate, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Interestingly, the proposed law seeks additional benefits for ex-governors as the state already has a law providing for life pension for ex-governors.

‘SO MUCH MONEY TILL DEATH DO US APART’ 

TheCable obtained a copy of the new bill and found that it appropriates at least 900 percent of a governor’s annual salary as his monetary entitlements every year after leaving office.

Even their wives would get a share of the cake amounting to N12 million as annual medical allowance.

Provisions of the bill cover almost any possible major expenses an ex-governor can incur in his/her life, including financial responsibility for burial.

According to section six, “where a former governor or former deputy dies, the state government shall: Make adequate arrangement and bear the financial responsibility for his burial and pay a condolence allowance of a sum equivalent to the annual basic salary of the incumbent to the next of kin”.

The fourth section provides for “such other gratuity or allowances as may be provided by any other law” as may be entitled to a former governor other than what was stated in the bill.

In addition to the lifetime annual basic salary (ABS) for an ex-governor, there is also a house maintenance allowance, an annual salary for five domestic staff and a vehicle allowance — each valued at 300 percent of the ABS.

This translates to 900 percent of the ABS being paid to a former governor every year.

This is in addition to providing three vehicles to be replaced every four years as well as a personal assistant on salary grade level 14.

Apart from the N12 million provided for a former governor’s wife as annual medical allowance, both ex-governor and ex-first lady will also receive free medical services until death.

There are also similar provisions for a former deputy governor who gets 200 percent of their ABS each for house allowance, vehicle allowance and annual salary for three domestic staff.

He will also be getting two vehicles to be replaced every four years, free medical services for him and his wife as well as N6 million medical allowance for the latter.

Enugu was only able to generate N12.2 billion as revenue in the first half of 2020. How much of that can take care of its four former governors and their deputies? Just how much?

- THECABLE

Ogun: Woman allegedly kills, buries own baby over husband’s behaviour

 

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a middle-aged housewife, Bisola Awodele, for allegedly killing and burying her newborn baby.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Abimbola Oyeyemi who confirmed the incident to newsmen in Abeokuta on Sunday, said Bisola, in another development, also poured hot water on her husband, Peter Phillips.

She accused the husband of becoming a drunkard and abandoning his responsibilities as husband and father.

The PPRO stated that the suspect was delivered of the baby eight months ago, but she secretly killed and buried the child due to frustration from the husband’s behaviour towards the family.

He stated that the arrest followed a report by the husband after the hot water incident.

“On interrogation, the suspect explained to the police how her husband was fond of coming home drunk and not contributing anything to her welfare and the children’s.

Oyeyemi said the State Commissioner of Police, Edward Awolowo Ajogun, had ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the state Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for more investigation.

He added that the suspect will be charged to court at the end of the investigation for further investigation and prosecution.

- DAILY POST

NAFDAC warns of fake COVID-19 vaccines in circulation

 

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians to be wary of the circulation of fake coronavirus vaccines in the country.

Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of NAFDAC, raised the alarm in the statement released by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola.

Adeyeye warned Nigerians to “refrain from procuring the vaccine online to avoid falling into the wrong hands of merchants of death.”

“The public must be on the lookout for these spurious and counterfeit vaccines and other regulated products” she warned.

She also warned Nigerians to be vigilant and expose anyone who might want to divert COVID-19 vaccines donated by international donors for profiteering.

Nigeria on March 2 received 3.92 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines and has since launched the vaccination programme in the country.

- PM NEWS

NBS: Number of unemployed Nigerians increase by 2.1m in six months

 

A total of 23.18 million persons in Nigeria either did nothing or worked for less than 20 hours a week, making them unemployed during the fourth quarter (Q4) 2020.

According to the Q4 report on unemployment released by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday, this means 33.3 per cent of the labour force in Nigeria were unemployed in Q4 2020, from 27.1 per cent in second quarter 2020.

During the period, while the underemployment rate decreased from 28.6 per cent to 22.8 per cent, a combination of both the unemployment and underemployment rate for the reference period gave a figure of 56.1 per cent.

“In the case of unemployment by state, Imo State recorded the highest rate of unemployment with 56.64%. This was followed by Adamawa with 54.89% and Cross Rivers State with 53.65%. The States with the lowest rates were Osun, Benue and Zamfara States with 11.65%, 11.98% and 12.99% respectively. In the case of underemployment, Benue State recorded the highest rate with 43.52%, followed by Zamfara and Jigawa States with 41.73% and 41.29% respectively,” the report said.

“Combining both unemployment and underemployment, the state that recorded the highest rate was Imo with 82.5% followed by Jigawa with 80%. Ogun and Sokoto states recorded the lowest of the combined rates, 26.2% and 33.7% respectively.”

- THECABLE

Obaseki to Edo people: AstraZeneca vaccine is safe, ignore politics

 

Obaseki stated this after he and his deputy, Mr. Philip Shaibu, received their first jabs of the vaccine.

Obaseki received the vaccine at 12:28 a. m. while his deputy received at 12:30 a. m.

They took the vaccine during the COVID-19 vaccination inauguration ceremony in Benin.

Obaseki, however, gave the assurance of the safety of the vaccine.

“On the balance of risk, this vaccine is safe, we understand the politics of vaccination particularly as it relates to this.

“When polio vaccine was introduced several years ago, fears were expressed but the world went ahead with vaccinating against polio.

“Today, we’ve been able to kick out polio from our society; so, there is nothing new with this vaccine and the politics of the vaccine.

“I decided this morning against all pressure to make myself available to take the vaccine, and I have done so,” he said.

Obaseki described the vaccination as a seamless exercise.

“I am encouraging all of us in Edo not to listen to the fears being expressed, but go ahead and take the vaccine particularly, our healthcare workers who are daily exposed to COVID-19 patients.

“Our elderly and those with underlying medical conditions should please go ahead and get vaccinated.

“We have doses for 40,000 people to be vaccinated, I am very proud of the COVID-19 team in Edo that has helped us to respond to the outbreak,” he said.

The governor thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the vaccination initiative noting that the vaccine was being given free.

He also thanked all members of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

However, the Wife of the governor, Mrs Besty Obaseki, and Wife of the deputy governor, Mrs Maryann Shaibu, were also vaccinated.

Other dignitaries who were vaccinated are the Senator representing Edo South, Matthew Urhoghide, Sen. Clifford Ordia (Edo Central), and Secretary to Edo Government, Mr Osarodion Ogie.

The Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Benin, Rev. Augustine Akubeze; a former National President of Pentecostal Fellowship Nigeria, Rev. Felix Omobude, and the Chief Imam of Benin, Alhaji Abdufatah Enabulele, were equally vaccinated. 

- PM NEWS

APC CASHOUT SCHEME !! Two female students abducted by gunmen in Ogun, N50m ransom demanded

 Some unknown gunmen have reportedly kidnapped two female students of the Olabisi Onabanjo University.

DAILY POST learned that the students were abducted on Sunday night at the schools’ Ayetoro campus in Yewa-North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the incident.

Recall that Yewa North has recorded cases of herdsmen clashes and kidnapping lately.

Precious Adeyemo and Abiola Oyefule, who are students of the Departments of Forestry and Wildlife Management and Agricultural Economics respectively were picked up in front of their hostel in the Olowu area of the town.

It was gathered that the abductors have contacted the families of the victims, demanding a ransom of N50 million for the release of their children.

Our correspondent learnt that the kidnappers reached the parents of the victims through the students’ phones.

“The bandits have gone on a manhunt for a female call card voucher bulk dealer and they were shooting sporadically into the air to gain access to the premises of the lady. When they discovered that the gate was closed and they could not enter the premises, they became wild. Unknown to the female students, who were returning to the same house of abode, they were taken away by the bandits. It was this morning that it became known that they were kidnapped,” another source explained.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, told DAILY POST that the students were truly kidnapped.

Oyeyemi said, “I can not confirm if the abductors are demanding ransom. But it is true that they were abducted. Right now, the area has been cordoned off. The anti-kidnapping unit, the Area Commander, the DPO are all on top of the situation.”

- DAILY POST