At least two persons were killed when gas exploded within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday morning.
According to Daily Trust, the explosion occurred around 11:am at the Marcque event centre within the Presidential Library.
It was gathered that technicians were topping up gas into an air conditioner before it exploded.
A worker at OOPL who spoke to newsmen in animosity said two people have been confirmed dead following the incident.
“The two gates leading into OOPL were shut while the security guards at the gate are currently turning visitors back,” the worker said.
It has been reported that the State Fire Service and some officials are currently in the premises to put the situation under control.
One person is feared dead and no fewer than five persons have been shot in Gberigbe, a suburb of Ikorodu in Lagos following violence by suspected land grabbers allegedly aided by law enforcement agents.
The victims, said to be members of the Gberigbe Orelade Family, claimed that they were shot by thugs, mobile policemen and soldiers led by a notorious alleged land grabber in the area.
They accused the assailants of attempting to seize their lands.
Two of the gunshot victims, Segun Tijani and Daniel Adebori, were seen receiving treatment at the Ijede General Hospital, Ikorodu.
Both men were shot Thursday morning.
Tijani was hit on the hand and leg, while Adebori was shot on the right arm.
Nigerians on social media and off social media are reacting to the bill criminalising payment of ransom to kidnappers.
On Wednesday, the Senate passed a bill for a second reading to slam 15 years’ imprisonment on anyone caught paying ransom.
This bill comes amidst rising insecurity and thriving kidnapping across the country. Travelling on some highways across the country have become dangerous in recent times. One of the most notorious highways are the Abuja Kaduna highway, Abuja-Lokoja express and several others.
In the Southwest, kidnapping for ransom prompted governors of the region to form the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun. Just recently, southern governors banned open grazing and made other eleven security resolutions.
Mass abductions have also been perpetrated in some parts of the country. These started in 2014 with the infamous abduction of the Chibok girls. After then, the country has had a series of abductions, with some still in captivity.
The Bill, sponsored by Sen Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi, seeks to amend the terrorism prevention act.
Speaking with DAILY POST, Amir Bala, who works in Abuja but whose family lives in Kaduna, said train stations in Abuja are enjoying more patronage, not due to the convenience alone, but because of the fear of being kidnapped on the road.
“It is an extra cost to go down to either Idu or Kubwa station, but people are scared of using that road. Even at the stations, you will see army generals and even those lawmakers making the same law.
“In the event that a family member is kidnapped and the security personnel are unable to get them, will you fold your arm? Losing money is better than losing your life.”
On social media, the reaction to the bill has been more of criticism, rather than acceptance.
A Twitter user, Demola of Lagos, with user name @Omogbajabiamila, faulted the bill, noting that “You can’t protect people from kidnappers. You can’t rescue those already kidnapped. Yet, you want to imprison those that are willing to pay ransom to get their loved ones out of captivity.”
“What kind of place is this?”
Popular CSO, Enough is Enough also weighs in on the bill. EIE accused the government of attempting to blame the victims for the attacks.
“The elected government of any nation is responsible for the safety and security of the people. But today in Nigeria, the victim takes the blame for being attacked.”
Speaking to DAILY POST, Rasheed Bakare, a legal practitioner, said in the event that the government fails in its core function, citizens are allowed to seek redress.
“Section 5 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) entrusted by empowering the President and Governors with executive powers to uphold the tenets of the constitution by ensuring among other things security and protection of her citizens and properties and coordinating good governance. Where the Executive arm has failed hitherto, the citizens could not be crucified for bending towards negotiation for the release of their loved ones. Placing jail terms for giving or offering ransom should outrightly be discouraged and set aside.”
The committee on Judiciary will still have to conduct a public hearing on the bill.
Cross Rivers State Governor Ben Ayade has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Aayde announced his decision on Thursday morning in a meeting with six APC governors who visited him at the Government House.
The governors who visited Ayade include Governors of Kebbi, Imo, Yobe, Plateau, Jigawa and Ekiti State.
PDP spokesman Kola Ologbodiyan had said the All Progressives Congress is embarking on a wild goose chase by going after Ayade.
He said the Cross River State Governor as a Committed party member was aware of measures put in place by the leadership of the PDP, the Governor Aminu Tambuwual-led PDP Governors Forum and the Senator Bukola Saraki-led Reconciliation and Strategy Committee to make him comfortable within the party’s fold.
Ologbondiyan said, “The APC Governors, as usual, went to Cross River as part of their jamboree. How can a party which has failed to hold congresses and a convention for over one year attract a committed PDP member who is at home with a structured party?
“The APC should be made aware that Governor Ayade has assured our party of his unalloyed loyalty.”
Intelligence sources have confirmed that Boko Haram Leader, Abubakar Shekau is finally dead. This was following the ISWAP attack on Sambisa fortress of shekau led by ISWAP commander, Baana DUGURI. Shekau was said to have blew himself to avoid being captured alive.
We await official confirmation from #ISWAP and @DefenceInfoNG & @HQNigerianArmy
over this news. This mark the end of an Era. Shekau finally killed by his own group that broke away after many years. While this is a big victory for Nigeria, it’s still not uhuru yet for the military
Attorney General of the federation and minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, was recently a guest at Channels television. Channels TV host, Seun Okinbaloye took up the duty to interview the minister.
However, many Nigerians are of the view that Seun Okinbaloye is not an intelligent host as he failed to ask sensitive and vital questions. They felt Malami should have been grilled with so many big questions in relation to Nigeria’s current situation.
Here are some interesting tweets concerning Seun ‘s interview:
Lee tweeted: Seun Okinbaloye should resign and go home
His interviews on channels this days is nothing to write home about , very annoying , asking baby questions instead of reasonable and challenging questions
If you’re scared then stop doing interviews
Another tweet read: They give little or nothing but feel so entitled. Spare parts sellers rent shops, buy landed properties, pay taxes, kill no one, rapes no one. But those who destroy alcohol and still enjoy its tax revenues from other state are making weak comparisons, Seun you are not doing well!
Channels TV tweeted: On the issue of banning grazing, the AGF asks if you deny the rights of a Nigerian citing the example of Northern governors coming together to ban the trade of spare parts in the north. Does it hold water.
Nigerians on Twitter were displeased with such comparison and called it a weak one.
OG tweeted: That was a very poor comparison.. selling of Spare parts does not lead to insecurity… but open grazing clearly does, Seun just didn’t point that out.
A.zed tweeted: And this is my biggest frustration with Seun. He gets the biggest newsmakers on his show but rarely challenges them nor does he ask intelligent follow up questions.
Anybody – Malami, Fayose, Gumi – can come on his show, make the most ludicrous claims & Seun will let it slide
It’s obvious from tweets that Seun lacks the skills required of a good host. Do you think so?
NLC suspends 5-day warning strike as FG invites el-Rufai, Labour to meeting in Abuja today
THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Wednesday, suspended the five-day warning strike in Kaduna, to honour the invitation of the Federal Government to a meeting in Abuja today. The union president, Ayuba Wabba, confirmed the receipt of the invitation by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, adding that the leadership of the union thereafter met and agreed to honour the invitation.
The development in Kaduna State since Monday made the Federal Government to invite both the state governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and the labour leadership to an emergency meeting today.
Ngige sent personal letters to both Governor el-Rufai and the NLC president, Wabba, to invite them for the meeting.
Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Charles Akpan, said the minister “has, therefore, invited the two parties to the trade dispute, the governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Na- sir el-Rufai and top officials of the state on one hand as well as the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and top NLC leaders on the other hand, to an emergency conciliation meeting by 11.00 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday, May 20, 2021 at the office of the Minister of labour and Employment, Federal Secretariat, Abuja.”
The minister further directed the two parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum, pending the resolution of the issues in contention. Also speaking, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, while briefing correspondents at the end of the virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, said apart from efforts by Ngige to resolve the issue, security apparatus have taken pre-emptive measures to ensure that the protest is not hijacked by hoodlums.
Mohammed said: “The Federal Government is not folding its arms and already, the Minister of Labour and Employment has waded in and is in touch with both the government of Kaduna State and also the Labour.”
The leadership of the National Assembly will also engage both el-Rufai and NLC leadership over the crisis as former Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, told a delegation of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), led by its president, Comrade Ambali Olatunji, that the governor ought to have negotiated with the unions before it degenerated into the present level.
Earlier on Wednesday, another set of thugs had invaded the state secretariat of NLC in Kaduna as early as 6.30 a.m., while some pro-government protesters also took over the NEPA Roundabout Junction, venue of the labour unions protest.
Numbering about 50, the thugs were later dislodged by the security personnel before the workers assembled between 9.00 a.m. and 10.00 a.m., from where they moved to the Secretariat. Among the protesters were another group of women who came to protest against the NLC but had to fight their contractors for deceiving them and failure to pay them as mobilised.
One of the women who spoke on camera in Hausa language said, “we were only given placards to come and support the governor in a political rally. How can I support the governor on this after all our relations were sacked?”
While addressing the workers, Wabba gave the reason why the action would take its full course, unless the state government opted for dialogue. He vowed that the strike would be to escalate to the national level, adding also that Nigerian workers will report the Kaduna State government to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for prosecution against violation of human rights.
As he was set for show-down, el-Rufai had also threatened the labour leaders to get ready for prosecution over their “criminal” act of grounding the economy of the state. Speaking while declaring open the 23rd Annual Tax Conference organised by the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria ((CITN), currently ongoing at Murtala Square, Kaduna, Kaduna said as much as workers have the right to embark on strike or stage protest, they do not have the right to shut down institutions and businesses who are willing to open to transact their legitimate businesses.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged Governor el-Rufai to immediately and unconditionally reinstate all workers he sacked from the state public service. In a statement by the party’s national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, it said it was alarmed that the administration had sacked about 70,000 workers since 2016, as it described such act as “wicked, insensitive and unacceptable.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday it had concluded arrangements to resume Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) on June 28.
Its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this at the commission’s meeting in Abuja with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) for the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Yakubu said the commission was working to update its registration software to accommodate the newly established polling units to enable prospective voters to register.
“However, more work still lies ahead.
“Apart from the CVR, we shall continue our preparations for two bye-elections scheduled for June 19 in Sabon Gari State Constituency in Kaduna State and Gwaram Federal Constituency in Jigawa State,” he said.
He said the commission was waiting for the official declaration of vacancies by the House of Representatives for the Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency in Plateau and Lere Federal Constituency in Kaduna State.
“Furthermore, preparations for the Anambra State Governorship election to be held on Nov. 6 and the FCT Area Council election scheduled for Feb. 12 will be prioritised.
“Similarly, we shall continue our early preparations for the 2023 general elections.
“In this regards, the commission has already established an Election Project Plan (EPP) committee to work on the 2023 election plan.
“The idea is to complete the plan early enough and make sure that we are fully ready for the election, which is now only 640 days away,” he said.
Yakubu said INEC had successfully concluded stakeholder engagements on the expansion of voter access to pulling units.
The chairman said the commission would soon meet to finalise the compilation and coding of polling units and would thereafter make the information public.
The NPF rescue me app has an emergency button, once triggered, it will automatically send an alert to the Nigeria Police Force command and control team where trained operators will track your location with GPS and dispatch the necessary help your way.
The app highlights 8 different types of alerts in emergency cases like homicide, medical situation, rape, assault robbery, kidnapping, domestic threat, burglary, and violence.
This app is taking crime combat and response to emergencies to an entirely new level as it is set to ensure rapid and immediate reaction of the Nigeria Police Force to any situation you or someone you know find themselves.
If you ever get lost and need the right guide to ascertain your location and route, the navigation feature will pinpoint your current location and accurately guide you to your destination using GPS.
You can download the app on Google Playstore and the Apple store.
Curfew has again been imposed on Ikere Ekiti, headquarters of Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti state following another round of bloody cult clash that has claimed two lives.
This was made known in a statement by Mr Femi Ayodele, Chairman of the council, citing security reasons and the need to restore normalcy to the area on Wednesday.
It was gathered that this was the second time within two months that such curfew would be imposed for similar reasons.
It could be recalled that only last month, the town, which is the second largest in state after Ado Ekiti, was thrown into mourning as a result of killing of six persons while several others sustained varied degrees of injuries during a rival cult clash.
According to the Wednesday’s statement by the chairman, the 6 pm to 6 am curfew had become necessary as two people were reportedly killed by cultists on Tuesday, May 18, 2021.
He called on the people of the town to abide by the curfew as security personnel had been drafted to deal with recalcitrant persons who may wish to forment trouble, saying anyone caught violating the order would face the consequences.
“In view of the rising killings among the suspected cultists in lkere Local Government, the leadership of the Council has now imposed curfew from 6pm to 6am from today, Wednesday, May 19, 2021 to Sunday, May 23, 2021, to curtail this ugly act.
“This step is necessary following the killing of two people in lkere-Ekiti by suspected cultists on Tuesday 18h May 2021.
“This is to therefore call on the good people of lkere Local Government to adhere strictly to this instruction as security personnel will severely dealt with anyone arrested violating this order”, the statement reads in part.
Also speaking on the development, the spokesman of the Police Command in Ekiti, ASP Sunday Abutu, confirmed the incident, saying investigation had commenced and that security had been intensified in the area to forestall breakdown of law and order.
