Education

By Kayode Joseph

…alleged that the  road has killed many students, commuters 

Staff and students of the Federal Polytechnic Ado Ekiti on Monday staged a peaceful protest to call the attention of the government and relevant authorities to the poor state of the only road that leads to their campus.

As part of measures to show their grievances and press home their demands, the protesters in large numbers barricaded the road thus causing heavy traffic congestion which came to stand still for several hours.

In a separate interview, the Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics, Mr. Sunday Akomolafe, Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Mr. Adebayo Daramola and Chairman of Non-Academic Staff Union, Adebayo Abubakar said the protest became necessary after the government turned a deaf ear to their plea over the years regarding the road.

According to them, the road has become a death trap alleging that more than five persons have died within this year as a result of accidents occasioned by the poor state of the road.

The staff noted that they have on several occasions contributed personal income to repair the road but its condition was beyond patching but a total reconstruction.

They vowed to continue to barricade the road unless the government took necessary action.

Some of the motorists and commuters stranded in the traffic commended the Polytechnic staff for the courage to call out the government.

The motorists affirmed that they spent all their earnings maintaining their vehicles as a result of the damages caused by the road.

 Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels and also join our Whatsapp Update Group

Judiciary

Members of the Judiciary Staff Union in Osun State on Monday locked the entrance to the Osun State High Court in Osogbo in protest against the Chief Judge, Adepele Ojo, and the management of the activities of the judiciary in the state.

The protesting workers led by Mr Gbenga Eludire, prevented movement into the premises

Armed with placards with inscriptions such as ‘Judiciary staff deserves better,’ ‘We are tired of oppression and stagnation,’ and ‘Unlawful suspension of Judiciary staff without recourse to Judicial Service Commission is barbaric,’ among others, accused Ojo of refusal to pay wardrobe allowances of workers in the last three years.

Punch/Adebukola Aluko

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels and also join our Whatsapp Update Group 

Foreign

Students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Osun State, have staged a protest against the hike in school fees.

The students, who stormed the varsity premises began the protest early Tuesday morning carrying placards reading “When I dey pay 20k, I dey borrow money. Where you wan make I get 90k? #FeeMustFall”, “I cannot afford to drop out. #FeeMustFall”, “My Mama dey sell Fufu, my papa dey ride Okada. Where you won make I see 90k? #FeeMustFall.”

The Secretary General of the varsity Students’ Union, Akinboni Opeyemi, confirmed this to our correspondent, adding that the student populace does not agree with the current tuition fee.

The students’ union on September 26 urged students of the institution to suspend payment of tuition fees, following the slash in fee hike by the management of the institution.

It was gathered that the management of OAU reviewed the school fees payable by the students of the university.

A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Abiodun Olanrewaju, stated that the management reduced the fees after a meeting held with the students.

Olanrewaju had said that the Students’ Union leaders were adamant, insisting that the fees should be reduced by 50 per cent.

“For the students in Humanities, the initial sundry charges of N89, 200 for returning students have been reduced to N76,000 while for the new students in the Humanities, the initial fees of N151,200 have been reduced to N131,000.

“For those in the Sciences and Technology, the initial charges of N101,200, for returning students is now N86,000 while the new students in the same Faculties will now pay N141,000 instead of the initial N163,200.

“In the same vein, the returning students in the Pharmacy and College of Health Sciences will now pay N109,000, instead of N128,200. The new students in the same Faculties will now pay N164,000 instead of the initial charges of N190,000,” the statement partly read.

It added that the university management has agreed that the payment can be made in two equal installments.

While speaking with our correspondent, Opeyemi noted that the union requested a 50 per cent reduction of the initial proposed fee before it was reduced by 15 per cent.

“We want reduction just as stated in our last demand.  We want a reduction of the initial proposed fee before the school management reduced it by 15 per cent”.

The union earlier demanded that the school management make it a duty to reverse the increment in school fees and “all financial institutions, remitta, especially ignore and suspend any payment from OAU pending the time the union will write to them; otherwise, their branches in Ife and OAU campus will be shut down.”

“We’ve also written to all respective banks to halt the acceptance of fee payments from any student until a better resolution has been achieved. As much as we don’t want to, we are currently running out of options and might have to shut down all activities on campus and progressively on all campuses throughout the country if the school authorities remain silent on the issue,” the union added.

PUNCH/Taiwo Akinola

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels also join our Whatsapp Update Group

Education

Workers at the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, on Wednesday morning, staged a protest, against the dismissal of over 35 of their colleagues by the school’s authority.

It was gathered that all the concerned workers received their sack letters on Tuesday.

The protesting workers, who shut the school’s main gate blocked the entrance preventing people to go out or coming to the campus.

It was gathered that the sack of the affected workers was approved by the governing council of the institution but the protesters frowned at the development on the grounds that the sacked workers were duly employed, issued appointment letters, did all documentation and had worked in the school for over six months.

They vowed to continue to paralyse all academic and non-academic activities on the campus until the management reverses the decision.

Punch/ Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels also join our Whatsapp Update Group

Foreign

Dozens of police officers and employees from an oilfield company were taken hostage after a violent protest in Colombia on Thursday.

According to Police, violence erupted in a rural part of the San Vicente del Caguan municipality, where protesters from rural and indigenous communities, Colombia’s national, attacked an oil field belonging to the company Emerald Energy.

The report says, protesters blocked access to the oil field to demand the company help fix roads in the region.

BBC/Taiwo Akinola

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels also join our Whatsapp Update Group

Security

By Rasheedah Makinde

There was pandemonium on Wednesday morning around the Eleyele, Gbopa, Ologuneru, Apete, Sango, and Poly road axis of Ibadan as transporters protested the scarcity of cash.

Witnesses at the scenes told Radio Nigeria that the transporters were obstructing the free flow of vehicular and pedestrian movements around the areas.

The transporters were reported to have expressed displeasure at the non-availability of cash and the rejection of the old 200, 500 and 1,000 naira notes by passengers and some filling stations.

Meanwhile, when our correspondent contacted the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO in Oyo State, Mr Adewale Osifeso, he said officers had been deployed to the scenes to restore order.

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels also join our Whatsapp Update Group 

Economy

By Maxwell Oyekunle

Government needs to find an immediate solution to the cash scarcity currently rocking the nation, following the redesigning of some naira note denominations.

This is the submission of a group of Nigerian youths who stormed the Ibadan Office of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in Dugbe, Ibadan to express their grievances concerning the hardship they are facing in the process of trying to get the new naira notes.

The youths numbering about 50, carried placards bearing inscriptions, such as “Give us our money”, “2000 naira isn’t enough”, “Enough is Enough”, “This wahala is too much”, “We have a right to our money” e.t.c.

One of the youths who spoke for the group urged the government to quickly find a solution to the matter adding that, if the people got too frustrated it could lead to undesired consequences.

There was a heavy presence of security operatives, including the police and the military around the CBN complex during the protest to forestall the breakdown of law and order.

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels also join our Whatsapp Update Group

Economy

By Olaitan Oye-Adeitan

The long queues of customers who had waited endlessly at the ATM points for new naira notes had vanished following the protest that rocked some parts of Ibadan, Oyo State on Friday over lingering fuel and naira scarcity.

Customers had daily waited at the ATM points hoping to withdraw money but to no avail.

However many banks were deserted as customers left the ATM for their safety.

Only a few customers were however sighted waiting by the ATM with the hope that the machine could meet their long-awaited desire of cashing the new naira notes.

Since the beginning of the week, bank customers had been besieging the Automated Teller Machines, ATM and had been keeping vigils or resuming as early as five O’clock in the morning for the withdrawal of new naira notes.

Economy

By Fasilat Lawal, Iyabo Adebisi, Dayo Adu

Some aggrieved residents have stormed Iwọ-Road, Agodi axis of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital to display their grievances over the unavailability of the new Naira notes from Automated Teller Machines, ATM and over-the-counter.

The protesters who were mainly youths were seen in their numbers burning tyres, destroying campaign billboards and blocking the Agodi-Iwo -Road axis.

https://radionigeriaibadan.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/9QgVVUc5cbwpX4OG2-1.mp4

Our correspondent who was at the scene of the event, reports the protest had crippled commercial and business activities in the area as the aggrieved youths turned the road into a football pitch while vehicular movement in the area was at a halt.

https://radionigeriaibadan.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/VID-20230203-WA0012.mp4

 Meanwhile, youths armed with dangerous weapons such as iron rods, stones, plastic chairs, and broken bottles, among others were sighted at the entrance of Oyo state Secretariat and blocked a portion of the road linking Bodija to the Secretariat axis with burn fire.

The protesters forced their way into the state Secretariat and headed straight to the governor’s office where one Inspector of police who was on duty at the main entrance of the Governor’s office was injured.

Radio Nigeria gathered that the injured officer was stoned by the angry mobs while trying to prevent them from gaining access to the main governor’s office complex.

It was learnt that the officer has been rushed to the clinic for proper treatment.

The state joint security outfit known as Operation Burst, some police officers, including Amotekun officers were on ground to maintain law and order 

Reacting, the Executive Assistant to Governor Makinde on Security Matters, CP. Sunday Odukoya retired appealed for calm noting that their grievances affected everyone.

Mr Odukoya is optimistic that government would soon address the scarcity of new naira notes and other matters affecting the people.

The protest also spread to other parts of the town such as Mokola round about, Queen Cinema where the protesters made burn fire.

Read also: Raging Anger As Nigerians Protest Non-Availability of Fuel & Naira

https://radionigeriaibadan.gov.ng/2023/02/01/raging-anger-as-nigerians-protest-non-availability-of-fuel-naira/

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels also join our Whatsapp Update Group

Economy

By Olaitan Oye-Adeitan

Nigerians are beginning to lose patience over their continued struggle at the filling stations and  Automated Teller Machines, ATM  with no availability of either fuel or the new naira notes.

Some aggrieved people who stormed the premises of Radio Nigeria Ibadan on Wednesday expressed bitterness that they could not get physical cash from the ATM despite their persistent queue at the machines while they also had to observe vigils at the filling stations.

They also decried the situation whereby the ATM would only dispense two thousand naira out of their money and twenty thousand naira maximum depending on the bank.

President, Joint Human Rights Group in Oyo State, Mr Martin Omobude in this video said the masses could no longer bear the pains and called on government to review its economic policy to save the masses from suffering.

The CBN had earlier given January 31 as the deadline when the old naira note ceases to be a legal tender but later extended the date till February 10 following outcry and complaints from Nigerians.

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTubeChannels also join our Whatsapp Update Group.

Education

Students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan in Oyo State on Monday protested the hike in hostel refusal fee by the management of the institution.

The students, in their hundreds, blocked the school gate and the ever-busy Sango-Poly junction, thereby causing gridlock before heading to the State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan. All the roads within the Secretariat have also been blocked.

The hostel refusal fee was initially N5,000 before the management increased it to N15,000.

One of the protesters, Abiodun, other name withheld, said, “We normally pay N30,000 for accommodation every session but for those who don’t want to stay in the hostel, they pay N5,000 refusal fee. But the management just woke up and said that it has increased the refusal fee from N5,000 to N15,000.”

“The management also said the hostel fee is compulsory now for all the students, including those who are not staying in the campus (off campus),” she explained.

They also said they were tired with the continued use of a consultant in running the affairs of the institution.

The protesters were chanting anti-government songs, saying the activities of the consultant had slowed down the growth of the institution.

Meanwhile, the Management of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, has suspended the Students’ Union of the institution and postponed the first-semester examination meant to commence today, Monday, January 9, 2023, following the protest embarked upon by the students.

A statement from the institution signed by the Registrar, Mrs Modupe Fawale, disclosed that the examination had been postponed until further notice and the Students’ Union suspended indefinitely.

Describing the protest as ill-motivated and politically inclined, the Management claimed the students’ union body had not made a formal complaint to the Management concerning the examination slated to commence today.

“The Management is reviewing the situation and will issue a statement on when the suspended examination will commence. We appeal to the students to return to class and prepare for their examination. We also appeal to the parents and guardians to call their wards to order.”

Punch/Olaolu Fawole

Energy

Residents of two communities in Sagamu local government area of Ogun State have urged the federal and state governments to prevent the outbreak of violence by investigating the alleged unwholesome activities of consultants handling a proposed power project in the area. 

The residents while staging a peaceful protest in Sagamu claimed that the consultants were purportedly acting in the name of government to deprive them of their residential structures and farmlands. 

Radio Nigeria Correspondent reports that the Protesters from Alado and Dejuwogbo communities, carried placards with inscriptions such as “we are not selling our Property” Where is TCN in this Process” and “The Consultants are Cheats and Selfish” and thronged the venue for the payment of compensation for individuals whose property were reportedly marked for demolition to pave way for a Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN project. 

The residents said they had to resolve to staging the protest due to the nonchalant attitude of the consultants to their numerous complaints about irregularities in the payment of compensation to property and farm owners affected by the proposed project. 

They highlighted the alleged sharp practices by the consultants to include irregularities in list of affected residents, undervaluation and overvaluation of properties, questioning the rationale behind the payment of six million naira to the owner of an uncompleted two bedroom building while one point five million naira was offered to the owner of a completed three- bedrooms with facility in the same vicinity.

Speaking on behalf of the residents, Mrs. Iperogbelu Rebecca and Mr. Oladosu Olawale said the lack of transparency in the transaction of those handling the compensation process had caused the residents to doubt the claims that the project was approved by the government. 

The residents expressed optimism that the intervention of relevant government’s agencies would help to clear the doubts and to prevent the breakdown of law and order in the affected communities.

Addressing the protesters, a representative of the firm handling the payment of compensation to the affected property owners, Mr. Bassey Uzodinma said the firm had taken the issue of underpayment of the affected people into record and would submit the report to the appropriate quarters, noting that the residents would be adequately compensated by the government.

Mr Uzodinma who blamed inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic for the delay in the payment of the compensation advised the people to ensure proper documentation of their complaints. 

Mr. Uzodinma maintained that the proposed federal Power line and Power station project of the Transmission Company of Nigeria  in the Alado and Dejuwogbo communities would be expected to commence after the payment of compensation to the affected property owners.

Wale Oluokun/Olaolu Fawole

Crime

Pandemonium broke out this morning at Ibadan Central hospital, Ososami area of Ibadan following an allegation that some flesh of the body of a deceased 91 year old woman were cut off overnight.

People in their large number blocked the entrance of the street where the hospital was located shouting for justice.

The Hospital

It was gathered that the body of the deceased, Rachael Oshuntolu that was admitted in the hospital over a week ago was tampered with after her demise on Sunday morning.

Some children of the deceased explained that they left the hospital at around 8 ó clock in the night on Sunday with the plan of taking the corpse to a morgue on Monday morning.

They further said they were surprised when they saw some blood on the floor of the room where the corpse was kept while some pounds of flesh on the woman’s forehead and arm had been cut.

Radio Nigeria also made efforts at speaking with the head of administration of the hospital Olúwaṣeun Hasstrup but she refused to comment on the development.

When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO in Oyo State, Adewale Osifeso said he was yet to be briefed on the incident.

At the time of filing this report, the divisional Police Officer, Iyaganku and his team were on ground to prevent breakdown of law and order.

Abisola Oluremi

Subscribe to our Telegram Channel and join our Whatsapp Update Group

Foreign

Charitable trusts, that run cattle shelters in the western Indian state of Gujarat, have set free thousands of cows in protest against the lack of promised government aid.

Videos of cows walking through government buildings have gone viral.

The report says, protesters have threatened to boycott the upcoming state election if the government fails to release funds.

Gujarat is among several Indian states reeling from a lumpy skin disease outbreak, leading to cattle losses.

The state has reported more than 5,800 cattle deaths, while nearly 170,000 are estimated to have been affected by the disease.

Cows are sacred animals for India’s majority Hindu community, and slaughtering them is illegal in 18 states, including Gujarat.

In 2017, Gujarat tightened its cow protection laws by notifying that those slaughtering a cow could be punished with a life sentence.

An unintended consequence has been a large number of cattle roaming the streets, causing traffic snarls, or landing up at shelters.

In its budget for this year, the Gujarat government had allocated 5bn rupees, $61m; £57m, to maintain shelters for cows and other old animals in the state.

Shelter managers, however, said they had not received any money under the scheme and felt “cheated” by the government.

They added that despite several representations to the government, they had not been offered any solutions.

The Indian Express reported that nearly 1,750 cowsheds run by charitable trusts, which house more than 450,000 cattle, had joined the protest.

BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are providing support. Even Congress-ruled Rajasthan is offering 50 rupees for one cow. So why has Gujarat failed to support cows?” Vipul Mali, general secretary of the Gujarat Gau Seva Sangh – which runs cow shelters for sick cattle – was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

According to the report, in the past few days, cattle have taken over roads, local courts and government buildings in several parts of Gujarat.

In one government office, protesters showed up with cow urine and dung.

Police said they had detained 70 protesters in the districts of Banaskantha, Patan and Kutch.

The Gujarat animal husbandry minister admitted that aid had been delayed due to “administrative tangles” and promised to find a “positive solution” in a day or two.

Protesters have now threatened a wider agitation if their demands are not met by the end of the month.

BBC/Taiwo Akinola

Subscribe to our Telegram Channel and join our Whatsapp Update Group

Foreign

A Japanese man has set himself on fire reportedly to protest a state funeral for ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in July.

Hundreds of foreign dignitaries are expected to attend the funeral on 27 September.

On Wednesday, witnesses called police after spotting a man on fire near the prime minister’s office in Tokyo.

According to local media, officers put out the blaze, and took the still-conscious man to the hospital, The extent of his injuries and his current condition is unknown.

Japanese media reports say the man is believed to be in his 70s.

The government is yet to comment on the protest. But public opposition to the holding of the state funeral has intensified in recent months, with polls showing a majority of voters unhappy with the expenditure.

Abe was shot dead on 8 July, aged 67, at a campaign rally for his political party. The killing of Japan’s longest-serving prime minister was condemned internationally and shocked Japan, a country with a minimal record of political violence and gun crime.

But state funerals are not an established practice in Japan, and protesters say they resent the use of public funds on the event that is projected to cost about 1.65bn yen (£10.1m; $11.4m).

One of the country’s main opposition parties, the Constitutional Democratic Party, has also said its lawmakers won’t participate in next week’s ceremony.

Many in Japan are commenting on how the mood around Abe’s state funeral contrasts starkly with the affection shown at the Queen’s state funeral in the UK.

Surveys show a majority of Japanese are against the event. Aside from the amount of taxpayers’ money being spent, the guestlist – which reportedly includes representatives from the Burmese junta – is raising eyebrows.

Others say that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is failing to address Abe’s and senior ruling party politicians’ links to the controversial Unification Church, and this is increasing opposition.

Adding to the sour mood, a film about Abe’s murder – produced by a former member of the terror group the Japanese Red Army – will be shown next week, with critics saying it romanticises the killing.

Police are yet to confirm details of the protest on Tuesday, but local media reported the man had voiced his opposition to the funeral to a nearby officer before setting himself alight.

Handwritten notes were also found around him expressing the same message, local media reported.

Criticism of the state funeral has also increased as more politicians in Japan’s parliament have been found to have connections with a controversial church.

The man charged with killing Abe said he had targeted the former prime minister for his connections to the Unification Church, which he said had bankrupted his family.

BBC/Taiwo Akinola

News

There is confusion in Ogbomoso, Oyo state as residents protest the alleged killing of some people who were reportedly killed by kidnappers while trying to pay ransom.

Information has it that one of the people who went to pay ransom for a kidnapped resident was brutally murdered

The development is believed to have sparked anger from residents

At the time of writing this, information on the matter is sketchy.

Recall that spate of abduction has been on the increase in Ogbomoso.

Details later….

Dayo Adelowo

Subscribe to our Telegram channel

Foreign

Security forces in Sri Lanka have raided the main anti-government protest camp in the capital Colombo and have begun pulling down tents.

Hundreds of troops and police commandos moved on the protesters outside the presidential offices, hours before they were due to leave the area.

A BBC video journalist was beaten by the army and one soldier snatched his phone and deleted videos.

It comes after Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as president.

Sri Lanka’s ex-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country last week.

Mr Wickremesinghe – the former prime minister – is seen as deeply unpopular with the public, and has vowed tough action against demonstrators. But some protesters have said they will give him a chance.

Sri Lanka has seen months of mass unrest over an economic crisis.

Many blame the Rajapaksa administration for mishandling the nation’s finances, and see Mr Wickremesinghe as part of the problem. But there were few demonstrations on the streets the day after he won the parliament vote.

Agriculture

Farmers whose farm lands and produce were affected by the ongoing airport project in Ado Ekiti, the state capital have again protested at the site of the airport over alleged failure of the state government to compensate them.

The affected farmers appealed to the state government to fulfil its promise in compensating them monetarily.

The farmers consisting of aged men and women carried placards with various inscriptions lamented that they have been difficult for them since their source of livelihood had been destroyed.

Elder Omoremi Olarotimi who spoke on behalf of the protesting aged told newsmen that the government is taking advantage of their old age and poor status to cheat them of their entitlements.

” You can see we are all old and aged people here, we have been begging and appealing but it appears the government is levering on the fact that we are too weak to do anything. We are here today to appeal so we can be compensated just like our other colleagues” he concluded.

But in a swift reaction, the Project coordinator of the airport, Mr Bunmi Awotiku while fielding questions from Newsmen in his office in Ado Ekiti, berated the protesters for being economical with the truth.

He said  the state governor Dr John Kayode Fayemi followed due process and ensured that all concerned persons were adequately compensated.

” This project started as far back as the administration of Engineer Segun Oni in 2010 and when Fayose came in, he started the project even though he refused to consult  experts  and the communities affected and he was stopped by the court of law after the affected communities took him to the court for legal redress.

It was the administration of Fayemi that took the matter out of court and called for a round table meeting with the farm owners and one Bolorunduro community which is no longer in existence.

We even paid for the structures in that community.

We went to these communities to speak with the people and their representatives and everything was documented.

Their names as you can see here, address and even phone numbers was taken to fast track the enumeration process.

When we called them for the enumeration some of them thinking that the project will not be a success refused to show up but majority showed up and we were able to enumerate the land  and areas annexed.

We have paid over 700 million in terms of compensation, we even started a second phase but we had to stop it when some of them started impersonating, falsification and re enumerating the areas that has earlier been accounted for.

These people who are now complaining attacked us with juju, charms, and we were even stoned at some point but we still appealed to them to allow the enumeration to be done.

We have paid and we are not owing them, I have the records here, they came to pavilion here to get the cheques and for the records nobody was paid in cash.

As you can see for yourselves their pictures are here too for all to see, the dates, time and even places are all here.

We transferred money into their accounts and each and everyone of them has their names, addresses and phone numbers in print.

It is not possible for us to pay twice and unless they are being manipulated or misled by some groups of people trying to extort the government ” He concluded.

Mr Awotiku maintained that he had the records of all the over 600 persons who have all been paid and properly compensated.

Amos Ogunrinde

Education

The announcement of  the new Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Professor Adebayo Bamire, sparked protest as some people blocked the entrance of the University in disagreement to the development.

The governing council of the University, led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of council, Owelle Udoji, had on Thursday, announced Professor Adebayo Bamire as the new Vice-Chancellor to take over from Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede on 7th June, 2022.

Immediately the new Vice-Chancellor was announced, some people believed to be indigenes of Ile-Ife, barricaded the University entrance and prevented vehicular movement for almost an hour.

They insisted that an indigene of Ile-Ife must succeed Ogunbodede if peace would reign in the university.
The protesters threatened to shut down the University on Friday, warning people not to enter the campus.

Cont/Adenitan Akinola

Security

Youth and Students protest against the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) turned violent on Tuesday in Osogbo as some of the protesters were tear-gassed by the men of NSCDC at the Osun state command in an attempt to disperse the students.

The Osun Youths Progressive Alternatives, National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS) and National Association of Nigeria Students/Joint Campus Committee, (Osun Axis) had stormed the headquarters of the NSCDC in Osogbo protesting against alleged abuse of the corps officials for political gain.

The youth and students body described as unacceptable and disturbing the recent conduct of the corps in Osogbo particularly the alleged sporadic gun short by the officers during a roadshow by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

In a letter of protest addressed to the Commander General of the Civil Defence Corps, Dr Hammed Abubkar, the youth and student organizations expressed concern over the recent conduct of the men and officers of the corps as being grossly abused as a political tool in the state which is putting the state at a huge security risk.

The letter was signed by NAOSS President, Comrade Agboola Yusuf, State Coordinator Progressive Youth Alternative, Comrade Sanusi Wasiu and Osun NANS/JCC Chairman, Comrade Oyelayo Azeez.

According to the letter, “it is regrettable that the officers and the men of the Corps that are known for decency, discipline and patriotism has been turned to political tormentors in the state and we have no choice than to cry to your good office before the people of the state began to lose their lives in the hand of NSDC tactical force in Osun”.

“It is understandable, that NSCDC is under the supervision and control of  Federal Ministry of Interior being superintended by the former Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who appears to be running a political battle in Osun but we strongly believe that NSCDC as a security outfit must be completely excused as willing tools to destabilize the state”.

“For your information, we have not had it so terribly in recent time with this level of abuse and the involvement of your officers in political violence has extremely complicated the political tension in the state”.

“We have noted the abuse of the NSCDC men and officers in recent political outings of the former Minister in the state where several records of attack and gun duel had occurred spearheaded by the NSCDC officers but it reached its peak yesterday February 14, 2022, when the entire state capital was thrown into panic by the wooded NSCDC officers who were shooting sporadically at the popular Orisunmibare Market in Osogbo”.

“The dangerous dimension is that most of those personnel have no identity and they always cover their faces which call to question if they are genuine NSCDC officers or clothed political thugs”.

“The Osun police command preliminary report confirmed several empty magazines of assorted riffles, this is condemnable and unacceptable to us as stakeholders in Osun project and we cannot continue to folds our arms until the situation has degenerated beyond this level, hence, we call for the intervention of the National Headquarter of NSCDC to safe our soul”.

The youths said they decided to escalate the matter to the Commander General office because information has it that most of the personnel are also drawn from neighbouring states and insisted that if security apparatus with the constitutional responsibility of protecting the people are now at the peak of political violence against the citizens, it calls for serious concern as a state.

They however demand the investigations of NSCDC officers involved in yesterday sporadic shooting in Osogbo and punish them in accordance with relevant laws of NSCDC for public disturbance and threat to public peace.

The state commander, State Commander, Mr Emmanuel Ocheja who later addressed the student promised to present the petition to the National headquarters of the corps.

Adeitan Akinola

Education

The Students Union Government (SUG) of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso have protested the decision of the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to rename the institution.

The SUG President, Anuoluwa Adeboye, and the Public Relations Officer, Gabriel Michael, in an open letter made available to newsmen on Friday, said renaming the institution would do more harm than good to its image.

According to IntelRegion, the union believed changing the name of the institution would negatively affect the ego and strength already gathered by the name.

It urged the governor to look inward and consider better recommendations on how the institution could progress.

Governor Seyi Makinde had during the week spoke of plans to rename the institution to Ladoke Akinola University to enable it to have an expanded scope that could accommodate more students in various fields of study.

IntelRegion/Adedayo Adelowo

News

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC Ekiti State Chapter has hailed the decision of the Federal Government to suspend the planned removal of fuel subsidy.

Chairman of the Congress, Comrade Olatunde Kolapo who made this known in Ado Ekiti while briefing newsmen affirmed that NLC planned protest forced government to rescind its plans.

He appreciated members of the congress, all affiliates of NLC and Civil Society Organizations for their support which according to him prevailed on Federal Government to shelve the planned increment.

He said “I want to thank all the NEC SEC and SAC members, civil society groups, allies of NLC for your cooperation.

“This is the first time every worker in the country spoke with one voice and this actually gave us victory.

“If not for the proposed protest, government would have announced the new price of fuel to 340 and Nigerians would have been thrown into additional bondage and sufferings.

Kolapo said Ekiti NLC would continue to do everything possible to agitate for better welfare packages for workers in the state.

Speaking on some workers who were sacked at the Ekiti State House of Assembly, the NLC Chairman confirmed that there issue had been tendered before Governor Kayode Fayemi  for possible reinstatement.

He called on government to look into the issue of outstanding gratuity of pensioners particularly some workers who retired from the defunct College of Education Ikere Ekiti, saying some of them who retired since 1993 were yet to get their benefits.

He hoped that in 2022 Ekiti workers would rejoice and enjoy better welfare packages because necessary arrangement have been made with government and resolutions have been reached for payment of outstanding benefits of workers as well as remittance of various deductions to appropriate quarters.

Niyi Alade

News

Joint Action Committee of Research Institutes Ibadan axis has staged a rally to drive home their demands from the federal government.

The unions comprise the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutes, Non-academic staff Union and Senior Staff Association of Teaching Hospital and Associated Institutions.

Their demands include payment of 2009 twelve months salary arrears and establishment of the National Research Commission, a body that would oversee research activities in the country.

Speaking with Radio Nigeria, Chairman, National centre for genetic resources and Biotechnology, Sunday Abiodun who said research work was backsliding in the country appealed to the government to accord more priority to the demands of research Institutes.

On his part, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Research Institutes, Dr Aina Kehinde said the demand of the unions included advocacy for sixty-five years of retirement age.

Recall that Research Institutes have embarked on nationwide industrial action.

Adedayo Adelowo

Economy News

No fewer than one hundred retired police officers under the contributory pension scheme have staged a peaceful protest to Radio Nigeria Ibadan over their poor pension.

The police pensioners, who carried placards with different inscription, bemoaned the contributory pension scheme demanding their removal from the retirement payment system due to lack of increase in the monthly emolnument.

In an interview, the retired assistant commissioner of police, who is also the Chairman, retired police officers under pension commission, Mrs Victoria Ladigbolu and two other leaders of the association, Mr Benjamin Akande and Alhaji Moshood Balogun, said retirees from other security agencies of the federal government had been removed from the contributory pension scheme.

Lamenting his ordeal to Radio Nigeria, one of the 2019 retirees, who until retirement was an assistant Supretendent of Police, Mr Augustine Yussuf said nothing had been paid to him since his retirement.

Mr Yusuff said his children had been withdrawn from school and surviving had remained difficult.

The retired police officers said several efforts made to ensure their demands were met were abortive due to evasive response from the pension regulatory authority.

The protesters were retirees from 2007 to 2009, 2011, 2018 and 2019.

Rotimi Famakin

News

The Yoruba Nation agitators have protested to Agodi Secretariat Ibadan to declare support for Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Igboho whose house was recently invaded by men of DSS.

The protesters in their hundreds who were on a peaceful protest were received on behalf of the State Government by the  Executive Assistant to Governor Makinde on Security Matters, Mr Sunday Odukoya .

Speaking with journalists shortly after their departure, Mr Odukoya said the agitators were the Oduduwa nation agitators groups who demanded that they wanted those people arrested in Igboho’s house to be free within seven days.

Mr Odukoya added that they also demanded for justice of the two people that were killed during the DSS raid in his house.

The Executive Assiatant urged the agitators to maintain peace saying there was no good thing about rascality, hooliganism and asked the agitators to put their demands in writing for necessary actions.

The protesters were seeing with various placards requesting the release of those arrested at Igboho house.

They were also shouting Sunday Igboho is not a criminal, and should not be treated as such. 

The  protesters had earlier visited  Palace of Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji  to seek his interventions  in facilitating the release of some arrested self determination agitators arrested during the DSS raid on Sunday Adeyemo ,Igboho’s residence.

Radio Nigeria reports that, the protest caused gridlock around secretariat as they arrived during the closing hours of workers.

The entrance gates to the Secretariat were locked and manned with heavy presence of security operatives to forestall the breakdown of law and order.

Iyabo Adebisi