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Apprentice Weeps, Says Master Loaned Him Tricycle After 15 Years Labour

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An apprentice, Sunday Ndenta, has expressed dissatisfaction with the settlement he got from his master after serving him for over 14 years.

Ndenta spoke to our correspondent on the sideline of a youth forum, tagged, ‘Igba Boi Apprenticeship Scheme,’ in Awka, Anambra State.

The scheme is seeking the revival of the apprenticeship system in the South-East.

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Ndenta, a 35-year-old indigene of Igbo-Ukwu in the Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, said he was given a tricycle after his apprenticeship with his master who operated pharmaceutical stores at the Onitsha Bridge Head Market.

He noted that his master gave him the tricycle under a lease agreement, an arrangement he described as “strange and awkward.”

Ndenta said, “My master took me from my parents for an apprenticeship at the age of 18 after I couldn’t continue my education. I first stayed with his mother in his home town at Umunze, looking after the sick woman until she passed on after four years of my stay there.

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“My master then brought me to his shop at Onitsha where he sells pharmaceutical drugs, to continue my apprenticeship training and I served him for another 11 years without any blemish.

“But to my greatest surprise, the period I was to be settled, he called some of my family members and presented a tricycle to me as my settlement package.

“The real issue is that he went on to say that the keke would be operated under a hire purchase agreement; that I would be giving him daily returns and the keke would become my own after I completed the money he used in buying it.

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“This will be the third phase of my apprenticeship with him after I had put in over 15 years, first serving his mother, then at the shop and now this one.

READ ALSO: Emulate Aisha Buhari’s Humanitarian Gesture, NYSC DG Urges Nigerians

“I have been riding keke for over three months now and remitting returns to my boss. This kind of treatment is the reason today’s youths have stopped going into apprenticeship under anyone. Rather, they prefer to be riding keke or motorcycle.”

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Ndenta, who spoke amid tears, did not disclose how much returns he makes to his boss on a daily basis and how much he had remitted so far and when he would balance the payment.

The spokesperson for the Onitsha Bridge Head Market, identified simply as Tochukwu, said the market leadership was “investigating and treating” many complaints relating to such ill-treatment.

“Some months ago, youths protested at the Electrical Market in Oba over a similar issue. This is becoming too rampant; something has to be done. Apprentices and masters will have to be signing documented agreements to avoid this kind of situation,” he added.

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PUNCH.

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Six-year-old Nigerian Girl Dies After Fall From Apartment In Canada

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A six-year-old Nigerian girl has died after falling from a high-rise residential building in Toronto, Canada, in a tragic incident that has left the community in shock.

Reports indicate that her mother was in Nigeria at the time of the incident.

The incident occurred at an apartment complex on Chalkfarm Drive in North York, close to Jane Street, at about 8:15 p.m.

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Toronto Police Service said officers responded to a report described as “unknown trouble” and later found the child unresponsive on the ground outside the building.

Residents of the building described the girl as cheerful and familiar within the community, saying her death had deeply unsettled neighbours.

READ ALSO:Man With Lengthy Criminal Record Shoots Nigerian To Death Inside Bus In Canada

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One resident told CP24 that the child was regularly seen playing around the premises.

She used to come here all the time and play… she was a lively kid. It’s very, very sad,” the neighbour said.

Another resident said the news had been devastating for people living in the building, adding that the girl was a familiar face during daily routines such as school runs.

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It’s crazy that I will never see this child again. I see her every morning. It’s heartbreaking,” the resident said.

According to neighbours, the girl had been staying with a family friend who lives on the top floor of the building while her mother was away in Nigeria.

READ ALSO:Man With Lengthy Criminal Record Shoots Nigerian To Death Inside Bus In Canada

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Some residents also questioned how the incident occurred, noting that the building is fitted with window safety features designed to prevent full opening.

To be fair, they do have precautions on these windows to make sure these things don’t happen,” one resident said.

Another added that the windows are secured and cannot be fully opened, further adding to uncertainty surrounding the circumstances.

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The property management company, Greenwin, which manages the building at 200 Chalkfarm Drive, described the incident as “deeply saddening,” adding that its thoughts are with the child’s family.

READ ALSO:Travel Chaos: Air Canada Shut Down By Flight Attendant Strike

The company confirmed that emergency responders attended the scene promptly and said it is fully cooperating with investigators.

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It declined to comment on the condition or inspection history of the windows, citing an ongoing investigation.

Police in Toronto said the case is not being treated as suspicious at this stage, though investigations are continuing pending autopsy results.

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US Govt Finally Releases Files On UFOs, Alien Life

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President Donald Trump’s administration has released a batch of previously unseen files, videos and photographs on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, UAP.

The government described the development as part of a push for greater transparency on government-held information about extraterrestrial-related sightings.

According to Fox News, the White House said the materials, drawn from across multiple government agencies, have been made publicly accessible without security clearance requirements.

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Officials said the release is intended to allow the public to review the information and draw their own conclusions.

READ ALSO:Trump Bows To Pressure, Deletes Post Depicting Self As Jesus

“The latest UAP videos, photos, and original source documents from across the entire United States government are all in one place,” the White House said, adding that past administrations had sought to limit public disclosure.

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The release is part of a programme identified as the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters, PURSUE, which officials say will continue with further disclosures.

Among the initial materials are images reportedly linked to Apollo 12 and Apollo 17 space missions, including a photograph from the lunar surface showing three small dots in the sky.

The release also includes transcripts of communications from Apollo 17, in which crew members described observing bright, fast-moving particles or fragments outside their spacecraft.

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READ ALSO:Trump Tired Of War In Iran – Shehu Sani

In one exchange, astronauts described seeing “very bright particles” and “jagged, angular fragments” while in orbit, comparing the appearance to fireworks.

Trump previously said he would support declassifying government files related to UFOs and UAPs, following renewed public interest in the subject.

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He had earlier directed federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing relevant documents.

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Strait Of Hormuz: Pakistan Thanks Trump For Pausing ‘Project Freedom’

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Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed gratitude to United States President Donald Trump for temporarily pausing ‘Project Freedom’, an initiative to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement posted on X, Sharif thanked Trump for pausing the “Project Freedom” mission, praising him for his courageous leadership and timely announcement.

According to him, Trump’s decision was made in response to requests from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other brotherly countries.

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READ ALSO: Oil Prices Drop After Iran Reopens Strait Of Hormuz

He added that the pause would go a long way towards advancing regional peace, stability and reconciliation during the sensitive period.

“Pakistan remains firmly committed to supporting all efforts that promote restraint and a peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy.

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“We are very hopeful that the current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement that secures durable peace and stability for the region and beyond,” Sharif said.

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