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#EndBadGovernance: Protesters, Police Clash Averted In Rivers

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A clash between protesting youths and men of the counter-terrorism unit of the Nigeria Police Force was averted on Friday — the second day of the nationwide hunger protest.

Trouble started when men of the counter-terrorism unit were on a show of force along the popular Aba Road and ran into the protesters at the Pleasure Park, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

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The operatives, in several patrol trucks, then asked the youths to leave the road to pave the way for them, but the protesters chorused ‘No! No! How many people police go kill?”

The armed operatives insisted that they vacate the road with some alighting from their trucks as tension built up in what could be described as a near-clash situation.

READ ALSO: #EndBadGovernance Protest: Police Arrest 269 In Kano

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But sensing danger, the protest leaders asked the youths to clear the road and calmness was restored.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, who got wind of the near clash, raced to the scene afterwards where he addressed the protesters and appealed to them not to block the roads.

Disu stated, “I must commend you for being peaceful and conducting yourselves well since yesterday when this protest began. It is your right to protest, but please don’t do anything that will disrupt public peace and don’t infringe on the rights of other citizens.

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“I have an appeal. Please don’t block the roads. Don’t block the road. If you do so, you will be infringing on the rights of others who are using the roads.

READ ALSO: Fire Guts Ladipo Plank Market, Destroys Property Worth Millions

“I will leave the Deputy Commissioner of Police with you and I assure you that nobody and no officer will intimidate nor harass you as long as you continue to conduct yourselves in a peaceful and orderly manner.”

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In response, one of the protesters stressed that they had been peaceful since Thursday and assured the CP that they would remain so.

He stated, “Sir, I hope the DC is peaceful. Since yesterday, we have been protesting peacefully and we went to the Government House where the Governor addressed us.

“But please, tell your men not to intimidate us. We are on a peaceful protest against bad government in Nigeria. We want the return of the fuel subsidy. We call on the President to also subsidise electricity.

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“There is so much hunger, poverty and suffering. The cost of living is too much. President Bola Tinubu must do something or resign from office. We are tired. “

 

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Tinubu Makes New Appointments, Abiola’s Daughter In List

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has named Ms. Rinsola Abiola as the new Director-General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC).

Abiola, a specialist in strategic communications and government relations, once served as Senior Special Assistant to the President.

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In a related move, the President appointed Nasir Bala Aminu Ja’oji as Senior Special Assistant on Citizenship and Leadership.

READ ALSO:2027: Tinubu Has Done Much For N’Delta, Deserves Our Support — Otuaro

Ja’oji, a former Special Adviser on Mobilisation to the Kano State governor, is also a member of the Governing Council of the Coordinated Arewa Youth Groups.

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He is widely recognised for his campaigns on women’s and youth empowerment.

The appointments were made public on Monday by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.

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JUST IN: Ibom Air Passenger Charged To Court Over ‘Unruly’ Act, Remanded In Prison

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A passenger who assaulted airline officials on an Ibom Air flight inbound Lagos from Uyo, Comfort Emmanson, has reportedly been charged to court.

The Special Adviser to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, who revealed this, said Emmanson has been remanded in the Kirikiri correctional facility.

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READ ALSO: EFCC Raids Obasanjo’s Hotel, Arrests Suspected Internet Fraudsters At Pool Party

Moshood disclosed this in a post on X on Monday shortly after the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, said enforcement action will soon become more frequent in Nigerian airports as unruly conduct by passengers becomes rampant.

The development is coming on the heels of a similar incident involving popular Fuji musician, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, aka KWAM 1 or K1 and an airline, ValueJet.

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The musician attempted to stop the aircraft from taking off after he was deboarded.

Details shortly…

 

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SERAP, NGE Drag Niger Gov, NBC To Court Over Radio Station Closure Threat

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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and the Nigerian Guild of Editors have filed a lawsuit against Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, and the National Broadcasting Commission over what they described as “the ongoing intimidation” of Badeggi FM Radio, Minna, and the threat to shut down the station.

This was contained in a statement on Sunday by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, accusing NBC of failing to stand in defence of the local station.

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Recall that Bago ordered the closure and the revocation of the licence of Badeggi Radio 90.1 FM in Minna over alleged public incitement.

However, in suit number FHC/L/CS/1587/2025, filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP and NGE are seeking to determine “whether by Section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and section 2(1)(t) of the NBC Act, the NBC has the legal duty to protect Badeggi FM from the ongoing intimidation from the governor.”

READ ALSO:Falana Slams South-West Governors, Criticises Makinde’s N63bn Renovation

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They are also seeking “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Niger state governor and NBC from further harassing, intimidating and/or threatening to shut down Badeggi FM radio, revoke its licence and profile the station’s owner.”

The groups argued, “The ongoing intimidation and threat by Mr Bago to strip Badeggi FM station of its licence, further threat to demolish the station’s premises and profile its owner is unlawful and a violation of the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom.”

They described allegations of inciting violence against the station and its owner as “vague, unfounded and unsubstantiated and apparently made to silence the radio station.”

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The suit, filed on behalf of SERAP and NGE by lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Oluwakemi Agunbiade, and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part, “The media plays an essential role as a vehicle or instrument for the exercise of freedom of expression and information – in its individual and collective aspects – in a democratic society.

READ ALSO:Falana Slams Government Over Failure To Prosecute Suspected Killers In Benue

Intimidating, harassing and silencing critical or dissenting voices under the guise of vague and unsubstantiated national security concerns is a fundamental breach of the Nigerian Constitution and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.

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“The ongoing intimidation and harassment of Badeggi FM and its owner is capable of discouraging participation of the press in debates over matters of legitimate public concern ahead of the 2027 general elections.”

SERAP and NGE are therefore asking the court for the following reliefs, “A declaration that by the combined provisions of Section 22 Nigerian Constitution and section 2(1)(t) of the National Broadcasting Act, the NBC is obligated by law to protect Badeggi FM station and other broadcasting outlets in Nigeria from undue interference from unauthorised persons or entity.

“A declaration that the failure and/or neglect of the NBC to protect and defend the independence of the radio station against arbitrary executive interference constitutes a breach of its statutory duty to ensure fair, independent, and lawful broadcasting practices in Nigeria.

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READ ALSO:NGE Reacts As Govt Closes Radio Station In Niger

A declaration that the ongoing intimidation and threat issued by Mr Bago to strip Badeggi FM station of its operational licence and further threat to demolish the station’s premises is unlawful and a violation of the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom.

“A declaration that the threat issued by the Bago to strip Badeggi FM radio station of its operational licence encroaches upon the statutory powers of the NBC as provided for under section 2 of the National Broadcasting Commission Act.

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“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the governor and NBC, its agents and privies from harassing, intimidating and/or threatening to revoke the operating licence of Badeggi FM station or any other broadcasting outlet in Niger State.”

It was said that no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

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