News

How Soldiers Were Ambushed, Killed In Delta Community, Ex-General Speaks

Published

2 months ago

March 18, 2024

Editor

Major General Cecil Esekhaigbe (retd.) has revealed how 16 military personnel were murdered last Thursday in the Okuama community of Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Esekhaigbe stated that the unsuspecting soldiers were ambushed by residents of the community.

He disclosed this when he was featured as a guest on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief breakfast show on Monday.

No fewer than 16 Nigerian soldiers were killed while on a mission to douse clashes between two communities in the South-South state of Delta on Thursday.

The Defence Headquarters said the personnel consisted of two Majors, one Captain, and 12 soldiers.

According to a statement by the Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, the troops from the 181 Amphibious Battalion were deployed in the Bomadi region and were on a peace-keeping mission in the Okuoma community when they were killed on Thursday.

The killings have been condemned by many stakeholders with President Bola Tinubu vowing that the perpetrators will not go unpunished.

Reacting to the killings, Esekhaigbe said the soldiers were in the coastal community to find out why their colleagues who were on a peacekeeping mission to the village were held hostage and not to fight.

He added that the soldiers would not have been killed if they had been prepared.

He said, “It is unfortunate that we have spent a lot of money on a thing we called amnesty programme which was designed for those militia groups to lay down their weapons.

“If after the amnesty and the purported surrendering of weapons, we still have local communities that have sophisticated weapons like this, it calls for a re-examination of the entire process.

“Now, don’t forget you called it a peace mission, the mindset of these officers and men was to go and find out what the problems were and to find out why their men were kept behind. So, their mind was not to go and fight and that is what we must understand. So, they were not going with the mentality of going for an attack, if they, even as few as they were, they would not have been able to surround and dastardly murder them the way they did.

“So, what played out here is that they fell into an ambush because these militia groups have sophisticated weapons and when you are ambushed, no matter how sophisticated you are, you will definitely have the consequences of an ambush. That calls to mind the need for training and retraining because you must know the local environment in which you are operating.”

Speaking on the insecurity in the state, Esekhaigbe listed the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, drug abuse and lack of governance as contributory factors.

He, however, called for the rejig of the institutions rather than just renaming them.

“We have what we call institutional failure in all sectors. Let me tell you the contributory factors of this insecurity that is everywhere, one is the proliferation of small arms and light weapons all over the place.

“Two is the menace of drug abuse, and three is the lack of governance in this state. I heard they have small arms and light weapons centre domiciled in the NSA office. what are they bringing on board? You don’t domicile something and just be in an office like that. they are supposed to go out and retrieve these arms.

“We must rejig our institutions not just by giving them names and domiciling them somewhere. Two, what is the National Orientation Agency doing if not to re-orientate our psyche? This hatred and unnecessary and unwanted killing of people without any meaningful reason should be duly addressed.

“Three, some of these governors have humongous security votes. What do you do with this humongous security vote if the lives of your community are the community is continuously threatened and communal clashes abound everywhere without a meaningful response from the government? Let’s get serious.”

News

JUST IN: NLC To Picket Turkish Airline

Published

8 mins ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

The national secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress has ordered its members in Lagos State to shut down Turkish Airlines in the state on Tuesday over the sacking of seven of its members.

The NLC stated that it would ensure the picketing of the airlines until its management reinstates the affected workers.

According to an NLC statement signed by the union’s General Secretary, Chris Uyot, on Monday, the NLC noted that seven of its members working with the airlines were sacked for unionising under the umbrella of the National Union of Air Transport Employees.

In April, NUATE threatened to picket airlines operating in the country after they had refused their staff the opportunity to join trade unions of their choice.

NUATE said such an act was against labour law for some airlines to make employment conditional upon not joining a trade union, adding that those who threaten workers with sacks, if they join unions, are working against Nigerian laws.

Aside from the seven persons earlier sacked, the NLC noted that it has gathered that the airline is attempting to lay off four other members of the union.

“By the above action of unjustifiable dismissal of their workers, the management of Turkish Airlines has put to waste 10-14 years of service. And this fate has befallen these hapless workers purely on account of exercising their constitutional rights to belong to a trade union. Congress will not tolerate this situation.

“Therefore, the Lagos State Council of NLC is hereby directed to commence picketing of Turkish Airlines in Lagos with effect from Tuesday 21st May 2024 until all staff of Turkish Airlines who have been sacked, dismissed, forced to abandon duty, or forced to resign under duress, including those victimised for their union membership in 2020, have been fully restored to their jobs without any losses of any kind.

“All affiliate unions in aviation are particularly charged to mobilise heavily for the picketing action without fail, please.” the union’s statement read partly.

Meanwhile, the union further stated that the Federal Capital Territory Council would be standing by in case “the need arises to escalate the matter to the Abuja airport.”

News

Edo Govt Presents Confirmation Letters To 200 Education Managers

Published

60 mins ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government has confirmed the appointment of 200 Education Managers into the State Civil and Public Service to strengthen its workforce and ensure effective service delivery.

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Universal Education Board (SUBEB), Ozavize Salami, said this during a one-day engagement with over 400 education managers including education Secretaries and other basic education sector managers drawn from the 18 local government areas in the State, at the New Festival Hall, Government House, Benin City.

She noted that over the last quarter, SUBEB had an increase in students’ enrolment following engagement with different stakeholders in various communities, which led to an addition of 50,000 pupils in just over a term.

While presenting some of the confirmation letters to the beneficiaries, she said the State values performance and would continue to reward those who work hard.

The SUBEB Executive Chairman commended Governor Godwin Obaseki for his unwavering support for Edo SUBEB to undertake deep-rooted reform of the basic education sector.

Salami said the government has over the years, worked on ensuring the sustainability of the reforms of the basic education sector, noting: “As part of that sustainability plan, we employed and brought into the Edo State Civil Service Education Managers in the first phase of the EdoBEST programme, which kicked-off in 2018.

“In 2020, 200 staff were employed to strengthen that function. Two years later, many of them have completed their probation period as required by the Civil Service and today, we have given them their confirmation letters.”

Salami commended the education managers across the 18 local government areas of the State for the successes recorded in the enrolment of students in EdoBEST programme.

She noted: “Our success today has been made possible because we have the political will and backing of Governor Godwin Obaseki. EdoBEST has been stabilized over the years and the programme is working in Edo State.”

News

Oba Of Benin Accuses EFCC Of Corruption

Published

1 hour ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II has alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is aiding crimes in the country.

The monarch made the allegations when he received the new Benin Zonal Director of EFCC, Effa Okim in his Palace in Benin on Monday.

He cited a case involving unnamed former palace officials who were left off the hook after they were arrested for fraud and handed over to EFCC in Benin for investigation and prosecution.

The Oba alleged that some EFCC operatives allegedly handled the case with kid gloves, which led to the release of the culprits a few years ago.

The monarch, who did not name the palace officials, expressed shock that the EFCC investigators allegedly swept glaring evidence of fraud against them (the palace officials) under the carpet.

While tasking the commission to fight crime without fear or favour, the Oba added, “We want to draw your attention to one or two grey areas in your operations”.

“No matter how much you try to support the EFFC from the palace, It is very difficult because they seem to listen to other parties. What I have been told is that they take instructions from the highest bidder.

“You know that I have been known for speaking the truth. I was not happy about certain things that happened with your predecessor.

“We get news from everywhere. We try to assist the EFCC. I even wrote a letter to the then-chairman who was removed from office.

“I even sent an emissary to talk to him regarding certain elements in Edo State, particularly the palace.

“How can EFCC operatives, especially, the lady who handled the case I cited earlier behave like that? If I was asked to comment on her performance, I would score her zero. I do not know if she was doing an EFCC job or just dancing to the tunes of people who were giving her money.

“At the time we were trying to assist EFCC, the report we kept getting was negative and I was not happy about it,” Oba Ewuare II added.

The monarch, however, said the newly appointed Chairman of EFCC, Olanipekun Olukayode is on the path to greatness if he continues to demonstrate fidelity in his duties.

He also pledged the palace’s support to the state government in addressing social inequality and reducing social vices.

Earlier in his address, Okim appealed to the Oba to support advocacy against financial crimes with Edo State ranking second behind Lagos State in the financial crime index in the country.

Recalling the historical ties between his state of origin, Cross River and Edo State, he solicited prayers and royal blessings to enable him to discharge his duties diligently.