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Nigerians Suffering, Bring Succour Quickly To People, Orji Kalu Tells Tinubu

Published

1 year ago

September 24, 2024

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatization, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, APC, North has raised the alarm that the people of Nigeria are suffering, there is hardship in the land and has called on President Bola Tinubu as a matter of urgency, provide succour for the people.

Answering questions from Journalists on Tuesday, the former Abia State governor said, “The Hardship is true, people are suffering. We have hundreds of thousands of workers, we have about 10,000 workers in our group that we run.

“We need to pay those salaries. If I fly at any time, buying fuel and maintaining the private plane takes almost $10,000, $20,000.

“Even in my village, everywhere I go, companies everybody, there is hardship, but I appeal to the federal government, the President to know how he can bring succour quickly to the people of Nigeria.

“He has to do something not yesterday, but today. He must do something like yesterday because the condition of the Nigerian people is not too good. I believe that no president in the world elected by people would want his people to suffer.

“I called our senior members in the group and said when I have to make my sacrifices it is not for the federal government, it is for the good of the company.

“So I said fly no more, fly commercial and saved the money for restructuring our workers both in Nigeria and West Africa so that everybody must feed in this time of hardship.

“We feel that the reformation going on now has not happened in the last 60 years, no president dared to do what President Tinubu is doing now. It is about courage. The man is very courageous. Possibly if I’m president what he is doing now to reform the economy, I won’t do it, I might come slowly.

” I’m not in the economic team, I have not seen the President or anyone to ask but this is what (return of subsidy) the president has to sit with his economic team to discuss, but the decisions he has taken is what no president in the 60 years of the republic, no president has been able to take that decision.”

On last Saturday’s Edo State Gubernatorial election, the former Senate Whip said, “The national chairman, the national secretary, and members of the NWC, and including the senators, they have worked so hard for Edo and I believe that whoever works hard for election deserves to win.

“The election is about numbers, when you have the numbers on the ground, you win. When you don’t have the numbers you don’t win. INEC has declared the winner and they (Okpebholo) deserve the win, because it is the most organised party, in terms of togetherness, there is no political party.”

On his journey outside the country and rumour about his death, Kalu said, “Listen, there was nothing wrong with me. I took permission from the senate president about seven days before the senate closed I went for a little study in one of the universities that I paid for myself not that anyone paid for me. I went to do some courses for two months so I used the holiday period to do courses on democracy and the economy.

“I did not die. I didn’t go for any medical check-up, but if people say I have died, we give thanks to God.”

News

Boko Haram Once Nominated Muhammadu Buhari As Negotiator – Jonathan Revealed

Published

9 minutes ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday, disclosed that Boko Haram insurgents once nominated the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari as their negotiator.

Jonathan said Boko Haram chose Buhari to negotiate with the Nigerian government on their behalf.

He made the disclosure while speaking at the public presentation of Scars, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), in Abuja.

Jonathan said the insurgents named Buhari after his then-administration set up several committees to explore dialogue with the group.

Jonathan said: “One of the committees we set up then, the Boko Haram nominated Buhari to lead their team to negotiate with the government.

“So I was feeling that, oh, if they nominated Buhari to represent them and had a discussion with the government committee, then when Buhari took over, it could have been an easy way to negotiate with them and they would have handed over their guns. But it was still there till today.”

Jonathan noted that the inability of Buhari to eradicate Boko Haram terrorists showed that the crisis was more complex than often portrayed.

News

Edo: Pandemonium As NDLEA Operatives Chase Escaping Driver With Shooting

Published

2 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

There was pandemonium at Oka Market, Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City, Friday, as operatives of the State Command of Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) shot sporadically in chase of an escaping driver.

In the course of the commotion, traders and residents took to their heels, probably to avoid being hit by stray bullets, while others were confused, not sure of what caused the sporadic gunshots.

The sporadic gunshots which lasted more than five minutes at the gate of the NDLEA Head Office, by Oka Market, followed a hot chase of an articulated vehicle driver who was said to have brushed their (NDLEA) vehicle.

The driver, who reportedly brushed the NDLEA vehicle refused to stop for negation, which prompted officers at the scene to alert their colleagues who waited at the alert.

According to eyewitnesses, as the escaping articulated driver approached the NDLEA office, officers who were said to have been alerted by their colleagues pursuing the trailer began to shoot.

Seven of the tyres of the trailer were deflated by bullets of the NDLEA operatives yet the driver refused to stop.

The officers continued to shoot while pursuing him, until he was caught.

A source said that the driver brushed their vehicle on the way, and that every effort by the officers to stop him so they could settle the matter proved abortive; hence the gunshots and deflation of the tires.

“It was a simple thing; they jammed our men, but the officers tried to stop him so that they could settle, but the driver refused to stop. That is why the men have been shooting to stop him. Even after bursting about seven tires, he was still running, but we caught him and they are bringing him back to our office,” he concluded.

Calls and messages sent to the commander, Edo State NDLEA Command, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, were not responded to as at when filing this.

News

JUST IN: Court Bars Police From Enforcing Tinted Glass Regulation

Published

4 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

The Federal High Court sitting in Warri has issued an order directing the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police to maintain the status quo in the ongoing case concerning the controversial tinted glass permit.

The case, Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/103/2025: John Aikpokpo-Martins v. Inspector-General of Police & Nigeria Police Force, came up for hearing today.

Delivering the interim order, the Court directed the police authorities to respect judicial processes pending further proceedings in the matter.

Confirming the development, Kunle Edun, SAN, who led the legal team, noted that the directive is a major step in ensuring that the rule of law is upheld while the substantive issues in the case are being determined.

Details of the ruling and the next adjourned date are expected shortly.

Further updates coming soon…