Metro

Over 500 Market Women, Landowners Clash In Onitsha

Published

2 years ago

April 8, 2022

Editor

Market women, mostly widows, numbering over 500 at the Pocket Layout Market Woliwo, Fegge, Onitsha South Local Government Area, Anambra State, on Thursday, clashed with the Ukwa family of Onitsha over the claim to the ownership of the market land.

During the clash, goods worth millions of naira and shops were destroyed, The PUNCH reports.

The women, led by Anthonia Nnamele and Theresa Chukwuemeka, lamented that they were given allocation papers by the Anambra State Government, before they built their shops, but were surprised that the Ukwa family approached them to vacate the place.

Nnamele said the administration of Dr Jim Nwobodo, the Onitsha South Local Government Area authorities, and the then Obi of Onitsha, had issued them the allocation papers and approval before they started erecting structures in the early 1980s.

She added that the cost of building her shop as of then was N180,000 and have been trading there under successive administrations without any harassment from government officials or any family until the Ukwa family came and served them quit notice with the claim that they have won the government in a court matter over the land.

She said that apart from getting approval from the government, they also settled and got approval from Igbokwe and Ezeudoye families who are their landlords, and since they started staying there over the years, nobody has come to lay claims to the land or heard that the land was in dispute.

A representative and also consultant of the Ukwa family of Onitsha, Tony Onyido, said that they only took over what belongs to them which has been denied them over the years.

Onyido denied the destruction of shops and goods belonging to the traders by his family, saying they went there to invite traders who still want to trade for negotiation with the family.

According to Onyido, we contested the land with Obosi people and finally got judgement in 1968 against Obosi people, but were not allowed to execute the judgement by the government.

“However, five years ago we went back to court and have been vigorously following the mater in both court and government and finally the government recognized us as the authentic owners of the land and we made publication in the newspaper last year and gave the general public notice that anybody who is laying claim to the land should come to Anambra State Ministry of Lands to show ownership after 21 days nobody came to contest it and government gazetted it as our own.”

Metro

BREAKING: Workers Stranded As Labour Pickets Jos DisCo, NERC

Published

2 hours ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

Members of the Nigerian Labour Congress in Plateau State and the Trade Union Congress on Monday blocked the entrance of the headquarters of Jos Electricity Distribution Company in Jos, the state capital.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission offices located at the Gold and Base axis in Jos were also picketed by the union members, leaving their workers stranded.

The State Chairman of the NLC, Eugene Mangji, who led the union members, told The PUNCH in Jos that the action was in compliance with the directive of their national secretariat aimed at forcing the authorities to reverse the recent hike in the country’s electricity tariff.

“We have shot down the NERC office at Gold and Base. Right now, we are the JED headquarters at the Ahmadu Bello Way. We will continue until the right thing is done,” the NLC chairman stated.

The PUNCH reports that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and its Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterpart had earlier given the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, till May 12 to withdraw the recent hike in electricity tariff or face unprecedented industrial action.

The ultimatum was issued in a joint letter to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, CEO, dated May 3, 2024, and copied to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, the Ministers of Labour and Power, and the electricity distribution companies, DisCos, among others, Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, President of NLC and its TUC’s counterpart.

The letter read: “This is to refer you to our May Day address where we expressed grave concerns regarding the recent announcement of an astronomical hike in electricity tariff across the nation from N65/kWh to N225/Kwh by your commission.

‘’We believe that this decision is not just morally reprehensible considering the difficulties Nigerians are faced with currently, but it blatantly disregards fundamental principles and statutory obligations.

‘’It is a slap in the face of justice and fairness, and we will not stand idly by as the masses and workers are subjected to such unacceptable exploitation.

“As the electricity sector regulator, it is imperative that your commission grasps the weight of its responsibilities. NERC’s role entails the regulation of electricity tariffs in the country, a duty outlined in explicit detail within the statutes governing the commission.

“Yet, with this recent tariff hike, which you have consented to, it is evident that the Commission has forsaken its duty and abandoned the people it was meant to protect to the fat cats in the electricity industry.

“We are miffed that NERC has become a tacit collaborator in crafting the oppressive pricing regime being perpetuated against Nigerian workers and people. The Laws that set up the commission mandate it to act as an unbiased ombudsman in the electricity industry.

“Unfortunately, the reverse is the case as it has acted in cahoots with the Distribution Companies, DisCos, and the Generating Companies, GenCos, to promote their nefarious market practices.

“The announced tariff hike not only defies the established procedure mandated by law but also tramples upon the rights of Nigerian citizens. It is a flagrant abuse of power and a clear violation of the trust bestowed upon your commission by the Nigerian people. Such actions will not be tolerated, and we refuse to accept them as the new norm.

“Nigerian workers and masses led by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, stand united in denouncing this injustice. We must defend the rights of our fellow citizens against exploitation.

“Therefore, we demand an immediate reversal of the hike in electricity tariff to N65/kwh, immediate cessation of the discriminatory practice of segregating electricity consumers into arbitrary bands, and restoration of the supremacy of the statutes governing the conduct of operators within the electricity industry.

“We give you until Sunday, May 12, 2024, to comply. Failure to do so will result in swift and decisive action on our part as we will not hesitate to mobilise our members and occupy all NERC’s offices and those of the DisCos nationwide until justice is served.”

Metro

Man Kidnaps 6-year-old Cousin, Kills Victim For Recognising Him

Published

13 hours ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper, Abdulazeez Idris, for allegedly abducting and killing his 6-year-old cousin in Makarfi Local Government Area of the state.

The deceased identified as Aisha Saidu, was on her way to Islamiyya school when she was abducted.

Spokesperson of the command, ASP Mansur Hassan, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, May 12, 2024, said the suspect used a razor blade to slash the girl to death because she recognized him.

Despite this, he went ahead to place a ransom demand of N8 million through an unknown caller who identified himself as the perpetrator.

According to the PPRO, the incident occurred on February 12, 2024.

“On February 12, 2024, at about 1: 00 hrs, Mr Saidu Dahiru, father of the victim a resident of Angwan Juma’a, Zaria, reported to the Zaria City police station that his daughter, Aisha Saidu, a six-year-old female, went missing on her way to Islamiyya school,” the statement read.

“The case was transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of SCID Kaduna, where they traced and arrested the perpetrator, identified as Abdulazeez Idris, in Makarfi Local Government.

“The suspect confessed to the heinous crime, admitting to slaying the innocent child by brutally slashing her neck with a razor blade because she recognized him and then disposing of her lifeless body in a well, ” the statement reads in part.

The PPRO further explained that the Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Dabigi, had assured the public that the case will be diligently investigated to ensure justice is served for the minor and her grieving family.

He stated that the suspect will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is completed.

Metro

Truck Crushes Five-year-old Girl In Lagos

Published

15 hours ago

May 12, 2024

Editor

The Police Command in Lagos State says a five-year-old girl, simply identified as Bosede, was crushed to death by a truck while crossing the Iganmu-Apapa Expressway with her mother.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident to the newsmen on Sunday.

Hundeyin said the information about the accident was received by the Iponri Police Division on Saturday at about 11.30 a.m.

He said the accident happened at Iganmu under the bridge, inward Apapa, involving a truck driven by yet to be identified driver.

The spokesperson said the girl and her mother were crossing the expressway when the truck hit and crushed her head, killing her on the spot.

Hundeyin said the police traffic officers from the division visited the scene and removed the corpse for burial by the family.

He said an investigation is ongoing for the possible arrest of the fleeing driver.