Connect with us

News

What #EndSARS Protesters Should Have Done – Yahaya Bello

Published

on

Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, on Monday night said the unforgettable incident of EndSARS protest where several young Nigerians were shot at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos could have been averted if the demonstrators had channeled their anger into politics.

Bello, who was appointed as National Youth Coordinator of the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council on Sunday, made the statement when he appeared on Politics Today, a popular programme on Channels TV.

The development is coming less than a month to the commemoration of the ugly shooting incident that has remained indelible in the minds of Nigerians.

READ ALSO: Buhari To Launch Nigeria’s $100bn SDG Financing Framework

The #ENDSARS protests lasted between October 7th and 20th in Lagos and several other states in the country.

While the demonstrations lasted, relations, friends and associates of missing persons claimed their relations had either been killed or held incommunicado by security agents.

Of particular concern was the Lekki toll gate shooting of Tuesday, October 20, where peaceful #ENDSARS protesters were shot at by security agents, leading to a number of casualties.

Responding to questions on how he hopes to pacify and woo the Nigerian youths to look beyond the incident and vote for his principal, the national youth coordinator of APC Presidential Campaign Council said it was not an impossible task.

According to him, the incident could have been averted.

He said, “The first area where the EndSARS protesters were supposed to vent their anger was to channel their anger to politics and participate politically to decide their choice of leaders.

“Street protests and agitations are completely different from voting, election and electoral process.

“Recall that I was the first elected governor to have identified with the EndSARS protest and made myself known. I think I also addressed them three times and they listened to me, especially those that held in Kogi State. After the protest, I had the opportunity of meeting with some of the leadership of EndSARS and told them exactly where they got it wrong.

“Now, I am equally going to sensitise and tell them if they do not follow the right way. And the right way is to vote Senator Bola Tinubu, who will come and display his prowess in solving the problems we are being confronted with.”

When asked what he planned to tell some of the nation’s youths who are still angry and leaving the country for abroad over the manner the EndSARS phenomenon was handled, the Kogi governor admitted that his motive was to tell them the truth.

This is even as Bello noted he would be bringing the experience he garnered as a young governor who met a chaotic situation on ground to bear in his interaction with the Nigerian youths.

“I will tell them nothing but the truth that I am known for. First of all, the strikes, agitations and the menace going on in our tertiary institutions and various other sectors are completely uncalled for.

“We shall also sensitise them (youths) to be able to differentiate between political problems using this particular menace, those who are holding them back at home, why they are doing it and the need to take our destiny into our hands.

READ ALSO: Knocks As Woman Dies While Chasing Husband, Mistress

Our leader, Asiwaju Tinubu, has identified me as a worthy man because of my performance in Kogi State. I came in at a time when schools including secondary teachers and tertiary institutions in the state were on strike. Upon assumption of office and up to six years counting now, not one single strike happened again in Kogi.

“So we are going to tell them those who have held them down and the need to hold them accountable. It is not APC, Buhari, or our presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.

“We are also going to show them how to read between the lines whenever any political party comes to use ASUU or any institution as a tool for campaign,” he said.

News

JUST IN: Crisis In UniAbuja As ASUU Faction Declares Indefinite Strike

Published

on

By

The University of Abuja branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared an indefinite strike.

The union announced its decision on Thursday during a congress held at the permanent site of the institution.

Sylvanus Ugoh, the chairman of UniAbuja ASUU, did not immediately respond to TheCable’s inquiries on the development.

READ ALSO: BREAKIN: NDIC Increases Maximum Deposit Insurance Coverage

But Abubakar Kari, the UniAbuja student affairs dean and ex-convener of ASUU’s national political committee, said the varsity’s branch of the union issued a communique declaring “total and indefinite strike” over a lingering disagreement with the UniAbuja management.

The dispute, he said, borders on four issues including ASUU’s interest in a multi-stakeholder microfinance banking venture, promotion procedures in the absence of a governing council, election for faculty deanship, and alleged illegal appointments.

More to follow…

 

Continue Reading

News

Why Abia Policeman Dropped His Rifle, Uniform, Walked Away From His Job – Report

Published

on

By

An investigative journalist known as 99% Oppressed on X.com has raised concerns about the situation of a police officer, Ugochukwu Nwaso, attached to the Abia State Police Command.

According to the journalist who also claims to be a private investigator hated by all security agencies in Nigeria, Nwaso, a corporal in the force, resigned for yet-to-be-confirmed reasons.

In a tweet directed at the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Wednesday, the journalist who tweeted as @PIDOMNIGERIA, highlighted concerns about mental health issues and toxic work environments within the police force, emphasizing the need for those challenges to be urgently addressed to prevent further incidents.

The journalist noted that all efforts by his fellow policemen to convince Nwaso against his action proved abortive as he was resolute in his decision.

READ ALSO: Drama As Outage Disrupts Power Minister’s Speech At N’Assembly

The journalist wrote, “Hello @Princemoye1, are you aware that a corporal in the Nigerian police @PoliceNG force, Ugochukwu Nwaso, attached to Abia State Police Command, went to his station in Umuahia, dropped his rifle, dropped his uniform, and all the things the Nigerian Police gave to him. He packed all his personal belongings in the station and left.

“He said that he is no more interested in being in the force. All efforts made to persuade him to change his mind proved abortive. What is the Nigerian police force doing as regards depression, mental health issues and toxic work environment?

“So many police officers are battling one mental health issue or the other without the authorities knowing. Some are battling depression, that triggers them to commit murder. While some are being frustrated by their superiors at their place of work. They make life unbearable for them. The work is so toxic to them, that they easily transfer their aggression to innocent citizens whom they are paid to protect. Corporal Ugochukwu Nwaso a trained young man, who knows how to use firearms, will now be an ordinary civilian on the street.”

In response, the State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen Chinaka, refuted the claim.

READ ALSO: Outrage, Protests In Edo Community Over Alleged Plan To Impose Traditional Ruler On Indigenes

She stated that the information was untrue, asserting that the officer in question was currently on active duty and had not tendered his resignation from the Force.

She wrote, “This information is false. I want to clarify that Copral Ugochukwu Nwaso, serving at Eziama Division, Abia State Police Command, is currently on duty at his division and has not resigned from the force. He is still very much in service and stationed at his Division.”

Affirming the claim, the journalist went ahead to present a police wireless message by one Supol Eziama, confirming Nwaso’s resignation.

The police wireless message revealed that Nwaso resigned following a misunderstanding with a fellow police officer, ASP Onyinyechi Nwuju.

READ ALSO: Detained Binance Chief’s Wife Drags Nigeria Before US Parliament

He wrote, “ASP Maureen Chinaka, @MaureenChinaka before @PIDOMNIGERIA posts anything on X, there must be evidential receipt at hand. You can ask about me if you want. But because you said my information is false, attached here is a Police @PoliceNG wireless message, confirming my claim about Corporal Ugochukwu Nwaso. Deny this if you can, I will post more evidence. @Princemoye1.”

The police wireless message read, “Be informed that today, at about 1530 hours, one F/NO. 520044 CPL Ugochukwu Nwaso dropped his rifle, uniform and packed his belongings and left the station that he was no more interested in the force following a misunderstanding with W/ASP Onyinyechi Nwuju. All efforts made to bring him back proved abortive. Above for your information please.”

In May 2023, a police officer, Corporal Fauzziyah Isiak, lamented how the Nigeria Police Force detained her after she put in her resignation.

Isiak, who narrated her ordeal on X.com, said after she submitted her resignation letter she was called into the office and was detained even as she disclosed that she was on her menses.

The officer, who was also an entrepreneur at the time, lamented the treatment she received for wanting to resign. She said she never saw her plight coming as she never thought she’d be put in detention without interrogation.

 

Continue Reading

News

Police Probe Assault On Two Delta Varsity Students

Published

on

By

The Nigeria Police has condemned the assault on two yet-to-be-identified students of the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, by some unidentified men suspected to be police officers.

This follows a viral video on X (formerly Twitter) which generated several reactions from police operatives.

The video, posted by an X user with the handle, ‘Ughellivibes’, on Monday, showed two scenes where some young men were being beaten with batons by police officers as onlookers gathered.

READ ALSO: 14-year-old Boy Killed In London Sword Attack

Reacting to the incident, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, condemned the act, stressing that the Force did not support any indecent and unprofessional conduct.

He, however, urged the Delta State Police Command to look into the incident and bring the perpetrators to book.

He said, “Look into this. We should be able to justify our actions always. The beating is condemned, not professional. Like I always say, the police have powers to arrest, search, enforce the law, and apply minimum force to carry out their operations, but such must be done with decorum, professionalism and proportionality. We don’t support any indecent and unprofessional conduct. No way.”

READ ALSO: LIST: Nigerian Passport Ranked Among Worst Globally

Reacting to the incident, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, demanded that members of the public provide the command with details of the victims.

Edafe wrote: “Please, whoever knows the victim should send him this number 09155570008 or any of our CRU lines.”

Efforts to contact Edafe to know more about the progress the police had made proved abortive, as several calls and texts sent to him were unanswered as of the time of filing this report.

Continue Reading

Trending

Exit mobile version