Metro

Workers’ Protest, Ground Ondo Varsity Over Unpaid Wage Award

Published

2 years ago

January 25, 2024

Workers’ unions under the members of joint action committee (JAC) in Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, have grounded activities at the state institution over the failure of the state government to include them in the implementation of N35,000 palliative wage award approved to cushion effects of fuel subsidy removal.

The leadership of the joint committee which included the Joint Action Committee, comprised of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), said the palliative had not been received by the staffs of the University since its payment began in Ondo State in November, 2023.

According to them the protest was staged to appeal to the state government to grant them the payment as other state workers have been receiving theirs except staffs of the tertiary institutions in the state.

The Chairman of Joint Action Committee —Ondo State Tertiary Institutions, Tayo Ogungbeni, in a noticed sent to all branch Chairmen, after the leadership of JAC had met virtually, said “congress should be held, and decision to embark on protest be communicated to various managements”

Speaking during the protest, the Chairman of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) in all the state tertiary institution and AAUA SSANU Chairman, Comrade Tayo Ogungbeni, said the demand of the unions was to appeal to the state government not to deny them of their rights to the payment of the wage award agreed by the federal and state governments in collaboration with labour unions for all workers in Nigeria.

Ogungbeni said all workers in Ondo State had been receiving the payment except tertiary institutions in Ondo State in which Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko was also left out

He noted that “We have started this protest since Tuesday all over the State tertiary institutions in Ondo State, they did in Olusegun Agagu University in Okitipupa, University of Medical sciences in Ondo city, And Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko, we do not want our rights to be taken for granted.

“The federal government announced a palliative wage award of N35,000 for all workers in Nigeria, we are part of the general work force, why is Ondo State excluding us?.

” Why are they saying we are not qualify for this palliative payment?, we are asking for that money now, we know our governor want our welfarism, because everyone goes to the same market, we also pay for the same fuel Price, what we asked for is our right”.

“The state government need to increase the subvention giving to the university (AAUA), there should be immediate opening of the University main gate, payment of the entitlement of all re-absorbed staff, payments of retirement benefits to our retired staff”.

He said that “The state government should include us in the palliative payment, we see the nonpayment as a cheating, we are part of Ondo State workers.

“The information we are hearing on why they are not paying us is that they claimed that the tertiary institutions are autonomous, but talking about autonomy, there is no total autonomy when it comes to Universities, the federal Universities are paid, we used the same payment method, I see no reason why we should not be paid, the subvention we do receive is not up to what can cater for our needs”.

“Before now, we have written to the Governor (Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa) when he was acting about this development, we appealed to him to intervene, we did fix appointment with him to table our agitations, but to no avail, the protest was to call his attention to this.”

Corroborating the agitations, Comrade Ekundayo Abiodun, Chairman of the Non Academic Staff union (NASU), noted that the association would not stop until their demands are attended to.

Abiodun said that “Immediately after the removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria the Federal government declared this palliative wage because the effect of this removal was too much on Nigerians, those in the federal institutions has received theirs, staffs in the Ondo civil service has also been paid two months, but the state owned institution in Ondo State has not received any, we are left out which is unfair.

“I will like to inform that this is stage one of the action, we are going to go further concerning this issue if the government seem not to listen, then we go to the second stage of the action.”

Addressing the protecting workers, the university’s Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Adebisi Adaramola, said the University is aware of the development as they are making all efforts to ensure the state government pays, appealing to the union to be patient with the authorities.

Adaramola added that “We understand that some workers have been paid in Ondo State, but the Staffs of the University have not received theirs, we had tried to convince them that the state government has not sent this money, we are making all necessary efforts to contact government.”

VANGUARD

Metro

Police Arrest Ex-Soldier, Four Others Over Armed Robbery, Kidnapping In Anambra

Published

6 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of five suspected members of a notorious armed robbery and kidnapping syndicate, including a confessed deserter of the Nigerian Army, in Awka, the state capital.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the operation was carried out on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Awkuzu.

Ikenga said the operation was carried out after the Command received intelligence on the abduction of a farmer at Isiagu, Awka.

The victim was reportedly released after an undisclosed amount of ransom was paid.

The police spokesperson said that, acting on credible intelligence, police operatives stormed the gang’s hideout at Notoko, Awka, leading to the arrest of the confessed deserter soldier and four other suspects.

Ikenga identified the suspects as 38-year-old Dominic Oraz, a confessed deserter of the Nigerian Army; 30-year-old Michael Nwobodo; 29-year-old Eze Friday; 23-year-old Uche Okolo, and 29-year-old Chinedu Gilbert.

“Exhibits recovered from the suspects include six automatic pump-action guns, 63 rounds of live cartridges, one microscope, five machetes, one military cap, two police teargas canisters, handcuffs, a robber’s rocket launcher, criminal charms, three Motorola walkie-talkies, one jack knife, one power bank and cash sum of N26,000,” Ikenga stated.

He said that during interrogation, Oraz admitted abandoning the military in November 2024.

Ikenga noted that investigations are ongoing, particularly regarding the deserter soldier, in collaboration with military authorities, to guide further police action and prosecution of all suspects.

He said the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, commended the operatives for the operation and urged residents of the state to remain vigilant and to continue to report suspicious activities to the Police for prompt action.

The commissioner also assured Ndi Anambra of the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating violent crimes.

Metro

Police Arrest Ex-Soldier, Four Others Over Armed Robbery, Kidnapping In Anambra

Published

6 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Ikenga said the operation was carried out after the Command received intelligence on the abduction of a farmer at Isiagu, Awka.

The victim was reportedly released after an undisclosed amount of ransom was paid.

He said that during interrogation, Oraz admitted abandoning the military in November 2024.

Ikenga noted that investigations are ongoing, particularly regarding the deserter soldier, in collaboration with military authorities, to guide further police action and prosecution of all suspects.

The commissioner also assured Ndi Anambra of the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating violent crimes.

Metro

Enugu Vigilantes Beat Young Man To Death Over Alleged Stealing Of Woman’s Clothes

Published

6 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Members of the Neighbourhood Watch in Amagu Iwollo Oghe community, Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, have allegedly beaten a young man, Mr. Nosike Madueke, popularly known as Wojuwo, to death over a false theft allegation.

Community sources told SaharaReporters that the vigilante group was led by the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the community, Mr. Chukwuebuka Hillary Ngwueche, also known as Osuofia.

According to one of the sources, the incident occurred on Monday, August 25, 2025, when the local security men attacked Madueke with “dangerous weapons” after he was accused of stealing a box of clothes belonging to Mrs. Nneka Nwankwo.

The source explained that Nwankwo had earlier hired Madueke and his co-workers to repair or dig her septic tank and soakaway, but later raised an alarm claiming her box of clothes had gone missing.

“Instead of handing Madueke over to the appropriate authority, especially the police, they decided to jointly and severally take the laws into their respective hands by arresting Madueke, dragging him to his house for a search, bringing out his clothes, and burning all the clothes,” the source said.

“They tied Madueke on both his hands and legs and started profusely, taking turns by using offensive weapons such as guns, machetes, and irons, to beat him up till he died.”

“This happened in public at Iwollo Oghe Square. How can a trained CSO and his men kill a whole human being on a mere allegation by a woman of stealing her cloth, which was later found,” the source said.

“The young boy was from Imeziolo, Ezeagu LGA of Enugu State.”

According to another source, this marks the third time residents of Iwollo Oghe, either directly or through its purported security outfits, have been linked to the killing of people from the deceased’s community.

“Sometime in 1987, they shot Hyacinth Adinde with a gun and asked the people of Madueke community to do their worst.

“Also, years later, they killed Engr. Christopher Aniagbaoso, and yet they asked the people of the community to do their worst.

“The people of Iwollo Oghe are in the habit of killing the people of Imeziolo on mere suspicious grounds,” the source alleged.

“We call on the Enugu State command to do justice to this case as information reaching us revealed that the men are on the run after killing the young boy,” the source added.

A video obtained by SaharaReporters showed the deceased being beaten with sticks by men believed to be members of the Neighbourhood Watch, who were seen parading him along a community road.

Moments later in the footage, his lifeless body appeared on the ground, surrounded by residents, some of whom lamented, “See how they killed somebody’s only son for nothing.”

According to a source, the case has since been reported to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the Enugu State Police Command.

However, repeated attempts by SaharaReporters to obtain the reaction of the Police Command were unsuccessful.

Calls to the mobile phone of the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, went unanswered, and a WhatsApp message sent to him also received no response as of the time of filing this report.