No agreement yet to suspend strike —ASUU

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has denied reports that it agreed to call off the ongoing strike after meeting with the Federal Government’s negotiation team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige.

The team had reportedly increased its offer for Earned Allowances EA to university-based unions and funding for the revitalization of public universities from N65 billion to N70 billion.

It was reported that ASUU had agreed to call off the strike. 

According to the report, the university teachers agreed to call off the strike after  government pledged to pay N40 billion for Earned Allowances and N30 billion for the revitalization of the university  system bringing the total payment to N70 billion. 

It was further reported that government agreed to settle the arrears of salaries of the lecturers before December 31.

The report also noted that ASUU was expected to report the agreement to its organs and then communicate their decision to the government after which a date for the calling off of the strike would be announced. 

But ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, denied knowledge of any agreement to call off the strike, stressing that at the meeting, it was only agreed that the union should convey the position of the government to their organs.

He said : “ I am not aware of that. All I know is that we had a meeting and we are going to report to our members. But I don’t know about suspension of strike.”

However, a source in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, said after the meeting, the Minister, Senator Ngige, who described the meeting as “fruitful,” added that government made a proposal to ASUU.

Ngige told reporters after the meeting that, “many issues were discussed at the meeting including salary shortfall, the payment system and revitalization of the university system. I am positive that all the issues would be resolved at our next meeting.”

Friday’s meeting was about the seventh time both sides have met to resolve the issues in contention since the university union embarked on strike on March 23. 

After the meeting of last Friday, November 20, government agreed to exempt ASUU members who had not enrolled in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and put them on the Government Integrated Financial and Management Information System (GIFMIS) pending when ASUU’S preferred payment platform- the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) will be approved.

ASUU had consistently rejected IPPIS, stressing that it will erode the autonomy of the university system.

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How Lady burnt to death on first visit to lover’s house

•Why I set my ex-boyfriend’s house ablaze – Jemila

•Man at centre of feud speaks from hospital bed

She was nude on a bed, writhing in excruciating pains. The top layer of her skin was burnt  from  her face to her toes, preventing her from opening her eyes.

The only position she could maintain was to lie face-up. Any attempt to change that position made her groan with tears flowing down her cheeks.

Unable to withstand the pains, she  finally bowed to death, on November 21, 2020.

Baptism of fire

She was simply identified as Rabi, a lady in her 20s. She had gone to visit one Mohammed Yusuf, last Wednesday, at Monkey Village, in Sattelitte Town area of Lagos State, only to be confronted with an unimaginable scenario.

 Two ladies, Jemila Ibrahim, 19 and  Fatima Mohammed, 21, stormed the house, threatening to raze it down. One of them, Jemila, was Yusuf’s former girlfriend. She was said to have earlier threatened to deal with any lady seen around him.

Eye witnesses said Jemila sprayed some  liquid  substance later discovered to be fuel, around the apartment and thereafter, lit fire from a lighter she collected from her friend, Fatima.

While that was going on, confused Rabi, put a call to Yusuf, who works as a labourer in one of the companies in Monkey Village.

Act of bravery

Without much ado, Yusuf,  dashed into the burning apartment on arrival, where he saw Rabi burning.  Like a movie scenario, he raised the unconscious lady  in his arms and staggered outside, to the cheers of  onlookers.

Rabi was said to have been rushed  to the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital in Satellite, from where it was gathered that she was moved to an undisclosed house for further treatment, apparently due to lack of funds to pay her bills. Unfortunately, the orthodox treatment could not resuscitate her as she gave up the ghost, three days later.

Police to the rescue

It was gathered that after Jemila set her ex-lover’s apartment ablaze, she remained at the spot, waiting for the outcome of her action. Angry residents were said to have attacked her. But for the timely intervention of policemen  from Satellitte division led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Chike, she would have been lynched.

Although, there was pressure on the Police to release Jemila and her accomplice, but the Police maintained that the outcome of the victim’s condition would determine such move. However, when  news of Rabi’s death filtered in, Jemila and Fatima were  transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence  Department, SCIID Yaba,

Why I did it

 During interrogation, 19-year-old Jemila, who hails from Katsina State, said her intention was never to kill her successor but to threaten her former boyfriend.

Asked why she carried out such action, she said: “Mohammed promised to marry me. We have been going out for long. But he dumped me for the new girl he met.

I was jealous and could not stand seeing him with a another girl.  We live in the same community and I used to get information of his escapades with different women. My friends gingered me to do it. They said they won’t take such. One of them, Fatima, accompanied me there that day. She was the one that handed me the lighter which I stroke on the fuel.

Asked if she was aware someone was in the apartment, she replied , “ yes” and kept mum.

But her alleged accomplice, Fatima, 21, denied handing her the lighter.

Why I left Jemila

 Mohammed, 35, from Sokoto State, disclosed that he had the intention to marry Jemilla , even though he has a wife back home.

But he revealed that he changed his mind when he discovered that she was not faithful.

According to him: “Walahi, I wanted to marry her (Jemila).  When I informed her I was travelling two months ago, she begged me to give her some money , since she didn’t have any other man. I managed to give her N25,000 because of my intention to marry her and for her not to misbehave. But I got information from friends that she was philandering about. When I called her, she did not deny it. She said she had found herself another man. I told her point blank that I was no longer interested in the relationship. When I returned, I distanced myself from her.

Mohammed who was receiving treatment from a private hospital in Surulere from the burns he sustained while trying to save Rabi. His legs were badly affected.

Risk

 I met  Rabi  recently. We were only discussing on phone and had never visited my place. She lived in Apapa. She called me on phone that morning to inform that she missed the commercial bus she was to travel to Jos, Plateau State. She said she would  like to stay in my place till evening, so as to join night bus, since my place was close to the bus terminal.

She came before 7am while I was preparing to go to work. Barely had I settled down at my work place than I was informed that Jemila had set my apartment on fire.

I rushed home and went for Rabi’s rescue. Unfortunately she could not make it. When I spoke with Rabi on the phone before she died, she said all that happened wasn’t my fault. I believe it was the devil’s handiwork because Rabi said she just stood watching while they sprayed the apartment with fuel and lit in on fire. No one knew why she didn’t make any move to run.  I just hope I will be able to walk again because my feet were badly affected”.

Spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, SP Muyiwa Adejobi , who confirmed the arrest of Jemila and her friend, Fatima, said, “ the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command,  CP Hakeem Odumosu, condemned the act. He  has ordered that the matter be transferred to the State CIID,  for discreet investigation. The CP also vowed to go after those who engage in crimes and social vices, in order to rid Lagos State off criminals and criminality. 

 “The police boss however encouraged Lagosians to shun taking laws into their hands,  noting that jungle justice will only truncate the administration of justice and such could be counterproductive”. 

Culled from Vanguard

#EndSARS: How stray bullet fired by SARS operatives shattered my leg — Hairdresser

More revelations on the atrocities allegedly committed by the disbanded Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, emerged, yesterday, at the Lagos EndSARS panel, as a 35-year-old hairdresser, Mrs. Hannah Olugbodi, narrated how her left leg was shattered by a stray bullet fired by SARS operatives.

She told the panel led by Justice Doris Okuwobi,retd, that the incident took place in June 2018, at the Ijeshatedo area of Lagos when SARS operatives were attempting to arrest a young man with tattoos.  

Olugbodi said she was at Ijesha Market trying to buy pepper to prepare food for her children when she was hit by a stray bullet

According to the petitioner, the SARS operatives who fired the bullet were at Ogun City Hotel, to demand money to fuel their vehicle when they saw the young man with tattoos among a group of persons watching a football match at the hotel.

According to her, the owner of the hotel, one Abu, who usually gave the SARS operatives money, was not around to attend to them.

She said the SARS operatives labelled the young man with tattoos a Yahoo Yahoo boy (cyber fraudster).

She said an attempt by the SARS operatives to arrest and take the boy with tattoos away was resisted by the other boys, making the SARS operatives to resort to firing gunshots.

The petitioner said she was eventually taken to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital where they said there was no bed space and she was given four bags of intravenous fluid.

The panel adjourned the case till December 8 for further hearing.

Meanwhile,a widow, Mrs. Silifat Adeyemo, wife of Mr Rotimi Adeyemo, an officer of  Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), allegedly killed by the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), yesterday pleaded for scholarship for her children.

Silifat made the request to the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters.

#ENDSARS: Widow of slain LASTMA official seeks scholarship for children

Mrs. Silifat Adeyemo, widow of Mr Rotimi Adeyemo, an officer of  Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) allegedly killed by the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), yesterday pleaded for scholarship for her children.

Silifat made the request to the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters.

The late grade level eight officer was allegedly shot and killed on Nov. 28, 2018, at his duty post at the Iyana-Ipaja Roundabout, Lagos, by Olukunle Olonode, a SARS officer, who is now deceased.

Silifat, who was in tears, was led in evidence by Mr. M.M. Sanni.

She said that since the demise of Rotimi, she had been solely catering  for their three children –  a son aged eight and three-year-old female twins.

“I want the panel to help me financially because it has not been easy for me. I do not have any amount of money in mind but the future of my children is important to me  – how they will live a comfortable life. I want them to get  scholarship,  good education up to university level. He was the breadwinner of the family and left behind aged parents,” she said.

Silifat said that an autopsy conducted on Rotimi’s body confirmed that he died from a gunshot injury.

She told the panel that her husband was buried on Dec. 14, 2018.

“His family and LASTMA staff members contributed money for his funeral;  the boss of SARS, CSP Gana, came to pay the family a condolence visit.

“I never met the person who fired the shot, he was not taken to court. My husband was very popular and hardworking. When the shooting happened, hoodlums gathered to beat Olonode and the police at Mosalashi Police Station came to rescue him. After the incident, we were not compensated by the police,” she said.

During cross-examination by Mr Joseph Eboseremem, counsel for the police, she said she was not aware that Olonode had died.

“Would you be surprised that your brother-in-law and LASTMA officials lynched that man to death?” Eboseremem asked.

“I do not know if he died,” she said.

The police counsel also asked her if she was aware that the Lagos State Government intervened in the matter and paid both her family and Olonode’s family compensation.

“The Lagos State Government gave you N10 million and LASTMA paid condolence visit to the family of Olonode,” he said.

Eboseremem told the panel that the Lagos State Government intervened because it was of the view that though the SARS officer killed Rotimi, he should have faced the law and not be lynched.

He sought an adjournment to enable him to present to the panel some documents that proved that the government  intervened in the case.

The Chairman of the panel, retired Justice Doris Okuwobi, adjourned the case until December 11 for continuation of hearing.

Lagos East bye-election: Electoral College organises debate for Abiru, Gbadamosi, others 

Ahead of next Saturday's senatorial bye-election in Lagos East, the Electoral College Nigeria,  said it will hold a debate for candidates of seven political parties vying for the senatorial seat. 

The senatorial district seat became vacant at the Senate following the death of Senator Bayo Osinowo in June.

In a statement issued by the Executive Director, Electoral College Nigeria, Mr. Kunle Lawal, the non-partisan organisation said the purpose of the debate was to provide a credible platform for an effective interface between candidates and the people of the senatorial district. 

Lawal further disclosed that the virtual debate will hold live on Sunday, November 29, at 3pm on Zoom platform and other social platforms of the Electoral College. 

While stating that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr.  Tokunbo Abiru, his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Mr.  Babatunde Gbadamosi, and five other political parties have confirmed their attendance, he listed other parties as Social Democratic Party (SDP), African Democratic Party (ADP), New Nigeria Peoples Party(NNPP), African Action Congress (AAC) and Action Alliance (AA). 

The College, whose key function is to create a new pattern of game in the democratic space, said it decided to conduct the engagement virtually because of the COVID-19 protocols and security concerns. 

The statement reads: "In its quest to improve governance, the Electoral College is hosting the Lagos East senatorial debate which would be transmitted virtually on Zoom and the College's handles on YouTube and Facebook because of the Covid-19 and security concerns 

"The Electoral College has confirmation of attendance from the SDP, APC, PDP, NNPP, AA,AAC and ADC candidates. "