The Harbingerngr News

President, NASU, Makolo Hassan. NON-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, is not happy with the Federal Government over the discrimination against non-teaching staff of primary and secondary schools. NASU has taken every opportunity to express its feelings to the Federal Government over the situation. Therefore, it was no surprise that the President of the union, Dr. Makolo Hassan, at NASU's recent National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Abuja, was furious that the government has refused to address the issue. According to him: “We have been doing everything possible for the Federal Government to have a rethink, and bring equity, justice and fair play into the President’s policy statement, made in favour of teachers on Teachers’ Day 2020. The policy statement, which is now being implemented, is discriminatory against the non-teaching professionals and support staff in the basic education and foundational sub-sector. Steps taken by the union to ge...

Following the contamination of Osun River by activities of illegal miners in the state, a Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, Urban Alert, has said that no fewer than two million residents of the state are at risk of lead poisoning. The group, in its report, tagged: '#Safeosunriver',  done in conjunction with Levite Foundation for Community Development, said the level of heavy metals, including lead, mercury and cyanide, present in the river is more than 500 per cent above the permissible level. Addressing journalists in Osogbo, Urban Alert's team leader, Anthony Adejuwon, said the river traverses over 20 communities in the state and five other states in the South-West, saying the situation must be checked now, else residents may begin to experience life threatening ailments.  The statement, titled: 'High-Level Chemical Poisoning of Osun River: A Cultural Identity Contaminated and Defaced', read in part:  "Sometimes in 2018, water in the Osun River, which took...

Head Coach, Super Eagles, Jose Peseiro. By Emmanuel Ayomikun Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has appointed a Portuguese and former Porto Coach, Jose Peseiro as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles. Meanwhile, ahead of AFCON 2022, billed to kick off on January 9, former Super Eagles defender, Augustine Eguavoen, who was appointed the interim Head Coach of the team will continue his role as Coach of the team and will lead the Super Eagles to the AFCON 2022 in Cameroon; while Mr Peseiro will only play the role of observer. It was gathered that former Chelsea and Man United boss, Jose Mourinho was contacted by the NFF Chief, Mr Amaju Pinnick, on the vacant role of the Super Eagles job, before he recommended a former Porto Coach, Jose Peseiro, for the job.  Interim Coach of Super Eagles, Augustine Eguavoen. However, Augustine Eguavoen has released a 22-man list for the AFCON 2022 tournament billed to hold in Cameroun next January, with Premier League New Boy, Emmanuel Dennis earnin...

New casualties recorded in Bauchi, Ebonyi The death toll for Lassa Fever in Nigeria from January 2021 has jumped to 92, with Bauchi and Ebonyi States recording new deaths. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, disclosed yesterday in its latest situation report on the outbreak of the disease in the country. According to the NCDC, week 50, which covered December 13 to 19, revealed that three more deaths were reported in the week under review. While Bauchi reported two new fatalities, Ebonyi recorded one new death from the disease. “Cumulatively from Week 1 to Week 50, 2021, 92 deaths have been reported with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 20.3 per cent, which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2020 (20.7 per cent),” it stated. Lassa fever is an acute viral illness and a viral haemorrhagic fever first reported in the Lassa community in Borno when two missionary nurses died from an unusual febrile illness. Since then, Nigeria has continued to report cases and outbreaks and ...

TRAGEDY occurred in Jebba Street, Calabar South Local Government Area, LGA, of Cross River State as a 60-year-old herbalist, Ani Ikoneto, died after his dog ate up his private parts. The man, who lived at 12, Jebbs Street in Calabar South, according to neighbours, went on a drinking spree on Christmas Eve and returned home drunk.  One of his neighbours identified as Itoro said “When he came back, we had gone to bed but some people were still outside. He went inside his room and slept off without shutting the door and because of too much drink, he excreted on himself. His dog that was outside smelt the faeces and went inside to eat it. In the process, the dog ate his private parts thinking it was meat or part of the excreta.”  According to him, the man raised the alarm, prompting neighbours to rush into his apartment and discovered what had happened, saying “When we heard him scream, we thought hoodlums had attacked him. But when we got there, we saw that his private part was ...

AN angry mob in Igbaye community of Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State Monday night went on rampage setting properties including the palace of the Oba ablaze in perceived reprisal attack following the raging crisis that led to the death of one Hamzat. The crisis broke out  on Monday during a clash between two rival groups supporting a monarch and a prince (names withheld) battling over the community stool leading to the death of one Hamzat. The deceased was allegedly shot dead by security operatives while trying to disperse the mob. Another victim of the fracas is said to be on admission over gunshot wounds. Angered by the death of one of them, it was gathered that supporters of one of the claimants, went on rampage setting the monarch’s vehicle, palace and motorcycles ablaze. A resident, Rasheed Damola told Vanguard  that the mob, mostly supporters of one of the claimants to stool wanting to avenge the death of Hamzat, saying; “The situation is best described as a ...

LEADER of the Umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, Professor Banji Akintoye, has unveiled a Mobile Application designed to track kidnapped victims and expose danger anywhere in Yoruba Land.  In a statement by his Communications Manager, Mr. Maxwell Adeleye, the Mobile Application and Alert System, named 'PAJAWIRI', is said to be able to expose criminal elements wherever they are with their victims, once the victims have the application installed in their phones either on or off.  The security system also has another system called 'AFINIHAN' that can be used by those without android phones to link-up with those with the full application.  Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, held in Ibadan, Akintoye, who joined the event virtually, said the emergence of PAJAWIRI is an evidence that the Yoruba people are too intellectually sophisticated to be subdued.  He said "We have now proven to the world that we cannot be captured nor be subdued. W...

The ill-fated bus. NO fewer than 11 persons were confirmed dead, with seven burnt beyond recognition following Sunday’s multiple auto crash on Agulu Lake Bridge by Awka-Ekulobia Road in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State. The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC , which confirmed the death toll said the accident involved a MACK truck, a Mitsubishi L300 with number plate, XA 857 UMN carrying about 14 passengers and another HI JET vehicle with number plate, UMZ 23 MC. The   FRSC sector commander, in Anambra State, Adeoye Irelewuyi, while confirming the incident to reporters in Awka, said the accident occurred at about 5.00 p.m, adding that 20 persons were involved in the accident caused by wrongful overtaking and speeding. According to him, “The crash involved a Mack truck with no number plate and a Mitsubishi L300 bus marked XA 857 UMN , carrying 14 passengers. While the third vehicle involved in the accident is a Hijet Shuttle bus with a number plate, UMZ23XC , occup...

ORGANISED Labour, Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, and rights activists have asked Nigerians to revolt against the government’s planned fuel price hike in the New Year, as it would worsen the poverty level in the country.  The group, operating under the aegis of The People's Alternative Political Movement, TPAP-M, made up of the Coalition on NGO Networks in Northern Nigeria, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, Campaign for Transformative Governance, CFTG, representatives of Informal Sector Workers, Women formations, and youth and young persons, including those who continue to play front line roles in the #EndSARS movement, urged Nigerians to brace up for the battle ahead. At a meeting on the "deteriorating state of the nation in general, the unacceptable evolving developments with regards to rising energy costs, and the impending unconscionable hikes in fuel price and ele...

By Adekunle Adekoya IN the July 23 issue of this column, the headline was: “Road to 2023 now clear, with poverty as potholes.” At the time, the raging controversy was on the wording of a clause in the Electoral Act Amendments Bill before the National Assembly, which at the time sought to disable the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from transmitting results by electronic means. Following an uproar, the Senate re-worked the clause with a provision allowing INEC to transmit elections results electronically but inserted another clause that compels all political parties to adopt the direct primary mode in choosing candidates that’ll contest in elections. That generated another uproar. The bill was sent to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent, and after it gathered a few centimetres of harmattan dust on presidential shelves, it was retrieved and sent back to the National Assembly with a letter stating why the president is declining assent. My personal position on the matter...

A 32-year-old refrigerator/air condition technician, Toheeb Akanji (aka T.cash) has been arrested by men of Ogun State Police Command for stabbing to death a 42-year-old Damilare Oladipupo. Oladipupo is a member of one of the transport unions in Ogun State. The Police Public Relations Officer for Ogun State command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed this to newsmen. According to Oyeyemi, the suspect was arrested following a distress call received at Agbado divisional headquarters at about 12:30 am from one Oluomo, that one Oladipupo Babatunde (aka No story) who came to Blue Roof Hotel in Adiyan Gasline to celebrate with the hotel owner has been stabbed to death by an unknown person.  “Upon the distress call, the DPO, Agbado division, CSP Kehinde Kuranga, mobilised his men and moved to the scene. On getting there, it was discovered that the deceased was lured out of the hotel and stabbed severally in the chest, hand and face.  “It was also discovered that he struggled with his assail...

Gunmen, weekend, abducted eight persons, including a traditional ruler in three locations across the country. While the paramount ruler of Gindri in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau, Mr Charles Mato, the Sum Pyem, was abducted yesterday, heavily armed bandits kidnapped five peasants in Zaria, Katsina State, even as gunmen, suspected to be bandits, abducted two men on Christmas Day in Ijan-Ekiti, Gbonyino Local Government Area of Ekiti State. In Plateau, the Media Officer of Operation Safe Haven, OPSH, the military task force maintaining peace in the state, Major Ishaku Takwa, confirmed the abduction. He told newsmen, yesterday, in Jos that Mato was kidnapped from his residence at Gindiri. He said troops of the task force had been mobilized to the area to conduct search and rescue. “Troops of OPSH at Gyambus in Mangu have been mobilized to the area. They are on the trail of the kidnappers,” Takwa said. Bandits kidnap 5 in Zaria   In the Zaria abduction, an eyewitness in t...

Three persons were drowned, while 17 others were rescued by Marine Police when a commercial boat capsized on Badagry waterways, Wednesday. A police source said the boat took off from Liverpool in Lagos but capsized at Imoba near Ajido on Badagry waterways, following a mechanical problem. According to the source, “As the boat stopped suddenly, it capsized, throwing all the passengers on board into the water. It was at this point that the Marine Police on waterways patrol came to rescue them. At the end of rescue operations, 17 passengers, including three children, were rescued while three of them died in the water.”  He said two of the three dead bodies were retrieved for burial by the bereaved families after procuring affidavits from the Marine Police. “Only one of the three corpses was deposited at the mortuary of the General Hospital in Badagry.” Dr Tunde Bakare, Medical Director of Badagry General Hospital, also confirmed that one corpse of the boat incident was deposited at the...

*Motorists, passengers stabbed by robbers  *As Amotekun rescues victims, recovers vehicles Operatives of Western Nigeria Security Network, WNSN, codenamed Amotekun, in the wee hours of yesterday engaged in a shoot-out with armed robbers who mounted road-block along Ife/Ilesha expressway, robbing passengers and other motorists. While the unspecified number of motorists were reportedly stabbed and inflicted machete injuries, four persons were rescued by the joint Amotekun operation put in place by the South West governors for a hitch-free Yuletide in the region. No fewer than 70 vehicle owners were reportedly held hostage by the daredevil robbers Speaking with newsmen in Akure, chairman of the joint operation of the Amotekun and Ondo State Commander of the security outfit, Adetunji Adeleye, said Amotekun operatives reacted swiftly after receiving a distress call by 1 am yesterday. Adetunji said: “During a joint operation by men of the Amotekun in Ondo and Osun states along Ife/Ilesha...

Pandemonium broke out at Mokola Roundabout area of Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday December 23, as a truck laden with gas crushed three persons to death while four others escaped with injuries. The fatal accident, according to an eye-witness, involved a gas tanker with number plate: MAP810YY, and two Micra cars and four motorcycles. An eyewitness, Femi Bankole, blamed the accident on brake failure, saying: “Immediately the accident occurred, the Oyo State Road Transport Management, OYRTMA, officials rushed to the scene and rescued three victims who were rushed to the University Teaching Hospital, UCH, Ibadan while two dead persons were removed from where they were trapped by the truck. Their corpses were deposited at Adeoyo hospital” While confirming the number of casualties, the General Manager of OYRTMA, Ayoade Adeoye, said three persons of the four rescued persons have lost their lives. He said the persons involved were mostly motorcyclists, adding that about four of the affected per...

General Co-ordinator, Genesis Ministry International, Evang. Ekunola Davies with his wife Yinka, and his mother, MC Ekunola, during the ministry's crusade at Rehoboth Crusade Ground, Araromi Village Iyana Oteyi, Ogun State.  AS Nigerians are in Christmas and New Year celebrations, the Federal Government has restricted religious gathering indoors to 50 percent capacity in full compliance with public health measures, even as it threatened to introduce more restrictions should there be an increase in coronavirus cases in the country. Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, PSC, Boss Mustapha, in a statement, said that the decision became necessary following the recent rise in number of coronavirus cases in the country. The government which appreciated that this period of the year is important to religious organisations as they hold crossover services every year to usher in the New Year, added that there has been reduced compliance with public health social measures whic...

NATIONAL Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, has decried the worsening electricity supply across the country eight years after the privatisation of the assets of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. President of NUEE,  Engr. Martin Uzoegwu,  in Lagos, contended that the only workable and practicable option for resolving the challenges facing the power sector  was “a total reversal of the whole privatisation exercise because it is not working and cannot work.” According to him: “We reiterate like we have done in the last 13 years that the solution to the power challenge in the Electric Power Reform process is total commercialisation of the sector. This option will give the companies the opportunity to charge economic tariffs with human face considering the purchasing power of the citizens and the regulatory directives. It will help to solve the twin problems of funding and investments in the whole value chain of the power sector. Power is not only a busin...