The Harbingerngr News

*Workers grieve over continuous misery, poverty, hopelessness, *Ask govt to address poverty, insecurity, unemployment, inflation, high cost of living, *Set agenda for incoming govt AS Nigerian workers today join their counterparts globally to mark the International Workers’ Day, commonly known as May Day, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has described the last one year as terrible and excruciating for workers and other Nigerians. This came as workers in the petroleum, electricity, maritime, manufacturing and other sectors, decried the present level of misery, poverty and hopelessness across the country. They urged the incoming government to address the worsening poverty, insecurity, unemployment, inflation, high cost of living and frustration in the nation. ‘It’s been  tortuous’ Speaking with Vanguard on the conditions of workers in the last one year, NLC General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja, said:  “The last one year has been torturous for Nigerians, especially workers in every s...

By Adekunle Adekoya TUESDAY April 25, 2023 was World Malaria Day, WMD. WMD is an international observance commemorated every year on April 25 and recognises global efforts to control malaria. Globally, 3.3 billion people in 106 countries are at risk of malaria. In 2012, malaria caused an estimated 627,000 deaths, mostly among African children. According to the 2021 World Malaria Report from the World Health Organisation, WHO, our country, Nigeria, contributes 27 per cent to the global malaria burden (one out of every four persons having malaria) and 32 per cent to malaria deaths globally (about one out of every three deaths).  It is a coincidence that I am just recuperating from a bout of malaria, which rendered me prostrate for the better part of one week. As a fellow Nigerian, you must know what I went through in terms of the effects on my body. It is not possible to recall just how many times I have had attacks of malaria; indeed, I wager that most Nigerians who have ever had it...

By Chidi Odinkalu Evidence of the scope of the mess created by Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, under the leadership of Mahmood Yakubu began to emerge this past week. It all suggests network of egregiousness on a monumental scale that easily rivals the elections of 2007, until now seen as the nadir in Nigeria’s journey of elective governance.    As the National Judicial Council, NJC, released the names of the 257 judges who will sit to consider and decide on elections petitions around the country beginning in May 2023, it emerged this past week that so far 1,044 petitions have been filed against results declared by INEC in the 2023 elections. That is already more than 70% of the 1,490 seats contested and it appears that these are not the final numbers.  The relationship between election petitions and acceptability of elections in Nigeria is one of direct proportionality. Candidates and parties who believe that the results reflect the will of the ...

Two Catholic priests, Reverend  Fathers Chochos Kunav and Raphael Ogigba have been kidnapped in Agbaro-Otor area, near Warri, Delta State. They were abducted on Agbaro-Otor Road on Saturday night while on their way apparently to Ughelli or Warri. A statement by Very Rev Father Okereke Kizito, said one of the hostages, Father Chochos, works in Ibadan (Ogun State) and was on a visit to his colleague at the Catholic Diocese of Warri. They both later went to see another priest around Agbaro-Otor and on their way back, they were abducted. The statement called for prayers for the safe release of the priests, adding: “We ask for intense prayers for quick and safe release. May Jesus the high priest and the Good Shepherd take care of his priests and may our mother thrice admirable Queen and victress of schoenstatt intercede for them.” A text message to the Delta State police spokesman on the incident, Bright Edafe had not been responded to at press time.

Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Paul Odama has ordered the arrest of an officer, a Police Inspector, who drank himself to stupor. Vanguard gathered that the police commissioner gave the directive following a repulsive video of the police inspector currently trending on social media platforms. The affected Police Inspector in the state, Stephen Yohana, has been arrested and placed on observation to ascertain his mental status. The said Police Inspector is serving in Share, Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.  According to a statement by the spokesman of the command, Ajayi Okasanmi, yesterday, “The command wishes to state that the police inspector, who is attached to Share Division in Irepodun LGA of Kwara State has been arrested.  "He’s identified and discovered to be currently undergoing medical examination in the police clinic to ascertain the state of his mental health, as it was observed that his case was more medical than alcoholic. “Consequently, the CP h...

Three persons were confirmed dead, while three others sustained injuries in a multiple accidents, at Ifo market along Lagos-Abeokuta expressway in the early hours of yesterday. Public Relations Officer, Ogun Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, TRACE, Mr. Babatunde Akinbiyi, who confirmed the incident to newsmen in Abeokuta, Ogun State, said the accidents occured about 4:49a.m. According to Akinbiyi, the accidents involved a red Mack truck T-7827 LA, white Nissan pick-up GEN 256 XA and yellow tricycle with number plate, JGB 724 WB. He added that 10 persons were involved in the accident, comprising nine males and one female, saying that two males and one female got injured while three males died in the accident. “According to eyewitness, the Mack truck had a propeller problem and could not be towed. However, after managing to move it off the road, with caution tape and cones used to separate/barricade it from the road, the tricycle due to excessive speed rammed into it from the rea...

...on his way home from the London race Experienced Marathon runner, Steve Shanks, died at age 45 on his way home after competing in last Sunday's London Marathon. According to his wife,  Shanks, who lived in Nottingham, had just finished the world-renowned race in 2:53:26;  died tragically while en-route home on Sunday. Tributes have been paid to the runner, whose cause of death has not yet been shared. In a statement, his wife Jessica said she was "in shock and devastated". She added his passing was "sudden and out of the blue". "He was returning home having spent the day participating in the London Marathon," she said. "As you can imagine I'm absolutely in shock and devastated." A London Marathon spokesperson said they were "deeply saddened" to hear of Mr Shanks's death. They added Mr Shanks was a "very experienced runner" who took part in the event on Sunday, completing the 26.2-mile (42.1km) distance in two ho...

OFFICIALS of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA; the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, LASPPPA, and the Lagos State Task Force, yesterday, embarked on the removal of illegal structures marked for demolition in Banana Island, Ikoyi. This was in line with the directive of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu's demolition of marked buildings. The demolition exercise, which commenced yesterday, was led by the General Manager of LASBCA, Mr. Gbolahan Oki, in line with the agency’s core statutory responsibilities of identification and removal/demolition of distressed, illegal and non-conforming structures in the state. Sanwo-Olu, who visited the site of the collapsed seven storey building and other ongoing construction sites in the area, had ordered the immediate demolition of some structures including a two storey building located on 310 Close, in Banana Island, Ikoyi, as well as sealing of other buildings in the area. He also ordered the sealing of others over various ...

Ex-Alafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III.   CONTRARY to news making the rounds that a new Alaafin of Oyo has emerged, one of the kingmakers, has dismissed the report, saying the process for the selection of a new Alaafin is still on-going.  There were speculations that one of the contestants to the throne, Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, has emerged as the new Alaafin-elect. The kingmakers, disclosed that the report of the consensus candidate has not been presented to the governor for final ratification.  The source alleged that Prince Gbadegesin has been over-ambitious using the media to achieve his ambition. The source further stated that Governor Seyi Makinde has urged the Oyo Mesi to expedite action on the selection process, and he said the outcome of the process would be made known soon. The kingmaker said: "He is only too ambitious. He is using the media to make himself popular. No new Alaafin has emerged. The selection process is still on and we must follow due process a...

THE Ondo State security outfit, codenamed Amotekun,  has raised the alarm that over 9,000 illegal herders have sneaked into the state within a month, Commander of the security outfit, Adetunji Adeleye, said while parading 31 suspected criminals in Akure.  Adeleye disclosed that the herders found their way into the state through the border towns.  The Amotekun boss, who expressed worry over the influx of the herders, said: "The reality is that in the last month, we have had an unusual influx of herdsmen into the state. We have to drive them back to where they came from.” He said: "As of yesterday, we confronted over 9000 herders who moved into the state. "They moved them in the midnight and they masquerade as different forms of criminals.  "The herders always came into Ondo through the border communities in Edo, Kogi and now Ekiti states with large numbers of cattle and they end up perpetrating crimes. "We were able to notice that the herders will always come to...

By Adekunle Adekoya IT is no longer news that the Federal Government has activated plans to conduct a national population and housing census next month. The last time we had a census was March 2006. There is nothing bad in having a census; indeed, a lot of benefits will accrue if we really know how many of us are together in this country.   Historically, the first census was conducted in 1866 and this was followed by Censuses of 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1901.  However, all these earlier censuses were restricted to Lagos Colony and its environs. The 1871 census marked the beginning of decennial census in Nigeria in line with British tradition of census-taking every 10 years. Following the amalgamation of the Lagos Colony and the Southern Protectorate in 1906, the 1911 census extended to some parts of the Southern Protectorate. It was marred by incomplete enumeration because some parts of the South had not recognised the legitimacy of the Colonial Government.  The amalgama...

Gunmen, who kidnapped 29 persons on Tuesday night in the Kwali Area Council of Abuja are yet to establish contacts with relatives of their victims. Kidnappers have consistently targeted the city’s outliers but often making incursions into parts of Kubwa and Pyakasa, which are closer to the main city. Bwari, Kuje, Gwagwalada, Kwali and Abani Area Councils are often the worst-hit, with the Abuja Municipal Area Council AMAC also occasionally targeted by bandits. However, on Tuesday night, gunmen were said to have stormed Yewuti village, the hometown of the immediate past vice chairman of Kwali Area Council, Zubairu Yewuti, where they raided eight houses and made away with 29 people, including men, housewives and children. Two of the victims, Mrs Zainab Umar and Mrs Aisha Zubairu, reportedly escaped from their abductors while being led into the bush. A villager, Mohammed Evuti, said the kidnappers had not made contact with any relatives as at last night. “We haven’t heard anything from the...

Atiku Abubakar THE Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has taken a swipe at the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu, declaring him as unfit to preside over the affairs of the nation. Atiku, in a fresh process he filed before the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja, admitted that though he had been contesting presidential elections since 1993, he, unlike Tinubu, has “a drug-free record.” “The 1st petitioner, unlike the 2nd Respondent (Tinubu), has consistently been contesting presidential elections, given the 1st Petitioner’s drug-free record, and has never had controversy surrounding his age, circumstances of his birth, state of origin, gender, educational qualification, health status, working career, and citizenship, all issues bordering on constitutional qualification to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Atiku added in his reply to Tinubu’s preliminary objection to his petitio...

Peter Obi *Says the electoral umpire biased THE presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi,has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of bias, insisting that it ought to maintain neutrality in electoral contests among candidates. Obi, in a reply he filed before the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, faulted the electoral body for filing a preliminary objection in support of the President-elect and candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He noted that both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal had in the past, cautioned INEC not to place itself “in a position where imputation of partiality in favour of one party against one will be leveled against it.” The commission had in response prayed the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, PEPT, to dismiss the petition filed by LP and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, saying the reliefs sought were not grantable. The electoral body contended that Tinubu and Senato...

...as herders storm Apa LG again An officer, one soldier and 15 others have been killed by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen in a renewed attack on communities in Edikwu 2 Council Ward of Apa Local Government Area of Benue State. It was gathered that communities under siege of the marauders include Odogbo and Opaha, the home of the lawmaker representing Apa State Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Mr. Abu Umoro, and the state Commissioner of Finance, Mr. David Olofu. The attack is coming on the heels of weekend's attack on Ankpali community in the same Edikwu Ward 2, where the Ward Chairman of the Labour Party, Mr. Nathaniel Ochoche and three others were murdered in an ambush by the herders. It was gathered from an indegene of the area, who identified himself as Kole that the herders, who stormed the communities in what looked like a coordinated attack on Tuesday about 6p.m., also inflicted severe injuries on some of the victims. The source disclosed that "Among the 17...

THE Islamic State of the West African Province, ISWAP, has abducted three humanitarian staff working with the Family Health International, FHI360, and two security guards in the North-East of Gamboru Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State. FHI 360 is a non-profit human development organisation dedicated to improving the health and well-being of people of the North-East. It was gathered that unconfirmed numbers of the terrorists stormed the guest house of the non governmental organisation about 4 a.m., yesterday,  and whisked them away to an unknown destination. A source, Zagazola Makama, a counter insurgency expert and security analyst in the Lake region confirmed the attack to Vanguard, yesterday.. The organisation is yet to react to the development.

A clash between rival groups in Alingani community of Lafia East Development Area of Nasarawa State has claimed the lives of three persons, while no fewer than 10 others were said to have sustained injuries. It was gathered that the bloody clash ensued following a disagreement between two rival groups loyal to ward heads appointed for Alingani by the overseer of the development area, Mohammed Haruna, and another one appointment by the ward head of the area, the  Oron Akye, Abdullahi Ugah. A source close to the area, who did not want his name mentioned, claimed that the appointed ward head by the government, Dalhatu Omiya, officially wrote to the overseer, intimating him about the impending crisis  emanating from the fish pond. “The ward head had reported the matter to the DPO and the Nigerian Air Force 22 Quick Response Wing, stationed in Assakio, the headquarters of the development area. They responded swiftly by moving to the fish pond and warned the trouble shooters to vaca...

The suspects. THE Ondo Police Command has arraigned five suspected killers of the 25-year-old Uber driver, Temitope Olorunfemi, before an Akure Chief Magistrate's Court, for murder and arson. They include Victor Amos, 30; Ismalia, 32; Pelumi Farotimi, 42; Nurudeen Kumuyi, 22 and Samuel Olatunji, 23. The accused persons were charged on three counts of felony, unlawful murder and arson.   Police prosecutor, Inspector Nelson Akintimehin, said the accused persons and others at large committed the offence on April 10, 2023, about 9p.m.,  opposite Odopo Town Hall, on Ijoka Road, Akure. Akintimehin, informed the court that the accused conspired to commit felony and unlawful murder of the deceased, Temitope. The court did not take the pleas of the defendants for lack of jurisdiction. Late Temitope Olorunfunmi. Responding, the defence team led by O. Agbede, asked the court  for an adjournment to enable each defendant file a counter affidavit to the application sought by the p...

Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba. *Reduces rank of ACP, 4 others *Punishes 20 officers with severe reprimand *Approves promotion of 109 senior staff POLICE Service Commission, PSC, has approved dismissal of three Assistant Superintendents of Police, ASPs, and the reduction in rank of an Assistant Commissioner of Police, a Chief Superintendent, two Superintendents and one Assistant Superintendent. The commission also approved punishment of severe reprimand to an Assistant Commissioner of Police, a Chief Superintendent of Police, four Superintendents, two Deputy Superintendents and 12 Assistant Superintendents of Police. Spokesman of the commission, Ikechukwu Ani, in a statement, said: “These were highpoints of the 20th plenary of the commission held at the headquarters of the commission in Abuja and chaired by the commission’s chairman and former Inspector General of Police, Dr. Solomon Arase "The commission also approved punishment of reprimand to six officers, one S...

*Say FG didn’t approve pay rise for them *Note people are causing tension where there is none  THE Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, yesterday dismissed media report that the Federal Government has begun payment of a 40 per cent pay rise to civil servants. President of ASCSN, Dr Tommy Okon, told Vanguard that the Federal Government did not approve any pay rise for civil servants, contending that people were just causing tension where there was none. He said: “The purported report about pay rise is all about misinformation. What government has done is to ensure the harmonisation of what agencies earn in the core civil service. That is those on the consolidated public civil salary structure.  ‘’What these core civil servants earn has been very low compared to what other agencies earn. In an attempt to bridge the gap, looking at the socio-economic challenges, the government decided to give what they called peculiar allowance. That is the 40 per cent.  ‘...