The lawmaker representing Ekiti Central senatorial district and Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, on Sunday, pleaded with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), to accept whatever the federal government offered them above ₦60,000 as the new minimum wage.

Bamidele urged organised labour to toe the path of dialogue and peace in the negotiation for a new minimum wage, for which President Bola Tinubu had promised to send a bill to the National Assembly.

He reiterated the need for Nigerians to demonstrate more patriotic spirit and oneness in their daily activities as the nation journeys through its socio-political trajectory towards the promised land.

Bamidele, who made the call in his Eid-el-Kabir message yesterday, said: “The federal government has conceded to N60,000, which translates to a 100 per cent increase. But both NLC and TUC turned down this offer, leading to a two-day industrial action.

“The federal government has promised to make more concessions in this respect. As the federal government reveals its new offer, I plead with organised labour to accept it in the national interest.

“The economy will remain in this condition. Collectively, we are taking multi-pronged measures to reverse disturbing economic indicators.”

Naija News reports that labour had vowed to reject the ₦62,000 offered by President Tinubu-led government.

Veteran Nigerian musician, Eedris Abdulkareem, has called out the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor E.A. Adeboye, over the ongoing economic hardship in Nigeria.

Naija News reports that the hip-hop singer and rapper took a swipe at the cleric in a viral video clip sighted by our respondent on social media, where he challenged Pastor Adeboye to call out President Bola Tinubu’s government over the current state of the nation just as he did with the previous administration.

Abdulkareem recalled how Pastor Adeboye staged a one million match during Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration to decry the state of the nation at that time.

The singer stressed in his lyrics that it is time to speak truth to power, describing Adeboye’s alleged silence as ‘hypocrisy’.

“Our Daddy, Pastor Adeboye, during Goodluck Jonathan, your voice was so loud. You even vow to stage one million match. Hunger and hardship under Tinubu government you ‘say’ Nigeria get spiritual problem. Baba we need your one million disciples to protest against President Tinubu govt just the way you protest against President Jonathan.

“Daddy abi leg don dey pain your disciples? Dis na very big hypocricy. It is time for you to speak to truth to power because hunger wan kill Nigerians,” Abdulkareem mentioned in the video clip.

The Lagos State Police Command has begun an investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of a businessman, Onyejekwe Izuchukwu, whose remains were found in a hotel room in the Ikoyi area of the state.

PUNCH Metro gathered that Izuchukwu, who was based in Texas, USA, returned to Nigeria for some business dealings when the tragedy that claimed his life struck on June 9, 2024.

The 62-year-old businessman was said to have lodged in the hotel in Ikoyi while engaging in the business activities that brought him back to the country.

Speaking anonymously to our correspondent on Sunday, a source, who didn’t disclose his name over fear of victimisation, said Izuchukwu started lodging in the hotel on Thursday, June 6, until one of the cleaners, while attempting to clean his room, found him lying motionless on the floor of the room.

According to the source, the cleaner, after suspecting that the businessman had died, informed the management of the hotel and the hotel, through its Chief Security Officer, reported the case to the police.

The source said, “He (Izuchukwu) was a customer, who lodged in the hotel on June 6, 2024, and was found dead in his hotel room on June 9, 2024, around 7 pm by a cleaner in the hotel.

“It was the Assistant Chief Security Officer of the hotel located in Ikoyi who reported that Onyejekwe Izuchukwu, 62, was found dead on the floor of the room he lodged to the police.

“Despite discovering him in that state, a doctor was also invited to assess him and it was the doctor who confirmed him dead.”

Until Izuchukwu’s death, an online platform, okay.ng, hinted that he had served as the President of Bits and Drilling Tools, a division of Schlumberger, where he led the development of innovative drilling technologies designed to reduce costs and improve efficiency in the oil and gas industry.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, when contacted, said the command had commenced an investigation into the case.

He said, “Izuchukwu was found lifeless on the floor of the hotel room. A doctor confirmed him dead and his (Izuchukwu) corpse has been deposited in a morgue in Ikeja for autopsy. The command has commenced an investigation into the case.”

President Bola Tinubu has been appealed to by the leader of the Ijaw nation, Edwin Clark, to direct the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to file a nolle prosequi for the release of the leader of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Clark urged Tinubu to ask the Attorney General of the Federation to file a nolle prosequi to release the detained IPOB leader, noting that his (Kanu’s) freedom on political grounds was long overdue.

This was contained in a second letter to the President on Sunday, following a first in which the elder statesman urged the President not to tow the path of his predecessor, President Muhammadu Buhari, who marginalised and subjugated the Igbos, by exempting them from certain appointments.

He said, “The release of Nnamdi Kanu by Mr President on political grounds is overdue as earlier explained. Mr President should direct the Attorney General to enter a nolle prosequi to free Nnamdi Kanu who has shown his intention to work with the Federal Government, to bring peace and stability in the South-East and to Nigerians as a whole, as it has been recently done in similar cases of treasonable felony as in the case of Miyetti Allah president, Abdullahi Bello Bodejo of Nasarawa state.”

In his letter, Clark said the move would complete the reconciliation of Nigeria and end the sit-at-home order in the Southeast.

He said the IPOB had “fashioned a place for itself” in the hearts and minds of young people, because of the short-changing of Igbos from the South East over the years while urging the use of the “carrot and stick approach”, rather than military force, in addressing the agitations in the region.

“Apart from demanding the restructuring of Nigeria, the political freedom of Nnamdi Kanu will no doubt complete the reconciliation of Nigeria and bring an end to the needless Monday sit-at-home order, which has disturbed businesses and civil activities in the South-East.

“The short-changing of the Igbos of the South East over the years is the reason why IPOB has fashioned a place for itself in the hearts and minds of the young people in the Southeast with its demand for self-determination. I have physically seen these IPOB boys in action, at the Ekwueme Square in Awka, Anambra State, when I attended a meeting of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum there.

“None of these youths witnessed the civil war and are, definitely, not abreast with the history of the war and its full ramifications. I advise, therefore, that rather than the use of military force which has already proved counter-productive, they should be carefully treated with the “carrot and stick approach”, in the interest of the peace, stability, and progress of Nigeria as a whole and the Southeast zone in particular.”

Clark further emphasised the importance of reintegrating the Igbos into the mainstream of Nigeria, in which their region would be equal with other regions in the country, noting that anything short of that would not be in the interest of the country.

“Let me re-emphasize the importance and urgency of reintegrating the Igbos into the mainstream of Nigeria where their region will be equal with other regions in all ramifications, meaning that they should be fully and unconditionally united or be admitted into the Union of Nigeria as it was before the civil war.

“Anything short of that is not in the interest of a united Nigeria and there may be no end to the insecurity in Nigeria.”

He also called for the restructuring of Nigeria, of which he said the President had also been a principal advocate before becoming Senator and the Governor of Lagos state, adding that restructuring the country “will be one of your most enduring legacies when you leave office”.

“Mr President you have always been the principal advocate of restructuring even before you became Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Governor of Lagos State.

“During your time, you passionately advocated for a Sovereign National Conference, which was even more inclusive than the current restructuring we are demanding, in Nigeria. Undoubtedly, this pursuit of restructuring will be one of your most enduring legacies when you leave office,” he added.

The Presidency has stated that the ₦250,000 minimum wage clamour by Organised Labour is unsustainable and such a demand cannot be met.

The Federal Government warned that they cannot channel all their resources to meet such a demand.

Speaking during an interview with Punch, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, insisted that it was selfish for Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress to demand that resources meant for Nigerians should be channeled to only the benefit of their members who are not more than 10 per cent of the entire population.

The presidential media aide also said the Federal Government might not meet the Labour leaders again unless something cogent turned up.

He said, “That is why we keep telling labour to be realistic because the government cannot use all its resources to pay workers. They have other things to do. The workers we are even talking about are not up to 10 per cent of the population. Many people are self-employed or engaged in the private sector, who are not members of Labour, and are not affected by this demand.

“This is even more reason why labour has to reconsider their decision critically instead of always striving to shut down the system. What the FG did was in consultation with the private sector and others. Only Labour, which appears to be in the minority, kept saying they won’t accept N62,000. They are not even employers but employees.

“Let us wait and hear what they are going to say after their return from the ILO conference. But they have to be realistic.”

Tinubu had disclosed during his Democracy Day that an executive bill on the new national minimum wage for workers would be sent to the National Assembly.

When quizzed on when he plans to transmit the bill, Onanuga said though he could not give a particular date, he sees it happening after the Sallah break.

“I am not certain when he plans to do it (Bill). May be after Sallah. But I am not sure whether the FG is meeting with them or whether its position on the minimum wage has changed. Don’t forget the current amount on the table was arrived at by the committee that also has the private sector where the NECA and NACIMMA were also represented.

“That was the figure the FG delegation, sub-nationals, employers, NECA and other sectors agreed on. So, the FG cannot just decide on any other amount of money on its own without carrying these people along. And the government cannot just decide anything without ensuring that the state and local governments are able to pay,” he said.

Christian council raises alarm, Says only 45,000 receiving treatment

The Christian Council of Nigeria, CCN, has raised the alarm over the high rate of children living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV, in Nigeria, saying of an estimated 160,000 children living with HIV in Nigeria, only 45,000 are receiving treatment.

CCN urged the government and other stakeholders to intensify efforts to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS among children in the country.

The council made the call weekend at the close-out ceremony of the HIV intervention programme implemented in collaboration with the World Council of Churches, WCC, in Abuja.

The CCN President, Most Rev. David Onuoha, represented by Archbishop Peter ogunmuyiwa, decried the high number of children living with HIV in Nigeria, stressing the need for urgent action to address the situation.

He said, “Our mission is to identify with the needy and less privileged, and to make a positive impact on their lives. Our efforts have been enriching and impactful. We are committed to combating the HIV epidemic in our society, and we urge all relevant NGOs and government agencies to join us in this crusade.

“While we have made some progress in preventing the transmission of HIV from mother to child, we still have much work to do. According to statistics, Nigeria has a high number of children who are HIV victims – 160,000, with only 45,000 undergoing treatment. This is unacceptable, and we must do more to address this issue.”

The WCC representative, Ms Gracias Ross, reiterated the organization’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in the fight against HIV/AIDS, lamented that “160,000 children are living with HIV, but remember that two million people are living with HIV in Nigeria. They will have partners and children. In what condition will these children be born?

“We must change things. If these children are alone and don’t have a family, the church has to be their family. This is the calling that we should become the father of the fatherless and fight for the widows and fight for justice.

“You can imagine how many young people don’t have any positive orientation on sexuality. So the Church should be bringing light to these large numbers of young people in Nigeria who are not having information.”

Rev. Dr. Evans Onyemara, the General Secretary of the CCN, appreciated the WCC’s support in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, highlighting the success stories from the programme’s implementation in several states.

Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have begun a manhunt for a young man identified as Stanley for allegedly killing her six-year-old daughter for ritual.

It was gathered that the dastardly act took took place in Agbarho, Ughelli North Local Government Area, LGA.

State Police spokesman, Bright Edafe in a statement gave the name of the little girl as Abigail , saying the sad incident occurred at Uvwiama new layout area of Agbarho.

The police spokesman said police had commenced manhunt for the suspect who fled after the heinous act, noting that the remains of the little girl had been deposited at the morgue.

“The Command is aware of the gruesome murder of one Abigail, six years old, allegedly by the father one Mr. Sankey . The sad and painful incident was reported by the brother to the fleeing suspect who is in his 20s.”

…Says Obaseki taught him new political realities

FORMER Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt Hon Philip Shaibu on Sunday said he would be supporting the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen Monday Okpebholo ahead of the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Olumide Akpata because according to him, Okpebholo, popularly called Akpakomiza possess the characteristics of the homeboy needed to take over governance in Edo State.
Shaibu spoke to journalists on the sidelines of the Fathers’ Day celebration at the St Paul Catholic Church in Benin City.

He said the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo is a product of godfatherism, a lexicon he said has been eradicated from the political history of the state which he said former governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole preached and which he joined the governor to stop in the 2020 election adding that he has also learnt new political strategies from Governor Obaseki.
According to him, “I am a very good learner and learning is what is most important in our lives, We must continue to learn till we die, the governor of Edo State. Mr Godwin Obaseki says everybody has the right to support whoever he wants to support but he also forgot that he doesn’t have the right to stop anybody from supporting whoever he wants to support so it is my right to also decide who I want to support.

“I will support a homeboy, I came in to contest to be governor of Edo State because I needed governance to return to a homeboy, somebody that understands our plight, somebody that understands what the people are feeling, even the United Nations talks about needs assessment, we don’t want an outsider, we have experimented with an outsider and it is not working, so this time, we want a homeboy, I came into the contest as a homeboy but today, we have only two home boys in the major political parties; one is in the Labour Party LP) and one is in the All Progressives Congress (APC), and I chose to follow the home boy in the APC, the man they are parading in the PDP is an outsider and we have also agreed that no more godfatherism in Edo and the man PDP is parading, is the godson of Obaseki and there is no way a godson can be governor of Edo State again.”

On whether he would not be accused of anti-party activity since he is still a member of the PDP, Shiabu said “No, it is not anti-party because I know that in the last election, the governor was one leg in the Labour Party and one leg PDP so it can’t be anti-party now.”

On the capacity of Okpebholo he said “Enough of English that takes us nowhere, we are talking about governance, the man that understands the plight of the people, he who wears the shoes knows where it pinches, a man that has never voted, how can he be seeking for our vote, and we are comparing him to a man that is a sitting senator who is a homeboy. When Akpata and Akpaomiza get home to their people, they speak their language, I have chosen one out of the two because I see Akpakomiza as an innocent politician, somebody that is grass-rooted, somebody that is truly a homeboy”

A businessman and former New Nigeria Peoples Party governorship candidate, Musa Saliu, has dragged the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, before a Federal High Court in Abuja, over his false declaration as a wanted person in a land dispute.

In the suit filed Friday, June 14, 2024, and a copy of the documents obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, the applicant through his lawyer, Femi Motojesi Esq, wants the court to declare that a police publication of his picture and name in the Special Police Gazette bulletin as a wanted person with Ref No: CB: 3510/LX/FHQ/SEB/ABJ/T.7/Vo. 1/20 amounted to the violation of his fundamental rights.

Listed in the suit marked CV/2839/24, are the Inspector-General of Police, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department and Funmilola Olorunfemi, as first to third respondents respectively.

Saliu, in the suit, contended that the police lacked the powers “to engage in the act of debt recovery for the third respondent (Olorunfemi) who is a subscriber to the applicant’s (Saliu’s) estate under construction.”

Saliu, who is also a politician and former New Nigeria Peoples Party governorship candidate in the 2023 election in Kogi State, narrated that the dispute arose after Olorunfemi paid N25m to subscribe to one of his houses being built but work paused after the FCT Department of Development Control demolished the estate.

He said afterwards, Olorunfemi invited the police to recover her money even after he had notified all the subscribers to the estate that he was making efforts to resolve the issue and return to the site.

The aggrieved estate developer faulted the police for their actions in a fundamental rights enforcement suit brought pursuant under Sections 34, 35, 41 and 46; Articles 5 and 6 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights Cap 10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

He asked the court to order the police to issue an apology to him which should be published in the Special Police Gazette bulletin and two national dailies.

He argued that the dispute between him and Olorunfemi is civil and has no criminal connotation to warrant the police involving themselves in it and inviting him for questioning, blocking his bank account and publishing his picture and details as a wanted person in the Police Gazette bulletin.

On this note, he demanded the sum of N500m in damages for the violation of his constitutionally guaranteed rights to privacy and dignity of the human person, personal liberty, and freedom of movement when the police declared him wanted.

Saliu also urged the court to order the police to unfreeze the account number 1000129689 with Globus Bank belonging to Emperor City Integrated Limited where he is the alter ego and signatory for being a violation of his fundamental rights.

No date has been assigned for the hearing.

As of the filing this report, the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, had not yet responded to our correspondent’s test messsge seeking clarification on the matter nor did he pick his calls.

The Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State, has sentenced two men, Ugwu Chijioke and Ibrahim Adekunle, to a 46 years combined jail term for impersonating operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and executing a fake court order.

This is according to a statement by the EFCC on its Facebook page on Sunday.

According to the anti-graft agency, the convicts were arrested in May 2021 at New Horizon Estate, Lekki, Lagos, following credible intelligence received by the commission during which they were carrying out an illegal operation.

At the time of their arrest, exhibits such as fake EFCC identity cards, jackets, and a court order allegedly from Mushin Magistrate Court were recovered from them.

Following their arrest, they were arraigned before Justice O.O. Abike-Fadipe on October 12, 2021, by the Lagos Command of the EFCC on an amended five counts including impersonation, attempted property fraud, possession of false documents, and unlawful wearing of the EFCC uniform.

The statement read in part, “That you, Ugwu Pascal Chijioke and Ibrahim Sadiq Adekunle, on or about the 12th day of May 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by false pretence and with intent to defraud, attempted to obtain property from one Oriyomi Johnson under the pretext that the ‘Chief Magistrate Court, Lagos State Judiciary, Mushin, Lagos’ issued an order to the effect that the property located at New Horizon Estate, Lekki- Ikate, Lagos be seized and the said apartment sealed pending the arrival of the said Oriyomi Johnson, which representation you knew to be false and committed an offence of attempt to obtain property by false pretence contrary to Sections 8(b) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section11(3) of the same Act.

“That you, Ugwu Pascal Chijioke and Ibrahim Sadiq Adekunle, on or about May 12, 2021, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court not being a person holding any office in or authority of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, wore a jacket bearing the official mark of the commission, which was calculated to convey the impression that you held such authority and committed an offence of unlawfully wearing the uniform of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission contrary to Section 79(1) (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.”

The suspects pleaded guilty to the offences when read to them, and following their guilty pleas, prosecution counsel, Abdulhamid Tukur, presented a review of the case facts, requested the court to deliver a guilty verdict and impose the corresponding sentences.

Justice Abike-Fadipe found them guilty as charged on counts one, two, three, four and five.

The defendants, however, pleaded with the judge for mercy.

In her judgment, Justice Abike-Fadipe convicted Chijioke and Adekunle to seven years each on counts one to three, one year on count four and eight months on count five.

“Delivering judgment, Justice Abike-Fadipe sentenced the defendants each to seven years on counts one to three each, one year on count four and eight months on count five.

“The sentences are to run concurrently.”

PUNCH Online reported on May 2 that the Nasarawa State Police Command arrested three fake officials of the EFCC in the Nasarawa Local Government Area of the State.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ramhan Nansel, had disclosed that the suspects had launched an attack around the Federal Polytechnic in the Nasarawa LGA where they robbed people of their belongings and subsequently abducted a National Diploma student of the institution, Adudu Kingsley.

He further explained that the victim was released and the suspects were arrested following painstaking efforts by officers of the command.