Breaking News Tuesday 3 November 2020

EndSARS protests: Ohanaeze, Afenifere, M’Belt disagree as North alleges regime change plot.

Northern leaders, including state governors and traditional rulers, on Monday met in Kaduna, where they condemned #EndSARS protests.

Their positions on the protests were contained in a communiqué issued after the meeting and read by the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong.

In the communiqué, the northern leaders, who alleged that separatists hijacked the #EndSARS protests, said the demonstrators were targeting regime change.

He said that restructuring of Nigeria had already begun, noting that the “#EndSARS brouhaha is just the icing on the cake.”

Achi-okpaga said, “Just like the world went digital those who remained analogous were swept off by the digital wave.

“Restructuring has begun in Nigeria already. The #EndSARS brouhaha is just the icing on the cake. Those who are now trying to give it ethnic and sentimental colorations will fail completely.

Soldiers detained for flogging lady over ‘indecent’ dressing, shaving youths

The Oyo State security outfit, Operation Burst, said on Monday that it had arrested some of its personnel for allegedly assaulting a lady in the Beere community, Ibadan.

The lady was alleged to have been beaten by some soldiers attached to the security team over allegation of ‘indecent dressing.’

Footage showing the assault on the lady, whose identity has yet to be ascertained, went viral at the weekend.

The Commissioner for Youth and Sports in the state, Mr Seun Fakorede, said, “My ears are full with news of the unlawful activities of some soldiers of the Nigerian Army. I reached out to the Commandant of the Operation Burst and I have been assured that the men involved in this distasteful operation have been arrested and taken to the barracks. They will be dealt with accordingly.”

Why MDAs’ October salary is delayed – FG

The Federal Government on Monday attributed the delay in the payment of salaries in some ministries, departments and agencies to the fact that the 2020 Budget was passed into law before the conclusion of negotiation on the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.

It said the provision made for salaries of some MDAs based on previous salaries had been exhausted, hence the delay in the payment of the October salary of some workers.

The Director of Information, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Olawunmi Ogunmosunle, in a statement made available to journalists, quoted the HOCS, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, as making the clarification.

“While appreciating civil servants for their patience, the Head of Service also informed them that she is in touch with the Director-General, Budget Office, who assured her that salaries will be paid by the end of this week,” the statement added.

Stock market gains N2.7tn in two months

Equity trading on the Nigerian Stock Exchange recorded a gain of N2.75tn in the last two months (September and October 2020) following investors’ high demand for undervalued stocks.

The PUNCH gathered that despite the #EndSARS protests and the attendant losses recorded by many businesses due to lootings carried out by hoodlums, investors were demanding the stocks of companies that were trading at low prices.

Also, findings showed that a sharp drop in fixed income yields, following further monetary easing by the Monetary Policy Committee drove smart money into the stock market.

The stock market showed resilience, ending the two months with unprecedented growth as the market capitalisation rose from N13.21tn at the beginning of trading on September 1 to N15.96tn at the close of trading on October 30, 2020, representing a cumulative gain of N2.75tn or 21 per cent during the two months.

Similarly, NSE All-Share Index grew by 21 per cent or 5,203.56 basis points from 25,327.13 to 30.530.69 index points during the period under review.

He said, “We need to make operations in the capital market as easy as possible. That way, we can attract investments.”

He added that local investors should drive the growth of the market because as long as they trust market, they would remain.

FG, DISCOs, Mojec, others move to cut metering gap by 66.7%

With over 10 million households in Nigeria yet to be provided with electricity meter, the Federal government has commenced the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) in partnership with the eleven Electricity Distribution Companies, DISCO, Mojec International Limited, along with other metering manufacturing companies in the country.

The NMMP is to roll out six million meters for all connection points on the grid that are currently without meters over the next 18 to 24 months. It is estimated to cover about 30 million consumers nationwide.

It is also expected to reduce the metering deficit in the country by 66.7 per cent.

Vanguard gathered that under the programme, the federal government would make funds available for the payment of the prepaid meters and the DISCOs would distribute to households free.

COVID-19: Senate wants FG to provide bailout fund for airline operators.

The Senate on Monday urged the Federal Government to provide substantial bailout fund to airline operators in the country to revamp the aviation sector in view of the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chairman of Senate Committee on Aviation, Sen. Smart Adeyemi (APC – Kogi West) made the call in Abuja at a public hearing for a repeal of six executive bills for the aviation agencies.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bills were designed to amend the enabling act establishing the aviation agencies for optimal performance in line with global best practices in aviation sector.

Adeyemi said there was an urgent need to support the airline operators in the country given the effect of COVID-19 on the sector.

“These are monies that should be remitted to us to enable us to operate and train more inspectors to ensure safety.”

Contributing, the representative of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Mr Chinasa Unaegburam, called for a downward review of the five per cent charged airline operators by the Ministry of Aviation.

She also called for the inclusion of a representative of the airline operators on the board of NCAA.

Uaegburam said the issue of money owed by airline operators should be a matter that could be resolved by the Federal Government and the airline operators.

Suspected IPOB members hoist Biafra flag in Benue.

Some suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra have hoisted Biafra flag in Ekile community in the Ado Local Government Area of Benue State.

The flags were seen at strategic locations in the community which shares boundary with another community in Ebonyi State.

Our correspondent gathered that Ekile is a district which serves as a host community to the Ezza from Ebonyi State.

It was further learned that the hoisting of the flags took place in the early hours of Friday, prompting some members of Ekile community to raise the alarm.

“We have yet to ascertain their mission and why they think such thing should be done in Ado. Ado is part of Benue State and Benue is one of the states in the North-Central of Nigeria. We are not South-East. IPOB should keep its activities off Ado and Benue as a whole,” Oche said.

#EndSARS: Killing policemen evil, says El-Rufai.

According to the Vanguard, the Governor of Kaduna state has passed out some statements concerning the killing of policemen in some state whereby he described it as a evil. Gov Nasir el-Rufai revealed this on Monday.

Gov El-Rufai told the news men in the state after having a meeting of the Northern Governors Forum and traditional rulers as well as other key stakeholders in the region, said that the police must be supported to discharge their duties.

The Governor makes it known that Mohammed Adamu, the inspector-General of Police had briefed the meeting on the #EndSARS protest and its aftermath.

He said in his statements that “We support the police, we believe that there may be some bad eggs in the police just as there are bad eggs in any organisation, but it is no excuse to destroy or kill policemen

He explained further by saying that “We hope to expand the footprints and the effectiveness of the Nigerian police in accordance with their mandate.

“We have discussed closer collaboration with the Nigerian police and the governors to enhance community policing as a first step,” he said.

Gov El-Rufai continued in his statements that “State police is a big subject in the constitutional amendment, at least we agreed on community policing which is the first step.

In addition ” It is the community police that will transmute into state police when the constitution is amended.

“We believe that what is needed now is to restore confidence of the Nigerian police, give them more resources, more training and equipment so that they can do their job better in accordance with the best human right standards".

The source also reported that he also mentioned some statements on #EndSARS protests in which he said they believed the organiser of the #ENDSARS has a good intentions but people but there are people that are pushing their own evil, anti-democratic agend, he said.

“We have taken very clear positions on some of these issues and we also back our road map, looking at various aspects of our lives, including Nigeria’s economic challenges, developmental and the almajiri problems.

He concluded that they will be meeting again in February to measure our progress.

Boko Haram kills seven CJTF, hunters, five villagers in Borno

According to the latest reports from the PUNCH, reporting that an incident has happened in Borno around Takulashe village, in the Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State on Sunday in which not less than seven persons were killed.

The reports claimed that one of the victims who is a member's of the Civilian Joint Task Force and local hunters, who engaged Boko Haram insurgents that laid siege to the village.

Jacob Shagari,, who is a resident of Chibok makes a phone call and told the PUNCH that some terrorists have entered Takulashe around 9am in which they entered many houses and stile their foodstuffs and livestock.

While speaking, Shagari revealed that the terrorists who stormed the village were engaged by members of the civilian JTF and local hunters.

He explained further, they took an hour to operated within the village whereby he believed seven men to be a civilian JTF member's and local hunters have been killed.

He also said insurgents were also harmed during the process of their operation but he could not know the exact number of casualties because they took away the corpses of their men, he said.

A member of the CJTF, who did not revealed his name said “Seven dead bodies have so far been recovered. We are still searching (around 5pm on Sunday). The insurgents carted away foodstuffs and livestock.”

In conclusion, the source, tried best to get in touch with the both the police and military authorities in other to confirm and file their report but it was unsuccessful.

The source also reported that similar things also happened in Damboa Local Government Area of the state in which five civilians have been killed by insurgent's also burnt down a market and houses.

Amotekun arrests six suspected looters in Ondo.

According to the PUNCH, Amotekun who are also known as Ondo State Security Agency has reported on Monday that they have arrested not less than six suspected hoodlums who allegedly took part in #ENDSARS protests in the State during looting and arson occurred in the State.

When the#EndSARS protest is ongoing, it was reported that the hoodlums have hijacked in which they allegedly set ablaze two police stations, National Correctional Service Centre in Okitipupa, a high court building and some other buildings in the state namely state Secretariats of the All Progressives Congress and that of the Peoples Democratic Party in Akure, the state capital.

According to the corps, they explained the suspects were arrested in various parts of the state not in the same place.

The names of the suspects which they arrest are Femi Ibine, Oyewole Olayeye, Omotubora Iyanuoluwa and Olamiju Sunday.

Mr Adetunji Adeleye who is the Commandant of the security agency in Ondo State said the suspects were arrested with exhibits linking them with the looting, arson and attacks on police stations that happened in the state.

Adeleye said, “The items recovered from the suspects suggested that they (suspects) participated in the burning of police stations in the state.”

Oyewale Olayele who is one of the suspects said during the looting, he only some items from a police station and a high court already set ablaze with the aim of selling them as scraps, pleading that he did not know it was an offence to pick things in such a circumstance.

NASS to monitor youth empowerment programmes – Senate President

Ahmad Lawan, Nigeria senate President told the people in Kaduna by assuring that National Assembly will makes sure the Federal Government work on Nigerian youth in other to have fully benefit from government empowerment programmes.

The Senate President held a meeting on Monday in Kaduna with traditional rulers, 19 states governors from the northern part of the country and other top officials.

According to what Ahamad Lawan said, he quotes and I quoted “In the National Assembly, we will ensure that the whole country has peace, work with the executive arm of government to bring sanity and ensure the realisation of the aspirations and hopes of our young people.

He continued that “We will ensure that agencies handling various empowerment programmes and entrepreneurial schemes engage with the youth and help them to realise their ambitions.”

The ball is now in our court as leaders to ensure that we engage our youth for productive and positive development in the region.

“We should be looking for ways and means of empowering them, giving them the right environment and jobs, participate in entrepreneurship; something that will keep them busy and make them have hope of actualisation their genuine aspirations.”

Northern governors back regulation of social media

According to the latest reports from the Vanguard news, the Northern Governors Forum held a meeting on Monday which revealed that they support the support for the ongoing efforts in other to regulate the social media to check whether the spread of fake news in the country.

The Governor of Plateau in oeesom of Mr Simon Lalong was in the meeting and Mr Simon Lalong which is the governor of plateaus are also among those that held a meeting in Kaduna with traditional rulers and other key stakeholders in the region.

The meeting, which took note of the devastating effect of the uncontrolled social media in spreading fake news, called for major control mechanisms and censorship of social media practice in Nigeria.

During the meeting “Forum appreciates the major reforms going on in the Police Force and pledges to support Mr President on this course.

“The meeting resolves to support the Nigerian Police Force to serve the country better and calls for the strengthening of trust between the people and the Police, the statement said.

Looting: Sanwo-Olu Promises Shop Owners Tax Relief, Support

According to the This day, the Governor of Lagos state in person of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu promised people who rent or owns shop at the Circle Mall in Lekki in other to get back to their feet in their business due to the recent looting and burning of several shops and stores at the mall by hoodlums during the #EndSARS protests.

According to yesterday statements which was passed by the Governor that the state government would give tax break and some financial assistance to all the business owners affected by the ugly incident.

Here is the full Statements which read “The Lagos State Government will not leave the people to bear the pains alone; the government will assist them to return to their respective businesses.

“The government will give all business owners in the burnt Circle Mall a tax break of PAYE; we will also appeal to the Federal Government to ensure that they get tax relief from the Federal Inland Revenue Service

In addition, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu also said that grant which the government will render that he is not expecting them to pay back.

Umahi Slashes School Fees of Ebonyi Varsity

According to This Day reported that Ebonyi State Governor has reduced the school fees of students of the Ebonyi State University to cushion the effects of COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the States which issued by Dr. Kenneth Ugbala who served as the Secretary to Ebonyi State Government (SSG) and also the Coordinating Commissioner whereby revealing the the Governor has gives instruction that the remaining school fees should be aggregated and paid next year to the university’s account.

While taking, this is a way the Governor wanted to reduced the burdens on parents especially in catering for the students of the state university also to encourage students as well.

He said in a statement which read “All non-indigenes of Ebonyi State University school fees are reduced by N10,000 per student, while school fees for all indigenes of the state in the Ebonyi State University are reduced by N20, 000 per student.

In addition “This amount will be aggregated and paid directly to the Ebonyi State University management in 2021. Last week, the state government released all monthly subventions owed to Ebonyi State University and additional N200, million salary intervention fund totaling N500 million was released to assist in staff salary payment of the Ebonyi State University.”

In conclusion, he urged all the youth in the to start the process of registering themselves (200 per LGA) in other to benefit from the #EndSARS empowerment fund which will be launched in November 2020.

Looting of medical equipment can endanger health of Nigerians – NMA