Veteran Nigerian singer, Salawa Abeni has unveiled the comptroller and commandant of the Customs Training College, Rasheed Adahunse, as her third husband on his birthday.

Naija News reports that Adahunse held his birthday and retirement party in Lagos over the weekend at the Eko Club.

The famous Nigerian Waka singer took to her Instagram page to share a video of herself performing at the event and wrote, “Congratulations on your retirement and birthday celebration, comptroller Rasheed Agbolade Adahunse.”

During her speech at the event, the 62-year-old singer described Adahunse as her dearest husband of four years.

The Waka Queen said she had not chosen wrongly, adding that love conquers all.

“I don’t have much words to utter, let me thank God. I will just say a bit about Alhaji Abdulrasheed Agbolade, my dearest husband.

“You are retired but not tired, I pray that as God joined us together as husband and wife four years ago, you will live long and have abundance.

“I saw you then as a complete ‘English’ man, you saw me as a musician. But love conquered all. I have not chosen wrongly. From today, call me Abeni Idunu Ishola,” She added.

Recall that Salawa Abeni was first married to Lateef Adepoju, the owner of Leader Records, which she was signed on to. Their union lasted till 1986, when the Waka musician left the record label, and they had two children together.

After her union with Adepoju ended, Salawa got married to Kollington Ayinla, who was also a musician. She joined his record label and stayed with him till 1994. They also had kids together.

After Hilda Baci broke the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon in June, another Nigerian woman, Helen Williams, achieved a new record for the longest handmade wig.

Announcing the feat on its official X handle, the Guinness World Record detailed that Helen achieved the feat for the longest handmade wig, which stretches an incredible 351.28 metres.

“Helen Williams from Lagos, Nigeria, has achieved a new record for the longest handmade wig which stretches an incredible 351.28 metres (1,152 ft 5 in),” a tweet by Guinness World Record read.

Naija News recalls that Hilda was officially declared the holder of the longest cooking marathon Guinness World Record in June. Over her four days in the kitchen, the 26-year-old Nigerian chef cooked over 100 pots of food from Thursday, May 11, to Monday, May 15.

Hilda was, however, dethroned as the record holder of the longest cooking marathon record by an Irish restaurant owner, Alan Fisher, last week.

It was gathered that Fisher broke the longest cooking marathon for an individual after cooking in a time of 119 hours 57 minutes.
His feat was more than 24 hours longer than the previous record set by Baci.

Fisher, a chef who operates his restaurant in Japan also claimed the longest baking marathon for an individual, with a time of 47 hours 21 minutes.

Recent off-cycle elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states faced an unsettling level of militarization, according to Dr. Ladan Salihu, former Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN). Speaking on Channels TV, Salihu voiced concern over the extensive deployment of military and police personnel to polling units, creating an atmosphere fraught with fear.

Highlighting the disproportionate allocation of resources to secure off-cycle elections, Salihu emphasized the need to redirect these efforts toward addressing the broader security challenges facing the nation.

“The entire process is militarized when you talk about security agencies,” noted Salihu. “The sheer number of security personnel, including soldiers, police, SSS, and even the EFCC in polling units, raises questions. I would rather see these resources deployed to regions facing heightened security challenges like Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Plateau, Benue, and the North East.”

Expressing his endorsement of secure polls, Salihu underscored the need to strike a balance, ensuring the protection of ballot boxes without creating an overbearing presence that extends beyond the realm of electoral integrity.

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“The mobilization was unprecedented, leading to fears that if this trend continues, we might be heading towards a situation transcending politics and elections,” he warned.

Salihu also expressed disappointment at the recurrence of pre-filled election results, highlighting a lack of progress in the nation’s electoral process.

“Over the years, complaints have persisted, and the problems are widespread. In Kogi, there were cases of pre-filled results; in Imo, irregularities abound, and Bayelsa witnessed numerous complaints. Collectively, it seems we have not learned from past mistakes,” he lamented.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is grappling with internal discord over the escalating expenses associated with contesting elections within the party. The fees for expression of interest and nomination forms have witnessed a steady increase since the party’s inception in 2014.

Initially set at N27.5 million for presidential and N5 million for governorship forms in 2014, these costs surged to N45 million and N22.5 million, respectively, in 2019. In the latest development, the fees skyrocketed to N100 million for presidential and N50 million for governorship forms in 2023.

Criticism is mounting within the APC ranks, with prominent members urging the party leadership to curtail the rising costs for the 2027 elections. Concerns have been raised regarding the lack of transparency in accounting for the substantial revenue generated from the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms in the lead-up to the 2023 elections.

Salihu Mohammed Lukman, a former national vice chairman (North West) of the APC, voiced his apprehensions in a recent statement, predicting that by 2027, the party might demand N250 million for the presidential race and N125 million for governorship contests.

Lukman expressed dismay over what he perceives as the APC’s diminishing democratic principles, a stark departure from the expectations that surrounded the party’s emergence in 2015.

The APC’s national publicity secretary, Felix Morka, dismissed Lukman’s claims, labeling them as speculative. Morka emphasized that the issue of the cost of forms for the next elections remains speculative until the party officially decides, hinting that the fees might be subject to review.

Offering insights into the persistent trend of escalating fees, Professor Kari, a Political Sociology expert at the University of Abuja, attributed it to the APC’s status as the ruling party. He highlighted the assumption that securing the APC ticket translates to electoral success, a notion he argued could hinder democratic participation.

In contrast, Chief Chekwas Okorie, an elder statesman and former presidential candidate, contended that major parties like the APC impose high charges due to the substantial expenses involved in running the party.

As the internal debate ensues, all eyes are on the National Working Committee (NWC) for its decision on the nomination fees for the 2027 elections.

Yusuf Halilu, judge of a federal capital territory high court in Maitama, has revoked the bail granted to Geoffrey Akindele, one of the defendants, standing trial with Ahmed Idris, former accountant-general of the federation.

In May 2022, Idris was arrested in Kano after he failed to respond to invitations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to answer questions over the allegation of a N80 billion fraud.

He was later suspended in July 2022 and arraigned on a 14-count charge alongside Akindele, Mohammed Kudu Usman, and a firm — Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.

The defendants were granted bail in liberal terms.

At the resumed trial on Tuesday, Akindele, who was the technical assistant to Idris, was not in court.

Despite pleas by S.E. Adino, Akindele’s counsel, that his client was on the way to court, the judge insisted on revoking the second defendant’s bail.

The judge said when a court grants a defendant bail, such person must reciprocate the gesture by coming for trial.

He added that, Akindele had clearly not shown good character and conduct by his refusal to attend court.

“The second defendant had abuse the terms of his bail,” the judge held.

Consequently, Halilu revoked the second defendant’s bail and ordered the FCT commissioner of police and the EFCC to arrest Akindele and produce him in court in the next adjourned date.

He then adjourned the case to February 1, 2024 for hearing.

Although, Idris and the other defendants were present, counsels to the former attorney-general and counsel to the company were not in court.

Earlier, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, EFCC counsel, had informed the court that he received a letter from counsel to Idris but did not receive any from the counsel for Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.

Atolagbe said despite the fact that there were competent lawyers in the office of Idris’ lawyer, none of them announced appearance for the former accountant-general of the federation.

“This is not fair on the prosecution. It is definitely a ploy to delay trial,” Atolagbe said.

A final-year student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Oladokun Ayomide, has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly poisoning his girlfriend, Ugbokwe Mmasichukwu, and another lady, Odumosu Semilore.

The police said the suspect administered a poison believed to be an admixture of brownie cakes, alcohol, and an unknown harmful substance after inviting his girlfriend to his residence in the Surulere community in the Camp area of the city on Friday.

PUNCH Metro gathered that while leaving for the suspect’s residence, Mmasichukwu told her schoolmate, Semilore, to accompany her to her boyfriend’s place at Surulere community, Camp, Abeokuta.

Serving them the substance suspected to be poisonous, our correspondent learnt that the victims were rushed to the hospital when they lost consciousness immediately after they ate the harmful cake.

Although the reason behind the suspect’s action remained unknown as of the time this report was filed, the police told our correspondent that a preliminary investigation revealed that Ayomide was suspected to have an intention to harm the victims.

The Chief Security Officer of the Federal College of Education, Osiele Abeokuta, Olusola Ajibola, who led the arrest of the suspect, told the police that Mmasichukwu and Semilore were students of the institution, while Ayomide was a final-year student of FUNAAB.

Contacted, the Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, told our correspondent that the victims were responding to treatment, adding that further investigation was going on to unravel the circumstances behind the incident.

“The victims were believed to have been fed brownie cake, and they immediately lost consciousness after eating it and were taken to the Osiele Medical Centre for treatment.

“A foil paper pack used for the brownie cake was found when our officers visited the crime scene. The suspect was handed over to the police division by the Chief Security Officer of the school,” Odutola stated on Tuesday.

Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, has called on opposition parties in the country to form a coalition.

Abubakar said Nigeria needs a strong opposition to stop the All Progressives Congress (APC) from “turning” the country into a one-party state.

Speaking on Tuesday when he received a delegation from the national executive committee of the Inter-Party Advisory Council Nigeria (IPAC), Abubakar said if there is no viable opposition, the nation’s hard-earned democracy will suffer.

“You have come here today to say that we should cooperate in order to promote democracy,” he said.

“But the truth of the matter is that our democracy is fast becoming a one-party system, and of course, you know that when we have a one-party system, we should just forget about democracy.

“We have all seen how the APC is increasingly turning Nigeria into a dictatorship of one party.

“If we don’t come together to challenge what the ruling party is trying to create, our democracy will suffer for it, and the consequences of it will affect the generations yet unborn.

“The project of protecting democracy in our country is not about just one man.”

In the last election, President Bola Tinubu was declared the winner after polling 8,794, 726 votes.

But a merger of Atiku, Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Rabiu Kwakwanso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) would have defeated Tinubu in the election.

Obi and Kwakwanso were members of the PDP before leaving the party in 2020 to seek presidential tickets on the platforms of LP and NNPP respectively.

The three candidates scored 14, 582,740 votes, which would have been enough to defeat Tinubu if they had merged or remained in the PDP.

‘INEC CONDUCTED WORST ELECTION EVER’

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election also criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the conduct of the general and cycle polls.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission conducted the worst general election in the country,” Abubakar alleged.

“Recently, again in the off-season election in three states, INEC doubled down on its disregard for the tenets of our democracy.

“We all can see how INEC declared a result in Kogi state where the total number of votes cast is higher than the total number of accredited voters in one local government.

“We cannot have a healthy democracy in an environment where all INEC does is to deliver the ruling party at all costs.

“Until our elections pass the test of transparency through electronic voting, it will be difficult for INEC to regain its credibility, and our democracy will be the first casualty of such a situation.”

Yabagi Sani, leader of the delegation, assured the former vice-president that the group would be available at any time that he needed them.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has announced its intention to extend the validity of the old N200, N500, and N1,000 noted indefinitely.

This is as the apex bank declared its desire to extend the validity of old naira notes beyond any expiry date. According to the bank, it is working with the relevant authorities to vacate the subsisting court ruling on the same subject.

The bank disclosed this in a statement signed by the Director, Corporate Communications, Isa AbdulMumin, on Tuesday.

The statement titled, ‘CBN To Allow Old Design Naira Banknotes as Legal Tender, Ad Infinitum,’ said the decision is line with international best practices and to forestall a repeat of earlier experiences.

The statement read, “Without prejudice, the Central Bank of Nigeria wishes to inform the general public of its desire to extend the legal tender status deadline of the old design of N200, N500 and N1,000 denominations; ad infinitum.

“This is in line with international best practices and to forestall a repeat of earlier experiences. Thus, all banknotes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, in accordance with Section 20(5) of the CBN Act 2007, will continue to remain legal tender, ad infinitum. even beyond the initial December 31, 2023, deadline.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria is working with the relevant authorities to vacate the subsisting court ruling on the same subject. Accordingly, all CBN branches across the country will continue to issue and accept all denominations of Nigerian banknotes, old and redesigned, to and from deposit money banks.

“The general public is enjoined to continue to accept all Naira banknotes (old or redesigned) for day-to-day transactions and handle these banknotes with utmost care, to safeguard and protect the lifecycle of the banknotes. Also, the general public is encouraged to embrace alternative modes of payment, e-channels, for day-to-day transactions.”

This is the third statement the CBN has issued concerning naira notes in recent times. Earlier this month, it clarified that there was no scarcity of naira in the country. Later, it announced that every banknote remains legal tender and should not be rejected by anyone.

The apex bank has had to clear the air on the naira following a March ruling by the Supreme Court that asked the CBN to allow old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes to continue as legal tender till December 31, 2023, after the bank announced a new naira design policy and expiration dates for the denominations.

The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, in October 2022 disclosed a plan to redesign some naira denominations (N200, N500, and N1000 notes) and reduce currency circulation.

According to Emefiele, the currency move was to control currency in circulation as well as curb counterfeit currency and ransom payments to kidnappers and terrorists. He stated that the existing old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes would retain their legal tender status until January 31, 2023.

The apex would later extend its deadline until February 10, 2023, but the Zamfara, Kogi, and Kaduna state governments would on February 3 file a suit against the Attorney-General of the Federation on the policy.

Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Kano, Sokoto, Ogun, and Cross River would later join the suit as co-plaintiffs. In a ruling in March 2023, the Supreme Court invalidated the new naira design policy because it was not done with due consultation and in line with constitutional provisions.

With this new CBN directive, Nigerians can now expect to spend old N200, N500, and N1000 beyond December 2023.

The National President, Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria, Victor Olojo, recently told The PUNCH, “The new decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria to retain both the old and new notes is a good and positive development, particularly coming out to clear the speculations before December that was initially set, at least to forestall the scarcity issue that happened earlier in the year.”

Lagos, Rivers, Kwara, Bauchi workers shun Labour, Kano, Edo, Delta, A’Ibom, others comply

The Federal Government on Tuesday berated the organised Labour over the ongoing nationwide strike declared by union leaders following the assault on the Nigeria Labour Congress President, Joe Ajaero.

Kamarudeen Ogundele, the Special Assistant to the Minister of the Justice and the Attorney-General of the Federation, in an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, said the strike was not in the interest of the country.

But President of the Trade Union Congress, Festus Osifo who also appeared on Arise Television, noted that the Governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodimma, had not apologised over the brutalisation of Ajaero.

He said this as nationwide strike declared by the organised Labour recorded partial compliance in several states on Tuesday.

Faulting the Labour leaders, Ogundele said, “Declaring a strike at this time will not be in the interest of the country. The country is trying to regain economic control and to also recover in several sectors. Instead of looking for at how we progress as a nation, there is no need for us to try to be involved in actions that will constitute a clog in the process of the country.” 

When asked if the FG had not talked to the labour unions before it got to this stage of protest, Ogundele said who spoke on what he described as the genesis of the strike, said, “They (the labour unions) claimed that the NLC president was attacked in Imo State and I understand that there was an order of the court banning them from assembling or protesting in Imo. But they went against the order of the court by assembling. The government of the day is not out to promote violence but the labour unions have not come out to say the president of the country had a hand in what happened on that day. Why are they now trying to escalate what happened in the state to the whole federation?”

Justifying the strike, Osifo stated, “We allowed some of the essential services workers to work because we are also patriotic people at the end of the day. From our assessment, the strike has been successful based on our template and if the government continuously foot drags, more institutions will be shut down.

On the court order stopping the strike, Osifo said, “The government can not continually take black market injunctions to cripple Labour. They will have to arrest the entire Nigerians.”

But there was partial compliance to the strike. While workers in Lagos, Rivers, Kwara, Bauchi, Zamfara, and several other states completely shunned the strike as offices, schools, and banks opened, there was partial compliance in some states where some sectors partly obeyed the strike directive.

Partial observance was recorded in Anambra, Ondo, Kaduna, Borno, and Ogun states as banks and overnment offices were open in some of them while workers did not report at work in others.

The strike was declared by the NLC and the TUC to protest the alleged brutalisation of the NLC president, during a workers‘ protest in Owerri, Imo State, on November 1.

Banks, government and private-owned schools, and tertiary institutions across Lagos did not obey the strike directive.

 Also, business owners and parastatals carried on with their activities throughout Tuesday.

Our correspondents visited some schools in Lagos, including Omole Grammar School, Olusosun Primary Health Centre, Oregun, and Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital and all were open for services.

Banks in the Oregun, Ikeja axis also opened their doors to customers.

However, students at the University of Lagos, Akoka, were sent away from their classrooms.

A student in the Department of Social Work, who gave his name simply as Emeka, said, “We came for a lecture at 9am but till 11am, we didn’t see our lecturer so we went back to our hostels while those leaving

off-campus went back home after we were told there was a strike.”

The Lagos State University, Ojo, did not participate in the strike as it went on with its ongoing examinations.

Students were seen reading and moving in and out of halls to sit for their exams.

A visit to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control office in the Oshodi area of the state also revealed that workers went about with their daily activities.

Public and private schools in Lagos state were open for regular school activities with no sign of strike observed.

Some teachers, who spoke to our correspondent, said they were aware of the directive by the NLC but had no reason to comply.

A teacher at a technical school, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “We have a full house here. All our teachers are

working, and all our students are here. We heard about the strike, but, as you can see, we are not on strike.”

It was also observed that some workers at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, were at their duty posts, while some offices only had a handful of staffers hanging around their offices when our correspondent visited.

The Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State chapter of the NLC, Mr Ismail Adejumo, said the level of compliance would increase on Wednesday (today).

“We have a substantial level of compliance today (Tuesday). Most of our affiliates have complied and we are mobilising others to join the struggle.

“Both the NLC and the TUC are in this struggle together.

We are currently moving around to monitor and enforce compliance among all our sister affiliates. We are determined to ensure that there is total compliance,’’ he stated.

Rivers workers

In Rivers State, the labour action recorded no compliance as schools, banks, and the state secretariat were open to the public.

Our correspondent, who went round Port Harcourt reports the banks on the entire stretch of Aba Road and Azikiwe Road attended to customers. 

 State workers said they were aware of the nationwide strike but that they had yet to receive any directive from their unions in the state to join the industrial action.

 Similarly, normal activities were observed at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital where the staff attended to patients.

 But the Nigerian Ports Authority’s entrance was barricaded by some union leaders who also prevented human and vehicular entry.

 They used a MAC truck and several private cars to block the roundabout from the industry road axis of Port Harcourt all the way to the gate of Ports.

 Following the development, some staff of the NPA were denied entry into the complex.

The state Chairman of the NLC, Alex Agwanwor, and his TUC counterpart, Okechukwu Onyefuru, had in a joint statement said they would comply fully with the strike directive.

In Kwara State, civil servants, including judicial workers, boycotted the strike as the ministries, departments, agencies, and courts operated in Ilorin, the state capital, throughout the day.

However, federal workers and bank officials did not report for work as their offices were under lock and key.

Commercial banks which opened to the public in the morning later shut their gates to customers following a directive from their union, while students who had earlier resumed classes were sent home by their teachers.

 Most bank customers were left disappointed as the ATM machines were not dispensing cash.

Electricity consumers were not spared the pains of the strike as the Ibadan Electricity Distribution company locked its offices in Challenge and Baboko business centres.

 The banner of the National Union of Electricity Employees was displayed at the gates of the business facility.

The security men informed the customers that the workers were on strike.

 However, commercial transport operators in the state did not join the strike. 

 The NLC Chairman in the state, Saheed Olayinka, said that though some workers reported in their offices early in the day, they later left for their homes.

He said that a committee had been put in place by the NLC to monitor the strike, adding that members had been going around the offices to ensure that workers complied with the directive on the strike.

Bauchi schools

There was partial compliance in Bauchi State as some banks, schools, and filling stations opened for business in the metropolis.

 The Fidelity Bank branch located close to Shagari Plaza opened to its customers but Taj, Access, and Eco banks located on Bank Road shut their gates.

A teacher at a government primary school disclosed that they were asked to send the pupils away and go home.

She said, “We opened our school today and we did our academic activities as usual but we got a circular from the Local Government Education Authority that we should close down. But because when the memo came we had a few minutes to close and the pupils were to write a test, so I just gave them the test and we closed.”

The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Ibrahim Inuwa, said that their members complied with the directives.

In Makurdi, Benue State, banks, schools, and the state secretariat were made to shut their gates as labour leaders in the state enforced the strike directive.

Primary and post-primary school pupils who were on their way to school were sent back and banks were forced to close.

Leaders of the NLC and TUC, Terungwa Igbe and Gideon Akaa, respectively described the level of compliance as ‘substantial.’

Some civil servants protested the action of the labour leaders and described it as ‘selfish.’

A worker, who simply identified himself as Amenger said, “I don’t know what has become of labour these days; because Ajaero was manhandled in Imo, all Nigerians must suffer.

“What did Ajaero do concerning those people recruited by (ex-governor Samuel) Ortom who were laid off by (Governor Hyacinth) Alia? Or what did he do when workers in Benue were not paid for several months? 

Reacting to the question, Akaa replied, “One of the slogans of the labour union is an injury to one is injury to all,” adding that what labour was doing was to engage the government and stated, noting that what happened to workers in Benue was not peculiar to the state.

Workers in Enugu also snubbed the strike but the state NLC Chairman, Fabian Nwigbo, said they were working on how to mobilise them for the strike.

“We are at a meeting and I am trying to prepare a letter to galvanise the workers for the strike. You know the order is coming from the national secretariat,” he said.

However, our correspondent observed that banks and offices were rendering services to their customers.

Similarly, academic activities were in full swing in both private and government schools.

The strike recorded partial compliance in the Federal Capital Territory as banks and the Abuja airport remained open.

In observance of the strike, members of staff and visitors to the National Assembly, Abuja, were prevented from accessing the complex. 

The Federal Secretariat was notably less busy than usual as many of the offices, among which are the Ministry offices of Education and Health, were closed.

Similarly, banks in the area including Zenith, Access, and First City Monument banks, were closed, and only spotted a few customers at the banks’ ATMs.

Bayelsa workers

Civil servants in Bayelsa State stayed away from their offices leaving the secretariat deserted.

Many public schools were also closed, but a few private schools opened their gates to students.

 It was also observed that some banks including GTB, Access, Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, and Keystone attended to customers in Yenagoa, the state capital.

There was full compliance in Plateau State as the offices were shut. 

The union leaders in the state were said to have locked the federal and state secretariats around 5am in compliance with the directive from their headquarters.

Staff of the University of Jos who reported for work in the morning were seen returning home before 10 am.

 The state NLC Chairman, Eugene Manji, declared that the workers would continue to observe the strike until otherwise directed by their national leaders.

 In Edo, the state secretariat was shut on Tuesday by the NLC executives in the state.

 The NLC Chairman, Odion Olaye, explained that he had sent his members to schools, the airport, petrol stations, and the Nigeria Petroleum Development Corporation to enforce compliance with the strike action.

Banks along Akpapava, Mission roads, forestry, and other areas were also shut down with customers trying to get money from a few ATMs that dispensed cash.

 At the Benin Airport, an official said planes were landing and taking off as the facility was operating without any hitches.

In Warri, Delta State, labour leaders were seen locking the gates to the NPA; the Warri South Local Government secretariat was equally shut down.

The situation was not different in Kano where the Audu Bako State Secretariat which houses most of the ministries, was also closed down.

Staff members who reported for work were turned back even as banks and other financial institutions were locked down.

Bayero University students who were writing their first-semester examination were also affected by the strike as a number of them who went to the campus could not sit for their exam due to the strike.

Meanwhile, the Kano State Ministry of Education has suspended the 2023 Secondary Schools Qualifying Examination scheduled till further notice.

Workers in Zamfara State completely shunned the strike directive as many of them reported for duty.

Some of the workers said they were no longer in support of the labour union leaders as, according to them, “The union leaders are only fighting for themselves.” 

Ilyasu Mohammed said it would be a mistake for any civil servant to embark on a strike as directed by the labour union leaders.

He said, “We are tired of wasting our time going on strike which will at the end of the day become a fruitless effort. The labour leaders will use the opportunity to negotiate with the government, get money and later suspend the strike”.

“This has happened several times and nothing has been achieved. We are tired and we will not embark on strike as directed by the labour union”.

Another worker, Musa Garba, vowed, “I will not join the strike because it will not change anything.”

Findings further showed there was compliance with the strike order in Akwa Ibom, Osun, Ebonyi, Cross River, and Niger states while the labour action was partially successful in Anambra, Ondo, Kaduna, Borno,

Ogun, and a few other states.

In Anambra State, there were full economic and commercial activities were recorded in the commercial city of Onitsha, as banks opened for customers while primary and secondary schools were also in session. 

Also, some commercial banks in Akure, the Ondo State capital did not totally comply as they attended to customers. Similarly, teachers in some public schools in the state were also in the class teaching their pupils.

The NLC Chairman in Ebonyi State, Prof. Egwu Oguguo said the exercise recorded over 90 per cent compliance by workers in the state In Kaduna State, the headquarters of Kaduna Electric Distribution Company along Bank Road by Ahmadu Bello Way in the metropolis was shut to customers and workers as the officials of the National Union of Electricity Employees ensured that the main gate was firmed locked, but banks in the state attended to customers.

But there was total compliance in Delta State. The state secretariat popularly called Prof. Chike Edozien secretariat, was locked.

When The PUNCH went round government ministries and other establishments in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, at noon, on Tuesday, many workers were busy doing their duties.

The strike however recorded full compliance in Niger State as most public places were shut down.

Schools and hospitals in Ogun State complied with the directive of the organised Labour, banks shunned it. There was partial compliance in Bauchi State as some banks, schools, and filling stations opened in the Bauchi metropolis on Monday.

Labour berates Presidency 

Meanwhile, the NLC has said the strike is not a blackmail of the Presidency.

 The Congress further noted that President Bola Tinubu-led administration ought to be grateful for the “uncommon” patience displayed by the Organized Labour despite the sufferings faced by citizens following the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit known as petrol.

The NLC said this in a statement on Tuesday signed by its head of information, Benson Upah, in response to the statement on Monday by the Special Adviser to the president on Information and Strategy, Chief Bayo

Onanuga.

Onanuga had said the nationwide strike by the Organized Labour was an attempt to blackmail the Presidency.

But the NLC said, “We would have ignored Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy because we know him plus his penchant for unwarranted bellicosity and belligerence.

“We could equally have forgiven him, knowing full well that overzealous hirelings like him easily go into overdrive in the mistaken belief that they’d earn the confidence of their principals.’’ 

•Grace Edema, Solomon Odeniyi, Samuel Bolaji, Nathaniel Shaibu, Damilola Aina, Deborah Tolu-Kolawole, Raphael Ede, Animasahun Salman, Daniels Igoni, James Abraham, Tunde Oyekola, Adeyinka Adedipe, Dele Ogunyemi, Tukur Muntari, Bola Bamigbola, Sunday Nwakanma, Armstrong Bakam, Bankole Taiwo, Animasahun Salman, Patrick Odey, John Charles, Dennis Naku, Chika Otuchikere,Uthman Abubakar, Matthew Ochei, Godwin Isenyo, Edward Nnachi, Ada Wodu, Daniels Igoni, Maiharaji Altine,Gbenga Oloniniran and Peter Dada

The Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday arraigned a 31-year-old man, Frank Obodom, for alleged theft of a phone worth N720,000 in Alaba International Market, in the Ojo area of the state.

The defendant was arraigned before Magistrate L.Y. Balogun sitting before a Yaba Magistrate Court on one count bordering on phone theft.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, Chekwube Okeh, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on October 18, 2023, around 9.42 am at the Alaba market, Ojo, Lagos State.

She stated that Obodom entered a store belonging to Vigis International Limited at the Alaba market pretending to buy a phone case and while the attendant was sourcing for the ones to show to him, he took a Samsung Phone Model A03s.

Okeh also revealed that the defendant was captured by the Closed-Circuit Television cameras in the store and immediately the market task force officials were alerted and he was arrested.

The defendant, a graduate of quantity surveying from a polytechnic in Lagos State, when asked why he committed the offence claimed that he stole the phone because of his house rent that was due and he did not have enough money to pay.

He claimed that it was the first time he was indulging in such a crime.

According to Okey, the offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The charge read in part, “That you, Frank Obodom, on October 18, 2023 around 9 am at Ojo Alaba Market Ojo, Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did steal one Samsung Phone Model A03s, four other Samsung phones, all valued at N720, 000, property of Vigis International Limited and thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Following his pea, the magistrate, Mrs Balogun, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N300,000, with one responsible surety in like sum.

She, however, adjourned the case until December 12, 2023, for a hearing.