The Convener of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Edwin Clark, has questioned President Bola Tinubu’s silence on the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, particularly the status of former Speaker Martins Amaewhule and 27 other pro-Wike lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

In a statement released on Monday, the elder statesman insisted that the lawmakers, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), had lost their seats by law.

Clark accused the lawmakers of perjury, citing conflicting claims in separate court documents filed after their defection on December 11, 2023.

According to him, the failure of Amaewhule and the others to declare their defection in an earlier case before Justice Omotosho against the leadership of the National Assembly rendered the suit invalid.

He added that in a subsequent case filed on December 13, 2024, before Justice Donatus Okorowo, the lawmakers openly admitted their defection to the APC, which further highlighted the inconsistencies in their legal arguments.

The elder statesman argued that by law, lawmakers who defect from the party on which they were elected automatically lose their seats unless they can prove a division or crisis within their original party.

He said, “Now that the former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, and his 27 colleagues have confirmed in a court of law that they defected from the PDP to the APC, they have automatically lost their seats as of December 11, 2023, and are therefore disqualified from bringing any court action on behalf of the Rivers State House of Assembly and its members.

“Not disclosing their defection to Justice Omotosho’s court shows clearly that the case in Justice Omotosho’s court is null and void and of no effect. Therefore, the judgment allegedly given by Justice Omotosho in suit no: FHC/ABJ/1613/2023 is null and void, and it was a judgment obtained by fraud.

“Similarly, the three-man panel that sat on Justice Omotosho’s case did not preside over any valid judgment to be reviewed or supervised by the Court of Appeal, because the case was dead long ago. Therefore, they resorted to using unnecessary and insulting language against the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, which is tactless and uncalled for.”

Clark also alleged that the FCT Minister and the lawmakers were doing everything possible to undermine Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, adding that President Tinubu had failed to call Wike to order.

He criticised Wike for having no respect for the Constitution, stating that Nigerians would one day ask the President why he allowed the Minister to breach the Constitution on several occasions.

“He (Wike) wants to bring down the government of Siminalayi Fubara at all costs and without justification. Everybody in Nigeria heard him threatening the government of Siminalayi Fubara, an innocent governor, and the impression is being given that some people are above the law, including the former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, and his 27 colleagues.”

“Mr. President has been called several times to call his Minister to order because a Minister cannot disobey the Constitution of Nigeria, yet Mr. President looks on.”

“We have respectfully appealed to President Bola Tinubu on several occasions to call Nyesom Wike to order or prevent him from breaching the Constitution of Nigeria, but unfortunately, Mr. President has failed to carry out his duty as the number one citizen of this country.”

“Nyesom Wike, who is a serving Minister in President Bola Tinubu’s government, has no regard or respect for the Constitution of Nigeria. Mr. President may one day be asked by patriotic Nigerians why he allowed Nyesom Wike to breach the Constitution of Nigeria on several occasions,” the statement said.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has threatened to take legal action against the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, over claims that lawyers aid the illicit financial flows to offshore accounts.

Olukoyede had earlier alleged that it was impossible for major financial fraud to occur without lawyers’ involvement.

He stated that lawyers prioritize personal gain over national interest, particularly in cases like the P&ID scam and the Mambilla Power Project.

Reacting, the NBA, represented by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, (SAN) argued that the EFCC boss lacked sufficient evidence to back his claim.

He berated Olukoyede for painting the legal profession in a bad light.

Osigwe challenged the EFCC chairman to provide evidence or forever hold his peace.

He said, “We challenge the EFCC Chairman to come up with empirical evidence and if he can not, he should never make such a statement again.

“Unfortunately, he is one of us. He is a lawyer. We had earlier drawn his attention to the fact that many men and women who make the investigation and prosecution of cases by the EFCC worthwhile are lawyers.

“Is he then suggesting that his lawyers are aiding money laundering and financing of terrorism?

“It is common in Nigeria for people to make hasty generalizations, yet, very few lawyers, to my knowledge, have been prosecuted by the EFCC for aiding money laundering.

“If for example, he has evidence of many lawyers who have aided money laundering and who are standing trial or who may have been convicted or who had pleaded guilty, then, one could say that he has evidence.

“It is unfortunate that such a statement was made and I am sure that with the benefit of hindsight, he would not have made the statement.

“In the absence of evidence, such a statement should never be made. We are proud members of the legal profession and we must draw the line in performing our professional duties and aiding the commission of crime. We do not do that.

“There may be a few bad eggs but that does not represent the picture or the majority of lawyers who toil to build up a reputation of integrity and professionalism.

“The EFCC Chairman should not for whatever reason soil that image by portraying all of us as aiders of money laundering.

“If that happens again, we will take legal action to protect the image of the legal profession.”

President Bola Tinubu has expressed delight with the latest Gross Domestic Product report by the National Bureau of Statistics, which shows an improvement in Nigeria’s economic outlook.

A statement on Monday, signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, said the positive performance shows that the reforms embarked upon by the President are bearing goof fruits.

Naija News reports that the NBS, in its latest report released on Monday, disclosed that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.46%. The growth showed an increase in economic performance from Q2 GDP of 3.19% and higher growth from 2023 Q3 GDP of 2.54%.

Reacting, Dare conveyed President Tinubu’s assurance to Nigerians of better economic output as the economy continues to expand following the newly released third quarter Gross Domestic Product report by the National Bureau of Statistics.

He added that the growth in GDP shows that President Tinubu’s quest for a more robust boost in the economy and, by extension, a better standard of living for all Nigerians is on course.

The media aide noted that President Tinubu remains committed to actualizing a $1 trillion economy for Nigeria by 2030.

“The 3.46% growth indicates Nigeria is recovering from the reforms’ unintended effects.

“President Tinubu said his administration has not and will never forget his promise of a $1 trillion economy by 2030. He assured that once the economy is rebased by early 2025 to capture its dynamism and record significant changes that have occurred in different sectors, the country will be on its way to shared prosperity.

“The latest GDP growth in the third quarter is driven by key sectors such as Agriculture, Transport, Education, Health, Real Estate, Finance and Insurance, ICT, Trade, and Manufacturing.

“This performance once again shows that the reforms embarked upon by the Tinubu administration to reposition the economy and ensure better fiscal management are beginning to yield fruits,” the statement reads.

Dare also explained further that Tinubu’s proposed tax reforms are intended to benefit the entire nation by ensuring more equitable distribution of the country’s wealth.

“The proposed tax reforms also indicate the administration’s resolve to reduce the tax burden on small businesses and spread prosperity to the poor. The new Tax regime seeks to promote equity by reducing what is known as the headquarters effect—a situation where states where company headquarters are based get more benefits because their taxes for the whole nation are remitted—in favour of spatial and demographic equity.

“President Tinubu said, “I am excited by the latest report from the National Bureau of Statistics that our economy grew in the third quarter more than last quarter and even beyond projected estimates. While I welcome this development, the latest figure also shows the much work that needs to be done. We won’t rest until Nigerians feel the positive impacts in their pockets and experience a better living standard. My administration remains committed to the welfare of our people.”

“The top contributing sectors to GDP in Q3 2024 are Agriculture 28.65%, ICT 16.35%, Trade 14.78%, Manufacturing 8.21%, Crude Oil 5.57%, Finance & Insurance 5.51% and Real Estate 5.43%,” the statement concluded.

“I hear that the National Assembly has approved the external borrowing of a $2.2 billion for the Tinubu administration to address the fiscal deficit in the 2024 Budget”

“Bros, I tire. I just tire. What on earth do they do with all these borrowings?”

“There is actually a deficit of $9.17 billion deficit in the 2024 budget, when you add Eurobonds, interest on Ways and Means, foreign debt and domestic debt, and I hear that Nigeria can borrow more in line with Section 21(1) and Section 27(1) of the Debt Management Office (DMO) Establishment Act of 2003.”

“The DMO will quote anything to please any government in power. Is that woman still there? My concern is what they do with all the money”

“They want to service debts and finance capital projects”

“In November? I would have thought that by now, we should have been talking about Budget 2025. This is November. We are rushing to borrow more money as the year ends. Don’t they want to maintain the budget cycle again? I am confused. And which capital projects is anyone talking about? SUVs, for the lawmakers? Presidential jets? Foreign trips? I am sorry I can’t see any capital projects. They just want to borrow more money for consumption, not productivity. The roads are bad. Nobody talks about the railway system in the country anymore. Air travel is a nightmare. The refineries are still not working. The cost of living is high. The average man cannot breathe, cannot eat, cannot live. Yet, the Federal Executive Council approved more external borrowing and it took the National Assembly 48 hours to rubber-stamp the loan.”

“Did you expect anything different? The National Assembly is an extension of the Executive arm of government. It will rubber stamp anything that comes from the Executive and that is the case with the VAT Bill too.” 

“But if it is a bill on things that would pave the way for good governance, the same National Assembly could spend years huffing and puffing, but anything that would benefit the elite and make it easier to have access to more of the state’s resources, the APC-dominated National Assembly would act quickly. The real wonderful in wonderland.”. 

“Have you heard?”

“You and your rumours.”

“This one is hot oh”

“The problem with you people in this country is rumour-mongering. Una too dey carry gist. Una carry gist so tey, you even carry phone spread rumour that Otunba Mike Adenuga had died. This is a man who gave many of you the opportunity to use mobile phones in your life. The Spirit of Africa. A Patriot.  I am sure it must have been one yeye man, using a useless, miserable phone. Nigerians are something else.”

“In Yoruba culture, when your death is prematurely and wrongly announced, it means the person will live long. We pray for long life for Otunba Mike Adenuga, in very good health, upstairs and downstairs and in all ways, with more grace and prosperity. Do you remember the story of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, nationalist, founding father of the nation, pan-Africanist. On November 8, 1989, his death was announced meanwhile the man was hale and hearty and working on a book in his library when he read his own obituary? NTA had rushed to do a documentary on the life and times of the inimitable Zik. Newspapers showed up the following morning with editorials. Columnists wanted to be the first to announce Zik’s death. Such was the force of his impact in politics, business and newspapering. Except that Zik was alive and he lived for another seven years. A burial committee was even announced. Bros, some of the members of that burial committee died before Zik. In Yoruba culture, when people wish you dead, they are actually praying inadvertently for your longevity. May Otunba Mike Adenuga live longer than those who want him buried before his time. So shall it be. Amen.”  

“Is it not journalists? When journalists are not killing people, they are sending them to jail, without conviction. Who is a journalist these days?”

“I don’t know. I guess things are so bad now that anybody with access to the internet can put any information out there on social media. It is the price that the world is paying for the democratization of the information process, the Indomie-nisation of news, the collapse of traditional media systems and the emergence of charlatans in what was once a sacred profession. But let me give you my gist now?” 

“Okay. Fire! Just make sure it is not a fabrication by some ignoramus”.

 “Hen. Hen. I hear that”

“You heard. Hen Hen.”

“I heard that principal officers of the National Assembly, in fact two of them from the South, locked horns, with one holding the other’s agbada around the neck, both trying to suffocate each other. A blow. A jab. I don’t want to mention names. One Northern Senator had to wade in to prevent bloodshed.”

“The story sounds fabulous. Mention names”

“I hear they are trying very hard to cover it up and to prevent pictures of the ugly tiff getting to the media. My source is impeccable.”

“Oh. Oh. Oh. Story. Story. But what has this got to do with the external borrowing approval. What we hear is that the lawmakers all agreed on that. So, what could be the problem after they passed one of the fastest pieces of legislation in Nigeria. No public hearing. Nothing.” 

“It was a fight over who could show that he was more loyal to the Presidential Villa.” 

“Must be a fight over who gets what for his own stomach or for his own people. Afterall, you said a Northern Senator waded in. He shouldn’t have, if that is true. What is wrong with that Senator? Who asked him to stop whatever could have been like a Jake Paul/Mike Tyson fight or a Joshua/Dubois fight, He should have allowed the two gladiators to beat each other up, and by now, we would have known more. I like it when politicians fight. We get to know more, because it is we, the people who suffer in the long run.” 

“Just as the people of Rivers state are the ones going to suffer if the Court of Appeal declares when it delivers its reserved judgement in the FAAC Allocation matter, that the Rivers State Government led by Governor Sim Fubara cannot receive any further Federal Allocations if it does not have a properly presented, passed and legally valid Budget. Who suffers?” 

“The people suffer, and that is because we are running a bowl-in-hand Federation. The states are so dependent on the Federal Government for manna. But nobody should blame the judiciary. The source of the problem is the political gladiators of Rivers State and the elders in that state who talk from both sides of the mouth and serve both Wike and Fubara. One state. Two masters. They have all managed to turn Rivers State into an atomistic society perpetually at war against itself.”  

“I know that phrase. It sounds familiar. That must be Professor Emmanuel Ayandele, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar describing the old Cross Rivers state of the 80s, in the days of late Professor Okon Edet Uya who used to talk about Oron-phobia But those ones were even intellectualizing the politics of Cross Rivers State. What you have in Rivers State is sheer elite thuggery, politics without conscience, agbero politics and the dictatorship of one man who thinks he is the lord and master of Rivers politics.”

“So, I insist that whatever the judiciary decides is not the problem. The problem in Rivers state will not go away whatever the Court of Appeal decides except President Tinubu intervenes and cuts off the oxygen that is fuelling the chaos in that state.”

“No. President Tinubu is not the headmaster of any state of Nigeria. It is the people of Rivers State that should resolve their own problems. Let the critical actors solve their own problems. For all I care at this stage, they should lock themselves up in a room and have a slugfest. Whoever comes out alive is the winner.” 

“What kind of talk is that? You are recommending jungle justice. Do you want to kill someone? Just look at it. If you lock up Sim Fubara and Nyesom Wike, who says nobody can take Rivers away from him in a room, what will be the likely outcome?”

“I don’t know. This is no longer a matter for the courts. Let them fight, and let us know who is the man”

“This is a democracy. Only Barbarians resort to fist-fight.”

“Then let President Tinubu wade into the matter. This is the point I am making. Wike is his Minister. He is so powerful in Rivers State because he is a big chief in the Federal Capital Territory. The President should remove the rug from his feet. Take the oxygen that makes it possible for him to Buga oh, from him and you will see there will be peace in Rivers State.” 

“Now, I am convinced that you do not understand politics. That is not how politics works. President Tinubu needs Wike as much as Wike needs him. It is not about Tinubu sacking Wike. Who told you that will guarantee peace in Rivers? Why should Rivers be important to Tinubu? Is it possible that a strong, properly empowered Wike is politically more relevant to Tinubu than the whole of Rivers state put together?” 

“How can one man be so important?”

“In politics, what you don’t know, you don’t know. Politics is the ultimate magic, the topmost art of illusion, known to man. Why do you think President Donald Trump is on his way back as the President of the largest economy in the world, despite his many shortcomings including being a convicted felon?”  

“Politics does not always throw up the best people in the society. I know. I guess we must know that. And the people who vote have their own ideas. We just need to let the people know that whatever you decide, you must be ready to live with it. In four years, you can change your mind.”

“Yeah. Yeah. I hope the people of Rivers State are learning and learning good. And we will see how the Americans would learn their own lessons under Trump 2.0 too.”

“Trump has just named his full complement of Ministerial nominees, 15 in total.” 

“I saw that, but I won’t say I am impressed with the list. Just a collection of MAGA loyalists, yes men and women and a few old rivals, completely eclectic.  What is Robert Kennedy Jr. doing as nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services for example? Another nominee is a wrestling CEO, named as Linda McMahon to take charge of the Education Department, a more or less inexperienced choice. Pete Hegseth has sexual abuse issues, like Matt Gaetz, hanging around his neck. At least Gaetz stepped down before he could be openly disgraced by the Ethics Committee of the House of Representatives. And then this Scott Bessent – an openly gay man appointed by Trump who touts Christian evangelism and far-right ideology even when he may not be able to quote the Bible. Politicians are the same everywhere. They just look out for themselves first. America first in my view means Donald Trump first. But let the Americans live with it. They have made their choice.”  

 “All said and done, America has nominated just 15 people, not a nominee per state or per ethnicity. I have not seen anybody saying their own ethnic group has not been represented. No Black. No Latino. No Arab-American and yet no issue.” 

“It is their Constitution, and their culture. We are talking about America not your “whatever” countries in the Third World, please. This is the richest country. The budget that Brooke Rollins as Agriculture Secretary will control is more than the annual budget of some three African countries! In any case, what matters is what a Trump Presidency means for the world, climate change, global peace, the competition with China. But I don’t even want to beat myself over other people’s problems. In two days, America will celebrate Thanksgiving. I have been seeing some pictures of very regal, fleshy Turkeys. Chop time! Fun time.”

“You like food too much. You are reading about American Thanksgiving and you are already doing long throat. I don’t have Thanksgiving on my mind. I am thinking of Christmas. Will there be money for Christmas? School fees? Money for gifts. I hope you know that today, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria is going to announce their usual benchmark rate, CRR, MPR, asymmetric corridor which will tell us how hard life is, how harder it may become and whether or not we can breathe a little. With inflation rate close to 40%, may the Lord help us.”  

“You may be surprised. Benchmark rate may actually come down”

“I want to be surprised. But I actually also know this country so well that when things go up, they don’t come down.” 

“Not quite my friend. The ex-depot price of fuel has just come down from N990 per litre to N970 per litre. And that is a fact. Christmas gift from Dangote Refinery through the now peaceful oil marketers to us” 

“What a wonderful fact!”

“Our God has answered our prayers, He has sent to us, early ahead of Christmas, a Father who cares.”

“You are right. You are absolutely right.”

“Hear! Hear!”

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, said on Monday that the investigation launched by the Federal Government to identify civil servants still receiving salaries after relocating abroad is ongoing.

While denying claims that the process has been abandoned, the HoS stressed that the government remains committed to ensuring those who have moved abroad in search of better opportunities are no longer benefiting from the system.

Walson-Jack made the statement at an event in Abuja marking her 100 days in office and a review of her tenure in the civil service.

This development comes five months after President Bola Tinubu ordered that civil servants who continue to receive government salaries after relocating abroad must refund the money.

The president also instructed that supervisors and department heads responsible for enabling such fraudulent practices be held accountable.

Walson-Jack confirmed that the investigation is still underway, and they are using the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) to track workers’ movements.

She said, “You are asking about civil servants who may have ‘Japa’. We know that the issue was raised, and some verifications were carried out. Since then, some returned quickly, while others retired honourably.

“Right now, we are continuing the process, scrutinising the IPPIS payroll to identify those who are still in the country and those who are not. This will be an ongoing process to ensure that people cannot receive salaries while living abroad.”

She added, “Some progress has been made, and we will continue to monitor the situation until it is fully addressed.”
Walson-Jack also thanked her staff for their tremendous support and praised the ‘Super Permanent Secretaries’ for making her first 100 days in office a smooth experience.

“The first 100 days in office is a significant milestone. It provides an opportunity to reflect on the achievements made, assess progress, and set goals for the future,” she stated.

While thanking President Tinubu for appointing her to the position, the former permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education also assured that her office is working closely with the Federal Civil Service Commission to tackle the issue of job racketeering within the service.

“I know that the Federal Civil Service Commission is responsible for recruitment, but we are fully supporting that responsibility. Regarding job racketeering, we will do everything we can to eliminate it,” she said.

“Where someone has obtained a job through fraudulent means, we will work with the commission to ensure that the person is sanctioned,” she added.

An unidentified American woman has narrated how two Nigerian internet fraudsters popularly known as “Yahoo boys” duped her of a huge sum of money in romance scams.

The not-so-little above 50-year-old woman also declared her love for Nigerian men, describing them as the “sexiest and most handsome men on this planet” despite her heartbreaking experiences.

In a viral video on Sunday, the woman spoke about how she met one of the scammers in 2020 on TikTok.

She displayed the young Nigerian’s picture and the one he used for his unsuspecting victims, adding that she got to know about his real identity and his girlfriend whom he is planning to get married to after he mistakenly dialled her contact with his Nigerian line.

“Back in 2020, I met this man, I was with him for ten months, and I got sick of him because he was always demanding money. He always wanted more and more, so I decided to say enough was enough because one day he made a mistake and called me from a Nigerian phone number, and he was trying to play it off that it was his friend’s number.

“So when I was finally done that I didn’t want to have anything to do with him again, he opened up to me. Now, he is about to get married to his Nigerian girlfriend (showed their picture).

“May God bless them and hopefully they have a long life together. God will bless their relationship. I also congratulated him. And I hope everything goes well for him,” she said.

Narrating her second experience, she asserted that it was with a young boy who played smart on her with another identity but later opened up that he did that to help his sick mother who later survived because he could foot the hospital bills.

The white woman said, “This second was a little different. He was more polite and considered my feelings, but then after a year with him, he decided to come out and tell me the truth that he was a young Nigerian boy trying to put himself through school and his mother was very sick. And he kept thanking me because I saved his mother’s life.”

“That one doesn’t hurt me much because I know that the money went for good. The other guy, that’s not good because I used to see videos of him throwing money around and spending it on Nigerian hook-up girls. I’m over it. I will bounce back one day.

“I still have love for the Nigerian people, the men are the sexiest and most handsome men on this planet. I pray that nothing like this ever happen to me again because now I know all those secrets. They destroyed my life financially. Please be safe in that country because I know that a lot of the people there are struggiling. But you have to remember that a lot of American women are struggling too because it is difficult being a woman here and struggling too especially when you don’t have partner.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has always cracked down on internet fraudsters across the states of the federation.

On May 2023, EFCC’s chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, disclosed that the Commission secured  3175 convictions and recovered over N156 billion between May 29, 2023, and May 29, 2024, when President Bola Tinubu assumed office.

He stated this in Abuja at the launch of the Zero Tolerance Club at the University of Abuja, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

Olukoyede, who spoke through the Secretary to the Commission, Mohammed Hammajoda said the EFCC  also recovered  $43,835,214.24,  £25,365.00,  €186,947.10, ₹51,360.00, C$3,750.00, A$740.00,  ¥74,754.00, R35,000.00, 42,390.00 UAE Dirhams, 247.00 Riyals and 21,580, 867631 Crypto Currency.

Speaking further, the chairman stated that though the EFCC put up impressive performance within the year, the involvement of youths in internet fraud continued to pose serious concerns to every stakeholder in the anti-graft war.

“In spite of this commendable performance, the commission is deeply worried about the increasing involvement of young people, including students, in cybercrime, popularly called Yahoo Yahoo. Hundreds of suspects are arrested monthly, with many of them ending up in jail,” he said.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has rescued a driver after a 40-foot loaded container fell on a Toyota Camry with the registration number LSR 293 HJ at Mile 2, enroute to Apapa.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director of the Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, and shared on X.com on Monday.

According to the statement, a joint rescue team comprising LASTMA, the Federal Road Safety Corps, and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency rescued the victim alive and rushed him to the hospital for immediate medical attention.

The statement read, “In a distressing incident, a 40-foot loaded container fell onto a Toyota Camry, registration number LSR 293 HJ, at Mile 2, en route to Apapa.

“Through the swift and coordinated response of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and other emergency services, including the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the driver of the vehicle was rescued alive.

“The victim received immediate medical attention after being rushed to the hospital by the joint rescue team.

“Security during the operation was effectively maintained by officers from the Kirikiri Police Division, who ensured a secure and orderly environment for the emergency responders.

“Following the rescue, the Toyota Camry was successfully removed from beneath the container. Efforts to evacuate the fallen container are ongoing, while LASTMA officers continue to manage the scene to ease traffic congestion and restore normalcy.”

The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, stressed the importance of truck drivers and owners properly securing containers.

He warned that negligence in this regard poses a serious danger to lives and property, urging strict compliance with road safety protocols.

Nigeria’s unemployment rate declined to 4.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2024, signalling improved labour market conditions.

According to the latest report released on Monday, by the National Bureau of Statistics, this marked a decrease from the 5.3 per cent recorded in Q1 2024 and reflected a gradual recovery from the 5.0 per cent in Q3 2023.

The Labour Force Participation Rate rose to 79.5 per cent, up from 77.3 per cent in the previous quarter, highlighting increased workforce engagement.

The Employment-to-Population Ratio also showed significant improvement, climbing to 76.1 per cent in Q2 2024 from 73.2 per cent in Q1 2024.

This indicates that a higher proportion of the working-age population was gainfully employed during the period.

Also, self-employment remained dominant, accounting for 85.6 per cent of total employment, an increase from 84 per cent in the preceding quarter.

Informal employment also rose slightly to 93.0 per cent, highlighting the economy’s reliance on informal jobs.

Urban unemployment stood at 5.2 per cent, a reduction from 6.0 per cent in Q1 2024.

However, rural areas recorded an even lower unemployment rate of 2.8 per cent, compared to 4.3 per cent in the previous quarter.

This disparity highlights the continued role of agriculture and informal activities in rural employment, contrasting with the urban dependence on formal and service-driven jobs.

The youth unemployment rate (ages 15–24) dropped significantly to 6.5 per cent, compared to 8.4 per cent in Q1 2024.

The report further revealed gender disparities, with the unemployment rate for females at 5.1 per cent, compared to 3.4 per cent for males.

This suggests a need for targeted gender-inclusive policies to bridge the employment gap.

The report read, “The unemployment rate is defined as the share of the labour force not employed but actively searching for and available for work.

“Unemployment is one of the components of labour underutilisation. The unemployment rate for Q2 2024 was 4.3 per cent, showing an increase of 0.1 percentage point compared to the same period last year.

“The unemployment rate among males was 3.4 per cent and 5.1 per cent among females.

“By place of residence, the unemployment rate was 5.2 per cent in urban areas and 2.8 per cent in rural areas. Youth unemployment rate was 6.5 per cent in Q2 2024, showing a decrease from 8.4 per cent in Q1 2024.”

Time-related underemployment, which measures workers seeking additional hours, dropped to 9.2 per cent in Q2 2024 from 10.6 per cent in Q1.

Labour underutilisation metrics also improved, with LU2 (unemployment and time-related underemployment) decreasing to 13.0 per cent from 15.3 per cent in the previous quarter.

LU3 and LU4 metrics, which include potential labour force participation, also recorded declines to 5.9 per cent and 14.5 per cent, respectively.

United States President-elect, Donald Trump, is reportedly planning to sign an executive order that would remove all transgender members from the country’s military.

Daily Mail reports that the development has raised concerns within the LGBTQ+ community.

The development is coming amid moves by the US Congress to stop first transgender lawmaker from using female restrooms and bathrooms in her new workplace.

According to the report, state officials had stated that transgender personnel would be discharged on medical grounds, deeming them “unfit” to serve.

DAILY POST recalls that during Trump’s first administration, he introduced a similar policy that prohibited transgender individuals from joining the Armed Forces.

He, however, allowed those already enlisted to remain in their roles.

President Joe Biden later overturned the military ban in his first week as President in 2021 after Trump left office.