A devastating incident has occurred in Abubor Nnewichi community, Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, where a mother and her four children have died from suspected food poisoning.

The victims, identified as Onyinye (mother) and her children, Miracle, Dominion, Amanda, and Kosi, reportedly died after consuming their dinner on Monday.

According to eyewitnesses and family sources, the family had finished eating the meal before the incident occurred, and the remnants suggested it might have been a cassava meal.

However, the exact cause of the poisoning is still unknown. The father, who was not present at the time of the incident, was rushed to the hospital after suffering a shock upon returning home to find his family members lifeless.

Two other siblings, a boy and a girl, escaped the tragedy as they were not living with their parents in Nnewi.

The police have confirmed the incident and are investigating the cause of the deaths. The bodies of the victims have been deposited at the morgue for autopsy.

Also, Anambra State Police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, stated: “It is a case of sudden and unnatural death reported to the command.”

Nigerians on social media have raised N1.8 million for Ogwu Benjamin Chijioke, who during Thursday’s nationwide protest, highlighted his struggle to provide for his 13-year-old son, a programmer, due to the country’s economic difficulties.

Chijioke, who was interviewed by Channels TV at the protest, shared his challenge in supporting his 13-year-old son, Goodluck Benjamin, a budding game programmer hindered by economic hardships.

Chijioke, expressing deep personal sacrifice, stated, “I’d rather die on the streets than let my son’s future go to waste. I know I may not have security in Nigeria, but my son’s future will not waste.”

His poignant story resonated with many, prompting a surge of support on social media.

Prominent Figure Morris Monye, known on X, remarked, “You can feel the passion in his soul. He’s lost hope for himself but not for his son. This is why he is protesting.”

Monye later called for action, seeking to locate Chijioke to facilitate the fundraising effort.

The campaign to support Goodluck’s game programming education quickly gained momentum, achieving its ₦1.8 million goal within hours.

Chijioke has since expressed deep gratitude for the generous response from fellow Nigerians in supporting his child’s future.

The #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters have reconvened at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

This is coming a few minutes after the protesters and journalists were teargassed at the popular Berger roundabout.

Immediately after arriving at the stadium, the protesters chanted that they would not back down until the Federal Government met their demands.

Speaking to journalists, a protester identified as Tari, lamented the actions of the police officers.

She stated that they (the protesters) remain resolute and wouldn’t be intimidated by the actions of the police.

Tari said, “The police must explain to us why they are harassing us. There is hunger in the land. We remain resolute, we will remain on the streets unless the President listens to us. “

Another protester, Michael Zayi, said, “It is very bad. When a child cries and the parent doesn’t listen, the results are always not palatable. We are peaceful protesters. The issue behind the issue is that if the president had listened to us, we would not have been in this situation.

“Hope is alive when persistence is in motion. The worst thing in life is not death but hunger. People are hungry. No amount of teargas will stop us from demanding better lives for ourselves.”

The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has described some Nigerians involved in the protest against economic hardship in the country as sore losers.

The Governor said those behind the protest want to oust President Bola Tinubu from power, but are only hiding under the guise of protests to express their dissatisfaction with the President. 

He added that such persons should wait till 2027 rather than sponsor faceless protests against the government.

According to him, those who voted for Tinubu and want him as their President are more than those who voted against him.

The Ogun State Governor made the submission on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television where he spoke about the #EndBadGovernance protest.

“The majority of Nigerians voted for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He majorly won the election, and that says one this; those who wanted him to be president were far more than those who didn’t. The problem we have today is that Nigerians are sore losers. Rather than accept the fact that you want a regime change and wait till 2027, don’t begin to sponsor faceless, leaderless protests under the guise that you’re dissatisfied,” he said.

Abiodun added that the current economic challenges are not peculiar to Nigeria and instead of protests, Nigerians should join hands with President Tinubu to build the country.

“The economic realities is not is not peculiar to Nigeria alone. There were protests in Ghana yesterday, there were protests in London today. So what are we talking about? The medicine for a headache is not to cut off the head. We must all work and join hands together and speak to each other. Let us have a dialogue that is constructive,” the Governor said.

The senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Ireti Kingibe has slammed the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, for alleging that he saw a senator giving food to hunger protesters in the FCT on Thursday.

Wike had declared, “That is sponsorship. A senator providing food for protesters.

“At the appropriate time, security agencies will invite the senator and find out how you will be sponsoring this kind of thing against the government of the day,” he stated during a press conference following the outbreak of protests in the FCT and across the country on Thursday.

Although he did not mention names, the video he referenced also linked former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter, as one of those providing food to protesters.

However, the video showed Obi addressing protesters which both the two Labour Party top shots have said was recorded when they alongside other top members of the party including other elected officials of the party in the FCT went to the party’s office in Abuja to mediate against the party leadership crisis.

THE WHISTLER did not see anyone providing food to protesters when viewing and analysing the video which was shared on Tiktok.

Obi however could be heard advising the protesters who had staged the protest against the party’s National Chairman, Mr Julius Abure, that “nobody here is more important than the others including me, we want the country (Nigeria) to work,” while senator Kingibe was seen standing by with other top brass of the party.

Obi on Friday denied the video and said he was not part of the protests in the FCT or the country and warned against orchestrated moves against his person.

On her part, Senator Kingibe said “I am shocked and outraged by the blatant lies and misinformation being spread by mischief-makers! The video being circulated is from over six weeks ago, during a Labour Party NWC meeting, when the NLC was protesting outside the Labour Party office.

“As stakeholders, including Senators, House of Reps members, and Mr. Peter Obi, we went out to engage with the protesters and address their concerns.

“Now, these deceitful individuals are trying to pass off this old footage as current, claiming that Mr PeterObi and I were leading protests in Abuja yesterday.”

She described it as “a malicious and desperate attempt to discredit us,” adding, “Let me set the record straight: Mr. Peter Obi is not in Abuja, and I haven’t left my house since Wednesday due to illness, much less distributed food and water at the protest grounds, though that would be noble for whoever did.

“I condemn this orchestrated attempt to spread falsehoods and cause confusion, using it as the basis to claim I sponsored the Abuja protest.

“It is a shameless and irresponsible act that will not be tolerated.

“We will not stand idly by while our names and reputations are dragged through the mud by these unscrupulous individuals,” she stated.

Senator Kingibe and Wike have been having a running battle over who controls the FCT. The senator has accused Wike of dominance and neglecting her in the affairs of the FCT.

The minister a few weeks ago vowed to ensure Senator Kingibe is defeated during the next senatorial election after declaring that he will not work with her.

…Denies Declaring War On Northerners, Leading Hunger Protests

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately arrest and prosecute those behind the divisive genocidal threat against the Igbo in the South-West immediately.

Obi made the call on Friday following a trending call by certain elements from the South-West for Nigerians from the South-East geopolitical zone to be driven away from the South-West geopolitical zone.

They blamed the Igbo for the ongoing hunger protests which have degenerated to Tinubu Must Go.

Tinubu is of the Yoruba ethnic stock from the South-West geopolitical zone. They alleged the Igbo are behind the protest to remove “our brother (Tinubu)” from office.

An individual who runs an account called Lagospedia on X/Twitter made the post urging “Lagosians and every South-West stakeholders to prepare for the massive protest of IgboMustGo on the 20th to 30th of August,” on July 27.

The post which was latched into by other Lagospedia apologists further said “they have one month from now to leave and relocate their business from all South-West states.

“We urged all Yoruba living in the South-East states to return home,” the post said.

The threat has not been condemned by the police or any security agency and the individual has not been arrested as of the time of filing this report.

Obi condemned the incendiary rhetoric and likened it to genocide.

Stating that it’s really “deeply disturbing,” he said he has “read genocidal threats on X against the Igbo tribe, calling for their relocation.

“Let me pointedly warn that such rhetoric threatens our unity and is fundamentally opposed to our Constitution, which guarantees every Nigerian the right to live and work freely anywhere in the country.

“Those in authority must show leadership and urgently speak out against such divisive rhetoric,” he said.

Obi added that immediate action should be taken to “investigate, arrest, and prosecute those behind this heinous agenda, serving as a deterrent to others who might consider pursuing similar paths that threaten our national security and unity.”

He urged “all Nigerians to stand united against this divisive rhetoric and to champion unity, tolerance, and understanding” adding that “our future depends on our ability to live and work together harmoniously.

“The government and security agencies must act swiftly to protect this fundamental principle and ensure that every Nigerian can live free from fear of discrimination or persecution. We must not allow our present challenges to drive wedges among us.

“We can only overcome our national challenges if we act together as one people United under God,” he added.

I Never Declared War On Northerners Or Led Hunger Protests

The former Anambra State governor also raised an alarm that people have been paid to blackmail him to conform to their nefarious agenda denying ever declaring war on Nigerians from the north.

He said, “I have noticed some deliberate and well-orchestrated efforts by some persons to blackmail me into conforming to some of their nefarious agendas.

“Their dubious moves have led to the false circulation of a video from my recent keynote speech at the installation of Rotarian Professor A. U. Nnonyelu in Anambra State.

“They have twisted the video to suit their motive to suggest that I declared war on Northerners when, in fact, I spoke about declaring war on economic stagnation, insecurity, and corruption.”

Similarly he said “another video circulating online, supposedly showing me leading a protest in Abuja, is also false.

“The video was actually taken during my visit to the Labour Party HQ, where I mediated a clash between the Labour Party and the NLC.”

He stated that the video was “conveniently edited to create a false narrative, and those responsible have been paid to spread this misinformation.”

This “kind of misinformation” he said “has no place in our democracy, where truth and honesty should prevail.”

He said it’s a “misrepresentation,” which “is part of a larger narrative of blackmail, aimed at fitting me into their malicious agenda.”

He emphasised that he remains “committed to a new Nigeria where justice, equity, and caring for the citizens will prevail over the greed of a few.”

Amid reports that WhatsApp may exit Nigeria because of a $220 million fine, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has said Nigeria’s case will not be different.

FCCPC said WhatsApp and Meta infringed and violated the privacy rights of Nigerians and were fined in line with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA).

It said the company has been found to have violated the privacy of users in other countries, including the United States, adding that the company paid fines approved by the US data protection agency without the threat of exiting.

FCCPC said Meta and WhatsApp denied Nigerians their rights to control their personal data and shared Nigeria users’ data without the authorization and consent of citizens.

The regulatory agency also said WhatsApp discriminated against Nigerian users in its business policy when compared with users of other jurisdictions.

In a statement on Thursday, FCCPC advised WhatsApp to take legal steps to address its displeasure with its order.

The statement read: “WhatsApp’s claim that it may be forced to exit Nigeria due to FCCPC’s recent order appears to be a strategic move aimed at influencing public opinion and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision.

“The FCCPC investigated Meta Platforms and WhatsApp (jointly referred to as “Meta Parties”) for allegedly violating the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).

“The Commission found that Meta Parties engaged in multiple and repeated infringements of the FCCPA and the NDPR. These infringements included denying Nigerians the right to control their personal data, transferring and sharing Nigerian user data without authorization, discriminating against Nigerian users compared to users in other jurisdictions and abusing their dominant market position by forcing unfair privacy policies.”

The statement added that WhatsApp and Meta are required to comply with Nigeria’s data policy. It stated that the fine of $220 million was to deter WhatsApp from future violations and ensure accountability.

“The final order requires Meta Parties to take steps to comply with Nigerian law, stop exploiting Nigerian consumers, change their practices to meet Nigerian standards and respect consumer rights.

“To deter future violations and ensure accountability for the alleged infringements the FCCPC also imposed a monetary penalty of $220 million.

“The FCCPC’s actions are based on legitimate concerns about consumer protection and data privacy and the order is a positive step towards a fairer digital market in Nigeria. Similar measures are taken in other jurisdictions without forcing companies to leave the market. The case of Nigeria will not be different,” FCCPC said.

In the wake of nationwide protests against economic hardship, Daniel Bwala, a former spokesperson for the 2023 Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign organisation and now a supporter of President Bola Tinubu, has accused All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, ministers, and other appointees of failing to support the president during this critical time.

The protests, which began on Thursday under the hashtag #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria, seek to draw the Federal Government’s attention to the economic hardship affecting citizens.

The demonstrations, scheduled to continue until August 10, have seen varying levels of participation and impact across different states.

Bwala, in a tweet on Thursday, expressed disappointment at the ruling party’s governors and Tinubu’s cabinet members.

“I was actually expecting all the APC governors who share the vision of Mr President for the reform to engage with the protesters in their respective states and calm them down,” he tweeted.

The lawyer also criticised the lack of visible support from government officials, saying, “I also expected all the ministers and cabinet members of the @officialABAT administration to go to their respective states and engage in dialogue and address the protesters who are peaceful.

“I also expected that all appointees of Mr president to flood the airwaves TV, Radio, zoom, and social media engaging with the protesters and or millions of Nigerians who are not protesting but share views one way or the other

“Adversity defines loyalty, not longevity or proximity. But alas, majority took cover and are silent. This is disingenuous and unfair to the man who appointed you. Sad”

While some states experienced peaceful demonstrations, others faced violence and vandalism on day one of the protests.

In Lagos and Ogun, protests were largely peaceful, with security operatives providing protection. However, states like Borno, Kano, and Niger reported incidents of violence, looting, and loss of life, leading to the imposition of curfews in some areas.

According to the human rights body, Nigeria police and Nigeria Army personnel shot 13 unarmed peaceful protesters on the first day of hunger protest by citizens tagged ‘EndBadGovernanceinNigeria‘ on Thursday.

Amnesty International report on Friday showed that Nigeria Police personnel killed 6 protesters in Suleja, Niger State and 3 other peaceful protesters in Kaduna State; while personnel of Nigeria Army shot dead four protesters in Maiduguri, Borno State.

“Amnesty International condemns the killing of peaceful protesters by security personnel across the country: Suleja Niger state 6 people killed, Maiduguri 4 people killed and Kaduna 3 people killed.

“Our findings, so far, show that security personnel at the locations where lives were lost deliberately used tactics designed to kill while dealing with gatherings of people protesting hunger and deep poverty,” the statement read.

The human rights group called on the federal government to investigate and ensure the security personnel involved in the killing of peaceful protesters are made to face the law.

The statement regretted that Nigeria security agency personnel applied force and used firearms in the management of peaceful protests.

“The Nigerian authorities must investigate these incidents and ensure that security personnel suspected of responsibility for deadly use of force are held to account through fair trial. Violent crackdown on peaceful protesters is unjustified and unacceptable.

“Nigerian security agencies’ unlawful attitude of using firearms as tactical tool for the management of protests must end,” Amnesty International said.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s failure to arrest and prosecute promoters of Igbo must leave the South-West five days after that declaration was made.

Atiku made the condemnation on Thursday as anger rages over certain elements from the South-West who had called for Nigerians from the South-East geopolitical zone to be driven away from the South-West geopolitical zone.

The call for the Igbo, one of the major ethnic nationalities in Nigeria to leave has dominated the social media following a post by an individual who runs an account called Lagospedia on X/Twitter calling on “Lagosians and every South-West stakeholders to prepare for the massive protest of IgboMustGo on the 20th to 30th of August.”

The post which was made on July 27 further said “they have one month from now to leave and relocate their business from all South-West states.

“We urged all Yoruba living in the South-East states to return home,” the post said.

The threat has not been condemned by the police or any security agency and the individual has not been arrested as of the time of filing this report.

Atiku condemned the incendiary rhetoric saying it’s a recipe for a repeat of what happened in Rwanda, which led to genocide.

Taking to his social media page, Atiku said “the recent call on X (formerly Twitter) for a protest under the hashtag #IgboMustGo, demanding the forced relocation of Igbo people from Lagos and other Southwest states, is deeply troubling and fundamentally opposed to the principles of unity and coexistence that define our nation.

“Such rhetoric is not only divisive but also endangers our peace and security, as our Constitution guarantees every Nigerian the right to live and work freely anywhere in the country.

“History has shown us the consequences of allowing hatred and bigotry to fester, as seen in Rwanda.

“What began with inflammatory rhetoric led to devastating outcomes. We must learn from these lessons and act decisively,” he said.

He called “on the Nigerian government and relevant authorities to take immediate and strong action against those inciting such hatred and division.”

The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party emphasised that it is imperative to “investigate, arrest, and prosecute individuals promoting ethnic discrimination and violence.”

Atiku stressed that the rule of law must prevail,” positing that “those found guilty of incitement should face the full extent of legal consequences.”

He stated that Nigeria’s strength lies in its diversity, and “we must resist any efforts to sow discord among our people.”

According to him, Lagos and the Southwest have long been melting pots of cultures where individuals from various backgrounds contribute to “our collective growth and development.”

That said, he pointed out that the Igbo community, along with all other ethnic groups, is an integral part of this vibrant mosaic.

He therefore urged “all Nigerians to stand united against this divisive rhetoric and to champion unity, tolerance, and understanding.”

He added that “our future depends on our ability to live and work together harmoniously,” charging the government and security agencies to “act swiftly to protect this fundamental principle and ensure that every Nigerian can live free from fear of discrimination or persecution.”

The PDP top brass lamented, “It is alarming that, five days after this threat emerged, there has been a troubling silence.”

He called for “Immediate action to arrest, investigate, and prosecute those behind this heinous agenda is crucial.”

He said their arrests “will serve as a deterrent to others who might consider pursuing similar paths that threaten our national security.”