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I Was Too Scared To Tell Anybody - R. Kelly's Daughter Claims He Sexually Abused Her When She Was Younger
AFOLABI
Buku Abi, the daughter of disgraced R&B singer, R. Kelly, has spoken out publicly for the first time about the alleged abuse that she suffered during her childhood at the hands of her own father.
In a two-episode documentary Karma: A Daughter’s Journey, which premiered today, October 11, Abi, 26, claims she was abused by her father as a child, and she first reported it to her mother Andrea in 2009, when she was 10 years old.
“He was my everything. For a long time, I didn’t even want to believe that it happened. I didn’t know that even if he was a bad person he would do something to me,” she says in the documentary, the first episode of which is streaming now.
“I was too scared to tell anybody. I was too scared to tell my mom.”
Though Abi, who was born Joann Kelly, does not go into detail about the alleged abuse in the first episode, she says that she believes jail is a “well-suited place” for Kelly, 57, to be, as she knows from her “personal experience.”
“I really feel like that one millisecond completely just changed my whole life and changed who I was as a person and changed the sparkle I had and the light I used to carry,” she says. “After I told my mom, I didn’t go over there anymore; my brother [Robert] and sister [Jaah], we didn’t go over there anymore. And even up until now, I struggle with it a lot.”
In the second episode, Buku goes into more detail about the alleged abuse, which she says happened when she was 8 or 9.
"I just remember waking up to him touching me," she recalls, crying. "And I didn’t know what to do, so I just kind of laid there, and I pretended to be asleep."
Buku says she eventually told her mother what happened, and they went to the police and filed a complaint as "Jane Doe," but, she adds in the documentary, "They couldn’t prosecute him because I waited too long. So at that point in my life, I felt like I said something for nothing."
In a statement to People, Kelly's attorney Jennifer Bonjean said, "Mr. Kelly vehemently denies these allegations. His ex-wife made the same allegation years ago, and it was investigated by the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services and was unfounded.... And the 'filmmakers,' whoever they are, did not reach out to Mr. Kelly or his team to even allow him to deny these hurtful claims."
In February 2023, Kelly was sentenced in Chicago to 20 years in prison on charges of child pornography and enticement of minors for s*x. The year prior, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison for racketeering and s*x trafficking charges based out of New York. He's currently serving 19 years of his two sentences concurrently, and he will be eligible for release in 2045.
The Anambra State Ministry of Health has uncovered an illegal wine factory that was producing a variety of exotic drinks while counterfeitng authentic products.
The ministry, working in collaboration with a state paramilitary Agency, Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra, codenamed OCHA BRIGADE arrested seven persons at Nkpor, near Onitsha, sealing off their premises.
Daily Post reports that the officers of OCHA Brigade raided the fake manufacturing company, which specialized in the mass production of fake wines and other exotic drinks in the State.
The fake wine company was said to have over the years produced and distributed several types of fake and unapproved wines in large quantities and distributed for general consumption.
Nigeria is facing a worsening food security crisis, with over one million additional people experiencing severe food insecurity in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to a report by the World Bank.
The recently released Food Security Update Report highlights that countries like Nigeria, Ethiopia and Yemen have seen a significant rise in the number of people facing acute food shortages.
“Conversely, some countries saw improvements. Nations such as Afghanistan, Guatemala, and Kenya reported declines in food insecurity, with more than one million fewer people facing acute food crises, although these countries remained in significant food crisis situations,” the report read.
“On the other hand, 18 countries experienced worsening situations due to factors including intensified conflict and climate-related shocks, such as droughts. Notable examples include Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Yemen, each witnessing an increase of more than one million people facing high levels of food insecurity from the previous year”.
The report attributes Nigeria’s growing crisis to a combination of climate-induced issues and socio-political instability in various regions.
“In Nigeria, an estimated 1.6 million hectares of land have been inundated, including 342,650 hectares of cropland, affecting 685,770 vulnerable individuals. In Mali, 344,000 people were affected and 1.6 million hectares of land flooded, including nearly 500,000 hectares of cultivated land,” the report noted.
“Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo have also faced flooding, and northern and northeastern Nigeria and Ghana are experiencing dry spells, with adverse effects on crop production and thus food insecurity.
“In total, floods and droughts have affected approximately 3.5 million people, who require emergency support. It is estimated that $50m is needed to help 760,200 communities meet their basic food needs.”
The report further reveals that domestic food price inflation in Nigeria remains among the highest globally, with food prices increasing by 37.5% year-on-year as of August 2024. This price surge has strained household incomes, making it increasingly difficult for low-income families to afford basic food items.
The bank called for urgent intervention to address the immediate food needs of affected populations.
Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, has unveiled a golden statue of Oluremi Tinubu at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in honour of the first lady.
The unveiling, which took place on Thursday, was part of activities to mark the 50th birthday anniversary of the monarch.
He also commissioned a 2.7km road and a hostel named after the first lady.
“In recognition of her contributions, we have erected a golden statue to immortalize her virtues as a teacher, mother, and wife at the heart of Obafemi Awolowo University. Additionally, we built a state-of-the-art hostel, whose dynamic pavilion reflects her progressive nature,” Ooni said.
“The 2.7-kilometer road, equipped with solar-powered street lamps, will now be known as Senator Oluremi Tinubu Way. This road symbolizes the many paths she has opened for youth, women, and the underprivileged in our society. The hostel and pavilion, the largest in the university’s history, stand as a testament to her commitment to creating spaces for learning, development, and empowerment for all.”
Oluremi thanked the Ooni for the gesture and announced a donation of N1 billion for the restoration of the “horticultural landscape” of the university.
“The campus used to be beautiful when I was here. Ife is crying out for help. It used to be a beautiful campus, and the beauty must be restored,” she said.
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, Bala Mohammed, has refuted recent claims regarding internal rifts within the opposition party.
The Governor of Bauchi State made this remark following a series of suspensions within the party leadership on Friday.
Naija News reported earlier that the PDP crisis escalated on Friday morning with the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) division.
A faction of the PDP loyal to the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, had, in a statement on Friday morning, announced the suspension of its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN).
The PDP National Director of Publicity, Chinwe Nnorom, made this known in a statement issued in the early hours of Friday.
Subsequently, another faction, in a statement issued by Ologunagba, suspended Damagum, the national chairman of the PDP.
Nevertheless, the Federal High Court in Abuja issued an order preventing the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP from ousting Umar Damagum as the acting national chairman.
Justice Peter Lifu ruled that only Damagum should be acknowledged as the PDP national chairman until the party’s national convention, which is set for December 2025.
It is worth noting that the crisis rocking the PDP started after the party’s presidential primary polls ahead of the 2023 election.
However, following a private meeting with PDP stakeholders at the Government House in Bauchi on Friday, Governor Mohammed reiterated that the party remains united and is committed to constructively resolving its internal issues.
The PDP Governors’ Forum chairman said: “I would say that we have met and discussed these situations extensively with the acting National Chairman and we have agreed to work together along with other party organs—the BOT, members of the Governors’ Forum, caucuses of the Senate and the House—to resolve all these issues and that is the major takeaway of this visit.
“We will deepen stakeholding and collaboration so that all these issues that are disparaging the members of the party will be resolved and nipped in the bud.”
“We have decided that henceforth, we will not allow a gap, and we will make sure that we resolve all these issues.
“We are not recognizing any faction; we are together as a body, and definitely, at the end of the day, we will resolve all issues.”
Mohammed confirmed that the PDP is diligently addressing its internal challenges by fostering collaboration among essential party stakeholders.
He emphasized that the ultimate decision is not solely his responsibility but involves other members who are stakeholders within the PDP Governors’ Forum, the Board of Trustees (BOT), the caucus, and other senior party officials.
Additionally, he mentioned that discussions with his fellow PDP governors are currently being held to ascertain the forthcoming actions.
“This has been a productive outing, and I am assured that the party will come together to resolve all contending issues. We have agreed, in the presence of other stakeholders, that we will do whatever it takes to restore the party’s glory so it can achieve victory in the 2027 elections,” Mohammed declared.
Nollywood actor cum politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, has claimed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will choose the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in 2027 if Julius Abure continues as national chairman.
Naija News reports that Okonkwo made this known in an interview on Arise TV.
He described Abure’s leadership approach as transactional politics, stressing that the LP, as presently constituted, is now a ‘housemaid’ to the ruling APC.
The movie star, who served as LP’s presidential campaign spokesperson in the 2023 elections, recounted how Abure withdrew the tickets earlier reserved for the former governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi and Abia governor, Alex Otti, ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said, “In a nation like Nigeria, where the ruling party is looking for any way to make sure they compromise the opposition, you do not have the leisure of time.
“I can tell you that Labour Party as presently constituted is now a housemaid to APC. The 2027 presidential candidate of the Labour Party will be decided on the table of APC.
“We know their moves. They are meeting the people now who help people to win cases in court.
“Because if nobody from your party is supporting you, then who are you now trying to become a chairman to?
“Remember, when Abure went to Nnewi to do the illegal election, in my own view (because) the supreme court has not ruled. He said the ticket is reserved for Peter Obi.
“I said in this programme back then that this is bribery; that he wants to use it to make Peter Obi to close his eyes on the illegality they’re doing.
“When their tenure ended, it was not even Peter Obi that said their tenure has ended. It was INEC, and they were disgraced out.
“That comes to the culpability of INEC; if INEC said their tenure has ended, why did they not accept the caretaker committee?
“Now, when Peter Obi went to Umuahia to do the right thing, what did Abure say? No, the ticket is no longer reserved.
“What does that tell you? These are transactional politicians who have no policy, who have no principle, but what they are doing there is to trade.
“He said, Otti, we don’t have ticket for you. Who do you think they are reserving the ticket for? Let me give you a poser.
“The deputy speaker of the national assembly told Otti, look, I would not sit down as a man of the ruling party and allow the opposition to govern Abia state.
“And then there is an Abure that is saying that ticket is no longer reserved for you and they are winning cases in court.
“The witch cried in the night and the baby died in the day. What do you think is happening? It’s not an indictment, he said it openly but I can see the nexus.
“Every ticket in the Labour Party is reserved for APC people and I have told you about the nexus. It’s not by accident.”
A Nigerian, Oludayo Adeagbo, has been sentenced to seven years in prison in the United States over a multimillion-dollar business email compromise scheme.
This was disclosed by the US Department of Justice in a release from Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri.
According to Argentieri, the defendant was involved in multiple cyber-enabled BEC schemes in an attempt to steal more than $3m from victim entities in Texas.
Court documents, according to DOJ, revealed that the 45-year-old also targeted local government entities, construction companies, and a Houston-area college.
It added that Adeagbo, who also held a British passport, conspired with his accomplices to defraud a North Carolina university of more than $1.9m.
He arrived in the US in August 2022 after he was extradited from the United Kingdom to face criminal charges filed in Charlotte and Houston.
On April 8, the Nigerian man pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his criminal conduct in both cases.
He pleaded guilty following the transfer of his case from the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas to the US District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.
“Oludayo Adeagbo and his coconspirators perpetrated transnational cyber-enabled fraud schemes that targeted schools, government entities, and companies across the United States, and caused millions of dollars in losses,” the DOJ said.
Meanwhile, his Nigerian conspirator, Donald Echeazu, 42, was extradited from the UK to the US, over the same fraud in which a North Carolina university (the University) lost more than $1.9 million via a BEC scheme.
On May 16, 2023, Echeazu was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by a year of supervised release and was also ordered to pay $655,408.87 in restitution for his role in the conspiracy.
Protest: Why Can’t You Afford To Buy Diesel After ‘Stealing’ For 24 Years? – APC Blasts Amaechi
AFOLABI
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has slammed the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, over a recent comment on the administration of President Bola Tinubu and the call for protest over the current economic challenges.
Amaechi, in an interview with Igbere TV, criticized the lack of proactive responses from the populace, particularly the youth, regarding the rising cost of living.
Amaechi, who previously served as the governor of Rivers State, noted that he anticipated a surge of protests from young people demanding action against the deteriorating economic conditions.
However, in a statement through its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, APC described Amaechi’s comment as insensitive, god-awful, irresponsible and unpatriotic.
Morka expressed disappointment that such a remark came from one of Nigeria’s longest-serving and highest-ranking political freeloaders – a two-term Speaker of the Rivers state House of Assembly, a two-term Governor, and a two-term Minister of Transport.
He stated that Amechi is angry alongside opposition party leaders like former vice president Atiku Abubakar, former governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi and others who wished they were in government.
The APC chieftain also questioned Amaechi’s allegation of stealing by those in power. He urged him to focus on the crisis cropping Rivers State instead of attempting to create anarchy in the country.
The statement read, “For almost all of his adult life, Amaechi has been a leechy dependant on state resources, a voracious beneficiary of official patronage, and a leading participant in the generational devastation of our country’s economy. Attempting to hoodwink Nigerians into his web of false empathy and incitement to violence is hypocritical, provocative and dangerous.
‘If those in power “steal money” as Amaechi mischievously alleged, how come he can’t afford “to buy diesel” barely two years after “stealing” for over 24 years in power as Speaker, Governor and Minister?
“The only real anger that Amaechi and his fellow tribesmen of naysayers of the likes of Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, must feel is that they are not in the saddle of government today. But that was a decision made by Nigeria’s ultimate political authority – the electorate. Nigerians are highly perceptive, discerning, demure, and mindful that economic discomforts associated with the administration’s inevitable reforms are transient and will pale into insignificance in comparison to the enduring transformative dividends which are already beginning to manifest. Nigerians will not be cajoled into taking back through street violence what they handed to the administration through the ballot, as Amaechi and his partisan tribesmen would wish.
“One would expect Amaechi to keep busy trying to solve the crippling crisis in Rivers state that he once governed. Instead, he has chosen to stoke anarchy on a national scale. Weaponizing protest and exploiting citizen’s economic discomfort for selfish political objective, as these partisan tribesmen are doing, is irresponsible and decidedly unpatriotic.
“We urge Nigerians to dismiss the call to anarchy by Amaechi and his partisan tribesmen and to remain patient and continue to support President Tinubu’s bold effort to transform our country’s economy once and for all.”
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, has disclosed that the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has barred him from leaving the country because his name is on their watchlist.
Sowore disclosed this in a statement and video shared on his X account on Friday.
He stated that he was being subjected to harassment and violation of his rights.
He wrote, “The Nigerian Immigration Service #nigimmigration continues to subject me to unwarranted harassment and abuse. Violating my rights repeatedly.
“Today, again, they stopped me on my way out of Nigeria, claiming I am placed on their WATCHLIST!”
The video showed Sowore questioning an officer of the Immigration Service, requesting to see their superior.
Protest: Sowore Speaks On Overthrowing Tinubu’s Government
Meanwhile, Sowore, has knocked the government of President Bola Tinubu for suggesting that there is a link between the protests in some parts of the country and possible plans to overthrow the government.
Sowore argued that it was hypocritical of the government to tell Nigerians to shelve their grievances and wait until the next election cycle in 2027.
He said this against the backdrop of the government’s response to the #EndBadGovernance protests in which protesters were told to wait till 2027 to express their grievances at the polls.
Naija News recalls after the #EndBadGovernanace protest, some protesters were arrested and charged to court for alleged attempts to overthrow the Tinubu government.
Speaking on Tuesday during the fresh #FearlessInOctober protest in Ikeja, Lagos State, Sowore denied any plan by the protesters to overthrow the government.
The news publisher also noted that when the All Progressives Congress (APC) was in the opposition, they also carried out the Occupy Nigeria protests while a sitting government was in place.
“When the APC wanted to come to power — there was a government in place — they started protesting in 2012. The election was in 2015. Did they wait for 2015 before they started Occupy Nigeria? That is my answer, they are just a bunch of hypocrites,” Sowore told FIJ.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has generated N103.7bn in revenue from the Electronic Money Transfer Levies in the first half of 2024.
According to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s statistical bulletin, this represents a 7.55 per cent increase compared to the N96.44bn collected during the same period in 2023 of last year.
This figure shows the growing use of digital payment platforms and a higher volume of electronic transactions as more Nigerians and businesses embrace digital banking solutions.
Electronic money transfer levy was introduced as a source of government revenue in the Finance Act 2020, which amended the Stamp Duty Act to tap into the growth of electronic funds transfer in Nigeria.
The EMT levy is a singular and one-off charge of N50 on electronic receipt or transfer of money deposited in any deposit money bank or financial institution on any type of account on sums of N10,000 or more.
In January 2024, the revenue from EMTL stood at N18.60bn, reflecting a 26.57 per cent decrease compared to N25.33bn in the same period of last year.
However, February 2024 showed a 20.21 per cent increase, with collections rising to N16.59bn from N13.80bn in February 2023.
March 2024 also experienced growth, recording N18.60bn, up by 53.41 per cent from N12.13bn in March 2023.
The revenue in April 2024 was N15.37bn, which was a marginal 1.85 per cent increase compared to N15.09bn collected in April 2023.
May 2024 saw a more substantial year-on-year increase, with earnings reaching N18.78bn, 24.24 per cent higher than the N15.12bn collected in May 2023.
Although June 2024 saw a slight dip compared to May, with N15.78bn collected, it still marked a 5.40 per cent increase from the N14.97bn recorded in the same period of last year.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that e-payment transactions in the country jumped by 86.44 per cent to N566.39tn in the first half of 2024 from N303.60tn in the same period of last year, according to data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System.
The NIP, launched in 2011 by NIBSS, is an online real-time interbank payment platform that enables instant value transfers.
Banks have since made the NIP platform accessible to customers through various channels, such as internet banking, mobile apps, USSD, ATMs, POS, and bank branches.
The surge in e-payment transactions was linked to the increasing adoption of digital payment platforms by businesses and individuals, driven by convenience and efficiency in financial transactions.
Last year, electronic payment transactions in the country hit an all-time high, rising by 55 per cent to N600tn, compared to N387tn in 2022.
However, as telecom operators in Africa increasingly invest in the mobile money sector, they confront a major fraud crisis, prompting calls for improved security measures.
According to the Global System for Mobile Communications Association’s “State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2023”, mobile money fraud in Africa exceeded $1bn, raising concerns that security issues could impede the adoption of mobile money services.
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The Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed November 1, 2024 to rule on the application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the final forfeiture of the $2.045million, seven choice landed properties and shares involving former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
On the same date, the court will also rule on the formal application filed by the former banker for a stay of proceedings.
On August 15, 2024, the court had authorised the EFCC to temporarily take custody of the assets.
In granting the application, the court had directed the EFCC to publish the order of interim forfeiture for any person interested in the funds to show the cause why it should not be finally forfeited to the FG.
At the resumed hearing on Friday, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), counsel for the EFCC, moved an application for the final forfeiture of the sum of $2.045m, as well as share certificates, which he said was not contested by the interested Party.
In opposition, Olalekan Ojo, counsel to the interested Party (Emefiele), urged the court to hold that the interested party has shown in a balance of probability that the court ought not to grant the final forfeiture of the properties.
He adopted his written address and urged the court to refuse the application.
Earlier in the proceedings, the court refused to stay further proceedings in the suit.
Through his lawyer, Emefiele had urged the judge to stay proceedings pending the hearing of an appeal he filed before the Court of Appeal seeking to nullify the temporary forfeiture order earlier granted by the court.
But Justice Deinde Dipeolu held in his ruling that interested parties had the right to approach the Court of Appeal which must be contingent on the trial court’s decision.
The court also held that an appeal flows from the decision of a trial court but in the instant case, the court had not made any decision as to any application filed or as to the substantive issues in the suit.
Justice Dipeolu, therefore, dismissed the oral application made by Ojo seeking to stay the court’s proceedings.
At the last sitting of the court, Ojo had urged the court to stay further proceedings in the case pending the determination of the banker’s appeal.
He said, “We’re urging your lordship to stay proceedings pending the hearing and determination of the appeal court in order to avoid judicial rascality.”
Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), had, however, objected insisting that no application from Emefiele was taken and ruled on that crystallised to an appeal.
Oyedepo said: “My lord how can the defendant in this case rush to the Court of Appeal because the (Federal High) Court returned the (case) file to the administrative judge for assignment, owing to the fact that the annual vacation of the court ends on the next adjourned date?
“I submit with due respect that the defendant just went to dump mere documents in registry of the Appeal Court. Therefore, I urge the court to hold that there is no appeal.”
Oyedepo had also argued that the former CBN governor’s appeal cannot stop the proceedings in this matter because the leave of the court was not sought, as the rule of court has made it mandatory when it is an appeal filed on the ground of mixed fact and law.
Those Who Accepted Spaghetti And Wrapper To Vote For Tinubu Are Suffering The Most – Damagum
AFOLABI
The embattled acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, has taken a jab at Nigerians who supported President Bola Tinubu during his campaign.
He said that they are now enduring the consequences of trading their votes for items like spaghetti and wrappers.
Damagum stated this on Friday during a visit to the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, who doubles as the Chairman of the PDP governors forum.
He noted that the ongoing hardships faced by many should serve as a lesson to prioritize credible and capable leaders over short-term inducements.
Addressing journalists after a close-door meeting with the governor and other stakeholders of the PDP, he said “The APC was never ready to govern, so what good could possibly come from them?”
“Those who accepted spaghetti and wrappers to bring in this government are suffering the most, and this should serve as a lesson. We must seek credible, proven, and tested leaders who are genuinely prepared to govern, not those who simply say, emi lo kan,” (SIC).
Damagum expressed concern over the continued hardship many Nigerians are enduring, which he attributed to policies from Tinubu’s administration under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Damagum’s visit, Governor Bala Mohammed denied the existence of any faction within the PDP.
He also reassured that the issues of suspension and internal crises would be resolved amicably.
The lawmaker representing Borno South, Senator Ali Ndume, has issued a stern warning regarding efforts by certain individuals to undermine the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement released in Abuja on Friday, Ndume expressed deep concern over the escalating prices of fuel, food, and essential goods, which he described as increasingly unaffordable for the average Nigerian.
Ndume attributed the rising cost of living to the actions of what he termed “bad actors” who are allegedly promoting harmful reforms and policies designed to destabilize the government.
He criticized these individuals for diverting attention away from pressing issues such as inflation control and exchange rate stabilization.
“Those who are bent on making the President look bad will stop at nothing in inflicting pain on Nigerians through the so-called reforms until things get out of hand, and the blame will be on President Tinubu,” Ndume stated, emphasizing the need for immediate action to alleviate the hardships faced by citizens.
The senator urged President Tinubu to prioritize addressing the suffering caused by hyperinflation, which he noted has been exacerbated by frequent price hikes across essential goods and services.
“I believe President Bola Ahmed Tinubu means well for Nigeria and Nigerians. I know this because I know what he stands for. But some of his advisers who don’t mean well to the people of this country give him wrong advice,” Ndume said.
He continued, “I’m appealing to him to resist these bad people who want to pitch the people against his administration. The hardship these people are inflicting on Nigerians is becoming unbearable. I’m currently in Borno, and I know what I’m talking about. People are really suffering, hungry, frustrated, and angry.”
Ndume highlighted the severe impact on residents in Borno, saying, “Many families here can’t even feed anymore. The untold hardship caused by these frequent price increases is unimaginable. Farmers can’t move their products because of the high cost of transportation.
“Those who manage to transport goods pass the costs onto consumers, making food items too expensive. People can’t even afford to travel anymore. For instance, traveling by road from Abuja to Maiduguri is now a fortune. How many people can afford that?”
Ndume emphasized that Tinubu has good intentions for Nigerians but must not allow a few bad advisers to damage the country’s stability.
“That’s why I’m begging him to do something before it is too late. It is not good to test the patience of Nigerians, and that’s exactly what these bad advisers are doing,” he said.
“As soon as the President returns to Nigeria, I urge him to look into these issues and address them urgently. The purchasing power of Nigerians is too poor, and they can’t afford the things being pushed on them every day by enemies of the state,” Ndume advised.
Nigerians have lamented worsening living conditions after the recent hike in fuel prices,Saturday PUNCH reports.
The hardship, which started after the removal of fuel subsidy and devaluation of the naira, was exacerbated on Wednesday when the pump price of fuel jumped from around N800 to N1,150 per litre.
Our correspondents noted that since then, there has been a skyrocketing increase in the prices of food items as transport costs soared.
Many Nigerians expressed frustration with the situation, saying they could no longer afford to feed their family members due to strained budgets.
Abuja, Lagos
Saturday PUNCH gathered that intra-city transporters in Abuja and the Federal Capital Territory, have increased their fares by N100 while those operating inter-state hiked fares by N500 to N1,000, depending on the destination.
A worker in a financial firm in Lagos, Donald Eke, said his transport fare from New Road to Lekki Phase 1 on Lagos Island increased by over 100 per cent.
“The fare has been increasing steadily, but since the recent fuel hike, a trip that used to cost N300 to my office now costs N700. With serious negotiation, you could pay N600,” he stated.
It was learnt that commuters from Iyana Iba to the Iyana Ipaja axis of Lagos, who used to spend N500, now pay between N700 and N800. Similarly, the fare from the Lagos State University gate to Iyana Ipaja, which used to be N400, is now N700, representing a 75 per cent increase.
Commuters who travel from Iyana Iba and LASU gate to Igando, who formerly paid N200, now spend N300 since the fuel hike began.
One of our correspondents also gathered that commuters from Igando to Egbeda, who used to pay N300, now spend between N400 and N500.
Ogun State
In Ogun State, passengers who ply the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway lamented the hike in transport fares, which they said increased by 100 per cent.
A sales representative, Treasure Ettah, who resides in Magboro, told Saturday PUNCH that the transport fare from the Prayer City axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to his workplace in Gbagada, Lagos, spiked by 100 to 140 per cent.
“My transport fare is normally N500, and at most N700 to Gbagada before. Now, it’s between N1,000 to N1,400 from Prayer City. I am just managing the situation because I can’t sit at home,” Ettah said.
A pharmacist, who resides in Magboro, Chinedum Ucheaga, and works at Ojodu, Berger, also told one of our correspondents that the fuel hike led to an increase in bus fares by at least 60 per cent.
“Before, I used to spend like N400, as the least fare to Berger. Now, it seems N500 is the lowest they can carry you because as of today (Friday), some passengers paid N700, while others spent N800 due to the blockage along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway because of the construction. Some passengers spent as much as N1,000 going to Ikeja Secretariat,” he said.
Passengers reported that commercial buses from Ibafo to Magboro, previously charging N200, now charge N300, while the fare to Ikorodu was increased from N1,000 to N1,500.
Commuters from Magboro to Oshodi, who previously spent N800, now pay as high as N1,400, reflecting a 75 per cent increase.
Magboro to Ojota, which was N500, was hiked to N800; while Ketu fare was also hiked from N300 to N500.
A commuter, Ireti Ayodele, lamented that the hike in the cost of transportation had made a mess of her earnings.
She said, “My income is not even enough to cover transport costs again. The same place I paid N500 for on Thursday is now N1,000 today. This is too much.”
Osun, Ondo states
In Osun State, commercial operators known as Korope drivers in Osogbo, have also adjusted their fares due to the fuel hike.
A resident of the state, Kazeem Badmus, said the transport fares to Okuku, Ife, Ilesa and Iwo have been increased to N2,500, N2,000, N1,500 and N2,000 from N1,500, N1,200 and N2,000 respectively.
At the Aregbe Park in the state capital, the transport fare from Osogbo, which was formerly N3,500 as of Tuesday, has now increased to N4,000.
“Commuters travelling to Ondo, Ore, and Lagos now pay between N5,000 and N8,000,” an Osogbo resident told one of our correspondents.
Checks by Saturday PUNCH showed that the price of petrol ranged from N1,000 to N1,200 across most of the filling stations in Ondo State.
The transport fare of commercial vehicles at the shortest distance in Ondo State is now N200, while inter-state commercial vehicles have increased their fares by 20 per cent.
A car owner, Edwards Oladeinde, lamented that he bought four litres of petrol for N6,000.
He said, “The government should be consistent on fuel prices because this development has aggravated our suffering.”
Plateau, Yobe, Benue states
In Plateau State, residents expressed worry that due to increased transportation fares, more people might be forced to remain indoors.
A resident, Philip Dontur, who spoke with one of our correspondents, noted that the transport fare from Jos to Shendam, which used to be N4,000 a few months ago, has now increased to N6,000.
“Jos-Shendam route used to be very busy because of the high traffic volume of passengers but now, the situation has changed. Those loading in the park have to stay for hours without seeing passengers while the road has become virtually empty. All because of the high cost of transportation because people no longer want to travel,” Dontur stated.
A similar trend was observed in Yobe State where Saturday PUNCH gathered that transportation costs have also surged by about 50 per cent.
Previously, the transport fares from Damaturu to Potiskum ranged from N1,500 to N1,800, depending on the type of vehicle, with mass transit and Yobe Line buses which usually cost less than commercial vehicles.
In Makurdi, the Benue State capital, transportation costs have skyrocketed, including commercial motorcycles, a major means of transportation, which has also gone up from N200 for a short distance to N350.
A resident of High Level, Makurdi who simply identified himself as Teseer, said, “If there is no emergency, why do you need to move around, people have been forced to stay indoors.”
Foodstuff prices skyrocket
Saturday PUNCH also learnt that a bag of yam flours which was sold at N400,000 two weeks ago in Lagos, now sells at N550,000 as of the time of filing this report.
Also, a bag of rice that was previously sold at N80,000 has been increased to N100,000 according to a foodstuffs seller in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In Bauchi State, traders, customers and transporters of food produce lamented the hike in the prices of commodities.
Speaking with one of our correspondents, a trader in New GRA Bauchi, Anas Yusuf, explained that the cost of transporting goods from Kano to Bauchi skyrocketed due to higher fuel prices.
“When I order goods at a higher price, customers complain, and some even leave without purchasing anything because they can’t afford it. Customers often express their anger, but as a business owner, I have to remain patient to keep them coming,” Anas said.
A father of one, Muazu Husseini, explained that in the past, his family fed three times a day, but currently, they eat once due to the hike in food prices.
He added, “In the past, N10,000 was enough to last the family for two weeks, but now it is not enough to last even a week. While prices may go down sometimes, the relief doesn’t reach everywhere.”
A bread seller in the Rukuba Road community, in Jos, Plateau State, Mrs Charity Gideon, also lamented the hike in food prices.
“People no longer buy bread like before due to high price and everything is caused by high fuel cost. I don’t know what the government wants the people to do before they know that everything is virtually dependent on the price of fuel,” she said.
In Yobe State, several food sellers also complained about the significant drop in patronage in the food markets over the past two days.
During a visit to the popular Bayan-Tasha market in Damaturu, one of our correspondents observed a decline in the number of buyers and sellers present in the market.
A trader in the market, Mallam Haruna Mamman, said, “The price of a measure of rice, both local and imported, has increased significantly. The local variety, which used to cost between N3,700 and N3,900, now costs between N4,500 and N5,400, depending on the type.”
He continued, “Maize, which previously cost between N3,800 and N4,000, now costs between N4,500 and N4,600. Similarly, millet and sorghum, which were priced between N2,000 and N2,200, have also seen price hikes.”
Similarly, when one of our correspondents visited Wadatta Market in Benue State, he observed a drastic drop in the number of customers.
A trader at the market, who is known as Terdue, said many shop owners, especially those dealing in fabrics, utensils and other stuff, seldom come to the market.
He said, “The cost of a measure of local rice which was sold for N3,100 on Thursday now goes for N3,200 today (Friday).
“A basin of garri that used to cost N22,500 now goes for N32,000, so also other food items like beans, millet and corn.”
A trader, who gave his name simply as Mallam Yusuf and sells fruits at the market, said three oranges which used to be N100 now cost N250. Similarly, one apple which used to cost N200 is now sold for N400.
Hunger dey, Netizens cry out
Many Nigerians have also taken to social media to express their frustration over the recent fuel price hikes, lamenting that there is hunger in the land.
The mood seems to have been captured in a trending song by an up-and-coming artiste and skit maker, Lawal Michael, popularly known as Nasboi.
Michael, in the song titled, ‘Hunger dey’, said economic hardship is biting hard and Nigerians are suffering.
“There is no food, rice and garri are expensive. There is ulcer, and there is no food to cure it. Hunger will kill somebody in Lagos.”
His song resonated with the conditions of many Nigerians who also expressed frustration with getting by daily.
An X user, Dr Hafsatu Danladi, said Nigerians were sinking deeper into poverty because the economy was in free fall.
She wrote, “It is heartbreaking to watch a government so out of touch with the pain of its own people. How much more can we endure?
“Fuel prices have skyrocketed, inflation is at an all-time high, and survival feels like a daily battle. Meanwhile, T-pain (Tinubu) is holidaying in London on taxpayer money while Nigerians go to bed on empty stomachs. This is beyond shameful.”
Also commenting on the fuel hike, Benson Onyekachi, on his X handle, stated that Nigeria was experiencing the worst economic crisis in about 30 years, adding that the hardship was contributing to citizens’ mental health crises.
“People are not in their best selves anymore, the majority looking tensed and tired, overwhelmed with worries of how to sail through this present economic hardship without getting drowned in it. The atmosphere in Nigeria now is not encouraging at all, people just surviving to fight another day”, said Olayode Temitayo.
According to a netizen, Nnenna Okoronkeo, Nigerians have turned into beggars in their own country.
“We have been rendered destitute in what is supposed to be our free country. For how long are we going to keep adjusting? People have turned into beggars, they are fast losing their minds and even taking their own lives. It is crazy times in Nigeria, Tinubu is out to kill us,” she wrote.
Echoing the same complaint, an X user, Oluwawemimo Awe-Kolawole, lamented that commodities that used to be affordable to Nigerians became luxury within a year, adding that Nigerians are now “fighting each other on soup matter.”
Tinubu daring Nigerians –Protest organisers
The organizers of the #EndBadGovernance and #FearlessinOctober protests lampooned President Tinubu over the recent hike in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit.
Speaking in separate interviews with our correspondent on Friday, the organisers demanded the immediate reversal of the fuel price.
The National Coordinator, the Take it Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu said the President was daring Nigerians with the latest price hike, adding that his group and other organisers would consider their next line of action.
On his part, the Initiator, Creative Change Centre, Omole Ibukun, noted that he and other organisers of the last protests were mobilising and would announce action which would be taken afterwards.
He said, “The continuous hike in fuel price is a reflection of how dubious the Nigerian government is when it comes to telling Nigerians the truth about the implications of the policies they implement on the masses. The government has fraudulently portrayed subsidy removal and deregulation as the key to lowering fuel prices for Nigerians, but we can all see that’s a lie.
“Our demand stands and it is that this country has enough resources presently to return fuel price to pre-May 29, 2023 price. One important way to achieve this is to get our public refineries working rather than put the Nigerian people at the mercy of imported fuel or at the mercy of a private refinery, despite Nigeria being a major oil-producing country.
“However, we are presently engaged in democratic mobilisation of efforts for the mass of Nigerians to agree on a form of direct action, which could be a protest, that we can use to respond to this new attack on our living conditions by the government. It is that democratic mobilisation that will determine when a protest will commence on this.”