
FEATURES
The Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CrediCorp) has launched the credit access for light and mobility (CALM) fund to help Nigerians convert vehicles to compressed natural gas (CNG) and install solar home systems.
In a statement on Monday via X, Olusegun Dada, the special assistant to the president on social media, said the programme would reduce energy and transportation costs for Nigerians by over 70 percent.
“Applications are now open for CALM Fund (Credit Access for Light and Mobility), providing consumer credit to help Nigerians access CNG Conversions and Solar Home Systems through partner financial institutions,” Dada said.
“Cut your energy and transportation costs by more than 70%.”
On its website, CrediCorp said with the CNG conversions, “you can convert your existing petrol vehicle to ride on CNG (compressed natural gas), and save 60% to 80% of the weekly expenses you make on fuel”.
“Your savings over 4 – 6 months would pay off the costs of acquiring the CNG conversion; and then the savings continue for you forever!” CrediCorp said.
“Get access to solar panels, inverters and combined systems to drop your daily costs of power consumption by up to 90%.
“The savings over 3 – 6 months can pay for the solar systems, and then you enjoy the continued savings to yourself forever afterward!”
Interested individuals can apply via http://www.credicorp.ng/calm.
On October 7, the federal government launched a portal to provide youths with access to CNG-powered tricycles.
Michael Oluwagbemi, project director and chief executive officer of the presidential CNG initiative (P-CNGi), said the project would improve the economic situation for Nigerians by reducing reliance on petrol.
The federal government also introduced a scheme allowing users to convert their petrol vehicles to CNG and pay later.
On October 16, the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), in collaboration with CrediCorp and other stakeholders, made N10 billion available to Nigerians for CNG conversion projects.
[TheCable]
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has officially condemned the actions of Alex Ikwechegh, a member of the House of Representatives for Aba North and South Federal Constituency, following his alleged assault on an e-hailing driver.
The incident, which was captured in a viral video, shows Ikwechegh allegedly assaulting a Bolt driver who had come to deliver an item at his residence.
In a press statement released on Monday, APGA’s National Publicity Secretary, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, expressed the party’s disapproval of Ikwechegh’s behaviour, stating that it is “condemnable in all ramifications” and does not align with the party’s values and constitution.
The statement read, “The attention of our great party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, has been drawn to a viral video of alleged assault meted out to a citizen by the Honourable member representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency, Alex Ikwechegh.
“As a political party founded on respect for Human Rights, we roundly condemn the action of our said member and Federal Parliamentarian, Alex Ikwechegh, representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency, on the platform of our great Party.
“As a party, we are founded on the basic principles of upholding the dignity of all humans, irrespective of class, creed and/or ethnicity. The recent video allegedly showing Ikwechegh assaulting a cab driver is totally unacceptable and runs counter to what our Party – APGA – represents.
“In line with APGA’s constitution, the Leadership of the Party shall set up a disciplinary committee to investigate the act, and if found wanting, appropriate sanctions shall be meted on him in line with the Constitution of APGA.”
According to Opara, all members of APGA and all elected officials on the party’s platform are expected to exhibit the highest standards of decorum, civility and integrity in all public and private engagements.
“Our party shall not tolerate any verifiable conduct that is not in tandem with the ideals of our founding fathers. In APGA, we are our Brother’s and Sister’s keeper and it cannot be any other way,” the statement added.
Nigerian gospel singer, Tope Alabi, has expressed displeasure over the rivalry among her colleagues in the music industry.
Naija News reports that the ‘Angeli Mi’ cooner while speaking in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, on Sunday, at the ‘Celebrating Jesus 7.0’ concert, lamented over what she described as fake love among gospel singers.
Tope Alabi expressed frustration over the jealousy and bitter rivalries among both the A-list and upcoming singers in the gospel music industry.
While emphasizing the need for support and unity between the already established and emerging artists, Alabi reminded her colleagues to prioritize their legacy and accountability before God over fame and success.
She said, “God will hold us accountable for these things. Let us stop it. It is high time we know that we are working for the kingdom and not for ourselves or fame. The bigger ones separated themselves from the up and coming. And yet the bigger ones still fight themselves again, what do you want those coming up to do?
“The emerging ones are already against each other. These children coming up are already backstabbing and emulating us because we started it. They are enemies to each other and smile with one another, they are faking it. This is getting out of hand and God will ask us.”
The Nigeria Police, on Monday, arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court, Police Inspector Joseph Ozonwanji, formerly of the Anti-Cultism Police Squad, Enugu, for the murder of an Igbo ogene musician, Okezie Mba, popularly known as Igbo-Jah, at the weekend.
His arraignment followed his orderly room trial and approval of his dismissal and arraignment by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 13, AIG Godwin Aghaulor.
The police prosecution was led by the Officer-in-Charge of the Enugu State Police Command, SP Justice Attah and Emmanuel Ajogwu.
The charge marked CME/614/2024, reads, “That you Ozonwanji Joseph ‘m’ on 25th day of October 2024 at about 2010hrs at anti-Cultism Police Squad, Goshen Estate Enugu in the Enugu North Magisterial District did unlawfully kill one Okezie Chikezie Nwamba ‘m’ by firing him with an AK47 Riffle, which caused his death and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 274(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2024.”
Thereafter, the Chief Administrative Magistrate, Enugu East Magistrate Court 1, Ngozi Edeani ordered for the case file to be transferred to the Attorney-General of the State, and for the suspect to be remanded at the Enugu Correctional Centre.
Briefing newsmen after the arraignment, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Enugu State Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said the accused’s arraignment for murder was in keeping with the promise and determination of the Enugu State Government and the police to ensure that justice was done in the matter.
“It is important to inform our people that the Chief Magistrate has listened to the charge brought against the dismissed police officer and has asked that the case file be transmitted to the Attorney General of Enugu State to proceed from there and advise accordingly for the next line of action.
“This is one trial we want to see happen. We are talking about a human life. Police men generally have that responsibility to protect lives, but if, for whatsoever reason, any police officer misuses his firearm, the liability is on the person. That’s is exactly what has happened today. You could see the Enugu State Government and the police command in the state have done everything possible to ensure that justice prevails in this case,’ Ndukwe stated.
Speaking on the matter, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, said his office would expect the file and act expeditiously.
“This is a matter His Excellency is very much determined to see to the very end to ensure that justice is done to everyone involved. I also have his instruction to personally prosecute this matter as the Attorney General. This underscores the import he places on it. And I will do exactly that. We will prosecute diligently and expeditiously,” he assured.
Meanwhile, Governor Peter Mbah has announced the award of scholarship up to university level to the three children of the deceased musician, while also taking charge of the health of his sick wife.
This was announced by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs, and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, during a visit to the home of the deceased by herself, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke, and the Chairman of Enugu North LGA, Hon. Ibenaku Onoh, on Monday.
“The Governor, in his magnanimity has awarded scholarships to the children to university level. Secondly, the state is going to take care of the welfare of Mrs Igbo-Jah going forward.
This is a calamity to everybody, who loves Enugu State and who is an indigene of Enugu State. The Enugu state government is on top of the matter and they are going to make sure that justice prevails in this matter.
“With me here are the children of the late Igbo-Jah, and the governor has promised them that he is not only going to take care of them from now till university, but also promised to take care of their welfare,” she stated.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested a lawmaker for assaulting a driver in the nation’s capital.
Police spokesperson for the Command, Josephine Adeh, confirmed that Alex Mascot Ikwechegh “is at the Maitama Police Station undergoing questioning”.
In a statement on Monday, the Command said the Bolt driver Stephen Abuwatseya reported the matter to the Command.
In a now-viral video, the House of Representatives member was seen slapping the Bolt driver.
Ikwechegh represents Aba North & South Federal Constituency in the Green Chamber on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
A furious Ikwechegh was captured in the video in casual wear as he lounged in his compound somewhere in the FCT on Sunday evening.
Going by the conversation recorded in the viral video, the lawmaker had ordered some snails from a vendor who engaged the services of the e-hailing App driver to deliver the goods.
A heated disagreement ensued when the Bolt driver, Stephen Abuwatseya, arrived at the lawmaker’s residence and asked to be paid.
A furious Ikwechegh was heard speaking with the vendor on the phone. “How can this stupid idiot come to me and tell me that I am supposed to come and meet him in his car and pick up a snail I am buying from you? I can make this man disappear in the whole of Nigeria and nothing will happen.” the lawmaker blurted to the speaker on the other side.
After the phone conversation with the snail vendor, Ikwechegh faced Abuwatseya and said, “You will not get a penny from me with this level of disrespect. You will suffer, I will deal with you.”
The APGA lawmaker fulfilled his threat and thudded two slaps on the cheeks of the driver who maintained his composure in the face of the assault.
To capture that he had been slapped, the Bolt driver asked, “Are you slapping me, sir?”
“I just did, slap me back. How dare you?” the lawmaker angrily retorted.
“Do you slap me thrice sir?”
“Twice, you will soon receive the third one.”
When alerted that the episode was recorded, the lawmaker told the driver: “My name is Honourable Alexander Mascot Ikwechegh, I am a member of the House of Reps, tell them. Call the Inspector General of Police, let him come.”
The northern region is marking its eighth consecutive day without electricity.
The outage was triggered last Monday after the tripping off of the 330kV circuit transmission line between Benue and Enugu.
The transmission line between Shiroro and Kaduna was also affected, affecting Kano, Gombe, Kebbi, Jos, Kaduna, Benue, Bauchi, Adamawa, Taraba, Borno, Kwara, Nasarawa and Yobe.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has acknowledged the ongoing outage, assuring residents that they are taking “every possible measure” to restore power to the Northern region.
According to the company, the 330kV DC Ugwaji-Apir double circuit tripped due to a fault.
The latest fault in the 330kV DC transmission line occurred just days after Nigeria experienced three national grid collapses within a single week.
TCN Working To Restore Power In Northern Nigeria – Spokesman
The TCN on Sunday said it is doing everything possible to restore power in Northern Nigeria.
The company attributed delays in restoration to infrastructure challenges worsened by vandalism and insecurity.
TCN in a statement by its spokesman, Ndidi Mbah, said it is working with the Office of the National Security Adviser to repair the vandalised Shiroro-Kaduna line that led to a reduction of bulk electricity to Kaduna, Kano and other major cities in the north.
Mbah, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, said the company is confident that the bulk power supply will be restored as quickly as possible.
“TCN would like to state categorically that it is working diligently to restore bulk power supply as quickly as possible despite prevailing security challenges,” the statement read.
“The Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line, which supplies power to Northern Nigeria, was vandalized by insurgents & in response, TCN has partnered with the National Security Adviser’s office to secure the area, enabling her engineers to work safely on the restoration.”
According to the statement, TCN Executive Director (Independent System Operator), Engr. (Mrs) Nafisatu Ali noted that deploying engineers without security support is not feasible, given the risks in the region.
She dispelled any suggestion that restoration would be indefinite, stressing that TCN’s focus remains on ensuring an even supply of electricity nationwide and that security arrangements were underway.
“The current outage affecting Northern states for several days now is a result of vandalism of the Shiroro-Mando transmission line, a critical infrastructure that supplies electricity to the region. Prevailing insecurity in the area has delayed the immediate repair necessary to restore supply.
“However, as a temporary measure, TCN had rerouted bulk power supply through the Ugwuaji-Apir 330kV line, which recently snapped. TCN has been collaborating closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to work with our engineers to access the vandalism site to enable them to effect necessary repairs. This is vital to ensure the safety of lives during the repairs,” the statement concluded.
Tinubu Doing What You Lacked the Courage To Do 20 Years Ago - Presidency Fires Back At Obasanjo
AFOLABIThe Tinubu-led presidency has lambasted former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo after he said that the president came into office without a plan.
They accused Obasanjo of chickening out in the face of opposition when he should have activated some economic policies needed to save Nigeria during his tenure.
The presidency also submitted that some of the bold reforms Obasanjo lacked the courage to implement are what President Bola Tinubu has set in motion for the good of the country.
The presidency also chided Obasanjo, asking him to stop seeing himself as the only saviour of Nigeria.
The statement by Temitope Ajayi, the Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity, comes as a direct response to an interview by Obasanjo in which the former Nigerian leader, in an interview with News Central Television, made a veiled reference in which he accused Tinubu of coming to power without any plan.
However, Ajayi, in his statement, defended the policies of the Tinubu government, saying Tinubu is displaying the courage to do what Obasanjo failed to do twenty years ago.
“A video of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s interview with News Central Television has been trending on social media platforms for the past week. In the interview, the former President, in a veiled reference to the current administration, said Nigeria has a President who came into office without a plan. Yet, the same ‘planless’ president is implementing a bold economic reform programme that Obasanjo initiated and abandoned mid-way.
“This intervention is essentially about a tale of two leaders and how they both handled fuel subsidy removal, a very touchy issue every president of Nigeria has avoided since 1973 because of its disruptive nature and potential to precipitate a pushback that may lead to civil unrest. This serious matter in itself can make a difference between a bold and courageous leader from one that is pretentious and hesitant.
“It is a fact of history that one of the things former President Obasanjo set out to do, among other reforms his administration embarked upon, was complete deregulation of the downstream oil industry. But hard as he tried, he failed to actualise it. Obasanjo faced so much opposition from organised labour and civil society groups that he abandoned a good policy that would have led to massive economic gains for the country. All he could muster the courage to do was to raise the pump price four times during his two-term tenure.
“Twenty years after Obasanjo failed to implement complete downstream deregulation, President Bola Tinubu had the courage of his conviction to implement the policy, redirect the economy, and ensure efficiency in the management of public finance.
“Despite his foibles and messianic complex, former President Obasanjo is no doubt a remarkable leader. His administration opened the economy and implemented essential reforms that his immediate successor should have continued with. What most critics find offensive about the former president is how he sees himself as the only saviour God created for Nigeria. As far as he is concerned, no other leader before and after him has been good enough. For context and clarity, it is essential to recall the former president’s position on deregulating the downstream oil sector when he was in charge.
“In a national broadcast on October 8, 2003, President Obasanjo expressed his frustration and anger at the Nigeria Labour Congress for its opposition to the deregulation of the downstream sector to the point of accusing labour leaders of sedition thus:
“As you are aware, my government has embarked on fundamental reforms designed to depart from the waste and unproductive exercises of the past and leave lasting legacies for the prosperity and improved welfare and well-being of all Nigerians. Since 1999, we have gradually but steadily embarked on the programme of liberalisation and deregulation of the Nigerian economy to promote efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery. Most Nigerians and certainly all organised key stakeholders in the Nigerian economy, including the Nigeria Labour Congress, have endorsed the deregulation programme of government.
“It is a fitting symbol of our administration’s commitment to the welfare of workers and in an effort to cushion the effects of deregulation that the government provided 80 buses to the NLC in 2002. The transliner buses were delivered to the Congress for management without government interference. It is noteworthy that every step taken to deregulate the downstream oil sector has been dogged by, sometimes, irresponsible opposition by the Labour Congress. The result has been that we took too little steps to achieve no meaningful and satisfactory progress. We have tolerated all of these in the interest of promoting popular dialogue and informed dissent.
“Let me inform Nigerians that when government first came up with the deregulation programme, it was endorsed by the NLC and other stakeholders. In fact, the NLC had requested that we call it a “liberalisation” programme. It was thus more a matter of label than of substance. If we had been successful in implementing the deregulation or liberalisation of the downstream oil sector as earlier agreed by all stakeholders, including labour, we would not have been worrying about the periodic and unsatisfactory price-fixing which has led no where except to frustration. The failure to fully deregulate or liberalise has also cost Nigerians billions of naira which are currently wasted on millions of man-hours in queues at the petrol stations.
“The tens of billions of naira currently being lost in money that could have been used to increase capital spending in the universities, fund agriculture, repair and rehabilitate our roads, invest in education and health, improve security with extra police for security of lives and property.
“Realising that the investment of well over $400 million (excluding pipelines and depots) in the last six years mostly on Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) and repairs had not improved the performance of the refineries significantly, government had decided that it was unwise to put additional money into the repair of the Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries before privatising them.
“What most Nigerians must know is that the contracts for the Turn Around Maintenance for the Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries were awarded with 50% of the cost paid upfront before the advent of this administration in 1999. Allow me to add that two of the three refinery locations in the country today, were built by my administration as military head of state. This means that if for no other reason, I should be interested in keeping them working. Already, 18 private firms have been licensed to build refineries but they have been reluctant to go into the industry because of Government’s price control in the sector.
“If only 30% of these firms had been able to establish and operate private refineries, thousands of jobs would have been created and Nigeria would have been in a position to even export refined oil products. All these benefits and more have been denied to Nigerians by the stop-go approach to the deregulation or liberalisation programme, and only a few Nigerians are benefiting from the prevailing government-controlled system. In fact, the NLC’s approach has been counter-productive, and inflicted more pains on Nigerian workers. Each time there is a small increase of three naira or more, transporters have used the opportunity to jerk up transportation cost thereby making the ordinary worker poorer.
“A once-and-for-all total deregulation would have meant a once-and-for-all increase in transport cost and the pump price for petroleum products. Without a doubt, a once-and-for-all total deregulation would have resolved the problem of availability and thus bring down prices for those outside Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and their environs who have always paid much more than the official posted price. Pump prices arising from the present total deregulation would, in reality, amount to a reduction in prices of majority of Nigerians,” the statement read.
In further rejecting the call that the President came into office unprepared, the statement said Obasanjo saw a looming calamity but failed to address it, but now Tinubu has chosen to address the challenge head-on and focus on the bigger picture.
“Interestingly, excerpts from the 2003 national broadcast by President Obasanjo present a contrast between the former leader and President Tinubu. They also showcase two leadership visions. One leader saw the need to fight for the country’s long-term sustainability but chickened out because he lacked the courage to upset the status quo. Two decades later, another leader saw the damage the failure to make the right economic decision had caused the country. He decided to correct it to avert a looming calamity. While former President Obasanjo left the most challenging task of his presidency undone, President Tinubu tackled head-on what has become an existential threat to our collective well-being from his first day in office. He has remained focused on the bigger picture.
“President Tinubu recognises the burden of leadership and responsibility he bears on behalf of Nigerians. In discharging this burden, he knew from day one that he would have to make the right but unpopular decisions that would ultimately serve the best interest of the country and her people,” Ajayi argued.
He explained further that contrary to Obasanjo’s submission, President Tinubu came into office with the Renewed Hope Agenda and has been implementing it since May 2023.
“It is certainly not correct to say this president came to the office without a plan. President Tinubu came into the office with a clear plan titled “Renewed Hope 2023: Action Plan for a Better Nigeria.” It was a well-thought-out programme, with which he canvassed for votes across the country and was elected by our people.
“In the past 17 months, he has remained faithful to the document as he implements the distilled eight-point agenda.
“At the heart of President Tinubu’s economic revitalisation is gas development and expansion of gas pipeline infrastructure to enable Nigeria to compete with Russia in the European markets. In fairness to him, former President Obasanjo himself recently lamented he did not pay adequate attention to gas during his term of office.
“Expanding the pool of available talents and human capital through granting of loans to young Nigerians who are the future of the country to enable them acquire tertiary or vocational education is part of the plans that propelled Tinubu into office. Consumer credit initiative that will promote local production and further stimulate the economy is also high on Tinubu’s action plan. To the President’s credit, these two important policy initiatives among several others are being implemented through NELFUND and Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CrediCorp).
“If there is one President of Nigeria that came prepared and well armed with a clear cut plan to reposition the country across sectors for better outcomes, that President, undoubtedly, is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the statement concluded.
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The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, says the constant power outages in many parts of Nigeria and the expensive cost of petroleum products may push many entrepreneurs out of business and sink more Nigerians into poverty.
Many Northern states have been thrown into a blackout for several days now as a result of vandalism of the Shiroro-Mando transmission line. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said work has commenced to restore power.
In a Sunday post on X (formerly Twitter), the former Anambra State governor said the continued power outages in many parts of the country “have remained a cause of grievous concern”.
“The negative impact of the continued power outage on businesses, especially small businesses, who depend primarily on public power supply to sustain their businesses as a means of livelihood, is unimaginable.
“This power crisis, when combined with the present high cost of petroleum products and a harsh operating environment, remains a lethal recipe for widespread business failure and increasing poverty in the country,” Obi said.
He said solving Nigeria’s power and energy crisis is not rocket science as many of Nigeria’s peer nations have demonstrated the possibility of sustainable power for their citizens.
“Our African neighbour, Egypt, for example, invested aggressively in their power sector, which resulted in the establishment of a sustainable power infrastructure by way of many power stations.
“Today, Egypt has revolutionized power and energy production in the country, providing sustainable power to millions of small businesses, which account for over 90% of active enterprises in the country and contribute to over 80 per cent of their GD,” he said.
Obi called on the government to ramp up efforts and provide immediate and long-term solutions to the challenge.
President Bola Tinubu’s daughter and Iyaloja-General, Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, has been appointed Ambassador for the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education.
The appointment was announced by the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Muhammad Sani Idris, during a visit to Tinubu-Ojo’s residence in Lagos.
In a statement by the Commission’s spokesperson, Nura Muhammad, on Sunday, Idris cited Tinubu-Ojo’s “passion for supporting disadvantaged communities, particularly Almajiri and out-of-school children,” as the basis for her selection.
Responding, Tinubu-Ojo expressed her appreciation, saying, “I am deeply honoured by this appointment and am committed to alleviating the plight of these vulnerable Nigerians.”
She also highlighted her father’s dedication to education, calling it “a lasting legacy for Nigerian children”.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has announced an investigation into the alleged abuse of a dispatch rider by a House of Representatives member from Abia State, following public outrage over claims that the lawmaker threatened to make the rider “disappear” for requesting payment for his services.
In a statement titled “Nigeria Police Reacts to the Humiliation of Dispatch Rider by Abia State House of Reps Member,” the FCT Police Command confirmed it was aware of the incident involving Hon. Alexander Ikwechegh and a Bolt driver, Mr. Stephen Abuwatseya, which took place on October 27, 2024, in the Maitama district of Abuja.
The statement detailed that “the FCT Command is actively handling the case following Mr. Abuwatseya’s official report at the Maitama Divisional Headquarters.”
The Police Force also cautioned the public against using the name or office of the Inspector-General of Police to intimidate citizens, emphasizing that such misuse of authority runs counter to the impartiality that the office of the IGP stands for.
The controversy began when a video surfaced online showing Ikwechegh allegedly berating and threatening Abuwatseya. In the video, the lawmaker purportedly questions the driver, saying, “Do you know where you are? Do you know who I am?” The driver, in response, simply asked to be paid for his service: “I don’t want to know, just pay me and let me go.”
The exchange escalated, with the driver insisting on his right to payment, stating, “I did a job for you, and you have to pay me, sir.” Reports indicate that the lawmaker refused to pay, allegedly calling the driver “very, very stupid” and issuing a chilling threat: “I can make this man disappear in the whole of Nigeria and nothing would happen.”
The video has sparked widespread outrage, with Nigerians condemning the alleged abuse of power. Human rights advocates have joined the calls for accountability, urging the police to thoroughly investigate the matter and ensure justice is served.
[Vanguard]
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Nigerian police and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to promptly investigate allegations against a federal lawmaker from Abia State, Alex Ikwechegh.
Naija News earlier reported that Ikwechegh was involved in an incident where he allegedly assaulted a Bolt taxi driver and threatened to make the driver “disappear” without facing any consequences.
This altercation reportedly stemmed from a disagreement between the two parties.
SERAP emphasized the need to end impunity surrounding violations of citizens’ rights, advocating for accountability and justice.
The organization through their X handle on Monday stated, “The Nigerian police and Speaker, House of Reps must immediately investigate reports that Mr Alex Ikwechegh, a lawmaker brutally assaulted a Bolt driver, and ensure accountability and justice for the violations. Impunity for violations of citizens’ rights MUST STOP.”
Meanwhile, the Bolt Driver, slapped by the lawmaker representing Aba North South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has revealed what happened in the trending video.
Naija News understands that the driver, in another video online, said the lawmaker slapped him three times, and shredded his clothes into pieces.
According to the driver, Ikwechegh assaulted him just because he asked the lawmaker to come out and collect his package.
According to him, “I just received three slaps and my clothes shredded into pieces from this man right now who claims to be a House of Reps Member.
“I didn’t confront him or do anything bad to him. Please, I need help right now.”
[NaijaNews]