The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, also known as Shiites, has condemned the alleged forceful removal of Hijab by police officers in Abuja, describing it as a grave religious abuse and blasphemy.
According to a statement by Maryam Sani, on behalf of the Sisters Forum of the Islamic movement, the incident involved Muslim women in detention who were allegedly forced to remove their Hijab, a religious headscarf.
The statement denounced the act as a violation of religious freedom and cultural sensitivity.
“We will publicise this abuse to the public (within and outside the country) and also challenge it in the court of law,” the group threatened.
This comes after a one-minute, twenty-one-second video taken within the premises of the FCT Police Command, which was shared in a WhatsApp group of the police community in the FCT went viral on social media showing how the police forcefully removed the Hijab of Muslim sisters, while in police detention.
Sani claimed the Muslim Sisters were arrested during the 2024 Abuja Arba’een Symbolic Trek.
The statement read:
“Our attention has also been drawn to pictures of people arrested during the 2024 Abuja Abra’een Symbolic Trek paraded by the police on 28 August 2024 to newsmen at SARS Abbatoir. The pictures taken by the newsmen also showed our Muslim sisters without Hijab.
“Hijab is a commandment of Allah, the creator of earth and heaven. Allah (T) says in the Qur’an, ‘O Prophet! Say to your wives, your daughters, and the women of the believers that they should let down upon themselves their jalabib.’ (Qur’an: Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 59).
“Hijab is our religion, culture, and right, and the abuse of Hijab is more painful to us than the shelling of live ammunition on us. We will not take this abuse lightly. Certainly, an abuse to Hijab is not just an abuse to the people arrested but to the Muslims and the religion of Islam.
“Verily, the leadership of the police is fully aware of the sanctity of Hijab to Muslims; they just decided to deliberately abuse our religion. First, we condemn the forceful removal of Muslim sisters’ Hijab and consider it an abuse to Muslims and blasphemy to Islam.”
The organisation added that if it is assumed that the perpetrators are not Muslims, it will not believe that during their education, from home training and childhood upbringing at family level through University education and in-service training, they have never learnt how to respect people’s religion and culture.
Meanwhile, the Islamic movement in another round of protest on Friday urged the police authorities to respect people’s religion and culture.
The nationwide protest took place in various cities across the country such as Abuja, Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna, Zaria, Yobe, Gombe,Bauchi, Jos, Katsina, Kebbi and Niger among others.
In Abuja, the protest kicked off at Banex Juma’at Mosque immediately after the Friday prayers and ended at the popular Banex junction.
In Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna and Katsina, many people joined the protest saying Hijab does not just belong to the Shiites Women.
No fewer than 1,425 international students who gained admission to universities in the United Kingdom were denied entry at the country’s airports between 2021 and 2023.
A total of 161 Nigerians were affected, as they were removed on arrival at airports across the UK.
According to data exclusively obtained from the UK Home Office through the Freedom of Information Act, India topped the list of affected foreign students with 644, representing 45 per cent of the figure, while Nigeria followed with 11.3 per cent. Ghana is third on the list with 92 (6.46 per cent), while Bangladesh is fourth with 90 (6.32 per cent).
However, the released data, covering October 2021 to October 2023, is limited to students denied entry at the airports. It does not include international students deported by the Home Office for violating the terms of their visas, such as working beyond 20 hours weekly and academic malpractice.
The Home Office did not also specify the reasons for the removal of the foreign students.
But Saturday PUNCH gathered that some of the reasons for such decisions included the inability of students to convince the Border Force officers during checks at the airports, presentation of forged documents, and deficiency in English language usage.
An immigration lawyer based in North London, UK, Dele Olawanle, in a post on X in September 2023, decried the maltreatment of students and called on the UK Government to rein in Border Force officers, whom he said had turned themselves to admission officers.
Olawanle lamented that three students contacted him for help within three hours after facing threats of removal at the airports.
He wrote, “UK border officers have turned themselves into university officials at the point of entry by questioning students entering the UK to start their course on some aspects of the course they are going to start. If they do not answer correctly, they have their visas cancelled, and some are removed from the UK. Sad! I have had three instructions on that in the last 24 hours.
“It is not their job because most of these students were interviewed by the university before being offered a place on the course. Most of these Border Force officers have not even been to university and are not qualified to examine these foreign students on their academic knowledge.
“I can say this as I have had dealings with them for the last 24 years. Their job is to make sure the students obtain entry clearance genuinely. If you are a student coming to start your course, be prepared for immigration officers turning themselves into university examiners.”
A data analyst, Nelly Okechukwu, who claimed he narrowly escaped screening at one of the airports, also shared his experience.
He wrote, “After going through a 16-hour flight, a border officer asked for my transcript, which I presented, and this lady started asking me to tell her about a course I studied in my 200-level in the university. A university I graduated from since 2012.”
Student admissions
A total of 679,970 foreign students were admitted to UK universities for the 2021/2022 academic year, according to data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
Nigeria had the highest number of foreign students with 44,195 out of the 68,320 African citizens studying in the UK for the 2021/2022 academic year.
HESA data also shows that the number of students from Nigeria rose to 72,355 in the 2022/2023 academic year, with the explanation that the data relates to students enrolled between 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2023.
Nigerian students and their dependents in the UK contributed an estimated £1.9bn to the economy of the country in one year, according to an analysis by SBM Intelligence. The data covered the 2021/2022 academic session.
According to the data, international students contributed £41.9bn to the UK economy in the 2021/22 academic year.
The Universities UK International, which is the umbrella body for universities in the country, said it couldn’t comment on the data of student removals.
The organisation, in response to Saturday PUNCH inquiries, however, noted that immigrants on student visas who were removed at the border were far less than those admitted.
“We are not a government agency or sponsor. So, we don’t hold data on this and therefore can’t comment, but we are sharing the points below on background for context:
“Home Office data from 2021-2024 (year ending March) suggests 1,541,837 study visas were granted to main applicants over the period. Assuming the quoted numbers are correct, then those not admitted to the UK would represent less than 0.01% of all those on study visas. We cannot comment on the reasons for refusal or what happens after that – and it will depend on the specifics of the case.”
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission said it did not get any report from students who were removed at UK airports.
A spokesperson for the commission, Abdulrahman Balogun, said, “No student has ever reported being rejected at the port of entry for no just cause.”
The Director of a foreign education consulting firm, Story Across Globe, Mr Emmanuel Gbadega, said a foreign student or any other immigrant might be rejected at the port of entry if the individual couldn’t explain his or her mission in the country.
Gbadega said anybody who looked suspicious could be rejected and returned to their country by the Border Force.
He said, “They have been doing that for many years. You can be rejected by the Border Force when you look suspicious; probably they find out that you are not coming to study. The students could have been rejected as a result of incompetence; they could have failed an interview.”
Gbadega explained that any foreign student who was removed at the port of entry could seek a refund from his university by notifying the institution of their challenge.
Commenting on the matter, an immigration lawyer, Adeola Oyinlade, tasked Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NIDCOM to be concerned on the removal of Nigerian students at foreign airports.
He also enjoined any student who was denied entry to a foreign country to abide by that decision to avoid being banned for 10 years.
Another immigration lawyer, Dr Yemi Opemuti, said the Border Force did not commit any infraction by removing the affected students, adding that the officers reserved the right to approve or disapprove entry into their country.
According to Opemuti, having a visa does not guarantee entry into a country, adding that customs or immigration officers have the power to invalidate a visa at the port of entry.
“When you are issued a visa from your country of origin, it’s conditional and subject to the approval of customs or immigration agents in your country of destination. A visa can be cancelled based on the response of the migrant to an interview at the entry point.
“They have the right to deny you entry or deport you if you cannot give them convincing answers to their queries,” he added.
The UK Home Affairs and British High Commission in Nigeria did not respond to inquiries made via email sent by our correspondent on August 14.
There has been a sharp decline in the number of Nigerians going to the UK to study as a result of the ban on dependents of student visa, a policy that came into effect in January 2024.
Also, the devaluation of the naira, which resulted in an increased exchange rate, weakened the financial strength of many Nigerians to sponsor themselves or their children to the UK for study.
The British Government has awarded 82 Nigerians the prestigious Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships to study a wide range of master’s degrees and PhD programmes in the UK in 2024.
This year, 32 scholars received the Chevening scholarship, and 50 scholars have been awarded the Commonwealth scholarship so far.
A pre-departure ceremony was held in Abuja yesterday for scholars based in Abuja and environs, while a similar ceremony will hold in Lagos next week and will be hosted by the Deputy Head of Mission, Abby Bernard, for scholars in Lagos and nearby cities.
At the Abuja pre-departure reception yesterday, the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mrs Gill Lever, congratulated beneficiaries who succeeded in securing a scholarship through the highly competitive application and interview process.
Speaking at the ceremony, the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mrs Gill Lever, said: “The UK continues to support the educational development of Nigerians and remain transparent and inclusive in the selection process across the board.
“I challenge each of you to aim for excellence in your studies, to be great ambassadors for Nigeria in the UK, and to take advantage of every opportunity during your scholarship—through growing your knowledge, enriching cultural exchange, and confident networking—and then bringing those experiences back to Nigeria and doing great things for your country while creating a positive change in this country and the world.”
Speaking at the reception, Director Operations, British Council Nigeria, Idowu Akintade, said: “We hope the skills and knowledge you gain from this scholarship opportunity prepare you to make a positive impact on the development priorities of Nigeria.
“I encourage you all to build a strong network and continue to be great ambassadors of the prestigious Commonwealth and Chevening Scholarships.”
BUA Cement has announced a dividend payment of N2 per ordinary share to its registered members during the 8th Annual General Meeting held on August 29, 2024.
The company also ratified the appointment and re-election of members to key positions within the organization.
In its recently released second-quarter results for 2024, BUA Cement reported a significant 77% year-over-year increase in revenue for the period ending June 30, 2024. However, the company faced a 54% year-over-year decline in pre-tax profit due to foreign exchange expenses.
Despite this, the company has approved a dividend of N2 per ordinary share of 50 kobo for the period ending December 31, 2023.
Other Resolutions:
- The company approved the audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023, along with reports from the directors, auditors, and the audit committee.
- A dividend of ₦2.00 per ordinary share of 50 kobo for the period ending December 31, 2023, was approved.
- The directors were authorized to remunerate the company’s auditors for the year ending December 31, 2024.
- The remuneration of the company’s managers was disclosed in compliance with Section 257 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020.
- The remuneration for the year ending December 2024 was set at ₦9.1 million for non-executive directors, ₦10.4 million for independent non-executive directors, and ₦13 million for the chairman.
Additionally, a resolution was passed in accordance with Rule 20.8(a) of the Nigerian Exchange Rules concerning transactions with related parties or interested persons.
The company and its related entities were granted a general mandate covering all recurring transactions with a related party or interested person, provided these transactions are of a revenue or trading nature or necessary for the company’s day-to-day operations.
Election & Re-election
- Appointment of Ms. Ganiat Adetutu Siyonbola as an independent non-executive director and Mr. Chikezie Ajaero as executive director.
- Re-election of Mr. Chimaobi Madukwe, Mr. Kabiru Rabiu, and Mr. Abdul Samad Rabiu, CFR, as directors of the company, who are retiring by rotation.
- Selection of members to constitute the statutory audit committee for the financial year of 2024:
- Shareholder Representatives: Mr. Ajibola Ajayi, Mr. Kabiru Tambari, and Mr. Oderinde Taiwo.
- Board Representatives: Mr. Kabiru Rabiu and Ms. Ganiat Adetutu Siyonbola.
The chairman, Abdul Samad Rabiu, in a statement emphasized the company’s commitment to delivering value to shareholders.
BUA Cement remains committed to maintaining efficient operations despite challenges related to foreign exchange expenses and the overall business climate.
[Niairametrics]
Why we celebrated Bichi’s exit – DSS officers
The reasons the immediate past Director-General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, and the DG of the National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar, resigned from their positions have been revealed.
Sources within the Presidency told Saturday PUNCH that President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, questioned the intelligence gathering mechanisms of the two agencies following the violent nature of the #EndBadGovernance protests in some northern states and the seizure of three presidential aircraft in France.
While Bichi was held responsible for lack of functional intelligence on the protest, Abubakar was reportedly queried for the NIA’s inability to have reports ahead of the seizure of the jets by a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited.
A French court had sanctioned the seizure of three Nigerian presidential jets, including a newly purchased Airbus, amid a legal dispute between Zhongshan and the Ogun State Government.
The #EndBadGovernance protest, which began on August 1, turned violent in Kano, Gombe, Yobe, Borno and Bauchi states while demonstrations in the South-West were peaceful.
During the protests in some northern states, public and private facilities were destroyed, while hoodlums looted shops and caused mayhem. This led to the imposition of curfews in Kano, Bauchi, and Plateau states.
The protest was driven by widespread hardship resulting from the removal of fuel subsidy, electricity tariff hike and the high cost of living, among other issues.
Bichi, who hails from Kano State, where widespread destruction and looting occurred, was appointed on September 14, 2018, by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Abubakar, from Katsina State, was also appointed by Buhari on January 10, 2018.
According to credible sources, Tinubu and Ribadu were embarrassed by the turn of events on the seizure of the presidential jets and the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations.
“The seizure of the presidential jets and violent nature of the #EndBadGovernance protest embarrassed the President nationally and internationally.
“The President was displeased with the NIA and DSS bosses. This was why he requested the resignation of the two security chiefs,” said one of the sources.
Another source told Saturday PUNCH that Bichi and Ribadu had been having a running battle before the protest, with the fallout from the northern demonstrations serving as the final straw.
He stated, “The former DSS DG and the NSA boss had been on bad terms for some time. Their issues escalated to the point that Bichi was unable to meet the President for a while. The Presidency finally had a valid reason to dismiss him due to the #EndBadGovernance protest.”
Abubakar announced his resignation on Saturday, August 24, after meeting with President Tinubu.
In contrast, Bichi’s resignation was announced in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Monday, August 26.
Why we celebrated Bichi’s exit – DSS officers
Bichi’s resignation elicited reactions from DSS staff and the public.
Some DSS officers, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, described his exit as ‘freedom from unprofessionalism’.
The DSS officers listed Bichi’s alleged misconduct to include undue interference in the service’s operations by his wife and son, Yusuf Bichi.
A video of some DSS staff members allegedly celebrating Bichi’s resignation surfaced online immediately after his departure.
However, an X user, Sanusi Jibrin, said the clip was recorded at the Kogi State DSS office, where personnel were celebrating Ajayi’s appointment, as he was a former director at the state command.
A DSS officer, however, said personnel of the agency were happy with his removal.
“We believed his regime was a punishment for us. He impeded the career advancement of many officers by extending the service years of those due to retire. Some senior officers, who were due for retirement in 2021 and 2022 were retained in the service,” he stated.
Another officer alleged that Bichi was indifferent to the welfare of workers.
“The Federal Government increased our salary by 40 per cent, but there was no implementation. We were earning more than the police before, but the police are now earning more than us because they implemented their 40 per cent increment. However, there was a proposal to increase our salary by 25 per cent this year, but it has yet to be realised,” the officer said.
Speaking on the recruitment of personnel, another secret agent described Bichi’s recruitment as nepotistic.
“Bichi’s recruitments were arbitrary and lopsided. Three different training sessions have been conducted for some people we didn’t know when they were recruited this year alone. Most of the newly recruited personnel are northerners.
“His first recruitment in 2019 brought in either 420 or 450 persons from Bichi Local Government Area in Kano alone. In the history of the service, 450 was the maximum recruitment we ever had before Bichi, but he recruited 1,000 personnel at once.
“There was no southerner among the national directors and deputy directors at the headquarters until January this year when he was directed by the Presidency following a petition. His wife is another issue; she abused her husband’s office. His son, too, was power drunk.
“Just two weeks ago, his wife slapped a DSS director in a northern state. She also slapped at least two deputy directors at airports.”
Tweeps also criticised the former DSS boss, accusing him of allowing his family to abuse power because of his position.
The publisher of Daily Nigerian, Jafaar Jafaar, while commenting on X, said Bichi turned the DSS into a “graveyard of career aspirations.”
“He lowered the recruitment bar, removed the multi-layer screening process to recruit personnel who couldn’t even pass the Halogen Security aptitude test. Bichi arguably recruited the highest number of Cotonou ‘graduates’ into the service. He wilfully extended the tenure of some retired directors in his good book for years, killing the ambitions of the aspiring directors. He allowed his wife to lord over the service, influencing recruitment, promotion and discipline,” he stated.
Jafaar alleged that Bichi’s wife oppressed people with “a superfluity of everything at the expense of public funds,” adding that she moved around in a long motorcade, harassing motorists.
“She was a stormy petrel, who was majorly in the news for either assaulting her tailor for failing to meet a deadline or picking a fight with opposition politicians. His impudent, spoiled brat son shrugged off public criticism to gleefully display a fleet of luxury cars on social media.
“At the expense of public funds, he has a number of DSS operatives giving him cover at football arena, nightclub and political campaign rallies.”
Our correspondent, while checking Bichi’s son, Yusuf’s X page, saw a video clip of when he rode in a long convoy of security operatives, suspected to be men of the DSS.
In 2023, the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, had also claimed that Bichi’s wife threatened to prevent him from becoming the state governor.
The governor, in a viral video, also alleged that the woman abused and insulted him before preventing him from boarding a commercial plane.
The Executive Director of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, stated that the alleged celebration of Bichi’s resignation by some staff members did not necessarily mean he was a good or bad leader.
According to him, workers do not like disciplined bosses who insist that everybody should do the right thing and reject corruption.
“I’m not saying the former DG is good because we could see a lot of loopholes in intelligence gathering and security issues.
“That staff and colleagues are celebrating his exit, it’s neither here nor there. It could be that he is very, very strict or it could be that he has not been taking care of their welfare and whatever.
“It could also be that he didn’t allow them to do their work the way they wanted to do it. And maybe his exit will allow them to prove their mettle, that they could work better than they were doing under him”, he added.
Illegal arrests, violation of court orders
Under the leadership of Bichi, the DSS was involved in many controversial operations, including the arrest of a former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Emefiele was arrested on June 9, 2023, and was only arraigned more than a month later.
On 25 July, despite a Federal High Court order granting him bail and ordering his transfer to a correctional centre, the DSS re-arrested him, with operatives reportedly assaulting a prison official at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, in the process.
A former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, was also a victim. He was arrested on August 3, 2019, just days before a planned protest tagged #RevolutionNow against “bad governance”.
Although released on bail on December 5, Sowore was re-arraigned on December 6.
The DSS attempted to re-arrest him inside the courtroom but were prevented by his supporters; however, they succeeded in re-arresting him outside the court.
Another case involved a citizen Anthony Okolie, who was detained by the DSS for 10 weeks for purchasing and using an MTN SIM card previously used and discarded by Hanan Buhari, the daughter of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Also, the Regional Editor of The Conversation Africa, Adejuwon Soyinka, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos last Sunday and detained for hours before his release. However, his passport was confiscated.
Efforts to reach Bichi proved unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
Video: I Will Disgrace You People If This Happens Again – Minister Of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Fumes During Event
Admin
The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has furiously lamented the structure of an event that was organised for the Ministry without her consent.
In a video making the rounds on social media, Kennedy-Ohanenye warned that she would disgrace the organisers if the situation repeats itself.
She explained that she is not against organizing workshops and seminars but that organisers of such programmes must ensure they infuse empowerment of women in their activities.
The Minister lamented that a huge amount of money should not be spent on organising seminars while people are hungry.
She stated that she does not care if people resort to name-calling, but she would ensure that she changes the narrative.
According to her, “Let this be the last time Women Affairs will organize anything that I am not aware of. You try next time, I will come here and get you people disgraced. I know what I am going through in this country. For a while, this is what we keep on organizing. Few weeks ago, there was hunger protest and they talked about peace and security.
“Women are not empowered. Children are suffering. Nigerians are suffering but we waste money all the time in frivolous things that don’t make sense. I am sorry. Many people may misunderstand me but I am ready to be misunderstood. I am ready to be tortured. I am ready. I have changed the narrative, I said no programme without empowerment.
“You are talking about peace and security. With poverty, how can you solve it? You keep talking, doing workshops. With poverty, where are we heading to? How do we solve that poverty? By directing money to the wrong channels that don’t make impact on humans? On those people you want them to change and give you peace?
“I have changed the narrative. I said do not do any programme without empowerment. They give monies in the Ministries and it is used for travel, programmes. Nothing that will impact the nation. If you hear the monies the government gives out to ministries, you will be shocked. Why should it continue like that? Why should we fold our hands and these things will continue? Who do you think will save you? It’s you that will save yourself. Let them call me names, troublemaker’, ‘mad woman’, I am ready to take it.’’
Watch the video below:
Media
The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Victor Olaiya, says the command has arrested seven suspects involved in the alleged murder of a graduate of the Kwara State College of Health Technology, Mojisola Awesu.
Mojisola, 21, who was invited to Ilorin, the state capital, by a dismissed student of Summit University, Offa, Adebayo Happiness, to act as his girlfriend at a party for a fee of N15,000, was allegedly murdered in a hotel where she was lodged on Friday, August 9, 2024.
During the parade of some suspects at the police headquarters in Ilorin on Friday, Olaiya said seven suspects had been arrested in connection with the alleged murder.
The police boss said, “Those arrested included the prime suspect, Adebayo Happiness, his parents, Pastor Adebayo Adeniyi and his wife, Mrs Bukola Adeniyi; Miss Kolawola Timileyin who linked the deceased with the prime suspect as well as three workers of the hotel where she was lodged and gruesomely killed.
“The hotel workers arrested included Adeoye Adeola, Lawal Amina and Bulus Peter.”
According to the police boss, after the murder was committed, the suspect “returned to Offa and concealed the stolen phone in his hostel wardrobe. Through careful and discreet investigation, Mr and Mrs Adebayo Adeniyi, the suspect’s parents, were apprehended.
“Following their son’s arrest, they attempted to tamper with evidence by retrieving Adebayo Joshua Happiness’ belongings from his school. It was discovered that Mrs Adeniyi Bukola had removed the SIM card from the deceased’s iPhone and concealed it within a wall some distance from their residence.
“Contrary to Adebayo Joshua Happiness’ initial claim that he had discarded the phone into the Afelele River, Offa, both the iPhone and SIM card were recovered from his parents’ possession.
“After further investigation, it was discovered that the hotel staff on duty found the deceased’s body in the room and unlawfully disposed of her body at the refuse dump.”
The CP said that upon completion of the investigation, the suspects would be “duly charged to court to face the full extent of the law.
“We assure the public that the Kwara State Police Command remains committed to ensuring justice and maintaining peace and security within the community. Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.”
One month after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the N70,000 new National Minimum Wage Act, most states of the federation are yet to take serious measures to implement the law.
Except for Adamawa State, which has implemented the law by paying its workers the national wage this month, the best a few other states have done is to set up minimum wage implementation committees, whose reports are being awaited.
This situation is further compounded by the federal authorities’ failure to develop a consequential adjustment template on which the new wage would be computed for full-scale implementation.
LEADERSHIP Weekend’s investigations revealed that even the organised labour has resolved to wait for the release of the adjustment modalities before any further negotiations with the state governments.
The labour leaders told our correspondents that any negotiation without the template would be an exercise in futility.
They, therefore, appealed to the members to exercise patience and await the release of the modalities to ensure better negotiation outcome.
President Tinubu signed the wage law on July 29, 2024 after a long-drawn negotiation with organised labour.
Before the president’s assent to the bill, the Edo State government had raised the minimum wage for its workers to N70,000. This makes Adamawa and Edo states the only two of the 36 states of the federation paying the minimum wage.
In Akwa Ibom State, LEADERSHIP Weekend learnt that the state branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was yet to begin talks on the wage ceiling for the workforce.
In separate interviews with our correspondent, the chairman of the NLC, Sunny James, and the head of service, Elder Effiong Essien, explained the reasons behind the implementation delay.
“We have not started anything on the new minimum wage in Akwa Ibom, and my position is very simple: when there’s new minimum wage legislation, the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), in conjunction with the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), will have to meet and agree on consequential adjustment.
“We have N70,000 new minimum wage, so there has to be a consequential adjustment to make the salary table flow in a seamless manner. If you apply the 133 percentage uniformly, salaries of those on Level 14, and 15 will be very high.
“Akwa Ibom State governor will not complain that he cannot pay N70,000. And there’s no way we can collect anything less than N70,000 as the new minimum wage. We will not accept that. The governor has not also said that he will not pay,” the NLC chairman said.
For his part, Essien said discussions would commence as soon as the federal government releases the circular on the consequential adjustment.
In Zamfara State, the government said it would establish a committee to devise the modalities for paying the N70,000 minimum wage.
The director-general of media and communications (DG), Nuhu Salihu Anka, said the government is moving towards implementing the new minimum wage.
He said that as part of the preparations, the government would set up a committee to determine how the wage would be paid and the payment modalities.
The state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Sani Halliru, told LEADERSHIP Weekend that the workers would meet with Governor Dauda Lawal on the new N70,000 minimum wage payment.
He said a letter on the new minimum wage had been sent to the governor for a meeting on the matter.
In an interview with LEADERSHIP Weekend, the Kano State chairman of the NLC, Kabiru Inuwa, said labour union was waiting for the National Income and Wages Commission to release the consequential adjustment, which will serve as a guide for the state.
Without the table, there is no basis for confronting the government, he said, noting that even the federal government had not started implementation.
Inuwa further said the union is also waiting for the advisory committee set up by the state government on the new minimum wage implementation. As such, the union cannot venture into anything until they have all the provisions.
Recently, the state commissioner for planning and budget, Musa Shanono, told newsmen that the state government had submitted a supplementary budget of N99. 221 billion to the House of Assembly for approval, which would cover the payment of the minimum wage.
In Sokoto State, there are no official moves to implement the new salary scheme.
The state government has neither constituted any committee to work out the modalities of paying the new wage, nor taken a position on whether the state will pay.
Mum was the response from the state government as those contacted on the matter declined to comment.
However, state workers are patiently waiting to see what path the state NLC executives will toe to make the payment of the new wage a reality.
In Plateau State, the commissioner for information and communication, Hon. Musa Ashoms, told our correspondent that those who know the state’s financial status are examining the situation to ascertain whether the administration can pay the new minimum wage.
He said, “If we can pay or there is contrary reason, the state government will engage the leadership of the NLC in the state.”
The state chairman of the union, Comrade Eugene Mangji, when contacted on phone, said although President Tinubu has signed the bill into law, the state government has not issued any circular stating whether it is going to pay.
In Cross River State, the NLC chairman, Comrade Gregory Olayi, said the state government is yet to comply with the payment of new minimum wage.
He said that the union had not force the state government to commence the payment because it was waiting for the template to be used for the exercise.
“We are waiting for the table so we don’t goof at the end of the day. The table will assist us in ascertaining where to start and end, so we don’t run into problems.
“Once the table is out, the union will swing into action to do what our members expect of us. We want to ensure that everything we do is backed by law,” he said
The chief press secretary to Cross River State governor, Mr. Nsa Gill, said the government had not complied with the N70,000 minimum wage declared by the federal government.
The CPS, who could not say whether Governor Otu’s administration was ready to comply with the directives, said, “For now, we are still paying N40,000 minimum wage because our administration has yet to find a modality to comply with the directives of the federal government regarding payment of the new minimum wage.”
In Ondo State, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has promised to implement the N70,000 minimum wage. However, no date has been fixed for its commencement.
A credible source said the leadership of organised labour and the government’s team were still meeting to discuss the payment modalities.
Recently, the Ondo Joint Negotiation Council, headed by Comrade Olapade Ademola Adeniji, constituted a nine-man Technical Committee on Minimum Wage.
A statement by JNC secretary, Comrade Esther Foluke Akinleye, said: “The primary mandate of this committee is to work on the pressing issues of New Minimum Wage. Their task will be to carefully review, analyse, and develop different salary tables after comparing them with those of other states.
The commissioner for information and orientation, Hon. Wale Akinlosotu, told our reporter that talks between labour and the government were ongoing.
The Ebonyi State government has assured the workers of its readiness to implement the new wage when all the issues are concluded and the salary chat is made available.
The commissioner for information and state orientation, Mr. Jude Okpor, said the governor and other relevant stakeholders had been meeting to reach a conclusion on the wage.
When contacted, the chairman of NLC, Comrade Oguguo Egwu, said the new wage issue had not been discussed in the state.
He said, “This is because the state council of NLC is waiting for the directive from the national secretariat to initiate the wage implementation process. This directive will have a well-processed chart for consequential adjustments and subsequent implementation.
“However, the state council is hopeful that our worker-friendly governor will not hesitate to pay when the chart is released. The moment it is released, we will initiate the process with the state government setting up an implementation committee,” he said.
Meanwhile, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has inaugurated the committee to implement the New National Minimum Wage for Civil and Public Servants in Enugu State, giving the Committee a maximum of one month to submit its report.
Federal Civil Servants Lament Delay, Give FG September Deadline
Meanwhile, federal civil servants have decried the delay in implementing the approved minimum wage.
They, however, expressed the hope that the payment would begin soon to alleviate their plight as the cost of living crisis bites harder.
A senior director in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation who preferred anonymity said that, at present, nobody can say when it will begin.
He said, “It was not long ago that the president signed the minimum wage into law. I believe that it will be implemented soonest, but as we are talking, I cannot tell you when it will be implemented. We should wait to receive August’s salary; that is when we will find out.”
However, a union leader in the federal civil service, Tersoo Zamber, said the investigation revealed that the implementation of the minimum wage was not captured in the August salary, and workers are hoping it will be reflected in the September salary.
He said, “We thank the federal government for approving the wage, even though it was below our expectations. They have not started the implementation of the minimum wage, which ought to have started since May.
“But we understand that the negotiations dragged on for too long and were concluded barely a month ago. We are hoping that the implementation of the minimum wage, which is still not okay, will be done very soon because of the country’s biting economic challenge.
“Things are getting worse, and when you have given people the hope and the minimum wage has been signed into law, and it is just on paper and the media, but not entering people’s accounts, it further aggravates that anxiety,” he said.
He further said that it is another call to the federal government to ensure that the implementation takes effect immediately and that the arrears, which have run for about four to five months now, are promptly paid to workers.
“As I said earlier, this is not what Nigerian workers expected. The president said he would give workers a living wage, but given the country’s economic situation, N70,000 is not a living wage.
“However, they have reduced the review period from five to three years, which is also commendable, but we are calling for immediate implementation to reduce suffering.
“From our investigations, it is sad that the implementation is not included in the August salary, and workers are taken aback. We are hoping and praying hard that it will come by September, but I can confirm to you that it is not included in the August salary, and we are wondering why,” he said, adding that government should not take workers’ patience for granted.
[Leadership]
Victor Osimhen’s move from Napoli to Chelsea on transfer deadline day failed to materialize.
The Nigeria international had been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge on deadline day but the parties were unable to reach an agreement, leaving the 25-year-old in a difficult position.
According to Italian sports journalist, Fabrizio Romano, negotiations between Napoli and Chelsea broke down late in the window.
“No agreement between Victor Osimhen and Chelsea even after a new proposal was presented two hours ago. Deal completely off for Victor Osimhen. No agreement with Chelsea, and the #CFC delegation is now leaving Napoli.
“If nothing happens from Saudi in the next three days, Osimhen will stay at Napoli but he’s not gonna be part of the first-team squad. Relationship currently completely broken,” Romano wrote on his social media platforms.
Osimhen was asking for a wage package worth over £300,000-a-week, according to Sky Sports.
Chelsea were reportedly ready to continue talks with the striker but their approach went unanswered, leaving the Blues to consider the deal off.
Napoli had also been in negotiations with Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli for Osimhen‘s transfer, reportedly for an €80 million proposal.
While Osimhen had agreed on personal terms with Al-Ahli worth a massive €30 million per season, Napoli demanded an extra €5 million in bonuses on top of the €80 million offered, causing the deal to fall through.
Osimhen’s future now appears uncertain. With his relationship with Napoli coach Antonio Conte strained and the club unwilling to pay him a substantial salary while keeping him benched, his options are limited.
There remains a faint hope of a last-minute transfer to Saudi Arabia, as the transfer window in that region remains open until September 2.
[DailyTrust]
The Lagos State Police Command has apprehended a gang of robbers for allegedly targeting and robbing three commercial sex workers on Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, Bode Thomas, Surulere Local Government Area of the state.
The state command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed on Friday that the two suspects, whose identities were not disclosed, were taken into custody on August 28, 2024, for their involvement in the crime.
PUNCH Online gathered that on August 23, 2024, around 4.30 pm, the suspects allegedly picked up the three sex workers from Adeniran Ogunsanya Street in Bode Thomas, seeking their services.
Pretending to drive the sex workers to a location where they falsely claimed to be staying, the suspects abruptly stopped the vehicle midway, leaving the victims in shock.
Meet Samuel Jubril, The Incredible Five-Year-Old Pianist0:00 / 1:01
After stopping the vehicle, the suspects allegedly robbed the sex workers of their valuables, including two iPhones worth N1.5m , a Redmi Note 12 valued at N140,000, and an iPhone XR valued at N240,000.
According to the police, the victims were coerced into transferring additional N25,000 and N8,000 to a single account provided by the suspects during the incident.
Hundeyin stated, “The victims reported recognising the suspects who had robbed them. They stated that they were picked up as commercial sex workers on Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, Bode Thomas. The suspects were arrested.
“During the investigation, the suspects confessed to the crime. One of the victims’ phones, a Redmi Note 13, a Toyota Camry (golden colour) with the number plate APP 335 JA, and two other blank plates used in their operations have been recovered.”
PUNCH Online reports that incidents involving robbers and sex workers are not uncommon in Lagos and Ogun States.
In 2018, operatives of the Rapid Response Team apprehended a gang of robbers who specialised in stealing from sex workers in Ogun State and selling the stolen items to other sex workers in Lagos.
More...
Arsenal legend, David Seaman, has told goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale that the club’s fans will ‘never forget’ his massive contribution to getting the Gunners back in the UEFA Champions League following his transfer deadline day move to Premier League side Southampton.
Recall that Ramsdale completed a £25m move to the Saints on Friday.
The 26-year-old signed a four-year contract with Southampton with an option of another 12 months.
Reacting, Seaman wrote on X:
“Wishing the very best of luck to a great friend and goalie Aaron Ramsdale as he makes his move to the Saints, a great opportunity to see him playing in the Premier League again.
“We’ll never forget his match-winning saves and massive contribution to getting us back into the Champions League again.
“I look forward to watching his progress and the continuation of his career from afar! See you on the golf course soon mate. Good luck!”
[DailyPost]
Men from Zone 16 of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested a fake medical doctor, Doubara Esamasuode, operating without a licence in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
In a statement signed and released on Wednesday by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Emonena Gunn, the arrest was described as “a display of unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring public safety.”
The statement noted that Esamasuode was operating under St. Maximilian Medical Centre, located at Winners Junction in the Etegwe area of Yenagoa. It added that his arrest was based on credible intelligence provided by the zone’s Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Paul Omata.
Items recovered during a search of the medical centre included injection syringes, drugs, hospital equipment, photographs of his fake convocation, hospital folders, and 200 copies of images of an ultrasound report.
The suspect confessed to “various offences, including being a fake medical doctor, operating an illegal medical facility, forgery, and impersonation.”
The AIG reiterated his personnel’s dedication to protecting the lives and property of citizens within his jurisdiction and the nation at large.
“This parade serves as a testament to the ongoing work being done to maintain law and order and instil a sense of security within our environment.”
The statement said the arrest “sends a clear message that criminal activities will not be tolerated,” adding that “the investigation is ongoing, and he will be charged to court in due course.”
The police have called on the public to continue cooperating with law enforcement agencies by providing timely information that can aid in the investigation and apprehension of criminal elements.
- Soldiers kill nine terrorists in Kaduna shootout
Suspected Boko Haram terrorists struck afresh yesterday in Yobe State, attacking an Islamic school boarding facility where they dragged out three students from bed and shot them dead.
One other was wounded.
Simultaneously, soldiers killed nine suspected terrorists during an encounter in Kampani Doka and Rifigoro communities in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Attacked by Boko Haram yesterday was Faudiya School in Geidam Local Government Area about 180 kilometres from Damaturu,the state capital.
The school is owned by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), a Shiia sect.
The victims were named as Muhammadu Saleh (22 years), Ahmed Abdulrahman (21) and Abdullahi Adamu (21).
Sani Haruna (25) who was wounded is currently receiving medical treatment.
Police spokesman in the state , Dungus Abdulkarim, a deputy superintendent of police, confirmed the attack.
His words: “It is confirmed, the divisional police headquarters at Geidam received the report this morning by a certain individual that there was an attack on a particular school,” Abdulkarim told TheCable.
“We mobilised our men, and they went there and evacuated three dead persons and one with a bullet wound and was admitted to the hospital.
“The attackers came on a motorcycle, about 10 of them, carrying deadly arms such as AK-47 rifles and other items.
“They entered the school and took four of the students and killed three instantly and injured one person.
“The information we received from one of the injured persons was that the attackers invaded and told them they were there to abduct them to the forest and kill them, but they did not want to carry any load; in that regard, ‘we will just kill you here’.
“We are still investigating to find out the perpetrators and why the attack on the school.
“The attack occurred at exactly 3:45 to 4:00 am today. The school is a day and boarding school. There is a quarter in the school.”
Boko Haram has repeatedly attacked educational institutions especially western-oriented schools in Borno and Yobe states.
On February 25, 2014, they invaded Federal Government College, Buni Yadi in Yobe State killing 59 boys and setting fire on 24 buildings in the school compound.
The attack came overnight when students were in their dormitories.
Two months later, precisely on the night of April 14-15,the terrorists invaded the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State and abducted over 250 girls.
Many of the girls are yet to be found although some have managed to either escape or rescued by troops after years in captivity.
Some of the rescued girls said they were married out to fighters of Boko Haram and bore them children.
Amina Ali, one of the missing girls , was found in May 2016. She said six of the girls had died.
Soldiers kill nine terrorists in Kaduna shootout
However, nine other suspected terrorists operating in Kampani Doka and Rifigoro communities in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State ran out of luck after engaging soldiers in a shootout.
They were all gunned down.
The soldiers were on offensive operations in the terrorists’ stronghold near Kampani Doka when the confrontation ensued.
“In a shootout that lasted for hours, the gallant troops subdued the criminal elements with superior firepower, thereby neutralising seven of the terrorists,” the army said.
“The troops recovered three AK-47 rifles, eight AK-47 magazines (four fully loaded with 120 rounds of 7.62mm Special), a magazine carrier and motorcycles.
“Other items include three mobile cell phones, two Baofeng communication radios, and three pairs of civil clothes,’’ it said.
[TheNation]
Why we celebrated Bichi’s exit – DSS officers
The reasons the immediate past Director-General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, and the DG of the National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar, resigned from their positions have been revealed.
Sources within the Presidency told Saturday PUNCH that President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, questioned the intelligence gathering mechanisms of the two agencies following the violent nature of the #EndBadGovernance protests in some northern states and the seizure of three presidential aircraft in France.
While Bichi was held responsible for lack of functional intelligence on the protest, Abubakar was reportedly queried for the NIA’s inability to have reports ahead of the seizure of the jets by a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited.
A French court had sanctioned the seizure of three Nigerian presidential jets, including a newly purchased Airbus, amid a legal dispute between Zhongshan and the Ogun State Government.
The #EndBadGovernance protest, which began on August 1, turned violent in Kano, Gombe, Yobe, Borno and Bauchi states while demonstrations in the South-West were peaceful.
During the protests in some northern states, public and private facilities were destroyed, while hoodlums looted shops and caused mayhem. This led to the imposition of curfews in Kano, Bauchi, and Plateau states.
The protest was driven by widespread hardship resulting from the removal of fuel subsidy, electricity tariff hike and the high cost of living, among other issues.
Bichi, who hails from Kano State, where widespread destruction and looting occurred, was appointed on September 14, 2018, by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Abubakar, from Katsina State, was also appointed by Buhari on January 10, 2018.
According to credible sources, Tinubu and Ribadu were embarrassed by the turn of events on the seizure of the presidential jets and the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations.
“The seizure of the presidential jets and violent nature of the #EndBadGovernance protest embarrassed the President nationally and internationally.
“The President was displeased with the NIA and DSS bosses. This was why he requested the resignation of the two security chiefs,” said one of the sources.
Another source told Saturday PUNCH that Bichi and Ribadu had been having a running battle before the protest, with the fallout from the northern demonstrations serving as the final straw.
He stated, “The former DSS DG and the NSA boss had been on bad terms for some time. Their issues escalated to the point that Bichi was unable to meet the President for a while. The Presidency finally had a valid reason to dismiss him due to the #EndBadGovernance protest.”
Abubakar announced his resignation on Saturday, August 24, after meeting with President Tinubu.
In contrast, Bichi’s resignation was announced in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Monday, August 26.
Why we celebrated Bichi’s exit – DSS officers
Bichi’s resignation elicited reactions from DSS staff and the public.
Some DSS officers, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, described his exit as ‘freedom from unprofessionalism’.
The DSS officers listed Bichi’s alleged misconduct to include undue interference in the service’s operations by his wife and son, Yusuf Bichi.
A video of some DSS staff members allegedly celebrating Bichi’s resignation surfaced online immediately after his departure.
However, an X user, Sanusi Jibrin, said the clip was recorded at the Kogi State DSS office, where personnel were celebrating Ajayi’s appointment, as he was a former director at the state command.
A DSS officer, however, said personnel of the agency were happy with his removal.
“We believed his regime was a punishment for us. He impeded the career advancement of many officers by extending the service years of those due to retire. Some senior officers, who were due for retirement in 2021 and 2022 were retained in the service,” he stated.
Another officer alleged that Bichi was indifferent to the welfare of workers.
“The Federal Government increased our salary by 40 per cent, but there was no implementation. We were earning more than the police before, but the police are now earning more than us because they implemented their 40 per cent increment. However, there was a proposal to increase our salary by 25 per cent this year, but it has yet to be realised,” the officer said.
Speaking on the recruitment of personnel, another secret agent described Bichi’s recruitment as nepotistic.
“Bichi’s recruitments were arbitrary and lopsided. Three different training sessions have been conducted for some people we didn’t know when they were recruited this year alone. Most of the newly recruited personnel are northerners.
“His first recruitment in 2019 brought in either 420 or 450 persons from Bichi Local Government Area in Kano alone. In the history of the service, 450 was the maximum recruitment we ever had before Bichi, but he recruited 1,000 personnel at once.
“There was no southerner among the national directors and deputy directors at the headquarters until January this year when he was directed by the Presidency following a petition. His wife is another issue; she abused her husband’s office. His son, too, was power drunk.
“Just two weeks ago, his wife slapped a DSS director in a northern state. She also slapped at least two deputy directors at airports.”
Tweeps also criticised the former DSS boss, accusing him of allowing his family to abuse power because of his position.
The publisher of Daily Nigerian, Jafaar Jafaar, while commenting on X, said Bichi turned the DSS into a “graveyard of career aspirations.”
“He lowered the recruitment bar, removed the multi-layer screening process to recruit personnel who couldn’t even pass the Halogen Security aptitude test. Bichi arguably recruited the highest number of Cotonou ‘graduates’ into the service. He wilfully extended the tenure of some retired directors in his good book for years, killing the ambitions of the aspiring directors. He allowed his wife to lord over the service, influencing recruitment, promotion and discipline,” he stated.
Jafaar alleged that Bichi’s wife oppressed people with “a superfluity of everything at the expense of public funds,” adding that she moved around in a long motorcade, harassing motorists.
“She was a stormy petrel, who was majorly in the news for either assaulting her tailor for failing to meet a deadline or picking a fight with opposition politicians. His impudent, spoiled brat son shrugged off public criticism to gleefully display a fleet of luxury cars on social media.
“At the expense of public funds, he has a number of DSS operatives giving him cover at football arena, nightclub and political campaign rallies.”
Our correspondent, while checking Bichi’s son, Yusuf’s X page, saw a video clip of when he rode in a long convoy of security operatives, suspected to be men of the DSS.
In 2023, the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, had also claimed that Bichi’s wife threatened to prevent him from becoming the state governor.
The governor, in a viral video, also alleged that the woman abused and insulted him before preventing him from boarding a commercial plane.
The Executive Director of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, stated that the alleged celebration of Bichi’s resignation by some staff members did not necessarily mean he was a good or bad leader.
According to him, workers do not like disciplined bosses who insist that everybody should do the right thing and reject corruption.
“I’m not saying the former DG is good because we could see a lot of loopholes in intelligence gathering and security issues.
“That staff and colleagues are celebrating his exit, it’s neither here nor there. It could be that he is very, very strict or it could be that he has not been taking care of their welfare and whatever.
“It could also be that he didn’t allow them to do their work the way they wanted to do it. And maybe his exit will allow them to prove their mettle, that they could work better than they were doing under him”, he added.
Illegal arrests, violation of court orders
Under the leadership of Bichi, the DSS was involved in many controversial operations, including the arrest of a former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Emefiele was arrested on June 9, 2023, and was only arraigned more than a month later.
On 25 July, despite a Federal High Court order granting him bail and ordering his transfer to a correctional centre, the DSS re-arrested him, with operatives reportedly assaulting a prison official at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, in the process.
A former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, was also a victim. He was arrested on August 3, 2019, just days before a planned protest tagged #RevolutionNow against “bad governance”.
Although released on bail on December 5, Sowore was re-arraigned on December 6.
The DSS attempted to re-arrest him inside the courtroom but were prevented by his supporters; however, they succeeded in re-arresting him outside the court.
Another case involved a citizen Anthony Okolie, who was detained by the DSS for 10 weeks for purchasing and using an MTN SIM card previously used and discarded by Hanan Buhari, the daughter of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Also, the Regional Editor of The Conversation Africa, Adejuwon Soyinka, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos last Sunday and detained for hours before his release. However, his passport was confiscated.
Efforts to reach Bichi proved unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
[Punch]