The National Industrial Court (NIC) has affirmed the status of the Congress Of University Academics (CONUA) and the Nigeria Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) as trade unions in Nigeria, thus dismissing the suit filed by ASUU.
In a ruling on Tuesday, the president of the NIC, Justice Benedict Kanyip, dismissed ASUU’s lawsuit which challenged the Federal Government’s registration of CONUA and NAMDA as trade unions.
Kanyip ruled that Section 27 of the Trade Union Act does not depict trade monopoly and makes allowance for more than one trade union in employment.
He added that both the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, and the registrar of the union, were within their rights to register both unions to co-exist with ASUU.
The Justice held that ASUU did not provide any evidence to show the complete registration of CONUA and NAMDA when the suit was filed, adding that any evidence that was provided by ASUU was hearsay because the suit was filed on October 26, 2022, meanwhile, CONUA and NAMDA’s registration had yet to be, gazetted in line with Section 523 of the Trade Union Act.
THE WHISTLER reported last year, when ASUU’s legal representative, Femi Falana SAN, stated that the union would sue the FG for registering CONUA and NAMDA while it was still on strike.
Falana said the registration of the unions is illegal seeing as only one union is allowed to operate in every sector, according to the Trade Union Act.
“You can’t have two trade unions in the same sector. Only a union is allowed to be registered for all academics in Nigeria.
“That is the essence of the classification of trade unions because we used to have mushrooms in the First Republic, so the government restructured the unions and grouped all academics together and all non-academics together. You can’t have two or three in one field,” he said.
Falana added that there is a Supreme Court judgment on the proliferation of trade unions, the Erasmus Osawe V Registrar of Trade Unions.
Emefiele, Facing Charges Of Illegal Possession Of Firearms - Gets N20 Million Bail After Six Weeks In DSS Custody
AdminSuspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has been granted a N20 million bail by a Federal High Court setting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
As part of condition to perfect the bail, the embattled CBN Governor must produce a surety with landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
Emefiele who earlier pleaded not guilty is facing two count charges bordering on illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
His lawyer, Joseph Daudu, SAN, who had applied for his bail contended that the offence for which he was changed is bailable, which the presiding judge, Nicholas Oweibo, agreed with.
THE WHISTLER on July 13 reported that Justice H. Muazu of Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja had given the Department of State Services (DSS), seven days to charge Emefiele, to court or release him from detention.
The embattled CBN Governor had sued the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and the DSS for arresting and detaining him in a commando style, alleging the agencies were carrying out a political witch-hunt against him due to his “people-oriented financial policies which several political actors are not comfortable with and are now looking for any means to scandalize and smear his image and reputation.”
It would be recalled that President Bola Tinubu had on June 9, suspended Emefiele as the apex bank’s Governor and had directed that the bank’s Deputy Governor of Operations, Folashodun Shonubi, resume office in an acting capacity.
The Senate requested the 11 Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to halt their proposed pricing increases and “allow Nigerians to breathe.”
Additionally, the Senate encouraged DisCos to no longer charge Nigerian communities’ electrical transformer purchase costs before requesting payment.
By immediately distributing affordable prepaid metres to all power consumers nationwide, it also put an end to projected billing.
The Red Chambers then considered several resolutions, including one titled “Need to halt proposed increase in Electricity Tariff by 11 successor Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos).”
The motion was moved by Senator Yunus Abiodun Akintunde (APC – Oyo Central) at plenary.
After due debate on the motion, the Senate resolved to: “Call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to intervene and halt the proposed increase in electricity tariff by the Distribution Companies (Discos);
“Urge Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to decentralize proposed engagement with Stakeholders scheduled for Abuja to the Six Geopolitical Zones of the Federation for effective participation by all;
“Also urge NERC to thoroughly look into the rate review applications filed by the Discos, taking into consideration the interests of citizens, affordability, and the need for improved service delivery;
“Further urge NERC to explore alternative measures to address the financial challenges faced by the Discos, such as improving operational efficiency, reducing technical and commercial losses, and enhancing revenue collection mechanisms;
“Equally urge Discos to henceforth discontinue estimated billing and make available to all electricity consumers prepaid meters at affordable prices; and
“Mandate the Committee on Power (when constituted) to engage with the Federal Ministry of Power, NERC, and other stakeholders to find lasting solutions to the challenges facing the Nigerian electricity sector, including the need for comprehensive sector reforms.
“Call on DisCos to allow communities recover cost of purchasing transformers before asking them to pay bills.
“Call on DisCos and NERC to allow Nigerians to breathe.”
Senators Ekpenyong Asuquo, Jimikuta David, Ipalibo Harry Banigo and Abba Moro in their contributions supported the motion.
Details Shortly…
On Tuesday (today), former Governor of Edo State, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, tendered a verbal apology to his colleagues at the 10th National Assembly after alleging on live television that Senators in the 9th Senate looted their offices, carting away office furniture and equipment.
Naija News recalls that Oshiomhole had, on Sunday, while appearing live on Channels Television Politics Today programme, alleged that some lawmakers from the previous assembly looted items such as carpets and TVs from their offices.
According to him, a development that led to most of the federal lawmakers in the 10th national assembly using their money to put their offices in shape.
“In spite of the presence of security men and women, television sets, carpets, and chairs were looted by the immediate past senators and House of Representatives members.
“The former lawmakers left their offices in shambles with holes in the walls, which had to be fixed by serving lawmakers from their pockets,” Oshiomhole had said.
Oshiomhole’s submissions, however, caused uproar in the Senate on Tuesday morning during the plenary session as a Federal Lawmaker, Solomon Adeola, slammed the former governor, demanding that he apologize to the Senate.
Senator Adeola said Oshiomhole breached the privilege of his office and demanded that he tenders a public apology to the 10th Senate.
Adeola explained that the procedure is clear at the end of every Assembly; lawmakers are to sign for every item in their offices before they are taken out, maintaining that no Senator looted their offices in the 9th Assembly.
He asked Oshiomhole to explain why he made these allegations on live television without confirmation.
Wading into the arguments, the Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, requested that the matter be discussed behind closed doors, but a majority of the lawmakers refused that the matter be discussed in an executive session.
To douse the tension in the chamber, the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, also intervened, explaining that all items in the offices of Senators depreciate to the tune of 25 per cent and the tradition every four years is to give lawmakers the right to offer to purchase those items and if accepted, the lawmaker will either pay outright for the items or the funds are removed from their severance gratuity.
Oshiomhole Apologizes
According to Channels Television, after a series of arguments, Oshiomhole was thereafter given the floor and expressed his utmost respect for the National Assembly.
The former Governor of Edo State explained that he indeed appeared on a respected national television station but said he defended the collective integrity of the Senate.
He emphasised that at no time did he say Senators looted their offices but rather that the offices were vandalised, prompting Senators to provide the basic needs of their offices by purchasing some furniture.
He, however, tendered an apology to his colleagues, who he says felt offended by his comments.
The Academy Staff Union of the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, protested on Tuesday over the suspension of the institution’s Rector, Dr Tajudeen Odetayo.
Academic activities were grounded, as staff members claimed the suspension of the Rector was an aberration of its constitution.
Recall that the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, suspended the institution’s rector following an allegation of corruption leveled against him.
According to a July 11, 2023 memo by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Muritala Jimoh, addressed to the Acting Registrar of the polytechnic, Odetayo is facing an investigation over “allegations of financial recklessness, corruption and misappropriation of funds and abuse of office.”
The governor also approved the appointment of Mr. Alabi Kehinde Adeyemi as the acting Rector with immediate effect, “pending the time the allegations against him are properly investigated by relevant bodies.”
However, displeased with the governor’s move, academic staff have come out to express their displeasure, saying it is an aberration against the institution’s constitution and has suspended the school’s educational activities over the suspension.
Naija News gathered that protesters, who were chanting solidarity songs, blocked the main campus entrance in Iree, which left the students writing examination stranded.
Speaking to a crowd of protesters, the President of the union, Dr. Fatai Afolabi, declared an indefinite suspension on academic activities, noting that the association frowns at what the governor has done.
Also, checks by Tribune reveal that classrooms were empty as students were seen standing in groups and discussing the issues.
One of the students who simply identified as Abimbola revealed that she knows less about the ongoing issues and, therefore, can not blame anyone for now.
Abimbola, however, appealed for the matter to be resolved amicably so that academic activities could continue.
The 7th edition of the Annual Ife Summer Institute, a two-week academic engagement for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers from around the world commences Monday, 24th July at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. ‘Advancing Africa Through the Academy: Innovation, Creativity, and Service’ is the theme. It is an annual programme organised by Jacob Kehinde Olupona, a Nigerian Professor at Harvard University who was recently inducted into the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
In the 2023 edition, there will be approximately seventy Professors from all over the world participating as speakers and facilitators. This year, past fellows of the Institute and Professors administered the selection process for the applications and planned the programme, with the internal program committee taking the lead.
Over 230 male and female doctoral and postdoctoral scholars from STEM and Non-STEM fields from countries such as Cameroon, Canada, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malaysia, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sénégal, Tanzania, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States, Zambia, and Zimbabwe applied to the Summer Institute in 2023. Only 73 were invited as in-person participants, including individuals with disabilities and nursing mothers, while 156 were invited as virtual participants.
Based on the preliminary findings of the Graduate Employability research conducted by past fellows of the Institute in collaboration with the Michael and Henrietta Olupona Foundation and the Mastercard Foundation, this year’s edition will focus on how the creativity and innovation of the academy can promote African progress. The idea is to inspire participants to promote African development through research and to use African knowledge systems to chart a path to developing a sustainable master plan for the continent’s present and future. Consequently, the 2023 edition will be workshop-based, with conversations centred on creativity, innovation, and service through academic engagement on a variety of skills development-related topics.
The 2023 Summer Institute commenced with a virtual Pre-Summer Institute titled ‘life cycle of empirical research,’ which was open to all early scholars, including the Institute’s intended fellows for 2023. The Pre-Summer Institute was organised by the Institute Secretariat with fellows of the Institute who participated in research on Graduate Employment in Africa sponsored by the Mastercard Foundation.
The Pre-Summer Institute serves as a platform for training fellows and honing early career skills in the global community. It is also a platform for identifying talents within the Institute who could take over the leadership of several Institute-developed programmes. It is the belief of the Institute that its over 400 fellows should be continuously engaged in the program work of the Institute.
The pre-summer institute’s objectives are to explain their research processes, including the tools used for research analysis, to help fellows, particularly those involved in the five-country research conducted by the Institute for Advanced studies, understand research beyond the classroom, and to develop project planning and management skills.
Kamari Maxine Clarke, a distinguished Canadian professor at the Centre for Diaspora and Transnational Studies at the University of Toronto, will deliver the keynote address on ‘Advancing Academia in Africa as an Otherwise Project: Foundations, Methods, and Transmission as a 21st Century Challenge,’ while Olupona will deliver the Convener’s address. Professor Simeon Bamire, Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, is the chief host.
This year’s session will feature a variety of workshops, discussion panels, and host two special lectures: the Annual Babatunde Ogunnaike’s STEM Lecture to be delivered by Matthew Adigun, a Senior Professor of Computer Science from the University of Zululand, South Africa, and the IIAS-MCF Inaugural Entrepreneurship and Employability Lecture by Professor Joseph Eyo. Several professors from universities in the United Kingdom, the United States, and many African countries are also participating in this year’s programme.
[Thisday]
The Labour Party’s (LP) Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of cloning electoral fraudsters as leaders and wasting the country’s time and resources.
Obi and LP warned in their final address to the Presidential Election Petitions Court on July 23, 2023, that if the court does not whip INEC into line to perform its electoral duties fairly, impartially, and independently, elections in Nigeria will remain a fraud.
Obi and LP accused INEC of abandoning its primary statutory responsibility as an electoral umpire and proudly putting on the toga of a candidate in the election.
They claimed INEC spent 5.5 pages of its address, tragically and embarrassingly, defending the ground on the non-qualification of the second respondent (Tinubu).
They stated;
In the case of PDP v. Alechenu (2019) LPELR-49199 (CA), this honourable court admonished the 1st Respondent (INEC), who appears to have misunderstood its public duty, thus: Often one finds cases where INEC plays games with election materials and would not allow the petitioner(s) access to documents used in the conduct of the election, even with court order(s) to produce same, as in this case, thus playing the cards of the declared winner, openly, to frustrate the petition.
Obi also stated that INEC used modern technology to conduct the 2023 General Election in accordance with the mandatory provisions of the Electoral Act of 2022, the INEC Regulations and Guidelines, and the INEC Manual.
By this, INEC represented and assured that it would use Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for the accreditation of voters in the polling units and the upload/transmission of the results of the election in real-time on the day of the election to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
However, contrary to the requirement of the law and in manifest disregard of its own representations, the 1st respondent (INEC) abandoned and discarded the much expected upload/transmission of the result of the election in real time on the day of the election from the polling unit to the IReV.
Rather, and very strangely, blurred, unreadable and inaccessible documents/images were uploaded by the 1st respondent to the IReV purporting same to be the result of the election in various polling units. These blurred images and inaccessible documents were purported to be the result of the election in the polling units. The net result of the upload of the blurred images on the IReV, was that the result of the election could neither be authenticated nor verified, and thus, lacked credibility and transparency.
The 1st respondent’s contention that the ‘collation of the election result’ remained a manual process is patently false and seems to have disregarded the express provisions of the Electoral Act, Regulations and Manual for the election. Collation of election results at all the stages of the election process specifically provide for electronic transmission to the IReV which is part of the collation system under the Electoral Act.
The authority of the Federal High Court determination in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1454/2022 relied upon by the 1st respondent in its final address and heavily harped upon in its argument is per incuriam and in manifest contradiction of the binding later decision of the Supreme Court in Appeal No: SC/CV/508/2023, OYETOLA v. INEC delivered on 9th May 2023, in (2023) LPELR-60392 (SC).
Despite the 1st respondent’s claim that the hardcopies of the forms EC8A were allegedly used for the manual collation of the election (which by that reasoning ought to be in the 1st respondent’s custody/possession), the 1 respondent nevertheless gave to the petitioners as certified copies of the electoral forms, including alleged forms EC8As, blurred/blank/extraneous copies.
The alleged hardcopies of the forms EC8A claimed to have been used for the manual collation were neither produced in court nor certified copies thereof tendered in court by the 1st respondent.
Arsonists set fire to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) campaign office in Lokoja, Kogi state’s capital.
Suspected thugs were said to have stormed the party office in the state capital’s Paparanda Square on IBB Driveway around midnight.
According to witnesses, the attackers chased away the campaign office’s security guards before setting fire to the party office.
Valuables and documents were among the items destroyed. Vehicles parked inside the campaign headquarters were also set on fire.
The SDP Deputy governorship candidate for the November 11gubernatorial election, Dr Sam Ranti Abenemi,
said: “The hoodlums came in large numbers and set all the properties in the office on fire, including generators, computers, campaign materials, and televisions”.
However, he called on the party’s supporters to remain calm, stressing that the party would address the issue at the appropriate quarters.
Meanwhile, the Director, Communication of the SDP standard bearer, Faruk Adejoh-Audu, said;
We invite the world and all people of good conscience to come to the aid of Kogi State by rising to condemn these sustained brazen acts of abuse of power.
This trend has continued despite our repeated outcries and formal complaint to the security agencies against the known perpetrators of this acts of extreme electoral violence.
We have again formally incidented another complaint at the Kogi State Police Command for whatever it is worth but we have no confidence in the ability of security agencies in Lokoja to rein in this arsonists.
PPRO (Police Public Relations Officer) in Kogi, SP William Aya, who was contacted about the incident, promised to contact our reporter but had not done so as of the time this story was filed.
Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, the SDP’s standard bearer, was reportedly stopped in Lokoja on his way from Idah to Abuja on Sunday to inspect the burnt office, which was vandalized on June 9, 2023.
One Waliu Olamilekan, a fuel attendant, has been arrested and he is standing trial for theft and damage.
The 39-year-old was arraigned before a Badagry Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly stealing N3,464,000 at BFO filling station in Badagry.
The defendant, whose residential address was not divulged, is standing trial on a three-count charge of unlawful entry, malicious damage and stealing, for which he pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector Ayodele Adeosun told the court that the defendant committed the offences on July 9, at about 11.30am at Pipeline, Araromi-Ale, Badagry Expressway, Lagos.
Adeosun said the defendant allegedly broke into the office of the manager of the station, Mrs Titilope Falola, the complainant and made away with the money.
“He damaged the burglary window valued at N45,000, the bulk room and the drawer of the Manager’s office.
“The defendant also stole the sum of N3, 464,000 million, property of BFO Filling Station.
“The Police recovered the stolen money from where he hid it.
“The offences contravene Sections 307, 339 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015,’’ he said.
The Magistrate, Mr T.A Popoola, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1,000,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Popoola said one of the sureties should produce evidence of a statement of account worth N1m and three years of tax address verification.
She adjourned the case until August 21, for mention. (NAN)
A civil society group under the the Edo Civil Society Organisations trooped out on Monday to protest the current nationwide hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy.
Naija News recalls that President Bola Tinubu had, on his inauguration day, May 29, declared an end to the fuel subsidy regime.
The pronouncement led to an increase in the pump price of petrol from N189 per litre to N500 per litre.
Also, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) last Tuesday, increased the price of petrol again to N617 per litre.
President Tinubu, in an attempt to cushion the effects of the hardship created by the removal, proposed to give N8,000 to 12 million households for six months, a measure that was suspended over a barrage of criticisms.
However, the protesters, who flooded major streets in Benin City, described the N8,000 palliative as an insult.
They argued that politicians are running governance at a high cost at the expense of the masses.
The protestors were seen carrying several placards bearing different captions like ‘FG Fix Our Refineries,’ ‘Kill Corruption, not Nigerians,’ ‘Poor Nigerians Lives Matter, ‘We Say No To Constant Increment In PMS,’ ‘How Did NNPCL Become Fuel Price Requlator’ ‘N8,000 Palliatives, and ‘What An Insult’ among others
Below are some photos
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Reports have indicated that All Progressives Congress (APC) party chieftains are strongly against the nomination of former governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike as a minister in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
Naija News reports that the president, who is under obligation by the constitutional provision to present his ministerial list within 60 days of his inauguration, has only three days left to the expiration of the window.
According to sources who spoke to Vanguard, there has been anxiety over the list due to information that the President has been editing the list he previously prepared.
A highly placed source told the publication that the president has made it clear that he has an interest in Rivers, Kano and Lagos states and would like to personally choose ministerial nominees from the three states, while the Vice President, Kashim Shettima is said to have been given the leeway to nominate ministers from the North-East.
However, in the case of Rivers, party leaders are divided as the majority of them have reportedly opposed the purported nomination of former Governor Nyesom Wike.
It was gathered that those against Wike have officially written to President Tinubu, while other party members who worked hard for APC victory, have threatened to dump the party should the President abandon those that laboured to ensure that the party existed in the state despite what they described as the hostile environment created by the ruling PDP.
Travellers are expressing their disappointment and frustrations as airfares continue to skyrocket, making it increasingly difficult for individuals to embark on their desired trips. The rising costs, coupled with economic uncertainties, have left many passengers in a state of dismay.
About two weeks after President Bola Tinubu promised to unify the nation’s multiple exchange rates, the apex bank decided to float the naira at the Investor’s and Exporters’ Window of the foreign exchange market. Since then, the naira had fallen from N471/dollar to N867/$.
With this development, Nigerians, particularly, intending international students hoping to resume school in September, had been greatly impacted by the unpredictable fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
The prices of air tickets had skyrocketed, making it increasingly difficult for Nigerians to travel, especially when compared to neighbouring countries such as Benin and Ghana, where airfares are notably cheaper.
The current policy of floating the Naira had done little to alleviate the situation. As the exchange rate continued to rise, most foreign airlines’ funds were trapped within Nigeria, due to a scarcity of dollars in the market. This scenario created a problematic landscape for Nigerians who depended on reasonably priced flights to go about their business.
In an exclusive chat with The PUNCH in Abuja, Ade Johnson, a potential traveller, noted that although he had not yet booked his flight, he had noticed a significant increase in prices compared to a few months earlier.
He disclosed that many Nigerians had started exploring alternative options. One popular choice was to travel via the Benin Republic, where airfares were considerably cheaper. Additionally, the proximity of Benin Republic to Lagos, with a travel time of less than an hour, mades it an enticing proposition for cost-conscious travellers.
He said, “Though, I have not booked my flight, prices have gone up compared to what was obtainable some months ago. Lagos to London was around 350k in May for the airline I booked, but the same route goes for 750k or more now.
“The best alternative option is to travel through Benin republic where air tickets are cheaper and it’s less than an hour drive from Lagos.”
Moreover, the Fx situation had created additional challenges for Nigerian students, including increased payment for tuition fees, visa expenses, the International Health Surcharge, and the need to provide proof of funds for maintenance and upkeep.
Previously, Nigerian students utilised Form A for tuition payments, which was pegged at a fixed rate controlled by the Central Bank of Nigeria. However, the current circumstances had altered this arrangement, leading to further financial burdens for students.
Sharing her experience, Success Apiaka, a traveller impacted by the recent increase and fluctuation in foreign currency rates, expressed his frustration with the effect it has had on her travel plans and budget, adding that she was forced to reassess and make significant adjustments to his financial planning to accommodate the unforeseen changes.
Apiaka recounted the challenges she faced, stating, “The recent increase and fluctuation in foreign currency has affected my travelling plans, especially considering the amount I had originally budgeted for the process. I had to go back to my drawing board to replan and find the best way to achieve my travel goal. This meant cutting down on a lot of expenses, including food, clothing, and family-related costs, in order to meet the current exchange rate and make the most of every penny I have.”
Fortunately for Apiaka, being knowledgeable in economics, she anticipated the economic difficulties ahead and took proactive measures to secure her travel plans. She booked her flight as early as May after paying her tuition, having learned from past experiences with using Form A for foreign currency transactions.
“I had to cut down a lot of my expenses in terms of feeding, clothing, family, etc just to ensure I can meet up to the current rate, utilise every single penny that comes my way.
She said the mental stress that came with the entire process, the wait is really not easy, process and all. For the financial aspect, I would say a little because this is something I have been preparing for although not at this current rate but so far I must say the mental stress was quite overwhelming at some point.
Another affected traveller, Aisha Abdullahi told our correspondent that currency fluctuations and the single exchange rate policy were affecting her travel plans, strewing that with her intended budget of N12m, now only yielding 12,000 pounds instead of the expected 24,000 pounds.
Abdullahi had been forced to consider alternative arrangements to make up for the significant financial hurdle, noting that said she had to explore selling off properties and liquidating investments.
She highlights the drastic change in flight prices, with a return ticket now costing between N800,000 to over N1m, compared to the previous rates of N300,000 and above.
“I’m considering flying through Benin Republic, Contonu Airport to be precise but I’m trying to weigh the prons and coins that are involved because moving my things from my base in Abuja down to Lagos means incurring some expenses like paying for excess luggage to Lagos.
“So, I will put all this together and compare it with the air ticket in Cotonou then that would give me a clear picture of what I want and make my decision.”
The Ondo Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps has disclosed that eight people lost their lives in the petrol tanker fire that occurred along the Benin-Ore-Sagamu Expressway on Sunday.
This is just as an eyewitness told our correspondent that two pregnant women and three children were among the victims of the fire.
The FRSC’s casualty figure contradicted the earlier report on the incident which claimed that 20 persons were burnt to death.
Speaking on the incident on Monday, the Sector Commander of the FRSC, Mr Ezekiel Son’Allah, confirmed that the victims were scooping fuel from the fallen tanker when the fire broke out.
“The accident was caused by a loss of concentration and speed limit violation on the part of the driver involved. Eight people died.
“The driver and motor boy of the vehicle escaped unhurt, but the eight villagers scooping fuel got burnt in the act. The dead bodies were taken to the morgue of the General Hospital, Ore,” he said.
Some residents of the area who spoke about the incident insisted that over 20 people, including two pregnant women and three children, died in the fire while others sustained injuries.
They also said not all the victims were scooping fuel, explaining that some of the victims were passersby.
A resident, Susan Jerry, confirmed that some of the victims went to the scene of the incident to scoop petrol.
“More than 20 persons were burnt beyond recognition. Two pregnant women and three children were among the deceased,” Jerry said.
Another resident, Tijani Diekola, said the tanker driver lost control of the vehicle and entered the ditch around 4.30pm on Sunday.
He added that the people were at the scene of the incident, scooping the fuel till the incident happened around 6pm.
“This morning (Monday), I met about 10 burnt dead bodies while those around the tanker cannot be recognised. They were packed inside a sack by officials of the FRSC,” he said.
He explained that trouble started when the fuel started spilling into a stream in the community while the residents continued to scoop the fuel with buckets and kegs until the explosion occurred.
He added, “Unfortunately, a woman was cooking in her kitchen when the inflammable product on the water caught fire, burning the woman to death while the fire travelled back to the tanker.
“A pregnant woman who was crossing the stream with three other minors were caught in the river and burnt beyond recognition. No one could move to save them. Some other people who were close to the tanker were also badly affected. Their remains were packed this morning.”
Meanwhile, the state government has described the incident as tragic and unfortinate.
The government’s reaction was contained in a statement by the state Commissioner for Information Orientation, Mrs Bamidele Ademola-Olateju.
Also, the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress has described the incident as unfortunate.
The party’s position was contained in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Alex Kalejaiye.
Similarly, the lawmaker representing Odigbo 1 Constituency, Mr Olatunji Ifabiyi, in his condolence message on Monday, described the incident as unfortunate.
The 10th House of Representatives has released its six-point legislative agenda for the 10th Assembly to drive progress, prosperity and inclusivity across the country.
Rep. Julius Ihonvbere, the House Leader and Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee on Legislative Agenda, announced the agenda on Monday in Abuja.
He listed the agenda as economic empowerment and diversification, infrastructure development, education and human capital development.
Others include healthcare for all; transparent governance, accountability, and the security and safety of persons and property, as well as economic empowerment and diversification.
Ihonvbere said the agenda, being the vision of the 10th Assembly, would be the fulcrum upon which the 10th Legislature’s operation would be based.
He said one of the House’s foremost goals would be to drive economic empowerment and diversification, adding that Nigeria’s over-reliance on oil exports had left the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil prices.
According to him, to mitigate this risk and build a sustainable economy, they would incentivize investments in non-oil sectors such as agriculture, technology and renewable energy.
He said, “In the agriculture sector, we will pass legislation to modernise farming practices, improve access to credit for farmers, and support agricultural research and development.”
He said the Green Chamber would explore opportunities in agro-processing to add value to the country’s agricultural produce and create more jobs.
He said, “In the technology and innovation space, we will foster an environment that encourages start-ups, nurtures innovation hubs, and incentivizes research and development”.
He said the aim was to position Nigeria as a technology powerhouse, leveraging her young and dynamic population to drive innovation and digital transformation.
He said the agenda was to prioritise renewable energy projects to reduce the country’s carbon footprint, improve energy security and create jobs in the renewable energy sector.
This, according to him, will be done by embracing renewable energy, which would not only protect the environment but also open up new investment opportunities.
“Our overall goals are job creation, higher foreign exchange earnings, new skills development, diversification of exports and strengthening and deepening our technological foundations,” he explained.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that some of the stakeholders that contributed to the agenda are the Nigerians Union of Teachers, Nigerian Metallurgical Society and the Federal Ministry of Health. (NAN)