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)

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Monday, decried Nigeria’s inability to live up to expectations since it got independence about 63 years ago, stressing that the country had not only disappointed itself but also Africa and the world.

Obasanjo disclosed this while delivering the keynote address at the public presentation of the book titled ‘Reclaiming the Jewel of Africa,’ written by former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, who also served as Minister of Finance, Olusegun Aganga.

The book was unveiled by President Bola Tinubu through his Special Adviser on Monetary Policy, Olawale Edun. The event, which was held in Abuja, witnessed a large turnout of past and current senior government officials, as former President Goodluck Jonathan and Obasanjo spoke virtually.

In his address at the programme, Obasanjo said, “Over the last 63 years, we have not lived up to expectations. We have disappointed ourselves; we have disappointed Africa; we have disappointed the black race; and we have disappointed the world.”

He, however, stated that “what Segun (Aganga) has tried to identify, itemise and recommend in his book is the way forward.

“But the beginning of charting a new course for ourselves is to admit our failure because we have not always put the round peg in the round hole.

“We are carried along by ego and emotion of self, selfishness and self-centeredness, ethnic and religious jingoism, with total lack of understanding of the world we live in and gross misunderstanding of what development entails and how to move fast and continuously on the trajectory of development.”

The former President further identified two of the major issues that were interrelated in terms of factors for all-round development.

“These are peace and security, which we cannot achieve without justice, equity and inclusive society. And telling ourselves the truth, we have not done well on these scores in the recent past—in the last decade and a half.

“I will also point at the issue of education, where over 20 million children that should be in school are not in school. We do not need an oracle to tell us the consequences of that for tomorrow,” Obasanjo stated.

He said the skill acquisition, empowerment and employment of youth would seem to be ignored or not appreciated.

“We do not need to look far for the remote causes of banditry, Boko Haram, kidnapping and other organised crimes.

“We are living dangerously on a keg of gunpowder, driving more people into poverty through good policies poorly and thoughtlessly implemented or bad policy and no policy at all,” he stated.

The Enugu State Magistrate court presided over by Magistrate Mrs N. Esso has remanded the embattled Councillor representing Umualor Ward in Isi-Uzo LGA of Enugu State, Hon. Maxwell Aluagbo for alleged embezzlement of One million, one hundred thousand naira, (N1,1m) meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in his constituency.

The Councilor was recently accused and suspended for alleged fraud and embezzling money meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in his constituency by his colleagues.

Aluagbo, male, 33, was arraigned by police before Magistrate Court 7, Enugu East LGA, Friday, on one count criminal charge bordering on fraud.

He was arrested last week by Enugu police command in a hotel where he was hiding with his fiance.

The charge sheet marked CME/478/C/2023 read: “That you, Aluagbo Maxwell ‘m’, on the 3rd day of March, 2023 at Ikem in Isi-Uzo Magistraterial District holden in Enugu did by false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtained the total sum of One Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira (N1,100,000.00) from Isi-Uzo Local Government Legislature with the pretence to use same for palliatives and relief support of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in Umualor, a promise you knew to be false and committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (b) and (c) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2006 as applicable in Enugu State”.

Hon. Aluagbo who pleaded not guity was subsequently remanded in the Enugu correctional custodial centre by Magistrate, Mrs. N. Esso and adjourned till August 22, 2003.

At least two Boko Haram fighters were arrested at about 9:44 pm on Sunday while attempting to identify the residence of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Security details at the gate of Abubakar’s residence had sighted a man, Jubrila Mohammed loitering around the residence of Abubakar and queried him.

His reaction was suspicious, and prompted the policemen on duty at Abubakar’s residence to interrogate and subsequently arrest him.

The state police command told THE WHISTLER on Monday that the terrorist, “upon interrogation confessed to have been member of the Boko Haram.

“He confessed that they were two of them and they were here on a mission to assess the residence of the former Vice President, the central mosque in Adamawa and some places so that whatever they may like to do, they may at least coordinate and attack”.

The spokesperson of the command, Yahaya Suleiman noted that the suspect’s confession prompted the commissioner of police to transfer them to the military since the latter is saddled with the responsibility of fighting terrorism.

Suleiman clarified that the police only arrested two suspects – one at the gate of Atiku’s residence and the other somewhere in Yola North’s Local Government Area.

He also stressed that at the time the suspect was arrested “there was no attack on Atiku’s residence” and the report of four suspects arrested only emanated from earlier interrogation by Abubakar’s security aides.

Reacting to the incident, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, insisted that by the confession of the assailants, “the plot has the paw marks of a sponsored attempt on the life of Atiku Abubakar.”

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba in a statement on Monday said the attempt was “ostensibly by forces who are unsettled by his bid to retrieve his mandate at the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC).

“Our Party believes that the intent of the sponsors of this evil plot is to silence our Presidential Candidate, massacre innocent Nigerians and cause chaos, confusion, and anarchy in the polity.

“The PDP asks, is this foiled attack on Atiku Abubakar and sensitive locations in Yola, Adamawa connected to the recent APC’s threats of chaos and anarchy in the country if the PEPC upholds the clear provisions of Section 134 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) with regard to the mandatory and statutory requirements for which a Candidate in a Presidential election can be declared winner?

“Could it also be a plan to orchestrate a sense of insecurity in the country, starting in Adamawa State, the home State of our Presidential Candidate so as to justify the imposition of a State of Emergency in Adamawa State as a precursor to a declaration of a State of Emergency throughout the country?”.

The PDP charged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to take the lead provided by the confession the terrorist to track down their sponsors and bring them to book in the interest of the security

“The Federal Government has a duty and obligation to Nigerians and indeed, the whole world to ensure that the perpetrators of these dastardly act and their sponsors are brought to book. This particular investigation is important to the country because of the scope and dimension of the attempted attack.

“The PDP also calls on security agencies to tighten security around Atiku Abubakar and members of his family at this critical time in our democratic process.

“Our Party commends the collaborative effort of the vigilant people of Yola, Adamawa State and security agencies in foiling the attack while urging Nigerians to remain calm and alert as the authorities commence investigation to fish out those behind this evil plot,” Ologunagba said.

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba has nullified the election of Labour Party candidate, Mr. Ngozi Okolie, as a member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Constituency of Delta State in the House of Representatives.

In about 107-page judgement that lasted over five hours, the three-member tribunal headed by Justice A.Z. Mussa, disqualified Okolie and declared the runner up in the February 25, 2023 National Assembly election, Ndudi Elumelu of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as winner.

Elumelu had in petition EPT/DL/HR/06/2023 approached the tribunal, seeking to disqualify Okolie on the grounds that he was not properly sponsored by the Labour Party, and that he did not resign his position as a public office holder.

The tribunal agreed with the petitioners that the second respondent (Okolie) was not duly sponsored by the third respondent (Labour Party) as he was not a member of the party as at May 28, 2022 when the primary held.

Justice Mussa also resolved that the second respondent did not resign from public office to contest the elections.

Elumelu’s counsel, Andrew Osemenem, described the judgement as “a correct exposition of jurisprudence and the law.

“We also proved and the tribunal agreed with us that there were no primaries, there was no sponsorship, the Labour Party did not conduct any primaries for the National Assembly election.

“And Sections 65 and 66 of the constitution require that for a person to be qualified to contest election into the House of Representatives, he must belong to a political party and must be sponsored by that political party.

“In this instance, Okolie, the tribunal found that he was not duly sponsored by the Labour Party because there were no primaries.

“The second ground is as we urged the tribunal, the tribunal also found in our favour, was that Okolie was in public office, he did not resign, he continued to collect salaries and emoluments in breach of the law. The tribunal agreed with us.

“So, for these two reasons his election was nullified, and in line with Section 135 of the Electoral Act, Elumelu who was the first runner up, has been declared and returned as winner of that election,” he added.

Amnesty International Nigeria has demanded a transparent coroner’s inquest on 103 slain EndSARS protesters for whom the Lagos State Government is planning a mass burial, saying the plans should be put on hold.

This follows the emergence of a leaked memo addressed to the Lagos State Ministry of Health indicating that the State Government approved N61,285,000 for the mass burial of 103 persons identified as 2020 EndSARS victims.

The memo, dated July 19, 2023, capturing steps for the processing of funds after approval by the governor, surfaced on social media Sunday morning, sparking outrage.

The Lagos State Government however maintained that the victims to be buried were not from the controversial Lekki Tollgate shooting.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogboye, while confirming the letter, insisted that the victims were from incidents of violence that occurred in the aftermath of the EndSARS protests.

Responding, the Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, in a statement on Monday, said, “The Nigerian authorities must urgently halt their plans to carry out a secret mass burial of #EndSARS victims and instead carry out a thorough and independent investigation into the killings and ensure that those suspected to be responsible are brought to justice in fair trials.”

The human rights group added that the authorities must also carry out transparent coroner inquests and autopsies on the 103 #EndSARS victims and publish their identities and the circumstances of their deaths.

“It is appalling that the Lagos state government has not even mentioned that it has held the bodies of 103 #EndSARS victims in its custody since October 2020,” Sanusi said.

“All those detained because of their role in the #EndSARS protests must be immediately released. The Nigerian authorities must also ensure that victims and their families are provided with access to justice and effective remedies, including adequate compensation.”

The non-governmental organisation noted that it had been monitoring developments across Nigeria since the #EndSARS protests began on October 8, 2020.

“In October 2020, an on-the-ground investigation by Amnesty International confirmed that Nigerian security forces opened fire on thousands of peaceful protesters, who were peacefully calling for good governance and an end to police brutality, killing at least 12 protesters at Lekki toll gate and in Alausa,” director Sanusi said.

“Amnesty International was able to establish that pro-government supporters instigated violence at many of the demonstrations, providing cover for the police to use lethal force against peaceful protesters.

“On 16 November 2020, a Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up to investigate the Lekki toll gate killings submitted its report, which indicted the military and the police for killing unarmed protesters, who were sitting on the floor and waving Nigerian flags and singing.”

Speaker Tajudeen Abbas has asked members of the National Association of Resident Doctors(NARD) to suspend their planned strike action and allow the House intervene in the dispute.

The Speaker, who spoke at a meeting with the leadership of the doctors in his office, also asked them to offer realistic solution to the issues in dispute.

The resident doctors had embarked on warning strike before the inauguration of the current Tinubu government demanding a 200 percent increase in their salaries and other associated allowances.

They also want the payment of all salary arrears, implementation of the CONMEAS salary structure and new hazard allowance and domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and payment of medical residency training fund to its members in state tertiary health facilities among others. After suspending the strike, the doctors issued a fresh two-week ultimatum for the government to meet its demands.

However, Speaker Abbas said the decision of the leadership of the doctors to meet with the House is an affirmation of their faith and confidence in the capacity of the House to intervene and resolve the lingering issues in dispute.

He said: “This is most reassuring owing to the fact that the 9th Assembly had previously intervened in this matter. We hope to even go beyond the steps and actions taken by the previous House to ensure that we find a lasting resolution to the ever lingering crisis”.

The Speaker said further that the House was not unmindful of the many sacrifices resident doctors have continued to make in the nation’s health sector in spite of the many challenges they face and the poor conditions within which they work.

According to him, while many doctors have left the shores of the country in pursuit of better working conditions, they have chosen to remain behind in service to their fatherland.

He assured them that the House will deploy every legislative instrument available to us to ensure that they are fully compensated and rewarded for this act of patriotism.

Paris Saint Germain have accepted a €300 million offer to sell French striker, Kylian Mbappe to Saudi Arabian club, Al-Hilal.

According to sports journalist, Fabrizio Romano, PSG accepted the mouth-watering offer and gave the player permission to discuss personal terms with the Saudi club.

The offer which will be the world transfer record if completed includes other performance-related bonuses.

Should he accept the offer, Mbappe will become the highest paid player earning €700 million per year.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid and Arsenal are leading in the race to sign the Frenchman.

Mbappe earns around €100 million net per season. Madrid reportedly agree to pay 250 million for Mbappe.

Mbappe has for long signaled he is not interested in staying beyond the end of his current contract with the Parisians.

Al Hilal already signed Matheus Pereira from West Brom for €18.00m.

Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria has issued a fresh two-week ultimatum, demanding that the federal government fast track planned palliatives measures to ease the burden on the citizens caused by the fuel subsidy removal.

The stipulated time frame came in the light of the federal government’s apparent delay, several weeks after it hosted organised labour in a meeting where both parties agreed on the palliatives.

TUC said it felt that the Presidential Steering Committee is not working at an anticipated speed while Nigerians are suffering.

The labour centre at a briefing with journalists in Abuja said that the congress would no longer continue to hear “big grammar” around the proposed palliatives while Nigerians trek long distances to their places of business.

TUC national president, Comrade Festus Osifo, asked the Presidential Steering Committee on the palliatives to conclude its work quickly to meet the yearnings of “battered” Nigerian masses.

Osifo also demanded that the federal government lead by example and reduce the cost of governance rather than pushing the burden of the subsidy removal and making an injury to the poor Nigerians.

The congress vowed to mobilise action against the National Assembly if the legislative arm failed to justify the planned purchase of exotic vehicles for its members.

“We all know the suffering that Nigerian workers are passing today and indeed the entire Nigerian masses.

We understand the difficulty that workers are passing through as it stands today,” he noted.

He said,” We want the government to fast track and ensure that between now and the next two weeks all the committees must have submitted their work.”

He added that this is one of those things they felt that as the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, they must bring to the limelight, saying that they would do everything possible to ensure that the government listens to them and the government fast track these processes.

“Government cannot continuously ask the workers and  the  Nigeria masses to continuously tie their belts. We have adjusted our belt while in government, they are continuously increasing the largesse.

“If they tell us that it is not a business as usual, it should not be to the detriment of the battered Nigeria masses or the downtrodden Nigerian workers. They should live by example… in a situation whereby they are pushing a log of poverty to the masses and they are living in affluence, we will not allow that to work”, he added.

Other issues raised at the briefing include; government decisive action against insecurity, reinstatement of the Lagos State chapter of RTEAN, and policies that will support a good exchange rate, among others.

[Leadership]