News
We Won’t End The Struggle Until We Get Justice For Osesua & Others’–PTD Takes Battle To Court
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Comrade Joseph Dagogo-Jack of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Port Harcourt Zone, has taken a swipe at the parent union over failure to comply with the court’s decision which called for a fresh and all-inclusive national delegates conference, noting that the branch will not rest until it gets justice for disenfranchised candidates.
In a statement he made available to newsmen on Monday the Labour leader maintained that supporters loyal to Comrade Lucky Osesua, Dayyabu Garga, Obinna Humble Power, Olabisi Akinlolu etc were bullied, attacked, and disenfranchised during the preparation for the delegates conference so as to pave way for the preferred candidates under the instruction of the General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale.
He said every PTD eligible delegate has a right for their votes to count.
“Amidst what we went through; attacks, intimidation, but in the end we realized that God is a God of justice. God has heard the cry of impoverished PTD members and that is why the election held in Abuja on Thursday July 4, brought victory for Comrade Lucky Osesua, while the July 3, kangaroo delegates conference in Lagos is not recognized by the court of competent jurisdiction, and such shenanigan would surely be nullified through the instrument of the law,” Dagogo said.
The statement continues;
Osesua’s faction remains the liberation struggle, and his commitment and that of his legitimate team will give succour, sense of belonging and ease of running union activities to PTD members without extortion, intimidation or victimization to all our members in all the four zones of the branch in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna zones.
“I will continue to salute the courage of Hon. Justice O.Y Anuwe for protecting the sanctity of the temple of justice without fear or favour. Her court ordered NUPENG to forthwith put the process for the new election in motion by constituting an all-inclusive Electoral and Caretaker Committee, as ordered in the judgment in Suit No. NICN/YEN/14/2022, who shall conduct the election within 4 months from the date of this judgment’.
“But, NUPENG, on May 31, 2024, released another discriminatory and selective election guidelines to favour their preferred candidates. This is against the judgment of the court, not equitable, unfair, unjust, and against natural justice” he said
“PTD members are tired, they deserve change and that is why many of them are standing up for what they believe in, which is having a positive change for a better PTD where all drivers’ lives matter, and their welfare and wellbeing are properly taken care of.
“I am using this medium to further appeal to all PTD members to remain calm, law abiding and never to work against the seamless policies of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s administration in the downstream petroleum industry, while enjoining members to continue in their pivotal roles of distributing petroleum products across the country.
“Victory for Osesua, Garga, Humble and others remains intact. The judiciary has done it before, they will also repeat it once again and I have absolute confidence in them that they are truly the last hope of the common man, this time around they won’t fail us still. We won’t end this struggle until we get justice for Osesua and his team.” The statement concluded.
Bandits have killed a monarch,his wife, his son, and three other residents in a deadly night attack on Olegabulu community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
Residents said the attack happened on Thursday night when the armed men, numbering about four and arriving on two motorcycles, stormed the palace of the monarch and opened fire on him and his family members.
According to a resident who requested anonymity, the attackers entered the community without raising suspicion, reportedly exchanging greetings with locals in the native dialect before heading straight to the royal residence. Once inside, they opened fire, killing the traditional ruler, his wife, and his son on the spot.
The attackers were said to have spent about 20 minutes in the community. After the assault on the palace, they reportedly moved to a nearby compound where they killed two additional residents and left another person injured before fleeing the scene.
Eyewitnesses described the incident as coordinated and deceptive, noting that the gunmen initially blended in with residents before launching the attack.
The Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Melvin Ejeh, confirmed the incident, stating that five people were killed and one person sustained injuries.
He added that security operatives, including police personnel, have since visited the scene.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in Benue State, DSP Udeme Edet, said she was yet to receive full details of the attack at the time of filing this report.
Proceedings in the case involving former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, were on Thursday adjourned till May 6, 2026, by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, represented the prosecution, while Bello was represented by his lead counsel, Mr Joseph Daudu.
During proceedings, the prosecution informed the court of the need for more time to respond to applications filed by the defence, while Bello’s legal team urged the court to consider their submissions and move the matter forward.
Justice Nwite, in his ruling, adjourned the case to May 6 to allow all parties to adequately prepare and ensure a fair hearing.
Mr Bello is currently facing charges bordering on alleged financial misappropriation during his tenure as governor, allegations he has repeatedly denied.
Nigeria is set to experience one of the highest increases in food insecurity worldwide in 2026, according to the latest Global Report on Food Crises released on April 24, 2026.
The report, compiled by agencies including the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Programme, raised fresh concerns over worsening hunger levels driven by insecurity, economic hardship and declining humanitarian funding.
According to FAO findings, about 4.1 million additional Nigerians could fall into acute food insecurity in 2026, placing the country among those with the largest increases globally.
Reacting to the development, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Mr Alvaro Lario, said “the crisis is becoming more prolonged and difficult to contain”.
“We are no longer seeing just temporary shocks, but persistent shocks over time,” warning that the situation is placing growing pressure on global stability.
FAO noted that about 266 million people across 47 countries face high levels of acute hunger in 2025, with conditions expected to remain severe into 2026.
In Nigeria, the situation is being worsened by continued insecurity in key farming regions, rising inflation and limited access to food.
According FAO projections, over 34 million Nigerians may experience crisis level hunger between June and August 2026, during the peak of the lean season.
The FAO Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr Hussein Gadain, said the combined impact of armed conflict, climate shocks, high food prices and cuts in global aid funding is pushing more Nigerians into hunger.
The report called for urgent and sustained intervention, warning that without immediate action, millions more could slide into emergency levels of food insecurity in the coming months.
BREAKING: Benue boils again as bandits invade palace, kill monarch ,wife, son three others
Yahaya Bello to know fate on May 6 as Court adjourns financial infractions case
Nigeria set to record largest surge in food insecurity globally in 2026-Reports
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