… Starts Effect from Thursday

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has ordered the closure of schools in Nnewi for a week.

This is due to concerns over possible violence during the burial of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.

Reports revealed that gunmen had previously threatened to disrupt the state if Ubah’s burial proceeded without addressing certain unresolved issues.

The tension escalated on Wednesday night when gunmen attacked Nnewi, killing several people and burning a vehicle.

The incident, which occurred around 7:30 p.m., sparked panic, with residents fleeing for safety.

With the burial scheduled for Friday in Umuanuka village, Otolo Nnewi, the state government issued a circular on Thursday via WhatsApp, instructing all principals to close schools in the Nnewi zone until Tuesday next week.

Parents of day students have also been advised to keep their children at home for safety.

“Good morning Parents, please the above information is from the Commissioner of Education, day students should not come to school till Tuesday next week.

“Good evening Noble Principals!!!

“I am directed to inform you to close all schools in Nnewi Zone on Thursday 21/11/2024 and Friday 22/11/2024.

“Please circulate this information on your school WhatsApp groups and inform parents of your students.

“Try your best to find proper channels of reaching these students so that they would not be found wandering on the streets with their school uniforms . Remain blessed and stay safe !!!”

The national industrial high court in Abuja has ordered the inspector-general of police (IGP) and the Nigeria Police Service Commission (PSC) to pay police constabularies salary arrears owed since 2021.

Giving the ruling on Wednesday, Rakiya Haastrup, the presiding judge, ordered that each of the constables be paid N54,566 per month from January 2021 to May 2024.

The judge also ordered that the constabularies, having been trained, equipped, issued uniforms and identity cards, and deployed across the states and the federal capital territory (FCT), be given formal letters of appointment.

The plaintiffs, through their lawyer, Sebastine Hon, had sued the police for refusing to pay them their monthly stipends despite making them serve the nation for the past four years.

Although police authorities claimed that the service of the constabularies was voluntary, the plaintiffs tendered documents showing that at the time of their engagement, the force had agreed to give them monthly stipends commensurate to the basic allowance of a constable in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The constables told the court that denying them their stipends was not only unlawful but had put their lives in jeopardy as they could no longer meet up with basic needs.

They claimed that seven officers amongst them died due to the hazardous nature of the job.

In her judgment, Haastrup agreed with the lawyer that the plaintiffs established a contractual agreement of employment relationship between them and the police.

The judge held that based on the agreement, the plaintiffs are entitled to monthly stipends for their jobs.

Haastrup ruled that while the exact amount of stipends for the plaintiffs had not been determined by the police, they were entitled to a basic monthly allowance of N54,655 until the IGP set a fixed amount.

The judge further directed the IGP to determine and finalise the plaintiffs’ monthly allowance within two months of the judgment.

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The Senate Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the candidate of the party in the last governorship election in Edo State, Asuerinme Ighodalo, won the election.

Leader of the caucus, Abba Moro, stated this while addressing journalists after the Caucus meeting at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, on Wednesday.

The election was held on 21 September.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Monday Okpebholo, as the winner of the election having scored the highest votes.

INEC subsequently issued a certificate of return to Mr Okpebholo, a senator, and he has since been sworn in as governor of the state.

But Mr Moro, who is the Senate Minority Leader, insisted that the PDP’s mandate was stolen in the state and vowed that the party would work hard to retrieve its mandate.

“Well, everybody is worried for the Nigerian democracy and INEC has taken notes here and there over the conduct of the election. But every failure is a lesson for future adventures.

“We sincerely hope that we work hard like in Edo state where the mandate of the PDP was stolen. We will work hard to make sure that the people’s mandate is restored where it doesn’t happen, like I said, failure is a mechanism for future success,” he said.

Ganduje’s comment
The caucus also responded to a comment by the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, that the ruling party would soon take over all the South-west states.

The APC is currently ruling four of the six South-west states – Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti.

The PDP is in power in Oyo and Osun States.

Mr Moro, who represents Benue South Senatorial District, said the leadership of the PDP would ensure it retains the states in subsequent elections.

“The PDP has taken note of that statement, and we have a government in Osun state now, and we want to retain that position,” he said.

PDP Crisis
The senate minority leader said the leadership of the PDP is striving hard to return the party to its winning days.

“Damagun is the acting chairman of PDP. The PDP is not just about Damagun. The PDP is about members of the PDP. We are working round the clock to make sure that PDP gets back to its winning ways. When we were winning as PDP, other political parties were losing.

“So, what is this brouhaha about PDP losing the election? It is painful to lose the election, no doubt about it. But as I said, it is a common axiom that if you fail today and you are able to stand up, you strategise to win tomorrow.

“And so, whatever we have lost today as PDP, we are working hard, and part of the working hard is the meeting that the caucus has held today to strategise towards ensuring that we do not lose future elections, including the election in Osun state,” Mr Moro said.