News

IGP meets with 3 senior lawyers, others over planned nationwide protest

Published

4 months ago

July 31, 2024

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Tuesday, met with lawyers and activists who have spoken in support of peaceful protests planned by young Nigerians against government policies.

Apart from Mr Egbetokun, others who attended the virtual meeting include police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, Senior Advocates Femi Falana and Ebun Adegboruwa, and human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong.

Mr Effiong, who had pledged legal support for arrested protesters, provided some details of discussions at the meeting.

“When I was invited to speak, I asked the IGP specifically if he was aware of the trending video in circulation showing some thugs in Lagos threatening to unleash violence on protesters and warning people not to join the protest?” he wrote on X

“I also asked him if he will direct the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to arrest the said thugs to serve as a deterrent to those who are planning to cause unrest. The IGP, sadly, did not address this particular question, despite the fact that he was reminded of my question by other participants.”

A video had been trending on social media showing some thugs threatening to attack protesters in Lagos and warning Lagos residents not to protest.

The police have yet to release their version of what transpired at Tuesday’s meeting.

The meeting is believed to be part of the Nigerian government’s efforts to prevent the planned protest by young Nigerians from turning violent.

The young Nigerians, who have been mobilising on social media, have vowed to proceed with the protest on Thursday despite calls by the government, traditional rulers and clerics.

The protesters are demanding economic reforms, including the reversal of the government’s removal of petrol subsidies, which led to a 300 per cent in the pump price of petrol last year.

Since last year, government policies have led to astronomical increases in the prices of goods and services, leading to Nigeria’s worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.

The government has taken various steps to suppress the protests including arresting some suspected promoters.

Between Friday and Tuesday, the State Security Service (SSS) and the police have arrested no fewer than seven people across Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto and Niger states. These people, some of them now freed, were arrested for either marketing the protest kits or promoting the protest slogan online.

In Niger State, a district head was stripped of his traditional title for simply declaring support for the upcoming nationwide protest.

This newspaper reported that the IGP, Mr Egbetoken, met with all commandants of mobile police units across the country in Abuja last Saturday. One of the commandants told our reporter that the meeting was in connection with the protest.

The use of mobile police suggests that the government suspects the protests could turn violent and there would be the need to use force against the protesters.

Last Thursday, President Tinubu met with Islamic clerics, traditional rulers and All Progressives Congress (APC) governors.

All three groups have appealed to Nigerians to shelve the protests.

Despite calls to shun the protest, the organisers remain resolute.

Specifically, they are calling for the reversal of the fuel price hike to below N300 per litre, the restoration of affordable electricity tariffs, and the reduction of import duties to their previous rates.

The groups also demand the reversal of the hike in tertiary education fees by many institutions

The protesters are also demanding full transparency and accountability in governance, including the public disclosure and reduction of public officials’ salaries and allowances and an emergency fund to support SMEs.

They also call for electoral reforms, including the autonomy of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), electronic transmission of live electoral results, and the reopening of national borders.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that on Monday, some protesters blocked a major highway leading to Abuja.

The protesters carried placards with several inscriptions such as ‘We Are Not Slaves’, ‘Enough is Enough’; ‘Stop Anti-Masses Policies’, ‘Hardship Is Unbearable’ and ‘Fuel Subsidy Must Be Back.’

The police later dispersed the protesters, forcing them to postpone the demonstration till 1 August, the original starting day of the planned protest.

Mr Effiong said the police want the protests restricted to specific locations.

“The IGP also advised (or should I say took the position) that the protests should be confined to specific locations),” he wrote.

“This made me to ask the IGP directly if the police will disrupt any protest that is held outside the locations that have been communicated to him; given his advice that protesters should not embark on marches or rallies but should be restricted to identified venues.

“The IGP responded to me that there is no plan to disrupt rallies on the road or any protest held outside the ‘designated’ venues.

“However, he further indicated that the police cannot guarantee the security of protesters who are not confined to the locations that have been communicated to him or CPs in the various States.”

News

PHOTO: Courtesy visit to Priesthood Orphanage by Just Friends Club of Nigeria Founder

Published

18 minutes ago

November 25, 2024

Naijablitznews

Dr. (Mrs) Blessing Echenwo, left, founder of Priesthood Orphanage, Karamajiji, Abuja and Mrs. Maria Cardillo, a member of Just Friends Club of Nigeria, during the visit of the club to the orphanage in Abuja…recently

News

Just in: NYSC Releases Batch ‘C’ Corps Members Call Up Letters

Published

2 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Naijablitznews

The National Youth Service Corps has announced the release of the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Stream I call-up letters for prospective corps members.

The corps made the announcement in a series of post on its official X (former Twitter) handle on Monday.

It said orientation camp for the stream is expected to start on November 27, 2024 and closes on December 17, 2024.

According to the post, “some prospective corp members posted to Lagos will have orientation in Ogun and Osun.

“While some of those posted to Zamfara will have in Kebbi and Sokoto etc”

The corps, however, advised prospective corps members to print and sign an addendum, which will be submitted during registration at the orientation camp.

Tips to guide Deployed Prospective Corps Members

Do not travel to the Orientation Camps at night. Break your journey when necessary.
Report on your scheduled reporting date.
Apply for spelling error and name rearrangement on your dashboard.
After documentation in the Camp, you cannot change your Date of Birth, Date of Graduation, Course of Study and Passport Photograph.
Do not report to the Camp if there is any discrepancies in your course of study or with the Date of Graduation on your Statement of Result and your Call-up Letter. Contact your Institution to sort it out.
ATTENTION TO ALL 2024 BATCH ”C” STREAM I MARRIED FEMALE PROSPECTIVE CORPS MEMBERS

All married female Prospective Corps members (PCMs) who are deployed to States where their husbands are not domiciled should report to the nearest NYSC Orientation Camp for their State of Deployment to be changed.

They are to report during the period of Registration at the Orientation Camps with the copies of their marital and other relevant documents as evidence. Once the change is made it will reflect on theirM dashboard for reprinting.

News

Oba of Benin to withdraw suit as Okpebholo restores rights

Published

7 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, and the Benin Traditional Council may withdraw the suits they filed against the state government as Governor Monday Okpebholo, on Sunday, restored the full statutory rights of the Oba and reversed the policies of the previous administration that impacted the Benin Traditional Council.

A statement on Sunday by Okepebholo’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, said the governor abolished the new traditional councils in Edo South created by the immediate-past governor, Godwin Obaseki.

Okpebholo also backed the Federal Government’s recognition of the Oba’s palace as the custodian of repatriated Benin artefacts looted during the 1897 British colonial expedition.

Providing an insight into the governor’s gesture, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Samson Osagie, said it signaled the resolution of the crisis between the Oba of Benin and the Edo State government leading to lawsuits duringt the Obaseki’s administration.

Osagies said, “The cases in court are cases which the Oba of Benin himself and the Benin Traditional Council instituted against the state government, and they are all civil matters. And you know that in civil suit or in any suit, parties are encouraged to settle amicably.

“So, if the parties are already settling and one side is already meeting the condition of settlement, the next step you are going to hear is that the party who went to court, which is the Oba of Benin, and the Benin Traditional Council, will instruct their counsel to withdraw the cases from court and that will be the end of the matter.

“The two parties are now settling for harmony and peace to reign, so the government is doing its own side of it.

“This statement is a prelude to discontinuing all legal proceedings with respect to the twin issues of the concession of the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre by government to the Benin Traditional Council for 30 years and the creation of additional councils.”

The statement by Okepebholo’s Chief Press Secretary outlined the administration’s commitment to restoring the dignity and authority of the Benin monarch.

“This administration also hereby abolishes the new traditional councils in Edo South, created by the last administration,” the statement noted.

Additionally, Governor Okpebhol revoked the decision of the Obaseki’s administration to convert the Oba Akenzua II Cultural Centre into a motor park.

The government announced plans to restore the cultural centre to its original purpose.

“This administration is restoring the Oba Akenzua Centre to a suitable condition for its original purpose,” the statement added.

The governor also reinstated the financial entitlements of the Benin Traditional Council, ordering that the status quo before the creation of the abolished councils be maintained.

According to the statement, Okpebholo affirmed support for the Federal Government’s official gazette, which recognizes the Oba of Benin as the rightful owner and custodian of the repatriated Benin artefacts.

He also distanced his administration from the Museum of West Africa Art, instead backing the Benin Royal Museum project to house the artefacts.

“The Federal Government has also issued a gazette for the recognition of ownership and custody of the repatriated Benin artefacts to the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II,” the statement explained. “Governor Okpebholo respects the rights and privileges of the traditional ruler of Benin kingdom… and pledges the support of his administration to ensure the monarch plays his role as the custodian of the rich cultural heritage of the Benin people.”

Okpebholo reiterated his administration’s respect for traditional institutions and vowed to avoid interference in the internal affairs of the Benin Traditional Council. “The Oba of Benin, as the father of all Benin people, is the sole custodian of the customs and traditions of the Benin people, and my administration respects customs and traditions in the land,” he stated, emphasising the government’s efforts to uphold the cultural and historical integrity of the Benin Kingdom.