Police operatives in Ondo State have arrested a 31-year-old man, Yusuf Adenoyin, with eight dry human skulls.
The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abayomi Oladipo, confirmed the development in a statement issued by the spokesperson for the state police command, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, on Wednesday in Akure.
The CP said the suspect was arrested by the operatives during a stop and search at Isua-Akoko in Akoko South-West local government area of the state.
He said: “On June 10, 2024, at about 0800hrs, personnel attached to Police Safer Highway Patrol at Isua/Epinmi checkpoint while performing their lawful duty flagged down a Nissan Salon car en route Akure.
“While the vehicle was being searched, one of the passengers took to his heels and the police pursued and arrested him.
“He was searched and eight dry human skulls, fresh human flesh, and charms were found in a wrapped polythene bag concealed in a garri sack he was traveling with.
“The suspect, Yusuf Adenoyin, ‘M’ age 31 years, stated that he was going to supply the items to herbalists.”
Oladipo said the suspect had confessed to having supplied seven human skulls before he was arrested, adding that efforts to arrest his accomplices are ongoing.
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Police arrests man with 8 human skulls in Ondo
Accept offer that won’t lead to job losses, FG tells labour
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, on Wednesday, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to reviewing and agreeing to a realistic and sustainable minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
He also urged organised labour to propose or agree to a realistic minimum wage that won’t lead to massive job losses across the country.
Speaking at the opening of the 2024 Synod of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in Abuja on Wednesday, the minister said accepting unrealistic wages would undermine the economy.
He said, “As I have repeatedly said, the Federal Government is not opposed to the increase of wages for Nigerian Workers but we keep on advocating for a realistic and sustainable wage system for the workers – a wage system that will not undermine the economy, lead to mass retrenchment of workers and jeopardise the welfare of about 200 million Nigerians.
“We want the labour unions to understand that the relief that Nigerians are expecting, and that they fully deserve, will not come only in the form of an increase in wages. It will also come as efforts to reduce the cost of living and to ensure that more money stays in the pockets of Nigerians. ”
The minister also called on religious leaders to assist in raising public awareness about government initiatives and efforts.
Idris emphasised the crucial role of the clergy in disseminating information about available opportunities and the government’s ongoing efforts.
“As a government, we need your support, your advice, and your feedback,” Idris stated. “Very importantly, we need you to be aware of the efforts being made and the challenges being faced so that you can help us communicate these to your congregations and the general public,” he said.
The minister highlighted the influential platforms of religious leaders, noting their potential to enlighten Nigerians on their rights, responsibilities, and the economic opportunities provided by the policies under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The agenda aims to promote economic rebirth, strengthen national security, boost agriculture and food security, and transform infrastructure and transportation.
“Information and awareness are critical, and this is where our religious leaders come in. You have very influential platforms that can enlighten Nigerians on their rights, responsibilities, and the abundance of economic opportunities being thrown up by the policies and programmes being implemented under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu,” he noted.
He acknowledged the significant role of spiritual leaders in fostering peace, unity, and hope within Nigerian communities.
He extended commendations to the Charismatic Bishops Conference and the Christian Association of Nigeria for their contributions to harmony and peaceful coexistence.
“The President has always recognised the profound impact of religious leaders on the unity, peace, and prosperity of our country. He deeply values the partnership between the government and the religious community in building a nation that thrives on mutual respect, understanding, and shared values.
“Let me extend our heartfelt commendation to the Charismatic Bishops Conference and by extension the Christian Association of Nigeria, for your instrumental role in promoting harmony and peaceful co-existence in our country.
“Indeed, the Church, throughout our nation’s history, has been a steadfast partner to the government in championing social causes and the provision of essential social services such as hospitals and schools, as well as the inculcation of values in our citizens,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s current challenges, Idris praised Tinubu’s leadership in implementing crucial reforms to steer the country towards growth and sustainable development.
He reiterated the importance of the Church’s partnership with the government in championing social causes and providing essential services such as hospitals and schools.
Idris said it was important for religious leaders to support the government’s vision for Nigeria’s renaissance and to pray for guidance as the nation works towards a prosperous future.
June 12: Cut ties with World Bank, IMF, others – Osun CSOs to Tinubu
As Nigerians mark the June 12 Democracy Day, President Bola Tinubu has been urged to back down from the patronage of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, IMF, and other institutions influencing his administration.
In a message signed by Waheed Lawal, Chairman of the Osun Civil Societies Coalition, and made available to TVN on Wednesday, the CSOs also demanded the enthronement of an egalitarian society where equity, fairness and prosperity are guaranteed.
Lawal who said the removal of fuel subsidy has created worsening economic hardship and poverty added that electricity subsidy removal and devaluation of the Naira have also cast a shadow over the economic stability of Nigeria.
This development he said is hampering productivity, killing small and medium-scale enterprises and taking away the purchasing power of the Nigerian people.
He said it has created hunger, starvation and skyrocketing the price of food and essential commodities, among other woes.
“Currently, Nigerians are going through worsening economic hardship that is creating more poverty and penury. The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, through its World Bank and IMF teleguided economic policies have continued to unleash hardship on Nigerians.
“The removal of subsidy, increment in electricity tariff and devaluation of Naira have cast a shadow over the economic stability of Nigeria; and this is hampering productivity and killing Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, taking away the purchasing power of the Nigerian people, creating hunger, starvation and skyrocketing foodstuffs and essential commodities prices, among other woes. The worst of the agonies is the ongoing food crisis where staple foods have been priced out of the reach of the common people.”
He lamented that the manifestoes of MKO Abiola which were the provision of basic amenities and mass prosperity were still elusive 31 years after.
He said it is due to, “continuous decades of bad governance by unpatriotic and self-centred elite, military and civilian leadership that cut across all tribes and religions, produced exploitation, oppression; poverty, misery, injustice, hopelessness, insecurity, banditry and violent death as majorly being experienced by the common masses all over the country!”
Lawal observed that no political party or political actor can deliver any change, so long as the erroneous warped system remains in place
“We are using this June 12 occasion to call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to descend from the ladder of the World Bank, IMF and other international institutions influencing his government. Mr President, please save the country and Nigerians from the unleashed hunger and poverty.”
June 12: Cut ties with World Bank, IMF, others – Osun CSOs to Tinubu
Mutfwang frees 10 inmates in Plateau
The Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has ordered the release of 10 inmates in the state’s correctional centres.
The Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor, Mr Gyang Bere, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Jos.
Mutfwang said the gesture was in line with the constitutional powers conferred on him and recommendations of the Plateau State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.
The governor also commuted the death sentences of three inmates to life imprisonment.
He said: “In exercise of the powers conferred on me under Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended and in consultation with the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, hereby exercise my power of Prerogative of Mercy on 13 inmates.”
The governor said the beneficiaries were remorseful over the crimes committed, hence the recommendation by the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.
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Troops eliminate three terrorists, recover arms, rustled sheep in Zamfara
The Nigeria Army said its troops in collaboration with Zamfara State Community Protection Guards eliminated 3 terrorists and recovered several rustled sheep in multiple operations in Zamfara State.
This was contained in a statement on its X on Wednesday,
According to the statement, “In Rukudawa Village, located in Zurmi Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, troops launched an offensive operation targeting the hideout of notorious terrorist kingpin Gwaska Dan Karami. In the encounter, troops eliminated two terrorists and uncovered a terrorist warehouse stocked with looted food supplies.
“In another operation in the Mayanchi general area of Maru Local Government Area, troops on fighting patrol intercepted and engaged marauding terrorists who had rustled a flock of sheep. The troops neutralized one terrorist in the overwhelming firefight compelling the rest of the terrorists to flee, abandoning one AK-47 rifle, a magazine with three rounds of 7.62 x 39 mm ammunition, two motorcycles, and 410 rustled sheep; which have been recovered by the troops.” It said
It said the troops also recovered a pair of military camouflage and a Mobile Police uniform, saying that the rescued sheep have been handed over to the Committee on Recovery of Rustled Animals in Gusau.
It said troops also intercepted terrorists on a mission to carry out their nefarious activities along Kairu road in Gummi Local Government Area and recovered one AK-47 rifle from the terrorists, after thwarting the mission.
Troops eliminate three terrorists, recover arms, rustled sheep in Zamfara
Dogara charges Nigerian govt to unlock ‘idle FX’ in private vaults
A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Wednesday, charged the Federal Government to unlock “idle foreign exchange stashed in private vaults to strengthen the naira.
He made the call at “The Platform Nigeria,” a programme put together by a Lagos-based church, Covenant Nation, to mark this year’s Democracy Day in the country.
The Catholic Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, the Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, and former Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, attended the event.
The former speaker lamented that Nigerians’ appetite for the United States Dollars was responsible for the steady decline in the value of the naira.
Dogara also charged the Federal Government to ensure the sale of the crude oil in naira.
He said: “The USD is not going away anytime soon. The challenge before the government is how to unlock and keep the USD locked up in private vaults in Nigeria to begin to chase the naira.
“That to me, is the commonsensical solution. I believe we have enough dollars in this country that we can unlock to make our economy work and crash the FX rate.
“The government must also demand that all Nigerian exports, including crude oil exports, be paid for in naira, just as we don’t pay for any import into Nigeria from any country in naira. It’s not too much to demand that.”
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Military rule not solution to Nigeria’s hardship – Activist, Akinnola
A veteran journalist, Mr Richard Akinnola, has said irrespective of the hardship facing the country, military rule is a no-option for Nigeria.
Akinola, who condemned those calling for the return of the military due to the country’s economic hardship, urged Nigerians to work together to overcome the obstacles facing their nation.
He spoke on Wednesday while delivering a lecture at the 2024 Democracy Day celebration held at the Kuto Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The human rights and pro-democracy activist, in his lecture titled, “June 12: Defining Moment in the Democratic Development of Nigeria,” chided the nation’s judiciary for being a tool in the hands of the military government to annul the June 12 elections.
He said “In fact, June 12 stands as a defining moment and a watershed in our quest for democracy. That is why we should be very careful. Some people who did not experience what we went through are not subtly calling for the military.
“We must say no, never do we call for the military again. Whatever the challenges we are having, let’s fight, let us argue, let us disagree, let us abuse each other, but never should we be tempted to invite the military”
Akinnola referred to the June 12 elections as the greatest in the country’s history while pointing out that the annulment’s aftermath resulted in the deaths of pro-democracy activists and fostered mutual distrust among citizens.
He asserted that for democracy to thrive in the country, Nigerians must keep their leaders on their toes adding that, people should not forget those who sacrificed their lives for the democracy being enjoyed in the country now.
In his goodwill message, a pro-democracy activist and former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Ogun State, Dr Niran Malaolu, eulogised Chief Abiola for paying the supreme prize for the nation to experience democracy, noting that several Nigerians also suffered in the course of returning the country to democratic rule.
Military rule not solution to Nigeria’s hardship – Activist, Akinnola
Family faults Tinubu’s omission of Fasehun from June 12 heroes list
The family of the late founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress, Dr Frederick Fasehun, has protested the omission of their son by President Bola Tinubu in the list of June 12 heroes contained in the Democracy Day address on Wednesday.
In a statement issued by the late OPC Founder’s son, Remi Fasehun, the family described the omission of his father from the President’s list as uncharitable, ungrateful and unpardonable.
He said Tinubu was a beneficiary of his father’s activism and sacrifice for democracy, adding that his father helped the President to escape into exile.
He said, “The President was a beneficiary of our father’s activism and sacrifice for democracy. Not only were they in the trenches together, but Fasehun helped Tinubu to escape into exile. In fact, it is on record that, when General Sani Abacha’s squad surrounded Senator Abraham Adesanya’s residence, where they held a meeting, Tinubu mounted the back of Fasehun and jumped the fence to flee into hiding and subsequently into exile.
“Several people, who escaped from the country into exile and joined NADECO-Abroad, including Pa Anthony Enahoro, were personally taken by boat and bush paths, through the NADECO Route, by Dr. Fasehun. He was at a point the link between Pa Enahoro-NADECO and NUPENG, the union that played a pivotal role in that struggle.
“He was thrown into prison several times by the General Sani Abacha junta, in Kirikiri, Ilorin and Kuje. At the infamous Inter Centre in Ikoyi Cemetery, he was held incommunicado for several months, an experience that inflicted immense damage on him physically and psychologically, to the extent of leaving his vision impaired for life.
“His family and businesses paid dearly for his struggle for democracy. Today, his wife and children still pay the price of their father’s sacrifice to birth the democracy Nigeria has today.”
The statement said Fasehun’s businesses, Century Hotel and Besthope Hospital in Lagos, had become a shadow of the flourishing enterprises they used to be before he threw himself into the struggle for June 12.
It added that Fasehun specifically founded the socio-cultural group, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), in 1994, as a vehicle for wresting democracy from the sit-tight military junta.
“To ignore such an inimitable icon as Dr. Frederick Isiotan Fasehun from any so-called list of June 12 and Democratic Heroes smacks of crass injustice and inexplicable vendetta,” it added.
The family recalled that in the struggle for June 12, hundreds of OPC members paid the supreme price, through extra-judicial killings by overzealous and ill-advised security agents.
While acknowledging that leading a huge nation like Nigeria could be a Herculean task, the Fasehuns urged Tinubu to put welfare packages in place to ameliorate the unprecedented poverty, inflation and insecurity bedevilling citizens.
“We only hope that in the name of fairness and justice, the President will correct this anomaly and place Dr. Fasehun in Nigeria’s democratic Hall of Fame as he very well deserves.
“Truth should not be sacrificed on the altar of politics, however. Dr. Fasehun should be given his well-deserved historical recognition as a true Nigerian Hero of Democracy,” it added.
FG reroutes mega project, slashes lanes to six
The Federal Government says it has rerouted the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway path to avoid any possible damage to subsea cables belonging to telecommunication companies.
The government also said it had reduced the project’s size from 10 lanes to six as a cost-saving measure for the legacy project.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, who made the announcements at a meeting with contractors on Tuesday in Abuja, also said the government had disbursed a total sum of N10bn as compensation to property owners affected by the demolition necessary for the construction of the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
This was as it announced that the first 47 kilometres of the project would be open to the public by May of next year.
The government early this year began the construction of the Lagos-Calabar highway, which is designed to extend through nine states with two spurs leading to the northern states, using concrete pavement.
It later established a committee tasked with the responsibilities of reviewing, assessing and compensating landowners affected by the construction of the expressway.
On May 1st, the government began payment of N2.75bn in compensation to property owners affected by the demolition necessary for the construction of the expressway.
Section one is scheduled to begin at Eko Atlantic and end at the Lekki deep sea port.
He said, “For the three legacy projects by the administration, the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, we have cut down the project size to six lanes, especially from sections two, three, and four, it shows you that we mean business. Some people have been writing that we have stopped the project. No project is stopped. As we are talking now, over four kilometres of concrete road has been completed on six lanes.
“We had to establish a new path due to complaints made by MTN on its subsea cable and Okuaja community, we had to reroute not to the new alignment, not to the gazetted alignment but far away from the two, and we came back to a new alignment at kilometre 25. So the work is going and it’s moving smoothly. We have paid the total compensation of close to N10bn. we are not owing and the contractor is highly commended for a very beautiful job, commitment and being very reasonable.
“These projects are investments, and they have inherent returns on investments, By May 29, 2025, we will have completed section one of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway. Apart from the land, we are going to acquire for tourism, factories and industries when we toll the road within 10 years we would recover the cost of the money so it is an investment.”
He added, “Sections three and four have been finalised, but we are going to do stakeholder engagement in either Cross River or Akwa Ibom because that is where those sections will get started so that we can ensure procurement. But the design is almost completed.”
Speaking further at the meeting, the minister expressed regret over the scarcity of funds, noting that the government inherited over 2,600 projects valued at N15tn.
In explaining the delay in payments to contractors, Umahi mentioned that aside from the inherited projects, the government initiated 330 emergency projects totalling N260bn.
He noted that over 80 per cent of these projects have already been completed.
He further explained that the ministry would no longer allow contractors to determine the cost of projects through the excessive use of variation of prices.
Meanwhile, the minister of works has announced that Julius Berger is expected to resume construction on the remaining section of the Abuja-Kano after resolving some challenges.
“I commend Julius Berger very highly, some of you thought we were going to be quarrelling but yesterday we resolved a lot of our issues and by this week, the Abuja-Kano work will resume.”
On the recently flooded Kara bridge, the minister stated that the issue has been rectified, ensuring there will be no further flooding.
“Also, in the next few days or weeks, we would have completed the installation of CCTV on the bridge so that we can checkmate what is happening there and we have less than 5 minutes of response time from securities agencies to avert any form of incidents,” he concluded.
Russia denies coercing Nigerian students into fighting for visa extensions
Russian authorities, on Wednesday, denied allegations of coercing African students, particularly Nigerians, to fight in the ongoing war with Ukraine in exchange for visa extensions.
The Russian Embassy in Nigeria, in a statement, labelled the report as fake news and entirely unfounded.
It said that the report could potentially damage the educational cooperation between both countries.
It also stated that no association of Nigerian students in Russia has sent in any report confirming the claim.
The statement reads: “The Embassy of the Russian Federation is compelled to emphasize that such news is not only false but also damages Russian-Nigerian educational cooperation by misleading numerous scholarship and grant applicants as well as their partners, who could be extremely concerned by such fakes.
“The Embassy states that Nigerian students face no difficulties in extending their visas while continuing their studies in Russia. Numerous associations of Nigerian students in Russia have not reported any issues in obtaining the necessary documentation to continue their stay in the country.
“The Embassy welcomes the official press release of the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this matter and expresses gratitude to the Ministry and the Association of Nigerian Students in Moscow for their efforts in debunking the fake news aimed at undermining the friendship and cooperation between Russia and Nigeria.”
Russia denies coercing Nigerian students into fighting for visa extensions