Television Nigerian

Through the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), the Bola Tinubu-led government has announced plans to run special train services for the forthcoming Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

According to the Federal Government’s directive through the Ministry of Transportation, the services would operate on scheduled passenger trains, as announced by Yakub Mahmood, NRC’s Deputy Director of Public Relations, via the company’s official X account on Thursday.

The special rail services will reduce travel congestion over the holidays, according to the NRC.

The company promised passengers that further information would be provided soon, even though precise dates and times for the services have not yet been disclosed.

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According to the statement, “the government’s gesture towards an enjoyable end-of-year celebration is this end-of-year special train service on scheduled passenger trains.”

In advance of the new year, the NRC wished passengers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The idea for this year builds on a similar initiative in 2023, when the federal government provided free train transportation over the holidays and lowered interstate fares by 50%.

These actions, which took effect from December 21, 2023, to January 7, 2024, were largely hailed as a prompt solution to Nigerians’ economic problems.

It is anticipated that the NRC’s special holiday services for 2024 would continue to be successful, offering Nigerians economical and effective travel options over the holiday season.

House of Representatives lawmakers have demanded that the Onitsha-Enugu expressway’s checkpoint count be lowered.

Following the passage of a resolution on the motion sponsored by Amobi Ogah, who represents the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia state, the lawmakers made the call on Thursday, December 5.

In his motion, Ogah called on security forces throughout Nigeria to investigate claims of extortion and harassment on this specific highway.

He claimed that even though it is only 105 kilometers from Onitsha to Enugu, drivers and tourists are routinely the targets of “unnecessary harassment” by security personnel on the route.

Additionally, he pointed out that there are roughly 28 checkpoints along the aforementioned road, and the agents’ sole goal is to harass and extort drivers.

According to him, the installation of so many checkpoints along the highway directly insults the dignity of the populace, particularly in the South-East, and violates Nigerian citizens’ constitutional rights to free movement as guaranteed by Section 41 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) Constitution.

“The House is concerned that citizens are frequently coerced into paying bribes at these security checkpoints, which are seen as harassment tools.” This has a detrimental effect on socioeconomic life by raising transportation expenses, creating delays, and deterring economic activity.

These roadblocks are unnecessary, according to Ogah, who bemoaned Nigeria’s handling of security concerns nationwide.

Lagos State politician James Faleke criticized the bill’s title in response to Ogah’s submission. He stated that the Southeast faces a number of security issues and that the House ought to focus more on ways to lessen the extortion and harassment that security personnel cause.

In response, the House directed the Defense, Army, and Police Affairs committee to consult with the Inspector General of Police and the Service Chiefs in order to investigate alternate security measures that do not inflict hardship on individuals or infringe upon their fundamental rights.

In order to guarantee that the quantity of checkpoints on the roadways is controlled, it also demanded communication with the Federal Road Safety Corps Corps Marshal.

Comrade Timi Frank, the former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), threatened to stage large-scale protests if the Federal and Ekiti State Governments did not free human rights attorney Dr. Dele Farotimi from confinement within 48 hours on Thursday.

In response to Farotimi’s remand, Frank issued a statement urging Nigerians to take over all police stations and establishments in the nation if the government does not unconstitutionally free the rights activist within the allotted period starting from his remand.

Farotimi was ordered to be remanded to the state’s correctional facility on Wednesday by the Ado Ekiti Division of the Ekiti State Chief Magistrates Court.

After writing a book titled “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System,” in which he claimed, among other things, that Afe Babalola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, had compromised the Supreme Court, Farotimi was charged with defamation of character.

But according to Frank, the claimed defamation alibi is not the only reason for Farotimi’s arrest and incarceration.

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He claimed that the remand was an attempt by the Federal Government to harass and threaten Farotimi for frequently criticizing the anti-people policies of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

In addition to denouncing the police and the judiciary for becoming the tyrannical arm of the current government, he also denounced the arrest and remand of Farotimi.

He feels that because Farotimi is a man who upholds and believes in the rule of law, he doesn’t deserve his current struggles.

“Farotimi is an advocate for democracy, a man of principle, and a man of truth.” Instead of the way he was detained and then placed under remand for an alleged offense that is subject to bail under Nigerian law, they should have invited him in a civil manner and he should have accepted if they thought he had done anything improper.

This demonstrates unequivocally that they are not providing Farotimi with this extremely demeaning experience as a result of Afe Babalola’s petition. Given that Farotimi is a well-known outspoken opponent of the administration, there is more to the arrest.

“It is Farotimi today, it may be another Nigerian tomorrow.” Frank, the ambassador of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) to East Africa and the Middle East, urged Nigerians to join the fight to free Farotimi from remand and to prevent the government from using state institutions to repress and silence Nigerians who speak out against their oppressive and hardship-inducing policies.

“They came for the socialists first, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist,” he cited German pastor Martin Niemöller as saying. Since I was not a trade unionist, I remained silent when they came for the trade unionists. Since I was not a Jew, I remained silent when they came for the Jews.
Then they came for me, and nobody was left to defend me.

By giving twelve million young farmers and food entrepreneurs jobs, the Federal Government will work with the Nigerian Youth Economic Engagement and De-Radicalization Programme (NIYEEDEP) to combat youth unemployment, poverty, and the associated effects on restlessness, radicalization, and insecurity.

This was revealed at a news conference by Comrade Ayodele Olawande, Minister of Youth Development, who hosted NIYEEDEP at his Abuja office under the direction of Coordinator Kennedy Iyere.

The initiative’s goal, according to Comrade Olawande, is to give Nigerian youth the economic platform and empowerment opportunities they need to start their own businesses and become change agents and catalysts for the development of their country, its economy, its wealth, poverty alleviation, crime reduction, and social transformation.

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Youth Farmers’ Cooperative Scheme, Food4All campaign, Arts4Money Project, Tech4Jobs Scheme, Waste2Wealth Project, Youths4Wealth Scheme, Youths4Charity Outreach, Youths4Peace Initiative, and Skills2Job Initiative are among the strategic economic engagement sectors that will be the focus of the campaign.
He clarified that the goal of the effort is to engage young people in agri-food entrepreneurship, integrate value-chain investment, and establish and oversee national grassroots business clusters and cooperatives.

“With a goal of creating at least 6 million jobs, the partnership will help spark a revolution in wealth creation in key economic sectors like technology, entertainment, renewable energy, digital commerce, innovation, and creativity, among others.”

The NIYEEDEP coordinator, Comrade Kennedy Iyere, thanked the Minister for his unwavering support of programs that facilitate economic growth.

He emphasized the initiative’s potential to boost economic growth, generate employment opportunities, and advance community advancement generally, and he gave the Minister his word that he would carry it out successfully.