Isa Sanusi, Country Director of Amnesty International, has condemned the invasion of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday night.
Sanusi issued a statement on Thursday describing the raid as a “sinister and calculated attack” aimed at intimidating the labor union.
“Amnesty International strongly condemns the brazen invasion of the headquarters of Nigeria Labour Congress by a contingent of armed security personnel. The chilling raid last night appears to be part of a sinister and calculated attack designed to intimidate the labour union,” he said.
Read also: Gov Abiodun orders refund of recruitment fees to applicants amid economic hardship
During the raid, security personnel ransacked the NLC bookshop, seizing materials they claimed were used to incite and organize recent protests. Sanusi expressed grave concern for the safety of NLC officials, asserting, “We are deeply concerned about the safety of NLC officials. Under international human rights law and standards, trade unions cannot be targeted for their participating activities.”
Amnesty International stressed Nigeria’s obligation to uphold and protect trade union rights under international human rights law. “Under international human rights law, Nigeria has an obligation not only to respect the rights of trade unions but also to protect these rights from abuse,” Sanusi added.
The raid has raised concerns about a potential crackdown on labor activism in Nigeria. The NLC, which has led recent protests against government policies, views the raid as an attempt to suppress its voice.
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Amnesty International denounces raid on NLC headquarters
We didn’t carry out any operation at NLC office – DSS
The Department of State Services, DSS, has denied playing a role in the reported raid of the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.
DSS specifically said that it did not carry out any operation at the NLC office in Abuja.
“Please kindly note that the Service (DSS) did not carry out any operation at the NLC office in Abuja,” DSS posted on its official X handle on Thursday.
TVN reports that the NLC had raised the alarm over the reported invasion of its office by security agents.
The union in a statement signed by Comrade Benson Upah, Head, Media and Public Relations, and shared on its official X handle on Wednesday, claimed that a troop of heavily armed security operatives invaded the Labour House in the Central Business District, Abuja.
Labour also called for the immediate withdrawal of Federal Government armed security agents from its office.
Reacting to the development, Senator Shehu Sani, a former lawmaker, declared the invasion of the NLC headquarters as needless, unconscionable and condemnable.
We didn’t carry out any operation at NLC office – DSS
Police arrest 277 suspected looters in Jigawa
The Jigawa State Police Command, on Thursday, said it has arrested not less than 277 suspected looters.
While giving an update on the ongoing hunger protest, the command’s spokesman, DSP Lawan Shiisu Adam, disclosed that 13 additional suspects were arrested on Wednesday.
He explained that the arrests were carried out in Gumel, Roni, and Birnin Kudu Local Government Areas respectively.
He added that some items were recovered from the looters.
He listed the recovered items to include, “316 bales of mosquito nets, 114 bags of fertilizer, one motorcycle, seven solar panels, 6½ bags of hibiscus flower (zobo), two bags of guinea corn, 19 office chairs, and nine plastic chairs”
Other recovered items include, “five cushion chairs, two standing fans, five ceiling fans, two refrigerators, four doors, 10 iron drawers, two fire extinguishers, two printers, two CPUs, and one stabilizer.”
Shiisu emphasised that at the moment, the state remains calm.
Gov Abiodun orders refund of recruitment fees to applicants amid economic hardship
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has instructed the chairman of the state Civil Service Commission to refund all administrative fees related to the ongoing recruitment into the state’s civil service.
The Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, announced the directive in a statement issued Thursday in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Read also: CBN probes allegations of wrongdoing against EcoBank
Governor Abiodun has ordered the Civil Service Commission to return all administrative fees, which have traditionally been charged for decades. “These fees are charged by the Civil Service Commission on behalf of third-party independent examiners who administer and supervise the Computer Based Test (CBT),” the statement noted.
Acknowledging the current economic challenges, the government emphasized that the recruitment exercise’s ultimate goal is to reduce citizen suffering and create jobs. “This necessitates the directives to immediately refund fees paid along with a waiver for any new applications,” the statement added.
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Katsina Govt clears air on N15.4bn received from World Bank
The Katsina State Government has clarified that the N15.4 billion the state received was a reimbursement from the World Bank through the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning for the COVID-19 project (NG-CARES).
The Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Bello Kagara, who clarified on Thursday in Katsina, said the money was not a relief fund.
The commissioner said that the NG-CARES) programme was an emergency initiative designed to support budgeted programmes and interventions at the state level.
He said It targets existing and newly emerging vulnerable and poor households, agricultural value chains, and Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) affected by the economic crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“NG-CARES is a Programme for Results (PforR) intervention, where States and FCT invest their resources, and produce results in line with the agreed protocols and guidelines.
“After that, he said, states would be reimbursed by the Federal Government after an Independent Verification Exercise,” he said.
The commissioner said that the state invested a huge amount of money into the programme in 2023, which led to “this significant return on investment.”
Kagara noted that the programme was in its third circle of implementation where the state earned N25.7 billion, and was reimbursed N15.4 billion out of the amount, representing 60 per cent of the earnings.
He said that the programme has three result areas where the successes were recorded in the state.
The commissioner listed the areas to include: the Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), FADAMA and Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency (KASEDA).
According to him, in 2023, under the CSDA, livelihood support and micro projects across nutrition, health, education, water and sanitation, among others, were given to a large number of beneficiaries.
He added that the FADAMA component supported thousands of farmers with agricultural inputs/services to boost agricultural productivity and guarantee food security.
The commissioner stated that through the KASEDA, thousands of firms got operational support grants, while others received ICT enhancement tools to enhance their business in the state.
He, therefore, said that the state would increase its investments in those areas to earn more returns.
Katsina Govt clears air on N15.4bn received from World Bank
BREAKING: Fire guts filling station, destroys vehicles in Lagos (Video)
Fire has gutted a Mobil fuel station near Airport Hotel, Ikeja, on Obafemi Awolowo Way, Lagos.
The incident was said to have occurred around 11:00 am on Thursday during a busy period of Petroleum Motor Spirit, PMS, sales.
It was gathered that more than two vehicles were consumed by the ensuing fire.
Details shortly…
BREAKING: Fire guts filling station, destroys vehicles in Lagos (Video)
CBN probes allegations of wrongdoing against EcoBank
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reportedly launched an investigation into Ecobank Nigeria (ENG) and Ecobank Transnational Inc. Specialized Resolutions Company (ETISRC) following a petition filed by Wilben Trade (Wilben), and its CEO, Marcus Wade.
The development comes after two years of legal wranglings in a case filed against Wilben and Mr Wade by ETISRC and ENG.
Counsel to Wilben Trade, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe, Partner, Sofunde Osakwe Ogundipe & Belgore Legal Practitioners, who made this known said the petition was forwarded to the apex bank, which said it would look into it and that the outcome of engagement in efforts to resolve the matter would be made known as soon as possible.
In 2021, ENG (through ETISRC) filed a complaint over a loss suffered by ENG in 2014/15 against Wilben and its CEO, Marcus Wade. Wilben claimed the actions of ENG and ETISRC have caused it significant financial and reputational damage.
READ ALSO:Court insists Ecobank deposit N1.089bn to settle former Oceanic Bank staff pending final judgment
ENG said its losses resulted from a loan transaction with an existing customer, Agrico Agbe Limited and associate company, Little Rose Trading LLC.
It was gathered that after attempts to recover losses from the original customers failed, ETISRC tried to recover them from Mr Wade and Wilben who had stood in as sureties for the loan
Speaking further on the matter, Akangbe said:
“We applaud the Central Bank of Nigeria’s decision to investigate Ecobank Nigeria. This is a clear indication the authority is willing to act on its mandate to promote a sound financial system and counter corruption across the financial industry. As a key player in the industry, any unethical behaviour by Ecobank Nigeria must be dealt with to the full extent of the law.”
This comes as Nigeria moves to crack down on corruption, which is stifling the country’s economic growth by creating insurmountable barriers for international investors, who will subsequently be forced to invest elsewhere without the right checks and balances being put in place.
-END-
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Austria foils IS-linked plot to bomb Taylor Swift concert
A 19-year-old IS sympathiser arrested in Austria was planning a suicide attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna designed to kill many people, the intelligence agency said on Thursday.
“He said he intended to carry out an attack using explosives and knives,” domestic intelligence agency (DSN) head Omar Haijawi-Pirchner told a news conference.
Meanwhile, the BBC reports that the three upcoming Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna have been cancelled following a possible security threat.
The shows, part of Swift’s Eras tour, were due to take place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at the Ernst Happel Stadium.
A statement from the organisers said: “Due to confirmation by government officials of a planned terrorist attack at the Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three planned shows for everyone’s safety.”
The statement added, “All tickets will be automatically refunded within the next 10 working days.”
Earlier, Austria’s General Director for Public Security, Franz Ruf, said a 19-year-old Austrian citizen had been arrested on Wednesday morning in Ternitz in the province of Lower Austria.
He said a second arrest took place in Vienna in the afternoon but gave no further details about the suspect.
“According to the current status of the investigation, the two suspects became radicalised via the internet,” Mr Ruf said.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said in a post on X that the cancellations would be a “bitter disappointment for all fans” but that the situation had been “very serious”.
“Thanks to the intensive cooperation of our police and [security agencies] with foreign services, the threat was recognized early, combated and a tragedy prevented.”
The head of police in Vienna, Gerhard Pürstl, said 65,000 people per day had been expected to attend the concerts, as well as 22,000 fans outside the venue.
“His aim was to kill himself and a large number of people during the concert, either today or tomorrow.”
The term “IS” often refers to the Islamic State, also known as ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) or ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant).
It is a militant group that originated from the remnants of Al-Qaeda in Iraq and gained prominence during the Syrian Civil War.
Minimum wage: LGs have no reason to complain – Council chairman
The Chairman of Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State, Mr Fatai Ayoola, has said that local governments have no reason not to pay the newly approved N70,000 minimum wage.
Ayoola, who spoke in Lagos on Thursday, stated that with increased federal allocations under President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the recently granted financial autonomy, local governments had been well-equipped to pay the new wage.
According to him, local governments recorded a 100 percent increase in federal allocations under the present administration.
“There is no reason councils should not be able to pay the minimum wage, with direct federal allocations to them.
“Ajeromi-Ifelodun pays more than the minimum wage in terms of allowances added to the salaries of our staff members.
“Paying the minimum wage will not pose any issue to us and will not affect our ongoing and future projects,” he said.
He added that the council regularly gave palliatives to its staff and community members.
“We buy a trailer of rice monthly bag the rice into 10kgs and sell it for less than N7,000 to people in our communities.
“We also distribute portions of cow meat, we take care of security outfits that support protecting our environment,” he said.
He commended President Bola Tinubu for facilitating financial autonomy for local governments.
He said that local governments should make more impact on their communities and ensure accountability.
Ayoola added that local council officials should make necessary sacrifices for the good of the people at the grassroots, urging Nigerians to hold their local government chairmen accountable.
Minimum wage: LGs have no reason to complain – Council chairman
Chelsea confirm Anselmino signing from Boca Juniors
The Chelsea Football Club has announced the signing of defender Aaron Anselmino, who will spend the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Boca Juniors.
According to a statement issued by the Chelsea Football Club on Thursday, Aaron, 19, has signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge but will initially continue his development in his native Argentina, where we look forward to monitoring and supporting him in his progress.
“Aaron spent time in the youth ranks of Juventud Unida and Sportivo Realico before joining Boca at the age of 12.
“He signed his first professional contract with the club on 10 June 2023, and was handed his first-team debut against Lanus on the same day.
“The centre-back has gone on to make nine further appearances for Boca and scored his first senior goal for the club in April, a winner in the Copa Sudamericana group stage against Trinidense. Welcome to Chelsea and good luck or loan, Aaron!,” Chelsea said.
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