Activist lawyer Deji Adeyanju has accused the Nigerian government of recruiting thugs to infiltrate the #EndBadGovernance protest.
Posting on X, the activist lawyer said: “The thugs the government is recruiting will end up looting shops and causing maximum destruction but they will not be able to stop the protest. A word is enough for the wise.
“We have fresh intel of massive mobilization of thugs by the government to attack protesters at the national stadium.
“They are currently taking off and heading to the stadium now. The @PoliceNG must protect protesters.”
EndBadGovernance: Deji Adeyanju accuses Nigerian govt of recruiting thugs to loot, cause destruction
EndBadGovernance: Deji Adeyanju accuses Nigerian govt of recruiting thugs to loot, cause destruction
APC, PDP trade words over alleged minister’s house attack
The Zamfara state chapter of the All Progressives Congress and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party have engaged in a squabble over the alleged attempt by some hoodlums to burn the residence of Minister of Defence (state), Bello Mattawalle during the ongoing #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, the APC Publicity Secretary Alhaji Yusuf Idris accused the state’s PDP chapter of trying to use its supporters to attack the Minister of Defence and other stakeholders of the APC in the ongoing nationwide protest.
Idris explained that the PDP officials had wanted to hijack the ongoing peaceful protest to destroy the property of prominent APC leaders in the state if not for the quick intervention of the security personnel.
Idris said, “The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress is disturbed by the dimension the nationwide supposed peaceful protest took in the state.
“This is because we observed that many PDP thugs were strategically deployed to attack, maim, and destroy personalities and properties of the APC.
“Most disturbing was how on the first day of the protest (Thursday), the already known PDP thugs aimed at the former governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle’s personal residence for destruction of not for the quick intervention of security personnel who blocked them.
“This indicated that if allowed, the thugs who were most likely implementing the directives of their leaders would have razed down the minister’s house and property.”
Idris stated that the PDP thugs also attacked the residence of the APC Senator representing Zamfara North senatorial zone, Alhaji Sahabi Ya,u, and destroyed many items including a vehicle.
He said, “The PDP also attacked the residence of Senator Sahabi Yau in his hometown of Kaura Namoda, where they destroyed many valuables and damaged his Toyota Hilux in the name of peaceful protest.
“We have earlier forecast the possible hijacking of the protest by the hoodlums and other miscreants in the state,” concluded Idris.
In a sharp reaction, the state’s acting PDP chairman, Muktar Lugga described the allegation by the APC as baseless.
Luggage stressed that “As a peace-loving and responsible government, the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal would never plan to attack anybody or cause confusion in the state.”
He said, “The allegation is basely and unfounded.”
“Let me remind the APC that, this is not the time for politicking.”
“Instead of shifting unnecessary blame, let us collectively come together to support President Baloa Tinubu to address the issues at the right time”.
He maintained that the APC was crying foul where there was none because they failed woefully in Zamfara state.
He advised them to wait until 2027, lamenting that, “It is not time for politicking at the moment.”
He also advised the PDP members to stop telling the world that, the house of the Defence Minister was about to be attacked if not for the quick intervention of the security personnel.
“This is shameful as you are exposing the Minister’s unpopularity in his home state,” he said.
Stop profiling Igbo, N’Assembly S’East caucus cries out
The South East Caucus of the National Assembly on Friday expressed deep concerns over the ethnic profiling of Igbos amidst the ongoing nationwide protests.
In a statement jointly signed by the leader of the Senate and House of Reps Caucus, Eyinaya Abaribe and Igariwey Enwo, noted that despite adhering to the guidance of their leaders to abstain from participating in the protests, the Igbos have been unjustly targeted.
The #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest, which aims to raise concerns about hardship exacerbated began Thursday in various parts of the country.
The protest turned violent in some northern states including Kano, Jigawa and Niger, forcing the government to impose curfews. At least five people have been killed in these states and several properties damaged.
The South East caucus noted that the Igbos, following the advice of governors, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, parliamentarians, and private sector leaders, decided not to engage in the protests.
This decision has contributed to the relative calm observed in the five South Eastern states.
However, the caucus expressed disappointment over the continued scapegoating of Igbos, evidenced by online statements such as the “Igbo Must Go” hashtag and inflammatory posts by certain social media handles like ‘Lagospedia’ on X (formerly Twitter). The caucus condemned these actions as dangerous and unwarranted ethnic profiling.
The statement read, “The attention of the South East Caucus of the National Assembly has been drawn to the unfortunate and dangerous ethnic profiling of Igbos in the ongoing mass protests across the country.
“For the records, the Igbo nation, in obedience to the advice of their leaders- Governors, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, parliamentarians and others in the private sector- had taken a reasoned and strategic decision not to participate in the ongoing nationwide protests. This is evident in the relative calm experienced in the five South Eastern states.
“We are, therefore, surprised and disappointed, that Igbos are still made scapegoats, and targeted as instigators of protests, as shown in several statements (such as the Igbo Must Go hashtag and call by a certain ‘Lagospedia’ X(Twitter) handle) and videos seen online.”
The South East caucus noted that the dangerous ethnic profiling is unwarranted, and must stop, stressing that it was such profiling that led to the millions of deaths in Nigeria from the 1950’s to the unfortunate civil war in 1967 to 1970.
“Elsewhere in Africa, it led to the genocide in Rwanda and the xenophobia in South Africa. Such should not be our fate again in Nigeria.
“We demand therefore that the security agencies bring to book the purveyors of these hate speeches in line with the cybercrimes act and criminal laws of the country.
“We continue to appeal to Igbos across the country to stay away from the protests, and remain law-abiding,” the statement said.
Police releases #EndBadGovernance protesters in Lagos
The Lagos State Police Command has released all the #EndBadGovernance protesters arrested in the state on Thursday.
The command’s spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this to journalists on Friday in Lagos.
He said no protester was in police custody in the state.
Hundeyin said: “All protesters arrested on Thursday were released same Thursday.
READ ALSO: Protesters hit streets of Lagos over rising cost of living
“The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr. Adegoke Fayoade, called the State CID to order for their release.”
One of those leading the protests, Mr. Inibehe Effiong, had earlier told the gathering at Gani Fawehinmi Park that at least 12 protesters were arrested on Thursday.
He, however, later corroborated the spokesman’s claim that all those arrested had been released.
He commended the police and other security agents for the professional handling of the protest in the state.
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#EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests wane as soldiers, police clear barricades in Edo
The intensity of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest waned in most parts of Edo State as police and soldiers removed barricades set up by youths in some remote areas.
Our correspondent, who moved around major places in the state, reported this on Friday.
At Ring Road, the centre of the protest, the organisers were seen fixing the podium, which collapsed on the opening day while the early morning rain poured down in torrents.
On Sapele Road, soldiers came to remove barricades placed by youths at different points of the road.
Also, the police were at the Ramat-Auchi bypass road to remove barricades, while they also dispersed those who resisted the move with canisters.
The Ekhwuan road axis was also barricaded as youths played freely on the ever-busy road. However, the Government Reservation Area witnessed heavy vehicular movement as motorists used the area to connect remote parts of Sapele Road.
Commuters who travelled to Benin from other states were prevented from entering the City at Auchi bypass. Others, who could not wait for buses and taxis to start plying the route, engaged the services of commercial motorcyclists to continue their journey.
A motorcyclist told According Online that the Ramat-Auchi Road was blocked and that he could only take passengers from the bypass to the pipeline bus stop.
“It is difficult to get to Ramat Park because the vehicles are not working due to the barricades on the road. We, the motorcyclists, can only get as far as pipelines. It is dangerous to attempt to go further than that. Due to the risk, our fares also increased.
However, she, who identified herself as Mercy, said she was held up at the Auchi bypass for several hours after arriving in Benin from Abuja early Thursday morning.
“It was a bad experience. We were held up at the Auchi bypass, and to compound the problem, the vehicle bringing us to Benin broke down close to the bypass. A cab that I got on Friday morning said he would collect N3000, and I had to wait for a bus that collected N500 from each passenger from the bypass to Ramat, from where I got another bus to Ring Road.”
Drivers stationed their buses opposite the Central Bank, taking passengers from one part of the city to another, with the protesters’ activities a stone’s throw away.
One of the leaders of the protest, Kola Edokpayi, said that the protest was going on successfully, noting that people from Ogida, Upper Sakponba, and other parts of the state, joined them at the centre.
He added, “The protest is going on successfully, and other people have joined in from other parts of the city to ensure it remains peaceful.”
Three killed as protesters attempt to vandalize food storage facilities in Yobe
Three protesters were shot dead by security operatives while attempting to vandalize food storage facilities belonging to some international non-governmental organizations in Potiskum town, Yobe State.
Potiskum is one of the towns in Yobe State under 24-hour curfew.
It was gathered that the incident occurred in the early hours of Friday when the protesting youths defied the curfew order and attempted to vandalise the facilities.
Many others were said to have been injured and taken to hospital for treatment.
Funeral prayers for the deceased were conducted immediately after Friday prayer at the Palace of Emir of Pataskum.
Meanwhile, the situation in Damaturu, the state capital, remains calm and peaceful as no group has came out to protest in the second day of the nationwide protest.
Our correspondent reports that residents moved about their businesses, while exercising caution for the fear of the unknown.
As of the time of filling in this report, security operatives comprising the Army, Police, NSCDC, DSS and Vigilante were stationed at strategic locations within the Damaturu metropolis.
Three killed as protesters attempt to vandalize food storage facilities in Yobe
Adegboruwa calls for suspension of protest
The solicitor to the organisers of the #EndBadGovernance protest, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has called for its suspension.
In a statement on Friday, Adegboruwa noted that the protest had been hijacked by hoodlums, as he ordered that the protest should be suspended immediately and indefinitely.
He said, “I appeal to the protesters to withdraw themselves from their various protest grounds and to suspend the protests immediately and indefinitely, to give room for meaningful dialogue and engagement with the government.
“Given that the protests were said to have been hijacked by sponsored agents, it is necessary to avoid further losses and casualties.
“The organisers of the protests and their representatives should embrace dialogue with the government.”
The senior lawyer commended the citizens for coming out in their numbers to express their disdain over the hardship in the country.
He warned that no leader should ever take the citizens for granted again.
Adegboruwa said, “I commend the people of Nigeria who trooped out in their large numbers to join the protests and those who stayed at home in solidarity by way of peaceful civil disobedience.
“No leader should ever take the people for granted. In the peculiar circumstance of the hunger and hardship being experienced by our people across the land, the protests were more than justified.”
He berated President Bola Tinubu for not engaging the organisers despite issuing a notice, as he called on the president to address the nation.
Adegboruwa said, “Notice of this protest was given many weeks ago, yet nothing was done to engage the organisers of the protests to address the issues raised in their charter of demands. It is the same way that the government ignores several strike notices issued by the Labour unions until they eventually snowball into strike actions. This should not be so.
“I, therefore, call upon President Bola Tinubu to directly address the nation and then engage the protesters through their representatives. Thereafter, the government should set up a committee comprising men and women of integrity to meet with the protesters to address the issues that they have raised.”
Kwara: Gov Abdulrazaq inaugurates committee on minimum wage
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, on Friday inaugurated the Consequential Adjustment Committee on Minimum Wage.
The development is coming barely 24 hours after he constituted the 18-member committee, TVN reports.
A statement by his spokesman, Rafiu Ajakaye, in Ilorin on Friday, said “the governor charged members of the committee to look at all the variables and design an agreement that caters for the interest of the workers, other segments of the society, and consider issues of development.”
The committee members were inaugurated at the council chambers of the Government House, Ilorin with top government officials, labour leaders, and representatives of the organized private sector in the state in attendance.
“The setting up of this committee sets out the process for the implementation of the national minimum wage in Kwara State.
“Following a legislative backing by the National Assembly, the President recently approved N70,000 as the new minimum wage.
“We welcome the development in Kwara State. But the law means more than just paying N70,000 to the lowest ranking worker. It involves working out the maths on how this affects the take home for senior workers on different cadres,” the governor said.
“This multi-stakeholder committee is therefore tasked to critically look at all the indices and arrive at workable consequential adjustments for all cadres of workers.
“I trust that this committee of senior government officials, reasonable labour leaders and organised private sector will consider all the variables and balance the need for decent salary adjustments with the important need to have something left for development and other strata of the society.
“In other words, we should arrive at an agreement that is durable, meets the legitimate needs of all, and takes into account the overall interest of our state,” the governor said.
State Head of Service and Chairman of the Committee, Mrs Modupe Susan Oluwole, commended the governor’s pro-activeness in constituting the committee.
“Recently, the President signed the 70,000 national minimum wage into law, and our governor, being proactive, constituted this noble committee within 72 hours,” she said.
The HOS was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Establishment and Training, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim.
Kwara: Gov Abdulrazaq inaugurates committee on minimum wage
Protest: Reduce price of fuel, foodstuff before it’s too late – Pastor Giwa to Tinubu
The Senior Pastor of Awaiting The Second Coming Of Christ Ministry, Adewale Giwa, on Friday urged President Bola Tinubu to take proactive steps that would quell the protest before ‘it’s too late’.
Pastor Giwa said Tinubu should take drastic steps that would crash the price of fuel and foodstuff.
Speaking with TVN, the clergyman urged the President to address Nigerians and not handle the situation with levity.
The #EndBadGovernance protest entered its second day on Friday as protesters continued to express their grievances against the Nigerian government.
However, Giwa said: “President Bola Tinubu is acting as if he wasn’t in the country. History won’t forget him if he doesn’t take a proactive step now to drastically bring down the prices of Petroleum and foodstuffs.
“I hope by now, a true democrat would have addressed Nigerians. Don’t handle the current situation with levity; act now before it’s too late.
“Please heed to my advice, very quickly. You were part of the people who fought for democracy, and you should not be the one to mess it up.
“The people are crying for help, justice, equity, and fairness. It doesn’t cost you anything to declare all land borders open. It doesn’t cost you anything to bring down the prices of foodstuffs and petroleum.
“Don’t allow the devil to harden your heart. I know you mean well for Nigerians, but act now before it’s too late. Put your political enemies to shame and make Nigerians happy.”
Protest: Reduce price of fuel, foodstuff before it’s too late – Pastor Giwa to Tinubu
Defence spokesman claims troops killed 572 Nigerian terrorists in July
The Defence Headquarters claimed on Friday troops deployed to theatres of operation killed 572 suspected terrorists in July.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
He said the troops also arrested 790 suspected terrorists alongside other criminals and rescued 479 hostages during the period.
Buba said the troops recovered 440 weapons, 10,589 ammunition comprising 232 AK47 rifles, 93 locally fabricated guns and 82 Dane guns.
The troops also recovered 32 pump action guns, 5,041 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 2,768 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 659 cartridges, 63 assorted arms and 2,259 ammunition.
The spokesman said: “In the North-East, troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralised 254 terrorists, apprehended 167 suspects and rescued 80 kidnapped hostages. A total of 3,976 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists and their families surrendered to troops during the period.
“A total of 106 AK47 rifles, 36 fabricated rifles, 29 Dane guns, 17 assorted arms, 1,644 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 968 rounds of 7.62mm NATO and 1,379 assorted ammunition were recovered.
“In the North-Central, troops of Operation Safe Haven neutralised 50 terrorists/violent extremists, apprehended 135 suspects and rescued 80 kidnapped hostages within the month.
READ ALSO: Multinational troops kill two suspected Boko Haram terrorists, 5 surrender in Borno
“The troops also recovered 32 AK47 rifles, 28 fabricated guns, 27 assorted arms, 773 rounds of 7.62mm special, 200 rounds of 7.62mm NATO and 178 assorted ammunition.
“Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke neutralised 24 terrorists, apprehended 56 suspects and rescued 59 hostages. They also recovered a cache of assorted arms and ammunition.
“In the North-West, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji neutralised 152 terrorists, apprehended 102 suspects and rescued 144 kidnapped hostages in July.
“The troops also recovered 48 AK47 rifles, 24 fabricated guns, five assorted arms, 1,462 rounds of 7.62mm special, 1,079 rounds of 7.62mm NATO and 94 assorted ammunition.”
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