Tag: Tinubu

Lagos Protesters Plan Street March If Demands Are Not Met

August 9, 2024 (updated August 9, 2024) Published by

Obasempire reports that #EndBadGovernance Protesters in Lagos Plan to Intensify Demonstrations if Government Demands Aren’t Met.

Read more: Nigerian Army’s N300,000 Compensation For Ismail’s Death Sparks Outrage

The declaration was made by a coordinator from the Youth Rights Campaign during a meeting at Gani Fawehinmi Park on Saturday.

Despite a court injunction confining protests to the park, the coordinator announced that demonstrators would leave the park in Ojota and start marching through the streets if their requests are not fulfilled by Sunday night.

He stressed that their next target would be Alausa, the administrative center of the government.

He also encouraged residents to spend Sunday attending their places of worship and praying for national peace. He appealed to the police to monitor and prevent the actions of potential troublemakers aiming to disrupt the protests.

Read more: Eedris: Russian Flags Would Trigger Endless ‘Gwo Gwo’ Dance by Nigerian Army In Igboland

The police have blocked off the service lane on Ikorodu Road for the protesters, leaving the BRT lane and two other lanes accessible to motorists. Traffic congestion was higher on Saturday compared to previous days, and commercial activities in Ojota and nearby areas have started to resume, with additional shops reopening.

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adegoke Fayoade, along with other security personnel, has been present to ensure the safety of the protesters for the third consecutive day. According to SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Command’s spokesperson, no protesters were detained on Friday.

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Nigerian Army’s N300,000 Compensation For Ismail’s Death Sparks Outrage

August 7, 2024 (updated August 7, 2024) Published by

Obasempire reports that the Nigerian Army has awarded N300,000 to the family of 16-year-old Ismail, who was killed during a protest in Kaduna.

This amount has triggered online outrage, with many criticizing it as inadequate for the loss of a young life.

Read more: Eedris: Russian Flags Would Trigger Endless ‘Gwo Gwo’ Dance by Nigerian Army In Igboland

The tragic event occurred in Samaru, Zaria, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. The family received the compensation on August 7, 2024, prompting significant backlash on social media.

Many Nigerians are expressing disbelief and anger over the compensation, deeming it as grossly insufficient for the loss.

The outrage is visible in various online reactions, where users are condemning the government and military for what they view as a disrespectful valuation of human life.

For example, one user commented that N300,000 is not enough even to buy a cow, let alone compensate for a human life, while another labeled the payment an “extreme insult.”

Several commentators are questioning the value assigned to northern lives and the overall effectiveness of the government in addressing grievances.

Read more: Ngozi Nwosu Reveals Stranger Slapped Her, Accusing Her Of Wickedness

Critics argue that the compensation highlights broader issues with governance and societal values, and point out inconsistencies in handling similar cases across different regions of Nigeria.

The frustration extends beyond this specific case, with many Nigerians using it to highlight broader dissatisfaction with the current administration’s approach to issues like security and economic hardship.

The discussion around this case has amplified calls for a reassessment of how the government handles victim compensation and values human life.

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Obasanjo Criticizes Tinubu’s Fuel Subsidy Removal For Increasing Hardship

August 6, 2024 (updated August 6, 2024) Published by

Obasempire reports that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticized the way President Bola Tinubu’s administration removed the fuel subsidy, cautioning about the increased difficulties it will create for ordinary Nigerians.

He issued this caution during an interview with the Financial Times.

Read more: Importers Claim Suspension Of Duties On Food Items Not Implemented

Obasanjo argued that the government should have focused on alleviating the challenges resulting from the subsidy removal instead of rushing the implementation of the policy.

“There’s a lot of work that needs to be done. Not just wake up one morning and say you removed the subsidy. Because of inflation, the subsidy that we have removed is not gone. It has come back,” he stressed.

The former President stressed the need for investor confidence in Nigeria, advocating for a shift from a transactional economy to a transformational one. “You have to go from transactional economy to transformational economy,” he said.

Obasanjo also expressed deep concern over the growing restiveness among Nigerian youths, triggered by widespread unemployment.

“Our youth are restive. And they are restive because they have no skill. They have no empowerment. They have no employment. We are all sitting on a keg of gunpowder. And my prayer is that we will do the right thing before it’s too late,” he warned.

Read more: Tinubu Government Launches Monthly Stipends For Unemployed Graduates

Obasanjo also said that sinister forces are working against the progress of the Dangote Refinery. He alleged that powerful cabals in the oil and gas sector are determined to frustrate the project because it threatens their lucrative business of importing refined petrol.

“Aliko’s investment in a refinery, if it goes well, should encourage both Nigerians and non-Nigerians to invest in Nigeria.

“If those who are selling or supplying refined products for Nigeria feel that they will lose the lucrative opportunity, they will also make every effort to get him frustrated,” Obasanjo stated.

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Importers Claim Suspension Of Duties On Food Items Not Implemented

August 6, 2024 (updated August 6, 2024) Published by

Obasempire reports that despite President Bola Tinubu’s June declaration suspending import duties and tariffs on essential food items for six months, Nigerian importers report they are still being required to pay these fees.

Read more: Liberty School Ikota Addresses Concerns Over Former Staff Member’s Dismissal

The presidential order was intended to address rising costs of food, raw materials, and manufacturing inputs, and also included agricultural production inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides, pharmaceuticals, poultry feed, flour, and grains.

However, importers claim the suspension has not been enacted, contradicting the Executive Order titled “Inflation Reduction and Price Stability (Fiscal Policy Measures, ETC.) Order, 2024,” issued under the President’s constitutional authority.

Also, the order, effective from May 1, 2024 stipulates that “authorized millers would now import paddy rice at zero duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) for a period of six months in the first instance in order to improve local supply and capacity utilisation of rice millers.”

On importation of rice, it says that from the commencement of this order, the following measures and reliefs shall apply: “Value Added Tax, where applicable, is hereby suspended on the for the rest of the year 2024: basic food items and semi-processed staple food items such as noodles and pasta; raw material inputs for the manufacturing of food items, electricity and public transportation; agricultural inputs and produce and pharmaceutical products for a period of six months.”

Read more: Tinubu Government Launches Monthly Stipends For Unemployed Graduates

Contrary to the Executive Order’s directive to fast-track customs clearance and reduce processing time by at least 50%, the Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN) reports that its members continue to pay duties on all listed food items, agricultural equipment, manufacturing inputs, and pharmaceutical products, two months after the Order was issued.

The Nigeria Customs Service’s failure to implement the order’s provisions has resulted in ongoing delays and duties payments, contradicting the government’s aim to reduce inflation and stabilize prices.

Chairman of IMAN in Nigeria’s Northern region, Aminu Dan-Iya said, “Customs officials tell our members at entry points that they don’t have any written communication about the suspension.

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Tinubu Government Launches Monthly Stipends For Unemployed Graduates

August 6, 2024 (updated August 6, 2024) Published by

Obasempire reports that the Bola Tinubu-led federal administration has introduced a new initiative to start providing monthly stipends to unemployed graduates across the nation.

Read more: Oyo Civil Groups Criticize Tinubu’s Handling Of #EndBadGovernance Protests

The Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman, revealed this recently while speaking with a group of young Nigerians at his office.

He stated that the federal government has allocated funds for the project but voiced frustration that the news was not adequately covered by the media.

“Also, something which hasn’t come out strongly in the media and people should know in a very robust way is that, every student who has graduated but has not secured a job is entitled to collect an allowance,” the minister said.

“The government has committed a certain allowance for every unemployed graduate in Nigeria. This is very important for graduates and every Nigerian to know,” he added.

Read more: Vandals Steal Equipment Worth Millions From Katsina Church During Protest

The minister’s disclosure comes amid an ongoing nationwide protest against “bad governance” across the country.

The demonstrators are demanding an end to what they described as the “anti-people” policies of the federal government.

The protesters are equally calling for a reversal of fuel subsidy which was removed by President Tinubu during his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023.

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Oyo Civil Groups Criticize Tinubu’s Handling Of #EndBadGovernance Protests

August 6, 2024 (updated August 6, 2024) Published by

Obasempire reports that civil society groups in Oyo State have criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration regarding the management of the #EndBadGovernance protests, including the deaths of unarmed demonstrators.

This was conveyed in a statement endorsed by Prof. Ademola Aremu on behalf of the Joint Action Front (JAF), Socialist Labour, All Workers’ Convergence, Centre for Popular Education (CEPED), CSATF, NATA/ITESIWAJU OYO, and PAM.

Read more: Protest Against Hardship To Continue Despite President’s Call For Dialogue

The statement observed that the government’s attempts to discredit the protests were unsuccessful.

“This is a victory for the Nigeria working but suffering people. It has clearly shown that Nigerians are not slaves who would be told to surrender their fundamental and democratic rights to resist anti-poor policies. It has also demonstrated that no elected office holder is greater than the citizens of the country,” the statement read.

The groups frowned on the killing of protesters in some states, saying the violence experienced in some places were “largely instigated and provoked by members of the capitalist ruling class in these states either with the security agencies or hired political thugs to drown the movement in blood like they did during the EndSARS”.

They lambasted President Tinubu for failing to address concerns raised by Nigerians in the protest.

They said, “This to us is another gain of the protest except that none of the demands of the protest was addressed in the president national broadcast.

“As far as we are concerned, the national broadcast is just a mere justification for all of the neo-liberal policies responsible for the huge scale of pain and pangs Nigeria working people are going through at the present time.”

The groups also argued that the projects listed by President Tinubu do not have the capacity to bring any significant relief to the masses.

The statement said, “Aside from this, we note that none of the planned projects enumerated in the national broadcast has the potential to bring any significant relief and respite to the masses of the Nigeria working people.

“All achievements highlighted in the national broadcast failed to individually and collectively translate into any meaningful improvement in the life of the working people across the country.

“This is an indication that President Tinubu-led government will not be willing to accede and attend to any of the demands of our coalition except if it is challenged with struggle which is well drawn, determined and well-coordinated.

“Beyond the current ‘end bad governance protest,’ we require a bigger, broader and disciplined movement of the working people and youths for a better Nigeria.”

They also vowed to work with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the media to form a movement aimed at ensuring that Tinubu’s administration accedes to the demand of the people.

Some of the demands listed are: “Immediate reversal of the pump price of petrol to N197, repositioning of all of the public refineries and end to importation of petroleum products.”

Read more: Soyinka Criticizes Tinubu’s Address And Handling Of Protest

They also demanded an immediate reversal of the recent hike in electricity tariffs including renationalisation of the power sector “under the control and management of the elected representatives of the working people”.

Other demands include placing political office holders on the salary scale and allowances earned by the civil servants, free education at all levels and reversal of current regime of fee hike across public tertiary institutions.

The group also urged the national leadership of the NLC and the TUC to convene a Joint National Executive Committee meeting to declare a 48-hour nationwide strike and street protests to support the #EndBadGovernance protests.

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Police Visit Umucheke After Attack That Killed Eight Eze Cabinet Members

August 5, 2024 (updated August 5, 2024) Published by

Obasempire reports that the Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, accompanied by Onuimo LGA Sole Administrator Dr. Emeka Obi, Major AI Maikarifi representing the Commander 34 Artillery Brigade Obinze, Commandant NSCDC Comdt. Mathew Ovye, and other security personnel, visited Umucheke Community in Onuimo LGA on Saturday for an on-site evaluation of the tragic event that resulted in the deaths of over eight members of the Eze Umucheke Cabinet.

Read more: Protest Against Hardship To Continue Despite President’s Call For Dialogue

A statement issued Sunday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, indicated that the victims were brutally killed by assailants suspected to be members of IPOB/ESN.

CP Danjuma used the visit to extend condolences to the victims’ families and the community over their tragic losses.

He pledged that security forces in the state are collaborating to capture those responsible for the heinous act and ensure they face severe legal consequences.

It was noted that on Saturday evening, armed attackers killed Hyginus Ohazuruike, the President General of Umucheke Okwe Autonomous Community in Onuimo LGA.

The assault also resulted in the deaths of six village chiefs from the same community.

An unnamed local reported that the attackers, who arrived by vehicle, struck while the victims were meeting at the President General’s shop in the community market.

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The source recounted, “The gunmen arrived and opened fire, killing the President General and six village heads, after which they set the location ablaze.”

The motive behind the attack remains unknown, as no one knew the agenda of the meeting. According to the source, the gunmen arrived, opened fire, killed the village chiefs, and set the place on fire before fleeing.

Following the attack, the village has been deserted as residents fled their homes in fear. Emeka Obi, the sole administrator of the LGA, confirmed the killings and urged residents to remain calm while condemning the violence.

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Protest Against Hardship To Continue Despite President’s Call For Dialogue

August 5, 2024 (updated August 5, 2024) Published by

Obasempire reports that the coordinators of the protest against economic difficulties and poor governance have announced intentions to continue their demonstration at Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos today.

Read more: Soyinka Criticizes Tinubu’s Address And Handling Of Protest

This information was shared in a communiqué released on Sunday by Hassan Taiwo, Ayoyinka Oni, and Adegboyega Adeniji representing the organizers.

The announcement followed the President’s address earlier on Sunday, where Tinubu recognized the protesters’ concerns and called for them to halt their demonstrations in favor of dialogue.

Part of the statement read: “We consider the President’s decision to address the nation an important victory for our movement.

“Without our courage and resolve to dare the odds, even this acknowledgement would not have happened. So far, we have demonstrated that a President is not greater than the rest of the country.

Read more: Ezekwesili Criticizes Tinubu’s Address On Protests As Disappointing

“In our view, the president cannot be approbating and reprobating at the same time. The President cannot offer an olive branch while at the same time holding a dagger to our throat.”

They called on young people and the general public to join them at 7 a.m. on Monday at Gani Fawehinmi Park for the fifth day of the protest.

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Ezekwesili Criticizes Tinubu’s Address On Protests As Disappointing

August 4, 2024 (updated August 4, 2024) Published by

Obasempire reports that former Education Minister Obiageli Ezekwesili has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s Sunday address regarding the ongoing nationwide protests against poor governance.

The former minister described the speech as profoundly disappointing.

Read more: Soyinka Criticizes Tinubu’s Address And Handling Of Protest

Ezekwesili stated that Tinubu’s address was a significant missed opportunity to reassure citizens with clear, evidence-based solutions and a detailed plan to combat poor governance.

The government critic asserted that the speech seemed to be crafted from a perspective of “retaliating against Tinubu’s imagined adversaries.”

Tinubu addressed the nation on Sunday about the protests, ruling out the reinstatement of the fuel subsidy and urging protest organizers to withdraw from the streets.

In a statement on her X handle, Ezekwesili lamented that it is regrettable to witness Nigerian public “leaders” talking and acting like failures on issues of governance.

She said: “@officialABAT , As one of millions of Nigerians who were at church when you delivered your late-in-coming Speech to Citizens on the #EndBadGovernancelnNigeria protests, let me loudly say it was terribly underwhelming to read.

‘Your Speech reads like a page from your party manifesto and terribly failed to connect to what our Citizens on the Streets are angry and protesting about.

‘Your speech is quite a monumental missed opportunity to placate citizens with sound answers and outline of convincing evidence-based actions that you and your @NigeriaGov will immediately take to address the priority #BadGovernance concerns.

“Your Speech was sadly again written out of a mindset that is focused on “getting back at our enemies”. Imaginary enemies at that! No true Leader has the luxury of having “enemies” among their Citizens. Not at all. A Public Leader becomes the Leader of ALL with a mind that does not think of any as their enemies.

“This is why it is ever unfortunate to see Nigerian public “Leaders” talk and behave like Losers on matters of public governance where they are expected to rally their ALL Citizens behind the common purpose of nation building.

“It is nauseating to observe this recurrent innate unwillingness of Nigerian public leaders to admit responsibility for the demands of the same public leadership that they kill and maim citizens to assume.

Read more: Vandals Steal Equipment Worth Millions From Katsina Church During Protest

“@officialABAT, Citizens know when they are being badly governed and from what one can see, Nigerians have now realized that they must collectively speak up and take action otherwise their self-obsessed rulers (and not leaders) will not pay them any heed at all.

“As we remember and pray for families of all our citizens mauled down or maimed for demanding an End to Bad Governance, let me call on you @officialABAT to immediately instruct the IG @PoliceNG and his men to “STOP KILLING PEACEFUL PROTESTERS NOW!”

“Also fish out all law enforcement personnel that have killed and maimed citizens and ensure they are sanctioned as a deterrence to their colleagues.”

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Vandals Steal Equipment Worth Millions From Katsina Church During Protest

August 4, 2024 (updated August 4, 2024) Published by

Obasempire reports that at least 205 chairs, musical instruments, and other equipment valued at millions of naira were reportedly stolen by vandals in Katsina State on the first day of the ongoing nationwide planned peaceful protest against adversity.

Read more: Tonto Dikeh Fights Abuja Car Dealer Over Payment

Vandals targeted a Living Faith Church in the Daura Local Government Area, making off with 205 chairs, musical instruments, and other valuable items worth millions of naira.

Pastor David Sarki, who oversees the church, informed our correspondent in Katsina on Sunday that the church service had to be canceled because of the incident.

He said, “Because the hoodlums took everything inside the church on the first day of the protest, they decided to worship at their various home cells.

“We have two security personnel working in the church; one was on duty while the other was off. When the protest began around 10:00 am, the hoodlums just diverted to the church, many of them in Keke Napep (tricycle), broke the door and windows and entered the church auditorium.

“They took everything inside the church auditorium, including the wall digital clock, musical instruments, pulpit, pastor’s chairs, plastic chairs, a desktop computer at the reception, and a scoreboard where the accountant usually kept church documents. They scattered everything.

“Three churches were their target. They succeeded in invading the Living Faith Church and Deeper Life, but couldn’t gain access to the third one, which is the Anglican Church, because of the strong protection at the gate.”

He added, “We have informed the police and the army about it, and the police told us yesterday that they have made some arrests.

“I am surprised by this attack. When we are thinking about ending bad governance protests, which have now escalated to the invasion of churches, it is something that everyone should seriously condemn. It is not food that we store in the house of God; it is a place of worship. Why is it only a church? The government should come to the reality that they are serving humanity, and God will judge us all, whether political or religious leaders.

“My prayer for the perpetrators is that they should repent from what they are doing because for you to enter a church, a place of worship, is wrong, and you know you are not fighting, man. They should seek repentance. I know God is forgiving, and He will forgive them.”

Read more: Soyinka Criticizes Tinubu’s Address And Handling Of Protest

Similarly, the Pastor in charge of Power of Resurrection in Katsina State, Nelson Onyekachuku, whose church was also invaded by the hoodlums during the protest in Katsina town, lamented the vandalisation of the church windows as the hoodlums could not gain access to the building due to the iron protectors of the church gate.

Onyekachuku, who is also the former state Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Katsina, condemned the action entirely, noting that they should not add to the pain of the church.

He called on the government to change its policy, address the issues of the people and always ensure the protection of the church whenever such an incident happens.

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