Tag: Protesters
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Idongesit’s murder: Protesters storm court
Scores of protesters including family members of a woman, Idongesit Comfort Ekpo, allegedly killed by a police corporal, Musiliu Aremu, yesterday besieged the Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos.
Led by Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, President of Women Arise, a human rights group, the protesters demanded justice.
Various placards with inscriptions, “Injustice to one is injustice to all”, “We demand responsible policing of Nigeria”, “Justice must be served on killer cop, Museliu Aremu” among others were displayed at the court premises.
Aremu, 28, allegedly shot dead Mrs Ekpo on September 16 while returning from church with her husband and child in a tricycle.
At his arraignment on September 18, the court had ordered the accused, who was charged with a two-count charge of murder and causing grievous harm, be remanded in police custody at Panti, Yaba, pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
At the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, G.O. Osuyi, a counsel from the State Criminal Investigative Department, Panti, and Inspector Chinalu Uwadione, told the court that the offences were committed on September 16 around 8p.m. at Isheri Oshun, Ijegun, a Lagos surburb.
Osuyi alleged that Aremu, attached to the Isheri Oshun Police Station, shot dead one Comfort Idongesit Ekpo and caused grievous harm to one Godwin Ekpo, the deceased husband.
The accused, he narrated, opened fire at the tricycle “Keke Marwa” in which the couple was riding on their way home, shattering the head of the mother of four and causing serious injury to the husband’s jaw.
He said the offence contravened Sections 221 and 243 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
Defense counsel Lekan Alabi, urged the court to grant the accused bail.
Chief Magistrate Folasade Botoku rejected the appeal.
Botoku noted that the court lacked the jurisdiction to prosecute such a case, saying that the case was still premature because it had not exceeded 60 days.
“The court is not aware that there is a difference between the accused, a public servant and an ordinary citizen, hence bail is hereby refused.”
The magistrate ordered the accused be remanded again, this time at the Ikoyi Prisons pending advice from the DPP.
The case was adjourned till Nov. 25.
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Protesters submit petition to Ban Ki-Moon in Abuja
Concerned citizens of Plateau State have taken the opportunity of the visit of the Secretary- General of the United Nations (UN), Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, to protest killings in the state.
The protest, held in Abuja, was targeted at drawing the attention of the UN Secretary-General to the alleged killings of the indigenes by the Fulani herdsmen, especially the recent carnage in Barkin Ladi, which led to the death of over 20 Berom.
The protesters, who were at the Unity Gate and Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja where Ki-Moon was lodged, got his attention and presented their petition to him in the presence of foreign reporters, who were in the entourage of the UN Secretary-General.
They displayed banners, which contained thought- provoking inscriptions, such as “How many more do we have to bury?” The banners also bore the photographs of the victims.
A copy of the petition, which was later made available to reporters, was read by the group’s spokesperson, Mrs. Kate Pam: “We bring you greetings from the traumatised men, women and children of Plateau State. Permit me, sir, to give a summary of the nightmare our lives have become in the last decade.
“The attack on our villages by Fulani herdsmen, whom we gave our land as pasture for their livestock, started over 10 years ago. Things climaxed on March 10 with the Dogo Nahawa massacre when over 500 men, women and children were killed in a cowardly dawn attack. From then, we have not known peace. Our tormentors have moved from village to village, killing, maiming, looting, shooting and burning.
“From May this year, the attacks on our villages have increased. The people of Riyom and Barkin Ladi are worst hit. An average of 10 people are killed every week. On May 2, 27 people were killed in a COCIN church in Foron. Among the dead were the pastor, Rev. Luka Gwom and a young woman who wedded two weeks earlier. Two days later, 30 people were killed at Zakupang in Barkin Ladi Local Government.
“Another attack on Kakpwis village left two men dead. The villages in Barkin Ladi Council have suffered these attacks, at least twice every week. On May 29, over 500 gunmen invaded Shonong village, killing people and torching homes. That attack left over a thousand people displaced, with about 300 houses razed. June was also a nightmare for the people of Barkin Ladi and Riyom. Over 20 villages were attacked. In the first 10 days of July, we experienced a number of attacks.”
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PDP protesters seek Ojougboh’s removal as Southsouth vice chair
There was a protest yesterday at the headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the continued stay of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh as the party’s Southsouth vice chairman.
Protesting at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, New Peoples Democratic Party Reformation Coalition said the continued stay of Ojougboh as the party’s Southsouth vice chairman would destroy PDP.
The group’s National Coordinator, Danelsi Momoh, said they were at the secretariat to protest against the activities of Ojougboh.
Momoh called on the party national leadership to curtail the activities of Ojougboh, which, according to him, was aimed at hijacking the party for his personal interest.
He said if the activities of Ojougboh in the Southsouth was not checked, it would weaken the operations of PDP.
The coordinator also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate politically-motivated killings in the country, especially in the Southsouth.
“While we salute President Buhari’s commitment to bring corrupt politicians to book, it is apt that all cases of politically-motivated killings are investigated.
“The characters responsible for running the armed gangs that carried out the killings are brought to book,” he added.
The group, according to Momoh, also called on Ojougboh to step aside from his position until investigated.
Addressing the protesters, Chinwe Nnorom, the PDP Head of Publicity commended the protesters for their peaceful conduct, but
promised that their protest message would be presented to the party secretariat.
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N636b debt: Protesters urge Okowa to name culprits
There was a protest yesterday in Warri, Delta State, following
the alleged N637 billion debt profile former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan allegedly left behind.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa recently spoke on the huge debt his successor left behind.
The governor urged the residents to prepare for hard times.
But the protesters, under the auspices of Graduates of the Niger Delta (GAND), slammed Okowa for allegedly revealing half-truth about the state’s debt profile and those behind it.
GAND’s President Progress Omo-Agege said Okowa and his kinsmen, Prince Sam Obi, who was acting governor for three months, should be investigated with previous administrations to ascertain those behind the huge debt profile.
The spokesman claimed that under Obi – who was in office between November 2010, when Uduaghan was sacked by an Appeal Court, and January 2011, when an election was held – the state incurred about N100 billion debt.
He urged Okowa to make more revelations on the true financial record of Delta State.
Omo-Agege said the group’s interest was to ensure that the state’s misappropriated funds were refunded without shielding anyone.
The group, which comprises various ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta, urged President Muhammudu Buhari “to beam his anti-corruption searchlight on Delta State to ensure that those behind the debt are brought to book”.
It said the governor was being economical with the truth when he blamed Uduaghan for the debt profile.
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Chibok girls protesters to march on Villa
Members of the #BringBackOurGirls (#BBOG) – the group campaigning for the release of the abducted girls of the Chibok girls secondary school, abducted more than one yesr ago – are planning to march on the Presidential Villa in Abuja to rev up the call for action by government.
They have also written to President Muhammadu Buhari, seeking to know what plans the new government has in place to pursue the release of the girls from the Boko Haram gulag.
A senior member of the group, Aisha Yusufu, told members at their usual sit out in Abuja yesterday that the group wrote a letter to President Buhari ýover 10 days ago but had not got a response since the letter was delivered.
She spoke of the need for the President to recognise that the Chibok girls and their families have suffered enough and Nigerians need to be reminded that they have a government which cares about their well being.
Yesufu also condemned that failure of the President to address the country or the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) on the World Refugees Day since the country currently has over a million persons displaced all over with thousands of refugees in Cameron and Niger Republic.
Her words: “The world celebrated the World Refugees Day on Saturday and it is disappointing that the President did not deem it fit to address the country, instead, we are flooded with pictures of him in Daura visiting his cows. It is really unfortunate that Nigerians are suffering and he did not have a single word of comfort for them.
“ We wrote to him over 11 days ago as a group about meeting with him, so that he can tell us what he has been doing so far about rescuing the Chibok girls and ending the insurgency in the Northeast but unfortunately we have not received any reply from him, we are going to be embarking on a protest march to the Presidency, so that as citizens, we will know what is being done in our country.”
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Protesters seek AMCON chairman’s sack over unpaid salaries
Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSON), SEAWOLF branch is calling for the sack of the Chairman, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Chike Obi.
The spokesperson of the association, Mr. Femi Akpata, who made this call on behalf of his colleagues, said for the past 22 months their salaries have not been paid.
Akpata said since Obi did not keep his promise of paying salaries after AMCON acquired the company from its owner, he should be sacked.
Akpata said: “He went into agreement with the staff of SEAWOLF that all liabilities should be shifted to AMCON; for 22 months now we have been waiting and nothing.
“We have had several meetings with the ministry of Petroleum, Labour and Productivity, Ministry of Finance had to intervene with them insisting AMCON pay the claims. AMCON even called us to say they will pay since last year, yet nothing has been done.
“As I am speaking with you, we have three of our members in the mortuary, Obi is eating well on us, we are in hunger our families are suffering, he said we should come with our claims which we did on May 18th 2015, only to hear he has been in London.”
AMCON’s Public Relations Officers in the Abuja office, where the protest took place, refused to speak with The Nation, claiming he was not in a position to comment on the issue.
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Protesters set Sharia Court ablaze … over preacher’s alleged blasphemy of Prophet Muhammed
Thousands of Muslims, yesterday, stormed the Kano State Government House and the palace of the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II to protest the alleged blasphemy of Prophet Mohammed by a Tijjaniyya preacher, Abdul Nyass.
The cudgel carrying youths, who are mainly members of Ahbabu Rasul S.A.W, also set ablaze Nyass’ residence at Gaide, Kombotso Local Government Area and a shariah court at Rijia Lemo.
Nyass and two others Amina Mohammed and Abubakar Abdullahi were due to appear before the court yesterday in connection with the alleged blasphemy, but when they did not show up on time, the protesters doused the building with petrol and set it on fire.
As the protesters chanting Allahu Akbar (God is the Greatest) advanced on the Government House, security personnel quickly formed a barricade to stop them from gaining entry into the sprawling compound.
Tension rose further and Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso had to send the Commissioner for State Affairs, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo and the Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr, Yunusa Dangoni to invite the leader of the sect, Sherriff Sani Jan-bluo into the Government House for a parley.
Comrade Abdulsalam called the blasphemy an unholy act and appealed to Jan-bluo to plead with his followers to calm down.
“I will want you to control your faithful not to cause any mayhem or riot that might lead to an unpleasant situation in the state. What I want from you is to talk to your members to move back to where they are coming from peacefully,” he told Jan-bluo.
He said that as soon as government got wind of the blasphemous statement it summoned a security council meeting to avert trouble from erupting.
The sect leader thanked government for its understanding and then addressed the protesters to go back home.
The Director Kano State Censors Board, Alhaji Dahiru Beli, yesterday slammed a ban on the circulation of all forms of version of the alleged blasphemous video.
He warned that violators would be made to face the wrath of the law.
Prominent Tijaniyya leaders, Sheick Dairu Usman Bauchi, and Khalifa Sheick Isyaka Rabiu condemned the blasphemy and said such a statement could not have from a true disciple of Tijaniyya.
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Protesters shut down NSITF over 58-month arrears
Pensioners of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) yesterday shut down activities at the Fund over non-payment of their 58 months’ arrears.
The pensioners, who blocked the entrance at 8am, disrupted visitors and vehicular movements in or out of the premises.
They alleged that the Fund’s management neglected and refused to pay the approved increase by the Federal Government since July 2010.
The protesters said the NSITF should pay the arrears. Otherwise, they insisted, they would continue the protest and seek support from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Some of the protesters carried inscriptions such as “Pension Matters: Board approved N350 million, Trust Fund received N200 million, Balance N150 million. Dr. Ngozi Olejeme, where did you keep NSITF Pensioners’ N150 million? Alh. Munir, Do you know?”, “Mr. President, is Dr. Ngozi Olejeme above the law?” Dr. Ngozi Olejeme and NSITF Management, pay your in-house pensioners their entitlement.”
The Deputy General Secretary, Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Chief Joseph Okunade, said the protest was held against maltreatment of NUP members.
‘We have talked to them, written to them and taken different approaches but they turned a deaf ear, that is why we are protesting. We will continue to pester and picket them’
Okunade said: “You can imagine the NSITF owing the pensioners 58 months arrears of pension increase. If the Managing Director does not take his money in a month, you know how he will feel.
“We have talked to them, written to them and taken different approaches but they turned a deaf ear, that is why we are protesting.
“We will continue to pester and picket them. You see they cannot go in and come out.”
NSTIF’s NUP Chairman Aham Mbazigwe-Akonye said the organisation did not cater for welfare of workers.
According to him, he worked for about 23 years but after the new pension approval, NSITF was yet to effect the changes.
Asked if there were commitments from the NSITF management on the pension, he said several appeals were made but yielded no positive results.
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Protesters accuse PDP of electoral fraud
A fresh wave of anti-People’s Democratic Party (PDP) protest swept through Patani, the headquarters of Patani Local Government Area of Delta State, as aggrieved members of the party took to the streets to express dissatisfaction with the party. They condemned the party’s hierarchy in Abuja for allegedly subverting the will of the people by imposing an unpopular candidate in the area on the people. The protesters, who claimed that the Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Basil Ganagana, won the last primary election of the party with 31 votes, said the leadership of the party substituted their candidate’s name with that of the man who lost the election. Marching through major roads in Patani , they demanded the immediate restoration of their candidate mandate as reflected in the election won by the lawmaker. Addressing newsmen during the protest, the PDP Chieftain, Mr. Harrison Biu, Rev. Isreal Unutame and Special Assistant to the Dep. Speaker on Media and Research, Mr. Patrick Edema expressed lack of confidence in the national executive of the PDP for subverting the will of the people. “How can a candidate who scored 31 votes be substituted with another who scored 18 votes? This is a travesty of justice and a rape on democracy. We are persuaded that the national chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’Azu and his deputy, Uche Secondus and others contrived to inflict this democratic fraud on our people. We will resist it until justice is done,” they declared It would be recalled that this is the second non-violent protest in the area by PDP faithful within two weeks to demand the restoration of the name of Hon. Ganagana who represents the Patani constituency in the state assembly.