The Nation Newspaper

Tag: victimisation

  • Makarfi: Stop victimisation in Benue

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant and former governor of Kaduna State Senator Ahmed Makarfi has objected to what he described as the victimisation of defectors to the party in Benue State.

    He said those victimising Governor Samuel Ortom and his supporters are trying to truncate democracy, adding that the governor’s defection was in accordance with freedom of association  guaranteed by the constitution.

    Makarfi said in a statement by his media aide, Mukhtar Sirajo, that two-third of the 30-member House of Assembly was denied access into the chamber while seven lawmakers were given police protection to plot the impeachment of the governor.

    He said: “It is an unlawful, disgraceful and undemocratic act, which portends a danger of monumental proportions to the country and its institutions. The freedom of association is the inalienable right of every Nigerian as enshrined in the nation’s constitution and all international conventions. The  impeachment of a state governor is a legal and constitutional function, the process of which is clearly spelt out in our constitution, with no ambiguity.

    “It therefore, smacks of hypocrisy and a brazen disrespect for fundamental human rights for the same party to now deny people the right defect from it for whatever reason(s). It is imperative that  people’s rights and freedoms of movement and association and all other rights should be respected fully by the state and its agencies; and that both the APC and its government brace up for more people exercising these fundamental rights and respect same”

    Makarfi urged the people of Benue State to, even as they resist this callous assault on their freedom, remain peaceful and law abiding and be assured that Nigerians are with them in this trying moment.

    He enjoined  Nigerians to, within lawful means, stand up to attempt to stifle the democratic space by a party that was the biggest beneficiary of defections, which is now jittery and clearly uncomfortable at the prospect of getting a dose of its own medicine.

     

  • Oni warns against victimisation of his supporters

    The runner-up in the Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary, Chief Segun Oni, has warned against the harassment and victimisation of his supporters by some backers of the winner, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    Oni, who hailed Fayemi for immediately embarking on reconciliation with the aspirants who lost in the shadow election, said members of his political family deserved respect and not intimidation for their support for him.

    The former governor said he wanted to set an example by remaining in the party, despite his defeat at the primary which he said was no longer the fad in Nigerian politics, where politicians jump ship to other parties if they fail to realise their ambition in their former parties.

    Oni said he could be forced to leave the APC if intimidation, threat and harassment of his supporters continued, adding that they deserve respect for their political conviction.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in his Ifaki-Ekiti country home, Oni said all the camps in the APC must be united to face the windstorm of general election together and not exhibiting winner-takes-all tendencies when the election has not been won.

    He hailed Fayemi for extending a hand of fellowship to his colleagues, visiting them and waving the olive branch within the first 24 hours of his victory at the primary election. But he said the candidate must do more to rein in his (Fayemi’s) supporters from taunting loyalists of other aspirants.

    In the keenly contested primary held on Saturday, Fayemi won with 941 votes, leaving Oni in second position with 481 votes and Mr. Kayode Ojo in third place with 281 votes. The ticket was contested for by 32 aspirants.

    Oni said he was ready to change the mindset of Ekiti politicians that defection remains the only option after losing an election as a popular and acceptable politician by staying put in APC.

    The former APC Deputy National Chairman (South) revealed that he had been receiving offers from other political parties to come and use their platforms to realize his ambition, but declined their offers out of love and loyalty to his party.

    He said: “I am still in the APC; we are loyal party men. I decided to contest to give our party the probability to win. The contest was not about me.

    “Our people must learn a new lesson that when you enjoy goodwill and you lose a primary, the next thing is for you to move to another party, with a thinking that you will win.”

    “We are not scavenging, neither are we scavengers. We have been

    receiving pressures from different parties that we should come for the

    tickets but we said no.

    “This is because we want this to be an example and become a new

    thinking that when you lose the primary, you must stay in your party

    even when you are popular.

    “But if they continue to harass my supporters, I may quit the party,

    because I have responsibility not only to protect them but ensure that

    they are not taken for a ride.”

    Responding to a question on the alleged influence of money in the APC

    shadow poll, Oni said: “Money played a role, more money played a role

    and much more money played a role. I will not say it is illegal this

    time around.

    “Money played a prominent role in the election and virtually every

    aspirant was guilty of it. But let me say, our party won’t tread this

    path again, because a situation whereby few people are allowed to

    elect a candidate and see it as opportunity to maximize their profit

    is dangerous.”

    The former governor suggested Option A4 in electing the party’s

    candidate, describing it as being more representative and inclusive

    than the delegate system.

    He added: “Any serious political party must guard against that. So, I

    believe that every member of a political party must be involved.

    “This will make it more representative and more inclusive than

    allowing few individuals turned themselves into opportunists and

    avenue to make making.”

     

     

     

  • Workers threaten to shut down NIGCOMSAT over alleged victimisation

    Workers threaten to shut down NIGCOMSAT over alleged victimisation

    The Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) has accused the management of Nigeria Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) of victimising workers. It warned that unless the victimisation and promotion were addressed, it would have no option than to disrupt activities at the agency.

    In a letter to the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, the union said it may be forced to embark on a three day warning strike unless the issues of promotion and victimisation, of its members in the company is addressed.

    The letter, dated  January 10, signed by the president, Mohammad Yunusa and the General Secretary, Comrade Ayo Olorunfemi, alleged that one of its members is being victimised by the management for refusing to take part in corruption related activities.

    The letter entitled: “Re: Operational Modalities in NIGCOMSAT-Our Demands,” the letter read: “Under the directive of the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the Association we refer to our letter No SSASCGOC/HM/FMCT/1/2017/ of 9th Oct 2017 on the above subject matter and observe with dismay the non-response to any of the issues raised.

    “We are most concerned about issues that bother on the rights of our members; particularly the issue of promotion. As we speak, one of our members is being victimized  for  refusing to participate in activities that promotes corruption in the workplace.”

    “We shall be left with no other choice than to embark on a ?3 day warning strike to drive home our points, if nothing is done to address all the issues raised in our letter under reference within 21 days from the date of receipt of this letter.”

    Speaking with newsmen, Comrade Olorunfemi, condemned the promotion exercise done by NIGCOMSAT management after a long pressure from the union, adding that the promotion was lopsided as important issue of seniority was lost due to earlier embargo and delayed in the process.

    He said the union would not accept a situation whereby some senior officers have to forfeit one year due to no fault of theirs but just because the management decided to place embargo on promotion.

    “The essence of promotion is to motivate, but when promotion is becoming a de-motivational factor, there will be reduction in productivity and the union would not accept that.”

    On the victimization of its member, he explained that an officer, who is the head of account refused a directive from an executive director to pay a money which was not approved and was being victimized.

    Comrade Olorunfemi said the present government came into power on the mantra of corruption, saying that the minister should conduct an investigation into this case and ensure that workers who stand up against corruption are not punished.

  • Disturbing gale of victimisation on campuses

    Tertiary institutions are regarded as the backbone of the society. They are like a furnace where ideas are conceived and nurtured. But, in Nigeria, it is an irony that our higher institutions have become places where ideas and dreams are killed.

    It is shocking to witness the impunity and manner with which authorities of tertiary institutions expel students they see as radicals. School authorities trample on students’ fundamental human rights at will and introduce draconian regulations to whip students into line. Any student, who opposes or falls out of the line, is dubbed radicals.

    It is sad to see the authorities of our higher institution adopting iron-fist regulations to manage our Ivory Towers. Victimisation of students school authorities see as radicals seems to be the order of the day. The only sin committed by the victims of this official high-handedness is their courage to stand against poor welfare in our Ivory Towers and fight tyranny on our campuses.

    This has become observable feature on many campuses as students are now being rusticated and victimised for protesting against bad decision of school managements, either physically or through the social media.

    Nigeria is said to be a democratic nation that espouses the ethos of freedom and human rights. I doubt the import of this statement, because the spirit and the supremacy of our Constitution have not been observed. How can a student be rusticated r expelled because he wants a good welfare? Even the 1999 Constitution says in Section 14(2)(b): “The primary purpose of government in a country is to provide a good welfare and security for the people.”

    A university is meant to be the most dogged defender of democratic principles. It is supposed to be  place where people uphold democratic values. But, contrary is the case in our varsities where we have scholars of different hues becoming tyrants by adopting fascist style to devaluate democratic norms and hallmarks of human rights.

    President Donald Trump, in one of his speeches, acknowledged the fact that peaceful protest is one of the hallmarks of democracy. A society or institution that frustrates or stops a peaceful protest and cannot withstand criticism does not deserve to exist.

    The gospel of rustication and expulsion is the order of the day our tertiary institutions. Number of victims increases by the day. At the University of Lagos (UNILAG), one Olorunfemi Adeyeye was rusticated because he wrote an article that was critical of the manner the management handled welfare issues. This is the same university where a lecturer asked some of students to kneel down before the whole class, as though they were in secondary school.

    At Kwara State Polytechnic (KWARA POLY), a student who has finished his final year project was expelled by the management for leading a protest for the welfare of the students.

    We have seen students being victimised in Ekiti State University (EKSU) for registering their opposition to a fee hike. At the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), students are forced to pay to register courses after registering online. Education is now seen a business enterprise.

    Nigeria Constitution in Section 38(1) says: “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions without interference.”

    In Section 40, it says: “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of association, including freedom of assembly.” Note, this is not in the case of secret society.

    As we may have seen, there is no basis for high-handed actions against students who exercise their constitutional rights to protest. But, authorities of schools just feel like oppressing students, because of the weak judicial system.

    Truth be told, no student has gained any meaningful thing from this system of education. We go extra mile to develop ourselves, even after leaving school.

    As we fold our arms and watch tyranny prevailing on our campuses because of fear of the unknown, we must know that students are being oppressed and suppressed by those managing our tertiary institutions.

    The only way forward is getting rid of this crippling tyranny is to embark on reforms in our education and its institutions. Draconian style employed by managers of school is not the best to take our education out of its current challenges. If authorities are doing well, there would be no need for students’ protest.

    If this tyranny continues in our citadel of learning, we will only be successful in educating robots and people with low intellect.

    Students must be united in speaking up against this tyranny. An injustice to one is a crime against all. If a student is expelled today, we should not see it as his fate, because nobody knows who would be the victim tomorrow.

     

    Olaitan is a student and member of Alliance of Nigerian Students Against Neo-liberal Attacks (ANSA)

     

     

     

  • Suspended students’ leader alleges victimisation

    Suspended students’ leader alleges victimisation

    The Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) has suspended Noble Eyisi indefinitely following his impeachment as Students’Union Government (SUG) president. Noble is alleging victimisation, but the school claims he is a troublemaker. WALE AJETUNMOBI reports.

    ALMOST a month ago, Noble Eyisi was impeached as the Students’ Union Government(SUG) of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, the Anambra State capital. His trouble appears to have just started with his indefinate suspension by the management. Noble was accused of attempting to disrupt the peace.

    •Prof Ahaneku
    •Prof Ahaneku

    The suspended student landed in trouble after he wrote what many students described as a “toxic letter” to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Joseph Ahaneku, demanding the disclosure of revenue due to the union. The school authorities responded by describing him as “impolite” in his approach. This development, Noble said, triggered his “contrived removal” as the union leader.

    Challenging his impeachment, Noble approached the state High Court on June 8 and sued the Acting President, Precious Ozems and Speaker of Student Representatives’ Council (SRC), Nzube Nnamani. This generated excitement on the campus after news got to students that the court had ordered Noble’s reinstatement, pending the determination of the suit.

    But, the management moved to suspend the student, claiming that the measure was to pre-empt a planned disruption of peace on the campus. According to a top management member of the school, Noble, penultimate Wednesday, was accompanied to the university Multipurpose Hall by some strange people, who distributed placards to students in an attempt to engage them in “acts designed to disrupt the peace in the university”.

    The management source said: “Noble Eyisi abandoned his Nissan Primera saloon car with registration number AAA857AZ at the front of the hall and ran away on sighting the security patrol vehicle. This lends credence to the suspicion that he was attempting to engage in a conduct that could be inimical, destructive and unlawful to the interest and well-being of the university.

    “Consequently, the Vice-Chancellor, in pursuant of Section 19 of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Act CAP N 139 LFN 2004, suspended him indefinitely for misconduct pending the outcome of Students’ Disciplinary Committee to which the case is referred.”

    The management said the suspension was with immediate effect and ordered Noble to stay away from all academic activities during the period of his suspension.

    The development was not without a drama. Noble claimed he did not receive his purported letter of suspension from the management. He said he was shown a letter that stated his suspension at the office of the state Department of State Security (DSS), where he was detained after his arrest on the campus as he attempted to go into the institution.

    Speaking to our reporter, Noble denied planning to disrupt the peace of the school. He said his supporter only gathered for a peaceful protest to call on the school to obey court order.

    He said: “Students, who are saddened over my suspension, planned a peaceful protest. The High Court, on June 8, ruled that the status quo be maintained, which means I should be returned as SUG president, which was the position I held before  my suspension and subsequent impeachment. The plea was granted, because I am the applicant while the Vice President and the Speaker are the defendants.”

    On how he learnt about his suspension, Noble said: “When I went to school last Thursday, I was blocked from entering the campus and was arrested at the point. From there, I was taken to the Administrative Block, where I was dragged into a waiting van and taken to the office of DSS in Amawbia, where I was shown my suspension letter and asked to pack my personal effects left on campus. I was escorted by university anti-cultism officers to my hostel, where I packed my properties and left. I was not given any letter suspending me from school.”

    The Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, confirmed the student’s suspension but declined comment when our reporter asked for the offences for which Noble being punished.

    Ojukwu simply said: “The student is expected to face the Students’ Disciplinary Committee.”

  • NUPENG strike: Fuel scarcity hits Abuja, Calabar, others

    NUPENG strike: Fuel scarcity hits Abuja, Calabar, others

    •Union threatens showdown with Oyo over ‘members’ victimisation’

    •Govt: They’re not sincere •Kaduna branch joins warning action

     

    Long fuel queues have resurfaced in most petrol stations in Abuja, the nation’s capital, following a three-day warning strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

    The strike began yesterday.

    NUPENG said it started the strike to press home its demand for what it called unfair labour practices by some oil companies toward its workers.

    A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who visited some major petrol stations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) yesterday, said there was chaos as motorists jostled to get petrol.

    At the popular NNPC Mega Station in the Central Area, the queue resulted in a partial blockage of the adjoining road and a horrendous traffic hold-up.

    NAN spoke with some motorists at the petrol station. They expressed dismay at the development and urged relevant government agencies to address the situation.

    Mr Pius Adejoh, a civil servant, described the situation as a setback to the Transformation Agenda in the oil and gas sector.

    He said: “I think it’s really very sad that we are back to those days when we had to queue at filling stations to get fuel.

    “The Federal Government needs to step in and meet with the oil unions to find a lasting solution to this perennial problem.”

    Mr Kayode Olagoke, a taxi driver, condemned the sudden queues at the petrol stations.

    He warned that it would lead to an increase in transportation fares, if not urgently addressed.

    The situation was also not different at the Conoil Filling Station in the Central Area, opposite the NNPC Towers. Long queues of vehicles were seen around the station.

    NUPENG President Achese Igwe told NAN that the union called the strike “due to unfair treatment of our workers by some oil companies including Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Chevron Nigeria Limited and Agip Oil Company”.

    He accused the oil companies of unfair treatment of Nigerian workers through casual labour and outsourcing of workers, among other matters.

    Igwe said the leadership of the union directed its members to stop loading petroleum products to press home its demand.

    He warned that the union would go on an indefinite action after the three-day warning strike, if government and the relevant authorities failed to address its grievances.

    Several petrol stations in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, were closed yesterday.

    The few that sold in the morning were later forced to close by a Task Force from NUPENG.

    Black market operators took advantage of the situation, selling petrol for between N250 and N300 per litre.

    Fares also doubled as scores of commuters were stranded due to the scarcity of taxis and buses.

    The Oyo State branch of the union has threatened to begin an indefinite strike over what it called the harassment and infringement of the rights of its members by sanitation officers of the Oyo State Government.

    The Deputy National Chairman of the Petrol Tankers’ Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Apata, Ibadan, Comrade Salimon Oladiti, addressed reporters in his office on the ongoing strike.

    He also alleged that members of the Oyo State Traffic Road management Authority (OYSTRMA) have been arresting NUPENG members for committing “minor traffic offences”, which should have been handled by the police.

    According to him, the alleged offenders were not given a fair trial.

    Oladiti said: “After their arrest, they were charged exorbitant fees, which ranged from N250,000 and above as penalty; otherwise, they would be sent to jail.”

    Oladiti assured that the union would soon resolve the matter with the Federal Government.

    He said: “We are also concerned about the bad roads and the incessant oil bunkering, which the Federal Government has failed to tackle.”

    But Commissioner for Environment and Habitat, Mr. Lowo Obisesan, alleged that NUPENG was being economical with the truth.

    He said it is a criminal offence in Oyo State to unlawfully park or offload goods between 6am and 6pm, because such actions obstruct traffic.

    Also, the Kaduna branch of NUPENG has joined the three-day warning strike by its national body.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that petrol stations have closed down while tanker drivers have parked their vehicles “awaiting further directives” from union officials.

    NUPENG’s Deputy Secretary General, Adamu Song, told NAN in a telephone interview that the Kaduna branch had set up a task force to monitor filling stations and sanction defaulters.

    Transport fares have, however, remained stable in the city but officials of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) were meeting to appraise the situation and consider the possibility of an increase.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Oil marketer petitions CJN over Justice’s ‘victimisation’

    Mr Seun Ogunbambo, the Chief Executive Officer of Fargo Oil Services and one of the oil marketers on trial for alleged fuel subsidy fraud, has petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloma Maria Mukhtar, over alleged victimisation by Justice S. A. Onigbanjo of the Ikeja Division of the Lagos High Court.

    The petition was dated May 30 and signed by the petitioner.

    Ogunbambo, who recently enlisted former Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) President, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) in his defence team, alleged that when his lawyers applied for bail before the trial judge, he was the only oil marketer who was denied bail until the Court of Appeal approved it.

    According to him, he had thought that the basis of refusal was because of a prejudicial matter introduced into the bail application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which involved Stanbic IBTC in connection with a loan that was unrelated to the subsidy matter.

    Ogunbambo said following an out-of-court settlement, on which the bank wrote the EFCC withdrawing the case, “I had thought that the matter had ended there, until in opposing my bail applications in the two suits before Justice Onigbanjo, the complaint of Stanbic IBTC was brought in as a basis for opposing the grant of bail to me”.

    He added: “It appears to me that Justice Onigbanjo has taken a position against me in the pending proceedings before him. This goes beyond the prejudicial material introduced by the EFCC. I now sit in the dock (listening to the proceedings and sensing from the questions the judge poses to the prosecution witnesses and the ruling he has given concerning certain documents prepared by the EFCC during the proceedings which my lawyers objected to but which the Honourable Judge nevertheless admitted in evidence against me). I have a feeling that my conviction by the Judge for these trumped-up charges, brought by the EFCC, is only a matter of time and not dependent on the strength or otherwise of the case against me.

    “The rulings I have referred to above are even a child’s play compared to the manner in which the honourable judge, during the proceedings in these charges, has granted an ex-parte application for the forfeiture of my assets to the Federal Government behind my back and before my guilt had been established.”