President Bola Tinubu has questioned the necessity of the planned protest on August 1, asserting that his administration is already addressing many of the nation’s pressing issues, particularly those affecting the youth. Speaking through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, President Tinubu highlighted that the proposed protest was discussed at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. Idris emphasized that the government’s recent student loan policy aims to ensure that no Nigerian child who secures admission drops out due to fees. “The position of FEC is that most of the demands that the protesters are making are actually…
Author: Ifeanyi N.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has instructed senior police officials to ensure the safety of participants in the planned #EndBadGovernance protest, scheduled for August 1 to 10, 2024. This directive follows a request from human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, who, on July 26, 2024, wrote to the IGP on behalf of the Take It Back Movement, one of the groups organizing the protest. In a response letter dated July 29, 2024, signed by Principal Staff Officer CP Johnson Adenola, the IGP directed Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (Operations and Intelligence), Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) in charge of…
The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has expressed strong opposition to the Senate’s proposed bill to establish a Local Government Independent Electoral Commission, labeling it as ill-conceived. At the third regular quarterly consultative meeting between INEC and political parties, held in Abuja on Monday, IPAC Chairman Yusuf Dantalle called for amendments to the Constitution and the Electoral Act to empower INEC to conduct all local government elections. He also advocated for the dissolution of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) to restore confidence in the electoral system. Dantalle emphasized that entrusting INEC with local government elections would enhance trust in the…
The Forum of All Progressives Congress (APC) state chairmen has announced plans to hold solidarity rallies across all political wards, local governments, and state capitals, including Abuja, to highlight the achievements and programs of President Bola Tinubu. Addressing a press conference on Monday in Abuja, Alphonsus Eba, Secretary of the Forum, stated that the rallies would be a peaceful demonstration of support for the President’s initiatives in response to the planned protest on August 1. Eba emphasized that the anticipated violent protest by an unidentified group, as outlined in their demands, threatens the democratic principles upheld by all political parties.…
A Delta State High Court has convicted and sentenced a man to 16 years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit arson, among other charges. The court, presided over by Justice O.F. Enenmo, ruled that the sentences will run concurrently for 10 and six years. Two other defendants charged alongside the convict were discharged and acquitted on all counts. The three defendants, Efajemue Israel, Aziakpono Prince Eseoghene, and Omote Efe, faced a seven-count charge for conspiracy to commit felony, arson, and malicious damage. These charges are punishable under sections 516, 443, and 451 of the Criminal Code Laws, C21, Volume 1, and…
Officers and men of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder have uncovered a private residence converted into an illegal refining site in the Okwuzi community, Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State. Leading the military team on a tour of the illegal refining site, Commodore Desmond Igbo, the commander of NNS Pathfinder, informed journalists on Friday that over 200,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel, were confiscated. Two suspects were arrested during the operation. Commodore Igbo stated that the discovery was made in line with the Chief of Naval Staff’s mandate to combat crude…
A youth group in Ogun State, Ogun Youth Advocate for Social Development (OGYASD), has described as unrealistic the expectation for President Tinubu to transform and repair Nigeria within just one year. The group emphasized that the country, having been damaged by previous governments, requires more time for restructuring. Oluseyi Alamu, the leader of OGYASD, urged Nigerians to reconsider their decision to protest and to give the President more time. In a statement made available to the media in Abeokuta, Alamu highlighted the potential consequences of the protests, warning that they could escalate into chaos. “We understand that the country has…
More than 50,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Kogi State, according to the Acting Executive Secretary of the Kogi State Agency on HIV/AIDS (KOSACA), Ibrahim Anate. He disclosed this information during a one-day stakeholders dialogue in Lokoja. Anate reported that 36,066 individuals with HIV are currently receiving treatment in the state, while over 19,000 have not sought treatment or counseling. He attributed this gap to the stigmatization and discrimination faced by those living with HIV, which discourages many from declaring their status. “There are 170,000 new infection cases of HIV in Nigeria. Globally, we have 40 million new HIV…
The Labour Party (LP) has described Kenneth Okonkwo as a mole, asserting that his departure from the party was expected and criticizing his recent comments about the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi. In a statement on Sunday, Okonkwo, a former chieftain of the LP, expressed his lack of confidence in Obi’s ability to build a party capable of winning elections. Okonkwo, an actor-turned-politician, claimed that Obi had shown he could not secure the mandate even if he won the people’s votes. He cited recent developments within the party as his motivation to pursue a new political direction. Responding to…
Two brothers in Kiyawa Local Government Area of Jigawa State have killed their half-brother and injured their father in a brutal attack stemming from accusations of witchcraft. Residents informed InfoStride News that the incident occurred when the two brothers, accusing their half-brother of witchcraft, beat him severely with sticks. Their father was injured when he attempted to intervene. The spokesperson for the Jigawa State Police Command, DSP Lawan Shiisu Adam, confirmed the incident. “On July 25, 2024, at about 12:30 pm, intelligence available to our command disclosed that two individuals, Haruna Idi from Garkon Alli village in Kiyawa LGA and…
The Kwara State Police Command has issued a stern warning against any attempts by miscreants to hijack the planned nationwide hunger protest, emphasizing that such actions will not be tolerated and will result in arrests and legal consequences. In a guidance and warning notice released on Sunday in Ilorin, the Command discouraged citizens from participating in the protests, should they occur. The notice was accompanied by a statement from the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Ejire Adeyemi Toun, quoting the state Commissioner of Police, Victor Olaiya. “The Kwara State Police Command wishes to discourage citizens from participating in the said protest and…
Dr. Salihu Lukman, former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that its policies have driven the nation into a hopeless trajectory, worsening living conditions for all Nigerians. In a statement issued on Sunday, Lukman expressed concern over the lack of clear plans from Tinubu’s administration to address the nation’s problems. He questioned the effectiveness of the government’s initiatives to alleviate the challenges faced by Nigerians, noting a perceived incapacity to manage such efforts. “For more than a year, it has been one explanation after another, with hardly any clear…
Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesperson for the Labour Party’s presidential campaign in the 2023 general election, has resigned from the party, citing internal crises and dissatisfaction with the party’s leadership. Okonkwo attributed his resignation primarily to the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the ongoing turmoil within the Labour Party. He also criticized the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing both parties of failing Nigeria. “The combined leadership of both parties is trying to cripple Nigeria as this blessed country is now down economically,” Okonkwo stated. In a letter released on Sunday, Okonkwo lamented the state of…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suspended its three ad-hoc delegate congresses across the 239 wards of Kogi State due to alleged irregularities. In a letter dated July 27, 2024, and signed by Senator Laah Dajuma, Chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee, the party expressed concerns over the conduct of the delegate congresses. The letter, addressed to the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lokoja, Kogi State, highlighted significant anomalies. “Sequel to our earlier notification to you for the conduct of the three ad-hoc delegates in Kogi State, we write to bring to your attention…
A suspected armed robber was set ablaze by irate youths in the Makurdi Modern Market area of Makurdi, Benue State, on Friday. The incident occurred after the suspect, part of a robbery gang, was caught while his accomplices managed to escape. The suspect had broken into two shops around 3:30 am before proceeding to attack other residents at 5 am. According to eyewitness Peters Abo, “The suspect and his co-criminals had successfully robbed a shop selling paint, carted away several valuables, and also targeted a Bet9ja shop to rob a victim. Before they could complete their mission at the Bet9ja…
The Osun State Police Command has arrested 50-year-old Kehinde Ganiyu for the alleged murder of his Ghanaian friend, Emmanuel Collins, for money ritual purposes. During a press briefing in Osogbo on Friday, the Command’s Spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, revealed that 35-year-old Collins was murdered by Ganiyu on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. Opalola disclosed that the suspect confessed to killing Collins by slaughtering him with a kitchen knife while he was sleeping and removing his throat, which he later dried in the sun for three days. Exhibits recovered from Ganiyu included four different blood-stained knives, one chisel, two gourds, a wooden traditional…
The Zamfara Indigenes Enlightenment Forum (ZIEF) announced on Sunday its decision to withdraw from the planned nationwide protest scheduled for August 1, 2024. Tanimu Abdullahi, representing the Coalition of Civil Society Groups (CCSG) in Zamfara State, shared the group’s reasons during a press briefing in Gusau, the state capital. He emphasized the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and protest, acknowledging widespread dissatisfaction with recent government economic policies, such as the removal of fuel subsidies and increases in electricity tariffs and interest rates. “These government policies have prompted a high cost of living in the country, Naira devaluation, soaring unemployment rates,…
The Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has called on Nigerian youths to abandon the planned nationwide protest. In a statement issued on Sunday, the minister acknowledged the frustrations driving the desire to protest but warned that the narratives surrounding the protest and its faceless nature could lead to destruction and chaos, setting the nation back. Sulaiman-Ibrahim appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience during what she described as “a painful process” poised to birth a prosperous Nigeria. “Consider the power of peaceful engagement, dialogue, and collaboration over protest and confrontation,” she said. “We have engaged you and other…
The Lagos State Chairperson of the Labour Party (LP), Dayo Ekong, has dismissed claims of a power tussle with the party’s National Chairman, Mr. Julius Abure. In a statement issued on Saturday in Lagos, Ekong addressed a social media report suggesting discord between her and Abure. She clarified that the report was entirely false and baseless, attributing it to opposition elements attempting to sow discord within the party. “It has come to my attention that a recent article authored by a certain faceless and unknown blogger has falsely claimed that Dayo Ekong, the Labour Party Chairperson, Lagos State, is at…
The National Youth Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dayo Israel, has described the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah as disheartening and tragic. Israel stated this on Saturday in Lagos, emphasizing that Ubah’s death was sudden and unexpected. “This is very disheartening and highly unexpected. He had worked so hard for his gubernatorial aspiration. We were recently in Anambra as a party for his empowerment programme in his constituency. It is so sad to see him go in his prime,” Israel said. He also described the late Ubah as a great leader and a selfless politician. Ubah, who…