₦airaland Forum

A 70-year-old man, Akinolu Ogunlade, is in police net in Ibadan for allegedly kidnapping and turning an eight-year-old girl to a sex slave.

Sources said that the incident occurred at Abidi Odan area of Akobo in Ibadan where the suspect harboured the victim in his place of work for almost three weeks and daily defiled her.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Oyo State Command, SP Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed the incident.

The girl told newsmen in Ibadan that she was kidnapped by the old man when she was coming from a vigil about three weeks back.

Also speaking with newsmen, the mother of the victim, Mrs Modinat Oladejo, said she had taken several measures to search for her missing daughter without success.

The grandmother of the girl, Mrs Falilat Oladejo, while corroborating the assertions, said she had also joined in the search team as she explained that the young girl was not known to be wayward.

Reacting, the suspect, Akinlolu Ogunlade, an indigene of Akure, Ondo State, initially denied having sex with the minor but later explained that he was not the first man to sleep with her and that he only harboured her for 21 days when she said her parents had travelled.

SonOfEl:
You can all keep ranting while the world appreciates GEJ. The traditional ruler only said gej "made a mistake", some zombies here decided to remix it as gej being the mistake.

Buhari wants to score cheap political point by cleaning up ogoni. He should go ahead, after all, that's the president's duty. But he won't deceive those who know him for who he really is.

BossKratos:
Jonathan himself was a MISTAKE!

Ade Adesomoju, Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said on Thursday that it was investigating the spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential Campaign Organisation for the 2015 election, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, for fresh allegation.

The anti-agency said the fresh allegation was different from the case of the N800m which the former Minister of Aviation allegedly received as campaign fund from the $2.1bn meant for procurement of arms.

It said this on Thursday before a High Court of the Federal High Court in Apo, Abuja, where it also disclosed that fresh petition received against the former minister by its Special Task Force in its Lagos office was what prompted it to move him from Abuja to Lagos.

Counsel for the EFCC, Mr. Salisu Majidadi, appeared before Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, on behalf of the commission to oppose a fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by Fani-Kayode, seeking an order releasing from the custody of the anti-graft agency.

But Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), who earlier argued his client’s suit, insisted that the commission having failed to present the fresh petition as exhibit before the court, showed there was no proof that there was any ongoing investigation of his client.

The judge after hearing both sides on Thursday fixed June 29 for judgment in the suit.

bewla:
judges not

The PPRO gave the names of the suspects as Bennett Okere (57) from Ngor Okpala in Imo State, John Arinze (38) from Nkpor in Anambra State, Angela Emmanuel (29) from Aba Ngwa in Abia State, Chioma Ebo (35) of Obinze in Imo State, Bartholomew Nkwocha (35) from Oba in Anambra State and 42-year-old Chinelo Ani of Nkanu in Enugu State.

Nigeria’s financial troubles deteriorated further yesterday as oil production suffered deficit of record 1.01 million barrels per day, raising the revenue losses by the country and international Oil companies (IOCs) to N10.1 billion ($50.5 million) daily.

Head of Energy Research at Ecobank, Dolapo Oni, who gave this hint, said that the crude production in Nigeria, hitherto the biggest crude producer in Africa, has now dipped to about 990,000 barrels per day. This disturbing news came hours after the renewed militancy in the country’s oil-rich Niger Delta began to take a toll.

In a more drastic estimate of the economic implication of attacks on oil and gas installations, Oni, according to Reuters, said: “Between pipeline repairs and militant attacks, Nigeria is probably producing no more than 990,000 barrels of oil every day.”

Prior to the renewed attacks, the federal government had projected a daily production of 2.2 million barrels in the country’s 2016 budget. This, according to data compiled by New Telegraph, indicates a deficit of 1.01 million barrels per day.

With crude price hovering around $50 per barrel yesterday, the losses in revenue on the 1.01 million barrels deficit amounted to N10.1 billion ($50.5 million) daily. As the renewed militancy in Nigeria dipped the country’s production, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), also suffered the same fate.

The output of the cartel in May was also down by 120,000 bpd over oil installation attacks in Nigeria. The organisation is, however, scheduled to meet today over the May output slide from near a record high, as attacks on Nigeria’s oil industry and other outages outweighed increases in Iran and Gulf members. Months of militant attacks on pipelines and oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta have crippled production in Nigeria.

The militant group behind the attacks, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), vowed in an early communiqué to reduce Nigeria’s economy to “zero.” They appear to be getting their wish. Exports have fallen from about 2.2 million barrels per day to as low as 990,000 barrels per day, analysts said, making Angola Africa’s largest producer of oil, at least for now. The drop in production and the low price of oil globally are major reasons Nigeria is expected to enter a recession by the end of this month.

Aside from Oni, Gail Anderson, Research Director at Energy Research and Consultancy group, Wood Mackenzie, said the militants have been careful in their sabotage. “The attacks themselves have been well-targeted and they’ve been designed to cause maximum damage, and I think they’ve been quite successful in that respect,” Anderson said.

The NDA emerged earlier this year with a blog that took credit for a number of attacks on pipelines in the delta. It also listed demands, including apologies from politicians, the release of an imprisoned separatist leader and a re-distribution of ownership of oil blocks.

Crude has long been Nigeria’s top export. Though President Muhammadu Buhari wants to wean the country off its dependence on oil, it remains the major source of revenue for the N6.06 trillion budget.

“We’re not producing up to the level we need to produce, the government won’t generate the amount of revenue it needs to generate from oil,” Oni said. Repairs on the attacked pipelines will likely take weeks, Oni said, and that might not deter the militants.

The militants blew up one pipeline in Bayelsa State twice, and warned its owners against repairing it, he said. The government is winding down the amnesty programme, but the NDA said it wants the programme to continue.

“They carry out attacks at specific times of the day, when they know they’re able to strike without specific reprisal from the enemy,” Oni said. Buhari is to kick off the cleanup of Ogoniland today. Rehabilitating Ogoniland is one of the NDA’s demands.

Meanwhile, OPEC’s oil output fell in May from near a record high, as attacks on Nigeria’s oil industry and other outages outweighed increases in Iran and Gulf members.A rise in supply from Saudi Arabia plus Iran suggests the group’s top producers remain focused on market share, following the failure of an initiative last April between OPEC and non-OPEC producers to support prices by freezing output. With OPEC meeting in Vienna today, outages are effectively achieving the supply restraint on which producers could not agree.

“There is a tiny chance of a bullish surprise, but as things stand right now, the odds are the continuation of OPEC’s market-share policy,” said David Hufton, of oil brokers PVM. Supply from the OPEC fell to 32.52 million barrels per day (bpd) this month, from 32.64 million bpd in April, according to the survey, based on shipping data and information from sources at oil companies, OPEC and consultants. OPEC output has surged since the group abandoned in 2014 its historic role of cutting supply to prop up prices, in a shift led by Saudi Arabia.

There are more indications, however, that some producers are struggling to maintain supply. May’s biggest decline occurred in Nigeria due to militant attacks on the country’s oil industry. The disruption has pushed output to its lowest in more than 20 years.

Archbishop Emeritus, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okogie, has praised President Muhammadu Buhari for his commitment to ridding the country of corruption.

Okogie praised Buhari in Lagos on Tuesday at a news conference organised as part of activities to mark his 80 years birthday celebration and 50 years priestly ordination anniversary.

“I want to commend the president for his commitment to clean the polity.

“There is also the need for him to be more systematic in the fight so that even after he leaves office the structure in place would make it difficult for corruption to thrive.

“There have been complaints by members of the opposing party that the fight has been selective and only targeted at PDP.

“The President must respond to this pro-actively by allowing the Economic and Crimes Commission (EFCC) to work independently, based on the facts and figures at their disposal.

“It does not matter the party the accused belongs to. Anyone found wanting should be made to face the music.

“That is the only way the President can prove that he belongs to all and to no one.’’

The cleric called on the Federal Government to engage the services of technocrats towards rebuilding the country.

“No one knows it all; I feel that the present administration needs more technocrats to help in the task of rebuilding Nigeria.
“The economy in particular needs the inputs of tested experts.

“There is no shame in seeking for help in order to formulate policies that would attract the much needed inflow of foreign investors that would shore up our economic fortunes.

“The President should borrow a leaf from the past administrations, who injected experienced hands that made all the difference and turned us into the investment port of choice in Africa.’’

Okogie said the task of building a vibrant nation deserved the involvement of every Nigerian.

“The task of building a viable nation is one that calls for the involvement of every one of us. As it is said, evil thrives when good person stay aloof.

“We must therefore continue to hold our nation accountable. The days of impunity are over. We must prove to the international community that there are good people amongst us; that are not corrupt as some believe.

“We must call our leaders to order when they err and commend them when the need arise. One year is already gone, just after another year, the race for 2019 will commence in earnest.

“What become of them then will be greatly decided by how well they are able to galvanize the nation out of its present predicament, we are watching.’’

He also appealed to the government to address the attacks by Fulani herdsmen, quell the agitation for Biafra, alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians and apply caution in solving the restiveness in the Niger Delta. (NAN)

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, yesterday said a 19-year-old girl, who, for long, had been posing as Music star, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun fondly called Wizkid, on social media, had been arrested.

The teenager, whose name the commissioner did not mention, was said to have duped many people, including students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), before she was arrested. Among her victims were also two people living overseas. The money was over $53,000, equivalent of about N10.4 million.

One of the victims was defrauded of $49,000, while she milked the second victim of $12,000. According to Owoseni, the suspect, who is a student of one of the universities in the country, was arrested after Wizkid reported the case to the police command, complaining that someone was impersonating him and collecting money for shows. The suspect opened a Facebook account in Wizkid’s name and displayed the star’s picture.

She started chatting with friends on Facebook, pretending to be Wizkid. Owoseni said that under this guise, the lady had defrauded a lot of people. When people started accusing Wizkid of collecting money for shows and not turning up to fulfil his part of the bargain, he reported the matter to the commissioner.

Owoseni said the suspect was arrested through investigation.

He warned members of the public to be alert to the activities of fraudsters. He said: “A lady was arrested for defrauding people on Facebook. She was posing as Wizkid. She was arrested yesterday. The lady duped two people.

The two victims are outside Nigeria. Members of the public should be very careful on sending money to people they met online. The lady collected money from people in the United States and they thought they were paying money to Wizkid to come and perform.

They did not know they were dealing with fraudsters. Nigerians should warn friends and relatives overseas to be careful in sending money to anyone, especially someone they did not know or have not seen.”

The Federal Government and labour agreed yesterday that the power sector was illegally privatised but they differed on how to redress the “illegality.”

Labour leaders are demanding for the cancellation of the sale and reversal of 45 percent increase in tariff effected in February.

However, the government said though it agreed the deal was fraudulent there were legal issues that might make it impossible to reverse the sale.

Speaking at a Senate public hearing on the electricity tariff yesterday, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said government’s interests were illegitimately sold to some private businesses.

“As a minister, I inherited a power sector where government’s interests have been illegally sold and, therefore, I don’t control how power is distributed.”
On the electricity tariff increase, the minister said that the tariff could not be reversed.

“The DISCOS made it very clear to us that if we did not give them the market reflective tariff it means that government would have to carry the continuing cost that accumulated in the region of about a trillion naira.
“The tariff was increased in 2015 and then reversed because of the electoral significance. But the debts that they created were not reversed and they continued to accrue into this administration.

“We are not insensitive to Nigerians, owing to their challenges. We were looking for the best way to solve what has become an over 60-year problem, since 1950, when TCN was first created. I guess tariffs may initially look excessive but when we count and measure the down times and how much time is lost when there is no sustainable electricity and measure them against the expectation of sustained electricity overtime, perhaps it would seem cheaper.”

Fashola, who admitted that power supply in the country had not significantly improved, said confidence had been restored in the sector.

“Yes, service hasn’t improved but confidence has come into the system. Like you have the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) in the telecommunication industry, NERC is for us in the power sector.” In his remarks, Anthony Akah, the acting chairman of NERC, said it was not possible to reverse the tariff.

“The review of the tariff is possible but its reversal is not,” he said.

“The tariff was essential and meant to trigger the necessary investment in the sector. The hike in the tariff was not different from what is happening in other sectors of the economy,” he added.

In his submission, the General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Comrade Joe Ajaero, said that the privatisation of the power sector was not properly done and must, therefore be reversed.

Also speaking, the representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Chris Okonkwo, said that the power sector was better off before its privatisation.
He said that the investors in the power sector lacked the technical expertise and finance to turn around the sector.

He said: “Consumers are bearing the brunt of the inefficiencies of the investors. We, at the TUC, are of the opinion that tariff increase was not the solution to the problems of the power sector.”

Former Vice President AtikuAbubakar had in April last year advised then president-elect Muhammad Buhari (Rtd) to reverse the privatisation exercise of the power sector.

Atiku spoke at the 36th Kaduna International Trade Fair’s Seminar organised by the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA). He said the Obasanjo-led administration sunk billions of dollars into the sector, but failed to address the problem of the power sector.

The Senate had in February asked NERC to halt the 45 percent increment, following the outcry that trailed it.
The Senate Leader, Ali Ndume (APC-Borno South), recently called for the revisiting of the privatisation process and its possible revocation.

Speaking with reporters in Abuja Ndume said the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission had no reason to increase the tariff.

The senator said the companies bought the nation’s electricity infrastructure for almost nothing and rather than investing in them, were calling for hike in tariff.
He said: “These people took over these companies for peanuts and they have not invested. I have not seen how they will just come and be charging people indiscriminately like that.

“This is not a competitive market where you say the market forces determine the price. They just want to take advantage of Nigerians. I am against that completely. In fact, I am against the privatisation completely.”

Kakayaraznits:
The strength of a man is not determined by his fist, but by his ability to control his anger.

A 46-year-old woman, identified as one Celestina Mamah from Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, has reportedly killed herself after testing positive to HIV/AIDS.
The woman committed suicide by stabbing herself to death in a forest after learning of her status.
A release by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Enugu state police command, DSP Ebere Amaraizu said the woman allegedly tested positive to HIV after a test at a nearby hospital.

He said that police investigation shows that the victim had left her home on May 28 at about 6pm and headed to a forest near Ogwu Rest House in Udenu Local Government Area of the state where she allegedly committed suicide.
He said that the corps was found the following day at about 11am.

A Chartered Accountant, Sola Andrew, has told a Nyanya customary court in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, that her marriage to Eze had bought her nothing but shame and sorrow.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Sola made this known when she testified in a divorce petition she filed against Eze.

“Since I married my husband, it’s been one issue of shame or the other.

“Worst of all was that my husband was caught in a shameful act of adultery with another man’s wife in her matrimonial home.

“He was beaten severely, his leg was broken and he could not get out of the house for about 10 months; the cost of getting him on his feet was solely borne by me.

“My husband had no money with which to treat himself neither did his family render any assistance at anytime.

“As a result of the adulterous act, he was arrested and arraigned by the police in a court.

“I took a loan from my workplace to bail my husband and settle the case out of court; this brought upon me shame and regret and impugned my reputation and integrity,” she said.

The petitioner also said that she was shocked when she found out that her husband was married to two other women who already had children for him.

“My husband never told me that he was married to any woman; it was a rude shock for me to hear that he was married to not just a wife, but two wives and children.

“It’s just dawned on me that he was using all my hard-earned salaries to take care of his wives and children.

“Marriage to my husband has brought me nothing but shame and sorrow; I beg this honourable court to grant me divorce and tell my husband to return the car and lands I bought which are in his possession,” she said.

Eze, a businessman, who was present in court, denied most of the allegations and begged the court not to dissolve the marriage, saying that he still loves his wife.

President of the court, Everyman Eleanya, adjourned further hearing in the case till June 8.

Eniola Akinkuotu

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has secured a six-year prison sentence for a civil servant for receiving double salary.

A Niger State High Court sitting in Minna sentenced Mr. Lawal Idris Abdullahi to six years imprisonment for fraudulently receiving monthly emoluments from two Federal Government agencies.

The ICPC said in a statement by its spokesperson, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, that Abdullahi was arraigned before the acting Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Maria Zukogi, by the commission on six counts bordering on making false statements to public officers, thereby contravening Sections 25 (1) (a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and 122 of the Nigerian Penal Code and punishable under the same sections respectively.

The ICPC began investigation after receiving a petition on Abdullahi’s fraudulent and dishonest activities from the National Identity Management Commission where he was working and at the same time drawing monthly salary from the Federal Inspectorate Service, Minna, which is an agency under the Federal Ministry of Education.

Shortly after the commencement of his trial, Abdullahi’s solicitors notified the trial judge of their intention to explore the plea bargain option which was not opposed by the ICPC’s prosecuting counsel, Mrs. O.O. Oluwadunsi, and Mr. O. A. Obajunwon-Ogunlana.

The statement read in part, “Justice Zukogi, upon conclusion of the plea bargain and sentencing agreement, convicted and found Abdullahi guilty of all the charges brought against him after he had pleaded guilty.

“She therefore sentenced him to one year imprisonment on each of the counts which cumulated to six years that will run consecutively with the option of the payment of a fine of N40, 000 only on each of the counts amounting to N240, 000. Abdullahi was, in addition, bound and ordered to execute a bond in the sum of N100, 000 to be of good behaviour for one year.”

A former Deputy Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Rasheed Taiwo Owolabi, has accused the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Yakubu Umar, of corruption and bias and demanded that he disqualifies himself from the Tribunal panel that will try him on false asset declaration charges preferred against him by the Federal Government.

Owolabi is standing trial on a one-count charge of failure to declare his assets throughout his career in the public service, contrary to paragraph II (1) of the Fifth Schedule, Part 1 and punishable under Paragraph 18 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution.

But the ex-Customs Chief claimed that Umar, in 2012, shortly after the charge was slammed on him, once approached him for a bribe of N10 million to pervert the cause of justice in a criminal matter filed by the Federal Government.

He argued through his counsel, Festus Ukpein, in his motion on notice that he reported Umar to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prompting his arrest and interrogation on the alleged bribery request.

Owolabi claimed that he would never get fair trial and justice from the CCT boss, having implicated him in the bribery saga, which led to the ongoing trial of his Personal Assistant, Ali Gambo Abdullahi, for criminal offence before an Abuja High Court
Specifically, Owolabi alleged that the CCT boss had become biased against him for dragging him (Umar) to the anti–graft agency on his demand for N10million bribe and the part payment of N1.8million, hence he could not get justice before Umar-led tribunal as required by law.

Owolabi, who appeared at the tribunal on Thursday, prayed that the charge against him since 2012 be struck out for want of diligent prosecution and for the likelihood of bias against him.

He predicated the motion asking Umar to disqualify himself on five issues among which was that during the pendency of his trial, he made several allegations of graft against the CCT chairman, which led to the trial of his Personal Assistant in respect of the allegation.

He insisted that it had become legally impossible for the CCT chairman to adjudicate over the matter because of a likelihood of bias by Umar against him.

The applicant, therefore, asked Umar to disqualify himself from the CCT panel billed to try him on the ground that he (applicant) will not get fair trial and justice from any trial conducted by Umar.

However, in opposing the motion, the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) which, on behalf the Federal Government, filed the charge against the ex Custom’s chief, urged the tribunal chairman to dismiss the motion on the ground that it lacked merit.

Counsel for the CCB, Peter Danladi, who is prosecuting the defendant, told the tribunal that the motion was a ploy to further delay the trial, adding that the tribunal had, in 2013, filed a motion at the court of appeal but abandoned the appeal.

The CCB lawyer said the tribunal chairman could not take the place of the prosecution as the tribunal had always held that the prosecution should prove its case beyond reasonable doubt even though the offence of failure to declare one’s assets was an offence.

“This application is vexatious and a ploy to stop the trial of the accused. It is in the interest of justice to deny this application and ask the accused to be ready for his trial at this tribunal.

“When the accused was arraigned, he took his plea and pleaded not guilty only for them to return, alleging likelihood of bias. We ask this tribunal to deny the application and ask him to stand trial,” the prosecution told the Tribunal.

The tribunal chairman, Danladi Yakubu Umar, has fixed June 14, 2016 for ruling on the motion.

lalasticlala

The President of ECOWAS, Mr Marcel De Souza, on Thursday, expressed frustration over the paucity of fund being experienced by the commission.

De Souza, a Béninoise, was speaking in Abuja when he led a delegation from the commission to a courtesy visit on the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Khadijat Abba-Ibrahim.

He appealed to Nigeria and other member states to rescue the commission by paying up their outstanding levies.

“We have certain challenges that we are facing. The first is our financial situation that has become quite precarious.

“The situation is tied to the economic condition in the member states and the fact that the price of oil has dropped.

“The community levy which represents 90 percent of our funding is no longer regularly paid by most member states; Nigeria is not alone in this regard, also Cote D’Ivoire,” he said.

He said that Cote D’Ivoire, Cape Verde and Senegal were major defaulters, but the greater challenge was Nigeria.

“We see that the greatest challenge lies with Nigeria. The arrears that Nigeria is owning is 694,000 dollars because there was no payment made between 2015 and 2016.

“Because of the debt burden it carries, ECOWAS is now losing its credibility,” the president said.

According to him, Transcorp Hilton where meeting of all Heads of State was held in 2015 had not been settled by the commission.

He added that the bills of peace building troops sent to Guinea Bissau and Mali were yet to be paid, stressing that peace would always come with a cost.
“So, we wish to see our credibility restored. We appeal to Nigeria that the outstanding bill between 2015 and 2016 be paid.

“Without Nigeria and without Nigeria’s contribution we will not be able to sustain our activities neither we will be able to restore our credibility,” he said.

The minister congratulated the president on his appointment, stressing that his vast experience would help in addressing the challenges of the commission.

She said that the issue of finance raised should be brought before President Muhammadu Buhari in as much that ECOWAS delegation would visit him later.
She said that other issues raised would be discussed in due course.

The minister said that she would discuss the issue of accommodation raised earlier by the ECOWAS leader with her counterpart in the Federal Capital Territory.
She pledged to assist the commission to secure a guest house for its president through the FCT minister so that it would not incur further hotel bills.

According to her, the issue of security is a thing of general concern and that it is necessary that troops are paid on time to give them the incentives to fight terrorism.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed civil servants in Ekiti State to begin an indefinite ‘stay at home’ strike today. Similarly, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Ekiti State, Kolawole Olaiya, has said that the inability of the Governor Ayo Fayose administration to pay workers’ salary is an indication that ‘Ekiti has become a failed state’.

In a joint statement signed by NLC Secretary, Comrade Olayemi OJP, JNC Secretary Blessing Oladele and TUC secretary Adebayo J. A, the Organised Labour reminded Fayose of the 48 hours’ ultimatum given to him to pay all deductions and five months salaries which expired yesterday.

Speaking with reporters in Ado Ekiti, Olaiya said prevailing shortfall of allocation from the Federation Account was not enough reason not to pay workers, that unless the state government acceded to the demands of labour by midnight of yesterday, industrial action would commence today.

Olaiya said, “Every government is created for the security and welfare of the people and it is criminal for any government not to pay its workers their salaries. A government that cannot pay for five months is a failed government.”

The Organised Labour in Kogi yesterday raised the alarm over reports emanating from the staff verification exercise set up by government, saying the state chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Onuh Edoka is amongst those purportedly declared as ‘ghost workers’.

The organised Labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), at a press conference in Lokoja, faulted reports of the screening exercise which they described as ‘antics by the state government to massively downsize the workforce’.

The state Chairman of TUC, Comrade Ojo Ranti, who spoke on behalf of the Organised Labour, called on the government to withdraw the purported list of ‘cleared’ local government workers sent to the various councils within 24 hours as that was not known to Labour.