Policemen on Saturday in Abuja fired live bullets at a vehicle conveying journalists and hunger protesters.
There are nationwide protests against hardship worsened by some policies of President Bola Tinubu. The protest started on August 1 but organisers said it would continue until August 10.
The shooting at the Abuja National Stadium where protesters converged ignited panic as journalists and protesters scampered for safety. The police earlier asked the protesters to leave the Federal Capital Territory.
The demonstration against economic hardship at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, came to an abrupt end on Saturday after security agents fired at protesters and journalists.
The security agents had initially fired tear gas canisters to disperse the protesters.
They later resorted to shooting at persons in the vicinity, breaking the rear glass and denting the bumper of the vehicle of a Premium Times reporter.
The Nigerian military has asked both international and local media to stop covering nationwide protests over heightened economic hardships under President Bola Tinubu’s government.
Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, made the call for a media blackout on the protests during a press briefing on Friday.
“For the media, I want to appeal—I noticed yesterday all the stations are hooked up to the occasion. This is not an election. Don’t give them that coverage,” Mr Musa said.
He added that many of the protesters are attention seekers who want moments in the media.
“Some of them (protesters) are looking for moments to be on the screen. Together, I can assure you we are going to win,” Mr Musa stated.
The Nigerian military’s appeal for a media blackout on the protests comes on the second day of the nationwide demonstrations that have disrupted commercial activities across the country.
Both local and international media have reported developments on the protests, which have seen thousands of Nigerians take to the streets over the worsening cost of living crisis.
On Thursday, Peoples Gazette reported how poor telecom network coverage hampered the dissemination of information as protesters marched on the streets.
Citing sources in telecom companies, The Gazette reported that the NCC and NSA are slowing down internet speed across the country to suppress the flow of information from the protesters to other Nigerians and the outside world.
Not fewer than 11 people were killed on the first day of the nationwide protests over severe economic hardships.
Mr Musa’s call for a media blackout on the protests mirrors the actions taken during the EndSARS protests on October 20, 2020, when electricity was disconnected, and telecom networks were down at the Lekki Toll Gate before soldiers opened live rounds on protesters.
Security operatives deployed to monitor and protect #EndBadGovernance protesters in the Ojota area of Lagos State have been spotted scrambling with protesters for free food packs on Tuesday.
The protest entered its second day.
FIJ observed that a private 14-seater white bus parked at the waste truck garage close to the Freedom Park, venue of the protest, drew the attention of protesters.
In a jiffy, protesters ran to the bus. Then, a man in white clothing coordinated two other men in the bus to distribute the meals to the protesters.
The protesters were immediately joined by security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Lagos Neighbourhood Security Corps (LSNC) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
As more people rushed to the bus, the situation became chaotic.
Immediately an FIJ reporter began filming the scene, the security operatives became resistant and attempted to seize his device.
The meals, packed in small white nylons, had bottles of water and drinks as complements.
FIJ could not confirm who sponsored the food distribution and the identities of the men who drove bus. However, one of them spoke with our reporter. He told FIJ that he works for someone known as “The Chef” and they were sent to bring food to distribute there.
When asked if the food was exclusively for police, he said, “No, anyone can collect. It is for everybody. Our boss did not give any specific instructions.”
In a brief interview, a policeman told our reporter he was driven by hunger to queue for feast.
“I am hungry. If you also want food, just talk to us. You can also collect a pack,” the officer said.
While trying to confirm whether the food was sponsored by and exclusively meant for the police, the policeman said, “No, someone just brought the food, and we decided to queue here for it. Anybody can join the queue. You, too, can join. Boys in the neighborhood are here; other personnel from other security agencies are here, too.”
“You don’t need to write anything, just consider that we are also your brothers and we have to eat.”
As the security operatives had their share of the meals, they returned to their vehicles.
In Sokoto, protesters are heading to the state Government House over rising insecurity and biting hunger. Many shops and businesses are visibly closed across the town.
Another bigwig from the Katsina State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Mamuda Lawal Musawa has dumped the ruling party.
Mamuda, a property development guru and CEO of Zamani Estates and Properties Development Ltd also rejected his appointment into Jagaban/Shettima Northwest Ambassadors’ as well as that of Dikko/Jobe 2023 Campaign Council.
This is coming barely 24 hours after three APC currently serving house of representatives members dumped the ruling party for PDP after a meeting with the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The property development guru, fondly referred to as ‘Zamani’ cited the imposition of candidate and refusal of the party to conduct primary election on 27th May, 2022, for Musawa/Matazu Federal Constituency as his primary reasons for quiting the party.
Mamuda, in his letter of resignation addressed to the APC Musawa Ward Chairman, said his decision is with effect from January 31, 2023.
Mamuda, a two-time House of Representatives Aspirants, also held many political appointments in the past. He was a former member, National Advisory Council for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and also a former council member for the re-election of Governor Aminu Bello Masari.
Over 1000 people decamped from APC to PDP in zamfara state and still counting.
Yesterday in My dear State Zamfara Almost 1k people decamping from APC to @OfficialPDPNig Baba @atiku and Governorship Candidate Of the State @Dr_DaudaLawal it's progress, We move �� @sgumi
I can NEVER vote for @atiku. But his statement is NOT being reported in the right context. He said a northern pan-Nigerian president is needed, not just a regional candidate, as he sees Tinubu & Obi. I see how it can be interpreted wrongly though. His phrasing is terrible.
Bayo Onanuga, a storied journalist who's now Tinubu's presidential campaign spox, said Tinubu's description of El-Rufai as some1 who "turned a rotten situation into a bad one" was a "Freudian slip."A Freudian slip is a mistake that unintentionally reveals an uncomfortable truth.
In other words, Tinubu actually secretly thinks El-Rufai turns rotten situations into bad ones but only unconsciously revealed it in an unguarded moment. So, he's apologizing for betraying the negative thoughts he has about El-Rufai that he'd successfully suppressed before now!
As the 2023 presidential election draws nearer, the Association of Northern Traders (ANT) has expressed support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa.
The decision was taken during a meeting of ANT, which took place at Grand Ibro Hotel in Abuja, and was attended by the chairmen of the 19 Northern State branches of the association including members.
A former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, represented the PDP presidential candidate, who is also the Wazirin Adamawa, at the meeting. Aliyu reminded them that Atiku Abubakar knew their importance and the kind of support they will render for his aspiration.
“We knew who had wanted to meet Atiku one on one, well by God’s grace you would see him here, in three months’ time, to sit and discuss, everybody is aware that this government have performed below expectation. They deceived us and the Nigerian economy has already collapsed, secondly, the fuel which we’re proud of having is now being siphoned away.
“Every day, we’re supposed to be producing 2.1m barrels but as it is present we’re only managing to produce only 700,000 barrels,” Aliyu stated.
Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress for 2023, has charged APC women to tell Nigerians calling for change of government to “shut up their mouths.”
Addressing APC women on Monday, Mr Tinubu said, “If they say they want a change of government, just tell them we will like to be polite but shut up your mouth.”
The ruling party candidate added, “Prosperity is here. Help is here. Security is here. Banditry has ended. Hopelessness is not in our dictionary.”
Contrary to Mr Tinubu’s claim, Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari APC-led regime has been faced with economic hardship and increased unemployment and poverty as well as heightened insecurity as bandits continue to kidnap many for ransom.
In his Independence Day speech on October 1, Mr Buhari admitted that “despite continuing efforts, unemployment, underemployment, and poverty rates remain high.”
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the rate of unemployment under the Buhari regime rose five-fold from 6.4 per cent in 2010 to 33.3 per cent in the last quarter of 2020.
In 2018, Nigeria displaced India to become the world’s poverty capital, according to a report by Brookings Institution, while the debt profile of the giant of Africa hit N42 trillion in June under the watch of Mr Buhari, according to data from the Debt Management Office.
With the regime proposing to borrow over N11 trillion to fund the 2023 budget deficit, Mr Bubari will bequeath to Nigeria over N50 trillion debt when he leaves next year May.
The former Lagos governor is contesting the presidency against Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Obi of Labour Party and a host of other candidates.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, has been conferred with the national award of the Commander of the Order of Niger, CON.
President Muhammadu Buhari conferred the national honour on Okowa on Tuesday.
Okowa received the conferment during the National Honours Award Investiture ceremony at the International Conference Centre, ICC, in Abuja.
The Delta State governor, alongside others, was honoured with the award of the Commander of the Order of Niger, CON.
Among those conferred with the honours are some past and present leaders in various fields of endeavours.
A total of 445 Nigerians were conferred various national honours.
Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola; Hon Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad; Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala; Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, and Prof Tijjani Muhammad-Bande will get the highest honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) out of the total 447 awardees.
Also, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Deputy Senate President Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha; Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan; former speaker Yakubu Dogara; Justice Kudirat M. Kekere-Ekun; Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad; Justice Monica Bolna’an and Donghan Mansem will get the second highest honour of Commander Of the Order Of the Federal Republic (CFR).
Ahead of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, several members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party in Osun State have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Alhaji Lukman Kayode Mudashir, the PDP candidate, Iwo/Ayedire/Olaoluwa Federal Constituency received the defectors on Sunday alongside the Osun West Senatorial PDP candidate, Lere Oyewumi, and other party chieftains.
Addressing the new PDP members, Mudashir told them to rest assured that the party will be home to them. He also appealed to them to support the party and mobilise for all its activities and campaigns, assuring them that the party will deliver on all its campaign promises.
Earlier, Waheed Ajani, Olaoluwa Local Government Area (LGA) PDP Acting Chairman had received the defectors on behalf of the PDP State Chairman and presented them to Oyewumi.
Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has won the Governor of the Year (Infrastructure) Award at the Federal Government Awards 2022.
In a nomination letter written to the Governor, signed by the permanent secretary, General service, Nnamdi Maurice Mbaeri. PhD from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF) Governor Fintiri has been nominated as the best infrastructure Governor, the Federal Government rated his effectiveness in the provisions of infrastructure and dividends of democracy to the people of Adamawa and Nigeria at large.
The Award is in recognition of Governor Fintiri’s monumental works in the completed and ongoing infrastructural development across the Adamawa State.
I write to respectfully inform you that you have been nominated to receive a Distinguished Award for Infrastructure Delivery (State) at the forthcoming Nigeria Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS) organized by The Best Strategic (TBS) Media in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The Award, which will be presented by President Muhammadu Buhari, will be held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, on Friday, 21 October 2022 at 10:00 am. All guests ago be seated by 9:30 am.
Ms Mariam Mohammed, the TBS Team Lead will reach out to you with further details. Please, accept the assurances of the warm regards of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and congratulations.
Politics › Kaduna Protest: APC Secretariat Under Attack by JEWELofHELL666(op): 4:44pm On Aug 05, 2024
