In a petition dated 10 May 2021, Ali Moibi-Balogun Family of Odo-Egiri Town in Eredo LCDA of Lagos seeks Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s intervention after armed herdsmen forcefully took over their land and erected structures on it. In this interview with VICTOR AYENI, the lawyer for the family, Adeyemi Adegbite, explains their ordeal.

Q. How long has the family been living on the invaded land?
A. Their forefathers handed it to them. In our petition, we said they inherited it from time immemorial. So, it predates Nigeria’s independence. You know in Yoruba culture, when you own land, it is your father’s land from ages. It was not land they came about in 10 or 20 years; it has been their inherited land.

Q. At what point did they begin to notice the invasion on their land?
A. It was 4 March 2021. That was the first instance they experienced incursion on their land. And then, they came back sometime in April.

Q. How did the family members protect themselves during these attacks?
A. It was not all members of the family that were on the ground; they had some members and workers living on the land. Suddenly, these people invaded the land and started shooting indiscriminately. Probably, there have been some who had been trespassing on the land. So, when they came and started shooting, the family members and their servants that were on the land escaped. That was on March 4. They reported to the extended family and that was when the family had to present the matter at the Noforija Police Station.

Q. What was the response of the personnel at Noforija Police Station?
A. As our petition captured, the first time the invaders came, the police responded swiftly. The people that invaded the land came with 3 motorbikes, a Honda Accord and others were on foot. So, they were shooting indiscriminately to take possession of the land; then, those who escaped reported to the police. And as we said, the police at Noforija responded swiftly such that they were able to recover the Honda Accord the invaders brought. Those on motorbikes, the 3 of them, escaped. Since then, Noforija Police Station has been investigating it.

But all of a sudden it is like they developed cold feet such that even our client, the complainant, was treated like a suspect. It was at that point they now briefed us and said they couldn’t take this; they needed a lawyer who would write a petition. That was when we came in.

Q. Aside the petition, which was aimed at giving a voice to this family, what do they want government or the authorities to do for them?
A. Precisely, what they want is to get their land back and also alert the government that there is danger somewhere in the Epe area, so that government can quickly come and curtail activities of the Fulani herdsmen. That is what is written in the petition. How can some strangers from nowhere just come and take their land?

As lawyers, we have to tell the whole world there is fire on the mountain. The rooftop has caught fire; we can no longer go to sleep. Government should drag these people away so there can be peace in Lagos State. We do not want Fulani herdsmen coming from anywhere to disturb the peace that has been prevalent in Lagos State. That is why we had to petition everybody. We wrote petitions to the governor, the House of Assembly, Inspector-General of Police, Commissioner of Police and all that this should be nipped in the bud.

Q.You described these people as Fulani herdsmen, how are you sure? What is the level of ammunition they have?
A. These people came with guns and were shooting. They had knives and charms all over them. I was not there, so I would not know if it was an AK-47 or whatever. But they shot at people. So, if someone invades your land with a gun, you should know that it is not a mere threat. They did not even come as if they were passing by, they came to settle down. After they came and drove everyone away between their first and second attack, they already built huts. My clients were watching, wondering what happened on their land. They were taking pictures.

We went to the police; the police came initially and anytime there was an incident, they went back to the police. At a stage, it seemed that the police were helpless; there was nothing they could do. You know, maybe they were compromised or whatever and couldn’t take any further step until we decided to blow this open. But even before then, some people had been threatening them (the family members). They had percolators on their land and they knew their names.

The community leader is of no assistance to them. Life has become unbearable for them; they cannot go to their farmland, and all of that. So the reports that were supplied to us were included in our petition. Whatever the authorities can do to come to the aid of our clients, we will appreciate. And that will even save us the rigours of going to court, suing the government or suing people. If the government can stem it now, we will not need to go to court and say we want to file criminal action anywhere. That is the essence of the petition.

Q. The family said the police branded them as suspects when they complained. Can you shed more light on this?
A. You see when the first occurrence took place, we said the police responded swiftly and recovered some things, which we stated in our petition. After the 2nd occurrence, something happened. What they expected the police to do, the police started to drag their feet. Yesterday, we were at the police area command and we met 2 DPOs from Noforija and Epe. They gave us different versions of events.

They said an incident occurred in which somebody got injured and they were trying to treat the person, but when they invited our clients, they failed to turn up. But our clients were saying this particular DPO was not very cooperative and wants to turn them into suspects. So, this was what they briefed us about at the area command after we filed our petition.

That’s the most I know about this. It is not as if I have been following this thing for a long time, you know I was just brought in. They used another lawyer before, who was not available, who should be abreast of the facts. But because of the urgency of the case with herdsmen everywhere, everyone was apprehensive. We just wanted to do something so that we would bring it to the attention of the authorities.

Q. Which police division or command was involved in this investigation?
A. That area falls under Noforija, but then, Noforija falls within Epe. But both DPOs there are hardworking. They stepped up and took this case seriously. In fact, when I met them, they had not even had some rest. They have been going up and down, trying to unravel the situation.

Q. Are the herdsmen still occupying the land as we speak?
A. I have not been to the site. We lawyers rely on info provided by our clients. We attached some photographic evidence to our petition, so you could see that they were present. Then again, like I said, yesterday we were at the area command and tried to get our clients to come to the area command, but they could not come. But then, when I called them to ask about their position if they were coming for the meeting at the area command, they told me they noticed some herdsmen still on the land and they were trying to video them. Even when we got to the residence of my client at Epe with the DPO, the wife of the Olori Ebi confirmed to me that the Fulani herdsmen were still on their land.

Q. Have the police visited the expanse of land to invite or arrest the suspects?
A. At the first instance in March, the police went there and recovered a car. That was when the DPO at Noforija said he saw someone there who was injured. I think he was bleeding on his head kind of, so he paid attention to him. Probably they might have gone back, you know, on some other occasions that we were not aware of.

Q. Do you suspect that some powerful people in Abuja are supporting these herdsmen in some way?
A. Abuja? That is beyond my brief. We wrote a petition to the IG of Police. You see, this insecurity is nationwide, that is why we want to alert everybody. I wouldn’t know if anybody is supporting them. Support is a big word. I would not know if anybody is sponsoring or backing them from Abuja. My own is that we saw these people on the land and we have to alert the authorities.

Q. Have the state government and House of Assembly responded to your petition?
A. Nobody has responded to our petition now except that the police are working hard. They are working round the clock. We have not received any correspondence from any authority. But I was even surprised, you see we did not write to the Commissioner of Police, we only copied him, yet the police are working. They are on top of the matter. They want to be sure that if there is such a thing, they will nip it in the bud.

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/how-gun-wielding-herdsmen-took-over-family-land-at-lagos-erected-structures-on-it-lawyer/

Here then is the mystery: Across the country, many governors who have supposedly performed woefully have also eventually won second terms in office.

How and why!!!!

Jeux:
I have never seen a Governor as useless as this man, hè has turned edo from a developing state to a slum within just 5 years

Hurt goes beyond the physical.

Put yourself in that' woman’s shoes: would you feel safe in that apartment after such an experience?

doggedfighter:
Thankfully he was harmless. Just needed a soft warm bed and food to enjoy himself with

I wish all stories end like this with no one hurt

NLC Kaduna State Council has said over 20,000 state workers have not received their April salaries. Chairman, NLC Kaduna State Council, Ayuba Suileman, told our correspondent workers in the state would begin a 5-day warning strike Monday because of the mass sack of over 6,000 workers by the state government.

Suleiman said, “The strike would commence Monday through to Friday as a warning. The essence of the strike is that we want the state government to reverse the decision of sacking the huge number of workers.

“Workers in the state are not happy. They are jittery. The state government is using random indiscriminate deposition to send people packing. No worker in Kaduna state is at rest. They are jittery and are not performing optimally. While they have paid April salaries, over 20,000 people have not received their salaries.” He expressed hope the state governor, Nasir el-Rufai would rescind his decision.

He said, “The state governor is looking difficult, and from antecedence, he does not have a good relationship with trade unions and the NLC. We will try to persuade him through this strike and hope he rescinds the decision of sacking over 6,000 workers.”

NUPENG TO DOWN TOOLS
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has ordered tanker drivers in Kaduna State to down tools for 5 days beginning from Sunday. The directive was conveyed in a letter to the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of NUPENG Kaduna. NUPENG said the directive was from the NLC to protest mass sack of teachers and other civil servants in the state and Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s refusal to implement the new minimum wage.

“Consequent upon that directive, you are hereby directed to effect maximum compliance of the directive for the successful execution of the campaign against anti-labour activities and the behaviour of the executive governor of Kaduna State,” the union said.

https://punchng.com/20000-kaduna-workers-unpaid-strike-begins-monday-says-nlc/

Lagos!

PCG001:


Edo no вe_________________________________❓

Very good observation and advice. Kudos!

tnerro1:
The only issue I see is where he said if you want to stay the next period, you should pay the rent 3 months before you start the next period. Talk to him, the economy is hard, let him give you a grace of 1 month after your tenancy is up to pay or you agree to pack out if you fail to meet the one month grace period without need for court papers. It should be in writing and both of you sign with witnesses and get it documented in court

Please explain why you want the word "covenant" changed.

In law, it simply means an agreement (usually formal) between 2 or more persons to do or not do something specified.

incogni2o:

tell him to change the word covenant

"Demised premises" means a piece of land with the buildings on it, that have been transferred by lease.

They are the parts of the premises the leaseholder or tenant is permitted to occupy. This is important to note in a legal agreement because there may be parts of the land or building that are to be retained by the landlord.

dominique:
Confusing English. Which one is demised premises Bayi?

Wife of Pastor Otamayomi Ogedengbe, who was kidnapped at his church at Irese in Ifedore LGA of Ondo State, has called on security agencies in the state to secure the release of her husband. Pastor Ogedengbe of Deeper Life Christian Church was abducted in the church on Monday evening by some unknown gunmen who reportedly came to the church in a Toyota Corolla.

Speaking on Wednesday, the wife of the victim, Yinka called on Nigerians to help secure release of her husband, saying the bandits had not contacted the family for ransom. Narrating how her husband was abducted, Yinka said the hoodlums entered the premises of the church and took their time to search for her husband before they forcefully took him away.

She said some church members made attempt to pursue the hoodlums but the kidnappers were shooting indiscriminately to scare people away.

"It was our bible study day. While rounding up from the church, one of the brothers who was trying to park a car met some boys outside. He said they pushed him out of the car which he thought they wanted to collect from him. They slapped him when they discovered he was not the persons they were looking for. Then they brought him into the church and started searching for who they were looking for. They saw my husband and said he was the person.

‘When we got outside, they started shooting and pushed my husband into their car. We drove after them towards Irese road but they were shooting at us. It was dark so we stopped. Since then we have not heard anything from them (kidnappers). May God help me to bring my husband back. He is the only son of his parents. Nigerians should help secure the release of my husband.”

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Bolaji Salami said he had directed his men to secure the release of the pastor unhurt.

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/abductors-of-ondo-pastor-yet-to-contact-family-wife/

The US is currently experiencing fuel scarcity and people are engaging in panic buying. The scarcity is due to shutdown of the largest U.S. fuel pipeline by hackers, last Friday.

What happened? Colonial Pipeline was hit with a ransomware attack. Bloomberg reported that the hackers began their attack on Thursday by stealing about 100 gigabytes of data as part of a double-extortion scheme.

The hack forced Colonial Pipeline to halt operations in what it termed an "abundance of caution." The company said the ransomware attack targeted its infotech systems. White House officials said on Monday that the pipeline itsef did not appear to suffer any damage.

The FBI also said on Monday that the culprit of the hack is a strain of ransomware called DarkSide, believed to be operated by a Russian cybercrime gang of the same name. President Joe Biden said Monday there was no evidence the Russian government was involved in the hack.

While the impact remains to be quantified, the pipeline shutdown will reduce fuel availability in the near term, push up prices and force refiners to cut production because they have no way to ship the gas. The shutdown has affected supply of gas in parts of the East Coast, with some people waiting an hour or more at filling stations.

Colonial Pipeline, which carries 45% of the fuel supplies for the eastern USA, said in a statement late Friday that it took “certain systems offline to contain the threat, which has temporarily halted all pipeline operations and affected some IT systems.”

The pipeline is 5,500 miles long and carries jet fuel and refined gasoline from the Gulf Coast to New York, according to the Times, transporting some 2.5 million barrels daily.

SOURCES: Various

Federal Government is perfecting a plan to extend equalisation scheme to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as part of measures to reduce deforestation, greenhouse pollution and deaths from use of solid fuels.

Speaking at an interactive session, yesterday, Executive Secretary of Petroleum Equalisation Fund, Ahmed Bobboi, said the government was also considering lifting petroleum products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), by railway, given the expansion of the rail network across the country.

Bobboi noted that the country’s growing demand for petrol has pushed the level of equalised petroleum product from 30% to over 100% as the challenge of inadequate infrastructure, which led to creation of the agency about 45 years ago, persists.

Created by Decree 9 of 1975 and amended by Decree 32 of 1989, the fund was charged with the primary responsibility of reimbursing petroleum products marketing companies for any losses suffered by them, solely and exclusively, as a result of the sale of petroleum products at uniform prices throughout the nation.

Bobboi stated that with the equalisation of gas, the product would become cheaper and accessible across the country, adding that the level of deforestation and the health burden associated with cooking with firewood would drastically reduce.

Reportedly over 850 million Africans still depend on solid fuels (biomass) for cooking. The use of solid fuels, according to the African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA), has led to the death of over 600,000 Africans yearly due to household air pollution.

According to Bobboi, the plan to expand the equalisation scheme is being fine-tuned along with key related agencies and planned to align with the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

“Gas is an essential commodity. If we are able to make it cheaper and accessible, we will be able to improve the economy. We have been able to successfully equalise petrol for over 45 years. We believe that the expansion to gas, especially now that we are in a decade of gas, will add value to the economy.”

SOURCE:

-- Netflix
-- PS5
-- Music
-- Novels
-- Online courses
-- Call family and friends
-- Play Indoor Badminton
-- Audio Books
-- Learn a new language
-- Learn to play a musical instrument
-- Cooking
-- Gardening
-- Board games like chess, scrabble etc
-- Spring-clean your house
-- Print and frame photos
-- Listen to podcasts
-- Write a book
-- Indoor picnic
-- Art and crafts
-- Online shopping
-- Star gazing
-- Brain games
-- Practice origami (paper folding).
-- Home redecoration
-- Order pizza
-- Prayer and meditation
-- etc

Dollarseeker:
To all those earning well but have all the time to themselves, please what do u do for fun. As in making too much money from home or owning a business that is runned for you by other employees, pls what do u guys do to have fun?

Staying at home all day is someone boring, without fun. Although I am not actually bored because I like quiet and less noisy environment and when alone I am still happy, however, I want to add fun to it.

So I am putting this questions to guys that makes money without stress and not going to work everyday; what do u do to keep u busy or add fun daily in ur lives.

Pls don't pm me.

The FG on Monday restricted gatherings at worship centres and banned night clubs as parts of measures aimed at preventing spread of devastating strains of COVID-19 into the country.

Amid concern about the strains of the virus in India, South Africa, Turkey and Brazil, the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 at its press briefing in Abuja reintroduced some measures which were put in place during the 2nd COVID-19 wave in the country.

Eminent virologist and Chairman, Expert Review Committee on COVID-19, Professor Oyewale Tomori, and a virologist at University of Ibadan, Prof David Olaleye, in separate interviews with The PUNCH supported government’s actions. They warned Nigerians that India’s COVID-19 crisis was an indication there could be a resurgence of the virus in Nigeria.

Recall that WHO Regional Virologist, Dr Nicksy Gumede-Moeletsi, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH on Saturday, said B.1.351 variant of coronavirus, first found in South Africa, was spreading in 23 African countries. These include Kenya, Cameroon, Cote D’ ívoire, Malawi, Mauritius, Togo, Botswana, Comoros, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Ghana, South Africa, DRC, Rwanda, Equatorial Guinea, Seychelles and Tanzania.

As of Sunday, Africa had recorded 4,673,466 cases. South Africa with 1.59 million cases has the highest number of infections in the continent. Nigeria has so far recorded 165,419 cases of the virus out of which 2,065 have died while 156,300 have been discharged. India, whose cases have attracted global attention following shortage of oxygen and hospital spaces, has recorded 22,991,927 infections.

NEW PREVENTIVE MEASURES
To prevent similar occurrence in Nigeria, the National Incident Manager, Mukhtar Mohammed, who rolled out preventive measures on Monday, said a nationwide curfew would be introduced from midnight of Monday.

He said the curfew would run from 12 midnight till 4am daily. He also said gatherings for worship or weddings should not be more than 50% capacity. He said security agents had been saddled with responsibility of enforcing all non-pharmaceutical measures put in place by government.

Mohammed said, “Further to these recommendations and effective from 0001hours of Tuesday, May 11, 2021, this Phase IV of the phased restriction of movement shall come into effect. We shall maintain restrictions of mass gatherings outside work settings with a maximum of 50 people in an enclosed space. Approved gatherings must be held with physical distancing measures and other non-pharmaceutical interventions in place.”

He stated that there would be enforcement of a mandatory requirement of a 7-day quarantine for all international passengers. Mohammed added there would be “enforced temperature checks and no mask, no entry policy in all public settings; workplace buildings, businesses and places of worship. Access to government and commercial premises should be denied to persons without face masks.

“The nationwide curfew will be imposed tonight at midnight and it will run through till 4am. No formal restrictions on movement within the country even as citizens are encouraged to refrain from non-essential movements and comply with all non-pharmaceutical interventions and guidelines. People above 60 and or with co-morbidities are encouraged to stay at home. Only essential international travels are encouraged.”

According to him, hotels are to remain open while adhering to all non-pharmaceutical interventions, while schools are to deploy use of antigen-based rapid tests as recommended in the guidelines by the NCDC. He added that indoor recreational facilities and gyms were to close until June 11 when the situation would be reviewed while non-contact outdoor sports such as golf, Polo and tennis were not affected.

He added, “In terms of working arrangements, virtual meetings should be encouraged as much as possible. We should avoid large meetings, decongest offices and ensure they are well ventilated. States have been asked to institute mobile courts to help enforce on the spot fines and close premises that violate these prohibitions.

“On communal services, markets and stores, they should ensure spot checks of commercial premises and observed or mandatory non-pharmaceutical interventions. Facility owners and managers and store owners are to ensure that physical distancing is observed. All mass gatherings remain restricted to 50 persons except explicit permission has been granted by the state governments. Hotels are to remain open, but they must observe non-pharmaceutical interventions.

“Schools have already opened. However, they should consider use of approved antigen based rapid diagnostics tests as recommended by NCDC. All religious gatherings should be limited to less than 50% capacity to ensure physical distancing, and use of face masks are mandatory.

“All recreational venues, gyms and indoor sports facilities are to close until June 11 when the situation will be reviewed. However, non-contact outdoor sports such as golf, polo and tennis are not affected by these. Gatherings in weddings, parties and meetings should also comply with 50 persons. Mass political gatherings, gatherings in the open, a large number of people are strictly to adhere this COVID-19 protocol.”

“Event centres, night clubs shall remain closed until further notice. Restaurants are to provide eat-in at 50% capacity and provide takeaways where available.”

FOREIGN PASSENGERS ESCAPING FROM OUR FACILITIES – PSC CHAIR
Chairman of PSC, Boss Mustapha, lamented that some returning foreign passengers escaped from isolation facilities, violating the mandatory quarantine requirement under the advisory earlier issued. He said the committee frowned on such act, adding that appropriate punishment would be meted out to anyone found culpable upon completion of investigations.

Mustapha said, “The PSC has received reports of some returning foreign passengers who violated the mandatory quarantine requirement under the advisory by escaping from the facilities. We deprecate such violation of the laws of our land and our hospitality. PSC is awaiting the report of ongoing investigations and wish to assure Nigerians appropriate sanctions would be imposed on the violators.”

Mustapha disclosed that the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government had fixed the cost of COVID-19 testing, whether PCR or otherwise, at $50 at all Points of Entry with effect from May 17, 2021. This, he said, was to ease travel and trade among citizens of ECOWAS States travelling within the region.

Also speaking at the briefing, Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, stated that the experience of other countries such as India, Pakistan and Thailand showed the unpredictable nature of the virus, urging Nigerians not to lose their guard. The minister urged Nigerians to take responsibility as they celebrated Sallah, adding that the experience of the 3rd wave of the virus from India among others was fuelled by elections and religious gatherings.

He said, “It is important to remain aware of risks involved in traveling, gathering, celebrating and generally letting down our guard. I urge everyone to take responsibility for their personal and family safety from COVID-19 infection. Experience from India and other countries showed that the terrible 3rd wave which has caused so much loss of human lives was facilitated and fuelled by events immediately related to political campaigns, elections and religious gatherings.

“These contributed greatly to the explosion of cases that India is currently battling with today. As we celebrate the Sallah days ahead, let us remember this warning and ensure we avoid all situations that tempt us to forget Covid-19 preventive measures and life-saving non-pharmaceutical measures. “

EXPERTS URGE COMPLIANCE
Meanwhile, experts who reacted to the measures urged Nigerians to comply. A virologist at University of Ibadan, Olaleye, in an interview with The PUNCH said "Respiratory viruses spread like wild fire. Look at the situation in India and some South American countries, the rate of COVID-19 is very high and raging very rapidly. Here, as long as we are still detecting cases, the risk is still there.

“Any effort by government in public interest can be utilised to ensure the disease is controlled will be in the right direction.”

Eminent virologist and Chairman, Expert Review Committee on COVID-19, Tomori, said he was in support of the new directive, adding that it was a targeted approach. Tomori noted that Nigerians had thrown caution to the wind and were no longer adhering to COVID-19 guidelines. He said the National Sports Festival which took place in Edo State recently ought not to have taken place.

The virologist argued that COVID-19 threat was not yet over and the Indian experience was proof there could be resurgence. Tomori said, “I am in support of this new directive as long as it does not include total lockdown. This approach is a targeted one and I think it is welcome. People no longer adhere to guidelines such as wearing masks and social distancing.

“In my opinion, the National Sports Festival shouldn’t have happened. This new approach which includes shutting of night clubs and others is welcome.”

FG APPROVES ADMINISTRATION OF SECOND DOSE COVID-19 VACCINE
Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, has said the FG has directed states to begin administering the 2nd dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to those who have taken the first dose. Shuaib disclosed this at the briefing of the PSC in Abuja.

He urged those who had taken their first dose to check their vaccination cards for the date of their second dose. He said, “The need to protect ourselves and put COVID-19 behind us, the way we have done to polio, so that we can return to our normal living, truly is a national effort.

“In addition to health workers, frontline workers 18 years and above and persons aged 50 years and above are advised to visit any designated vaccination site to receive the vaccine free of charge. We also advise that people who have received their first dose should check their vaccination cards for the date of their second dose, and ensure that they receive the second dose to gain full protection against COVID-19.

“I want to remind you that the eligibility period between the first and second doses of the vaccine has been expanded from 12 weeks to between 6 to 12 weeks, in line with the scientific recommendation provided by the WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE on immunisation). Already, the PSC has approved commencement of the second dose of the Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccination in all states of the federation, including FCT.” ,,

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/deadly-covid-19-variants-experts-warn-as-fg-restricts-gatherings-revives-curfew-bans-nightclubs-others/

The 2 phone numbers you posted both belong to females ("Alimot" and "Iya Basity Omilana" ), according to Trucaller, implying that the "kidnappers" are either women or using the women's numbers to call you.

Whether or not the "kidnapping" is real, here is my advice:
1. Involve the police, through the HOD of your friend's department.
2. Forget about "girlfriends" and focus solely on your studies. If you graduate with excellent grades and eventually get a good job or a thriving business, you will have no problems getting a girlfriend. If you lose focus and fail in your studies, no "girlfriend" will stick with you.

Best wishes!

Emerald04:
Am actually in my HND 1...
Below is the number they've bn using to contact me 09073336568, 09046239221

Gunmen collected over N34.5m as ransom for 8 kidnap victims in Ogun State, in a week. The kidnappers suspected to be herdsmen reportedly collected over N30m from the 8 victims in 3 separate operations carried out in different parts of Ogun State.

Recall The PUNCH had reported that some kidnappers abducted a businesswoman and her guest in Ofada village, in Obafemi-Owode LGA, a driver and 3 passengers on Abeokuta-Ayetoro Road, as well as 4 victims in Ibara-Orile in Abeokuta-North LGA. While the kidnap of the businesswoman and her guest occured 2 weeks ago, the two other incidents happened last week. However, they were all released after a total of over N34.5m ransom was paid to the abductors.

Our correspondent gathered that kidnappers of the victims at Ibara-Orile collected N34.5m from the husband of one of the victims. It was further gathered that for the driver and 3 passengers on Abeokuta-Ayetoro Road, N4.5m was paid on Saturday.

The businesswoman and her guest, who were released last week, reportedly parted with undisclosed amount of money. When contacted, the Police PRO, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the victims had been released. Oyeyemi however denied knowledge of payment of ransoms by the victims’ families.

He said “We are not a party to any payment of ransom. When they want to do it, they will not carry the police along.” When asked about the growing payment of ransom by victims’ families, the PPRO said, “How do we do it when you are not carried along? By the time they start the negotiation, we are not even aware.”

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/kidnappers-collected-over-n34-5m-in-three-ogun-abductions/

6. APPENDIX
This is a small blind-ended worm-like structure at the junction of the large and the small bowel. Initially thought to be vestigial, it is now believed to be involved in being a “safe-house” for the good bacteria of the bowel, enabling them to repopulate when needed.

Due to the blind-ended nature of the appendix, when intestinal contents enter it, it can be difficult for them to escape and so it becomes inflamed. This is called appendicitis. In severe cases, the appendix needs to be surgically removed.

A word of warning though: just because you’ve had your appendix out, doesn’t mean it can’t come back and cause you pain again. There are some cases where the stump of the appendix might not be fully removed, and this can become inflamed again, causing “stumpitis”. People who have had their appendix removed notice no difference to their life.

5. GALL BLADDER
This sits under the liver on the upper-right side of the abdomen, just under the ribs. It stores something called bile. Bile is constantly produced by the liver to help break down fats, but when not needed in digestion, it is stored in the gallbladder.

When the intestines detect fats, a hormone is released causing the gallbladder to contract, forcing bile into the intestines to help digest fat. However, excess cholesterol in bile can form gallstones, which can block the tiny pipes that move bile around. When this happens, people may need their gallbladder removed. The surgery is known as cholecystectomy. Every year, about 70,000 people have this procedure in the UK.

Many people have gallstones that don’t cause any symptoms, others are not so fortunate. In 2015, an Indian woman had 12,000 gallstones removed – a world record.

4. COLON
The colon (or large intestine) is a tube that is about 6-feet in length and has 4 named parts: ascending, transverse, descending and sigmoid. The primary functions are to resorb water and prepare faeces by compacting it together. The presence of cancer or other diseases can result in the need to remove some or all of the colon. Most people recover well after this surgery, although they notice a change in bowel habits. A diet of soft foods is initially recommended to aid the healing process.

3. REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS
The primary reproductive organs in the male and female are the testes and ovaries, respectively. These structures are paired and people can still have children with only one functioning.

The removal of one or both are usually the result of cancer, or in males, trauma, often as a result of violence, sports or road traffic accidents. In females, the uterus (womb) may also be removed. This procedure (hysterectomy) stops women from having children and also halts the menstrual cycle in pre-menopausal women. Research suggests women who have their ovaries removed do not have a reduced life expectancy. Interestingly, in some male populations, removal of both testicles may lead to an increase in life expectancy.

2. STOMACH
The stomach performs 4 main functions:
-- mechanical digestion by contracting to smash up food,
-- chemical digestion by releasing acid to help chemically break up food, and then
-- absorption and
-- secretion.

The stomach is sometimes surgically removed as a result of cancer or trauma. In 2012, a British woman had to have her stomach removed after ingesting a cocktail that contained liquid nitrogen.

When the stomach is removed, surgeons attach the oesophagus (gullet) directly to the small intestines. With a good recovery, people can eat a normal diet alongside vitamin supplements.

The human body is incredibly resilient. When you donate a pint of blood, you lose about 3.5 trillion red blood cells, but your body quickly replaces them. You can even lose large chunks of vital organs and live. e.g. people can live relatively normal lives with just half a brain. Other organs can be removed in their entirety without having too much impact on your life. Here are some of the “non-vital organs”.

1. SPLEEN
This organ sits on the left side of the abdomen, towards the back under the ribs. It is most commonly removed as a result of injury. Because it sits close the ribs, it is vulnerable to abdominal trauma. It is enclosed by a tissue paper-like capsule, which easily tears, allowing blood to leak from the damaged spleen. If not diagnosed and treated, it will result in death.

When you look inside the spleen, it has two notable colours. A dark red colour and small pockets of white. These link to the functions. The red is involved in storing and recycling red blood cells, while the white is linked to storage of white cells and platelets.

You can comfortably live without a spleen. This is because the liver plays a role in recycling red blood cells and their components. Similarly, other lymphoid tissues in the body help with the immune function of the spleen.

You are absolutely right. It's all about talent, attitude and perseverance. Some people that started on this same job are now multi-millionaires.

INTEGRITYA1:


I will talk to you as Real Estate Consultant, sharing of that fliers you're like making mockery of as and still making hardworking fellows to become millionaires. Go and ask.

Her personal experience is invaluable, because the OP is trying to take a crucial decision that has implications for his life, career and destiny.

Please convince her to join Nairaland, and to comment on this thread. Alternatively, discuss with her and post her experience here.

Aarenasbaba:

One of my course mate had been working with them since 2013 during her IT days. I don't think she can leave that company any moment from now. It pain me that she is not on nairaland.

What are the prices?

The Ministry of Transport is under the supervision of the Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi. Since inception of the Buhari administration, it has launched various railway stations across the country, one of which is the Abuja-Kaduna Railway.

Information has reached NEWSRAND about suspicious activities going on in the train station, of staff exploiting passengers by selling tickets at higher price. Our team conducted an investigation and here’s what we discovered;

Staff at these stations hoard tickets, then tell passengers who intend to board that they are sold out; no more seats in the train. As departure time draws nearer, staff who hoard these tickets then discreetly go to meet with frustrated passengers, telling them they have a reserved ticket and doubling the price from the initial ticket price. The passengers have no option but to buy this ticket because of need and urgency.

NEWSRAND in its findings got the original price of the ticket to be N3,000 for economy class, and N6,000 for business class, with minor extra charges for medicals. Speaking with Andra Chidiebele, one of the riders at Kubwa train station explained to NEWSRAND how she was exploited by one of the train station staff.

“I tried getting tickets online, on my way back to Abuja, and it was showing me there were no more available seats on the train. I went there to the train station, and got same feedback that seats were all occupied; I was feeling down because I had to get back to Abuja for an event that day.

“Suddenly a man came to me, telling me he can get me a ticket in the Economy class for N6,000, I was not happy about the hike, the initial price of the ticket is N3,000, but I had to go back home today, so I bargained with him for N5,000 which he agreed. On entering the train, I found out it was almost empty. The seats they claimed to be all out! I was vexed but could do nothing about it."

Another passenger, Bright Udom, shared the experience of how he was ripped off earlier on his way to Kaduna.

“I had a wedding to attend on a Saturday morning, so closed from work earlier to catch the 6 pm train. I went straight to the ticket stand only to be told the train is full. I had to get on the train because of the wedding starting 10 am next day. I felt disappointed, only to be approached by a staff who told me he has an extra ticket.

“He told me he has sitting ticket and standing ticket, that the sitting will cost me N7,000 while standing will cost N4,000. I tried negotiating but he said he will not sell less, so I had to buy the standing since it is just a 2 hour journey. I got on the train and I didn’t even have to stand for a second because there were empty seats.

Jessica Chibuike, a Commuter, narrated her ordeal, how amused she was when a cleaner in the station sold her a train ticket. “I was rather amused than upset (even if I had been swindled of an extra N2,000) when a cleaner in the station sold a ticket for me after I was told the train was full. I mean like is he going back to Kaduna after work, what is he doing with an extra ticket?

Passengers have cried out against this exploitation and it seems nothing has been done so far, and with the rate of insecurity on the Abuja-Kaduna expressway, people find it safer to travel by train.

SOURCE (abridged): https://newsrand.com/2021/05/05/revealed-how-abuja-kaduna-train-station-staff-exploit-passengers/

SOLUTION: If you choose to marry, do it with your senses 100% intact.

Thereddevil:
Omo, I dey fear this marriage of a thing o.. Wetin man wan do?

Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, on Tuesday urged government not to take threats by kidnappers of students of Greenfield University, Kaduna lightly. Gumi, who stated this in an interview with The PUNCH, said the Central Bank of Nigeria should pay the N100m ransom being demanded by the kidnappers of the students.

He made the call as a parent of one of the abductees lamented the kidnappers were insisting on a ransom of N100m. The parent, who spoke to one of our correspondents in Kaduna on condition of anonymity, lamented the bandits were still insisting on their demands and threatening to kill the students. No fewer than 23 students and a member of staff of the university were abducted from the school on 20 April 2021. Few days later, 5 of the students were killed by the bandits.

On Monday, one of the bandits, Sani Jalingo, in an interview with Hausa service of Voice of America, demanded N100m and 10 motorcycles for the students to be freed. He threatened that failure of Kaduna State Government or families of the students to meet the demands by Tuesday (yesterday), would lead to killing of the abductees.

BANDITS NOT SHIFTING GROUND, INSIST ON N100M, 10 MOTORCYCLES – PARENTS CRIES OUT
A parent, who spoke to The PUNCH correspondent in Kaduna at 9pm Tuesday, called on the FG to do everything possible to rescue the students.He also called on corporate organisations to assist in rescuing the students.

He said the call became imperative as the bandits stood their ground that unless their demands were met the remaining students would be killed. He said, “The bandits still stand their ground of demanding N100m and 10 motorcycles; no individual negotiation. We are calling on government to do whatever it can to see to the release of our children. Our children have stayed long in the forest.

“We don’t know the state of their health at the moment. We don’t know whether they are being fed or how they are treated by the bandits. All we can say now is for the government of the day, especially, the Federal Government and well-meaning Nigerians to come to our aid. We can’t afford the N100m and the motorcycles demanded by the bandits.

“We are also calling on corporate organisations to come under their corporate social responsibilities to assist us to get our children out of the bandits’ den.”

SHEIK GUMI'S INTERVENTION
Gumi, who spoke on Tuesday during a programme of the African Independent Television, Kakaaki, monitored by one of our correspondents, said he needed the support of the FG to rescue the students.

When asked if he was aware of the kidnap of students of Greenfield University and Federal College of Forestry, he said “As for the forestry students, we have been trying to see whether we can get some of the herdsmen’s contact so they can release these people. We have also been trying our best but you know we have limitations, there are lots of obstacles on the way but the parents have been really consulting with us.”

On the Greenfield University students, the cleric said, “The issue of the Greenfield students is a little bit more complex. There are two groups of bandits. We have the ordinary Fulani ethnic herdsmen and the religious elements, terrorists. That is why we have been telling the government to support us so we can go in and bring the children out.

“The issue is getting compounded because this element is coming in; Boko Haram is coming into the scene now. They are the ones that captured Greenfield students. It is not a question of sleeping. You have to act very fast.”

GUMI ASKS FG TO PAY THE N100M RANSOM
Gumi, who spoke to one of our correspondents on telephone, lamented that his efforts, which had been yielding fruits, were not being appreciated by the government.

He said, “ The money they are asking for is too much; if I give you that money, you cannot run away with it. Nobody can run. So, why not give them the money, they release the boys and then we pursue them and get our money back and do what is necessary; it is simple logic. So, bring the money from the central bank. How can they move that money? We should not be stupid.

“These people are getting infiltrated; Boko Haram is getting close and they don’t respect the clergy. I need support to get them inoculated against the infiltration of these ideologies, whether Boko Haram or Ansaru, whatever it is. We need to shield them because they are naïve. If there is too much pressure on them, and they see help from Boko Haram, who are richer and have more weapons, it is going to consume everybody.”

In an interview with journalists Tuesday, National President of the Parents Teacher Association, Haruna Danjuma, urged the bandits to spare the lives of the innocent students. Also, the National President, Foundation for The Protection of Women and Children, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani, appealed to the abductors for the sake of the Holy Month of Ramadan, not to kill any student.

The two groups made the appeal as one of the kidnapped students of the Greenfield University regained freedom. It was learnt that the student was released on Saturday before the bandits made their fresh demands on Monday. On Tuesday, Lauretta Attahiru, mother of the released student, confirmed the development to journalists.

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https://punchng.com/cbn-should-pay-n100m-greenfield-students-ransom-before-its-too-late-gumi/

Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry and energy experts have expressed divergent views on demand by labour that pump price of petrol should not be increased until the country’s refineries are fixed.

The Nigeria Labour Congress said last week it had listed key issues to be addressed before the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation would adjust pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol). It specifically stated that one of such items was that the national oil company must fix the country’s refineries in order to cut down on importation of refined petroleum products into the country.

“The position of labour on this issue is popular, but not fiscally and economically sustainable. It is putting the future of the country at great risk,” the Director-General, LCCI, Dr Muda Yusuf, told our correspondent. According to him, the Nigerian economy cannot survive the subsidy-induced headwinds for long.

He said, “Labour needs to come to terms with the high macroeconomic and systemic risks that the continuation of the subsidy regime poses for the country. Over the past three decades, the policy of public sector dominance of the downstream petroleum sector had effectively blocked private investment in the sector. The economy is now paying a huge price for decades of an inappropriate policy choice.”

Yusuf said Nigeria should draw appropriate lessons from the collapse of the Venezuelan economy, adding that the Latin American country got entangled in an unsustainable petroleum subsidy regime that eventually led to the collapse of its economy.

He said, “Labour and government should come up with creative and innovative ways of cushioning the effects of subsidy removal rather than insist on a policy that could pull down an already fragile economy. The country does not have the fiscal space to continue on the current policy path. Labour needs to rethink its position in the larger interest of the economy and the entire citizens of the country.”

An energy economist, Prof. Adeola Adenikinju, said, “The maintenance of subsidy has brought us to a level where we have completely mismanaged the downstream sector. It has had a negative impact on our foreign reserves, exchange rate, government revenue, and capacity of the FG to perform its responsibilities.

“I don’t know why anyone wants subsidy to continue. It has made Nigeria, largest exporter of crude oil in Africa, the largest importer of petroleum products on the continent. It is a paradox.” Adenikinju said successive governments had tried but failed to repair the refineries.

He said, “We have refineries gulping billions of naira monthly, producing no oil; employees receiving salaries while doing nothing. We should not continue to support this; we should learn from history. Labour should find other ways to hold government accountable, rather than holding on to subsidy maintenance.”

However, a public policy analyst and oil and gas expert, Mr Bala Zakka, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, described the demands of the NLC as ‘completely realistic’. He said, “If our local refineries become functional, there will be no need for price increase because of the many add-ons during importation such as cost of the vessel, sea transportation, security, insurance, port landing charges, depot holding charges and others will be eliminated.” Zakka said focused and organised leaders save their countries from economic slavery.

The NNPC had said last month that there would be no increase in the ex-depot price of PMS in May. The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mele Kyari, said on March 25 that the FG was subsidising petrol with about N100bn to N120bn monthly.

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/lcci-expert-fault-labours-position-on-fuel-subsidy-refineries/