JTownGist

The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr Adegoke Fayoade, has advised state residents against attacking protesters.  Fayoade gave the advice while addressing traditional rulers and community leaders in Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki, Epe and Lagos Island local government areas during a town hall meeting on Saturday.  There have been reports of a planned nationwide protest by some Nigerians over hardship in the country. The protest is planned to begin on Aug. 1 and end on Aug. 10  Fayoade said that although police and other security agencies had met and declared that there should not be any protest in Lagos State, the residents should not attack any group or groups that might come out to protest.  The commissioner of police said that attacking them would mean taking laws into one’s hands.  “If there must be a protest, it must be peaceful. We want to know those who want to protest so that we can make arrangements for their security.  “It is your right ...

Mobile phone users in Kano are increasingly steering clear of pre-registered SIM cards, citing concerns over their legality and associated risks.  Industry experts note that the illegal trade of pre-registered SIMs has been a longstanding issue, with some vendors offering them as a convenience to customers who want to bypass registration requirements.  However, authorities have cracked down on the practice, emphasising the risks associated with anonymous SIM usage.  On Thursday, July 25, this reporter posed as a customer at the Farm Centre GSM Market to buy pre-registered SIM cards but found no willing sellers. Vendors at the market insisted they did not engage in the illegal trade.  Al’ameen Hassan Tsamiya, a SIM card seller working with Airtel, said, “It is a very serious crime, we all know. I try my best to avoid offering pre-registered SIM cards for sale as my shop is an authorised shop. It will be easy for us to be located and dealt with. And Airtel ...

Islamic scholars have criticised parents and school owners for allowing their children to skip Basic Six and promoting them directly to  JSS1. The condemnation came during the tenth-year graduation ceremony of Al-Azeemant School and Ibtidaiyah. The Chief Imam of Daaru Na’im Central Mosque, Sheikh Imran Abdulmajeed Eleha, emphasised the importance of adhering to educational standards in faith-based institutions.  “In Islamic faith, our standard is based on understanding the Quran, and it is crucial that faith-based schools set the right educational standards for their students,” he stated.  Sheikh Eleha cautioned parents against allowing their children to skip Basic Six, citing its negative impact on their academic performance. He urged Nigerians and educators to align with the government’s educational policies.  Professor Abdulrazaq Abdulmajeed Alaro from the Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin (Unilorin), noted that non-compliance with the 6-3-3-4 educa...

The Plateau State Government has declared war against open defecation to avert cholera outbreak.   While Plateau has not yet reported any cholera cases, the government remains vigilant due to the outbreaks in other parts of the country. The outbreak, which began over a month ago, has spread to 33 states.  During a press conference in Jos, Samuel Nathaniel Dapak, Director General of the Plateau Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency (PEPSA), said the state was aware of the cholera epidemic and was concerned it might spread to the state if preventive measures were not taken.  He said, “We have launched an extensive preventive campaign across the state. We have identified open defecation as one of the fastest ways the disease can break out and spread, and so we have declared war against open defecation in the state.  “The agency knows the danger open defecation can cause to the entire population, and that is why we decided to stimulate awareness...

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday spoke about the planned nationwide protest by some Nigerians, emphasising the importance of sustaining democracy and its institutions.  He said that protests are an integral part of democracy, but that no government will condone demonstrations that will lead to the destruction of lives and property.  Speaking at the Presidential Villa in Abuja when he received a Letter of Credence from the newly appointed United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., Tinubu admitted that he was part of those who engaged in peaceful protests without resorting to the destruction of property.  He said: ‘’During the military era, we made our voices heard against dictatorship, and I was part of the group that engaged in peaceful protests without resorting to the destruction of property.  “We have worked hard to ensure 25 years of unbroken democracy and I will continue to maintain this democracy”, he assured.  He said much as...

The Cross River State Government has ordered the arrest and prosecution of over 1,000 illegal miners.  The government said that the Fulani had invaded and were illegally mining gold in Okwa 1 and Okwa 2 in Ukwango community in Boki LGA, as well as Ifumkpa community in Akamkpa LGA.  On Thursday, the House of Assembly directed relevant state agencies to halt the activities of the Fulani migrants engaged in illegal mining.  The assembly further resolved that while security agencies were deployed to the affected communities to arrest the Fulani miners, advocacy groups should educate community leaders on the negative impacts of illegal mining.  Hon Bette Philip Obi, representing Boki 1 State Constituency, and Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, sponsored the motion under Matters of Urgent Public Importance.  Obi said, “A large influx of unidentified Fulani, estimated to be over 1,000, have entered the Boki communities in pursuit o...

Bandits have abducted two journalists and their family members in Kaduna State. The armed men stormed Danhonu community in Millennium city of Chikun local government.  The armed men stormed Danhonu community in Millennium city of Chikun local government area of Kaduna and raided houses of the reporters of The Nation newspaper, Alhaji AbdulGafar Alabelewe, and that of Blueprint Newspaper, AbdulRaheem Aodu, their wives and children .  Alhaji Alabelewe is also the current chairman of the correspondents chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council.  A family member of one of the victims Taofeeq Olayemi, who confirmed the incident, said the bandits stormed the community at about 10:30pm on Saturday and started shooting sporadically before carrying out their action.  He said they kidnapped Alhaji Alabelewe, his wife and two of his children, while Alhaji Aodu and his wife were kidnapped, leaving behind their sick daughter.  “Initia...

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has extended the deadline for registration of all Point of Sale Operators by additional sixty days  It is reported that the commission had earlier given a deadline of 7th July 2024  However, in a post signed by Management on its X handle on Sunday, it stated that the deadline had been extended by two months.  “The Corporate Affairs Commission wishes to notify Fintech Operators also known as Point of Sales (POS) Operators that the initial deadline of 7th July, 2024 given for the registration of sole Agents, Super Agents and Agents has been extended for a period of sixty days beginning from 7th July, 2024 to the 5th September 2024.  “This is to give sufficient time to Operators particularly those in remote areas who might have encountered network challenges to so register and continue with their businesses,”  It, however, affirmed that “Operators who fail or refuse to register at the end of the extended deadline r...

The ECOWAS Court of Justice, on Thursday, dismissed a suit brought by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA).  Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma, Judge Rapporteur who delivered the judgment, said the Court dismissed all claims of rights violations due to a lack of facts and evidence in support of the allegations and ordered the NGO to pay a nominal cost of one hundred thousand naira to the Nigerian government.  The initiating application with suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/40/21 was filed on 22 July 2021 by The Registered Trustees of HEDA Resource Centre, a registered NGO focused on anti-corruption, and non-partisan human rights and development in Nigeria.  The suit was premised on the alleged failure of Nigeria to guarantee the rights to life, dignity of the human person, physical and mental health, and right to a healthy environment for Nigerians particularly those residing in the oil-producing areas of Nigeria.  Re...

Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, Emir of Kano, has said Nigeria is facing challenges that were inherited.  The Emir made this known when he received the Kano state government delegation that paid him a courtesy visit in his Gidan Dabo palace. on Thursday.  Sanusi said the nation cannot continue lamenting about the challenges, stressing that he is confident that the challenges can be overcome with resilience and attitude.  “I am confident that the nation as a whole faces challenges that are inherited, the states also face challenges that are inherited, but the solution is not to go into lamentations over what had happened in the past, we can’t continue lamenting and then do nothing about it.”  “I am confident that the people of Kano, with our history, our resilience and with our attitude can overcome these challenges. It is important to give the people that leadership to organize them and let them know that they can stand on their feet and not to remain on their...