Author: Vincent Osuwo

Amnesty International has stated that over 1000 #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters are currently in prison custody nationwide following the recent hunger protests. The protests, which took place between August 1 and 10, turned violent in several regions of the country, with reports of looting and vandalism in multiple states. On August 6, Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun claimed that the police had detained some of the sponsors of rioters who flew foreign flags and demanded a change of government in states including Kano, Kaduna, and Zamfara, among others. However, in a statement on Friday via its X handle, the organisation accused Nigerian…

The ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control reports that monkeypox (Mpox) is still spreading in the region, with 44 confirmed cases and one fatality by the end of Epi Week 33, 2024.  The hardest-hit countries in ECOWAS are Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Ghana. The report was released on Friday, August 16, and distributed to journalists on Saturday. Mpox, or monkeypox, is a zoonotic viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus. While it has parallels to smallpox, it is typically less severe. The virus is transmitted from animal to human via direct…

A Muslim cleric in Ilorin, Kwara State, has called on Islamic faithfuls to stop blocking the road during prayers. While delivering a sermon on Friday, the cleric mentioned that the blocking of roads during prayers by worshippers is inimical to the safety of the public. Mentioning that Muslim worshippers do not have the right to block the road while praying, the cleric mentioned that the public has the right to ply the road even during Islamic prayer hours. His comments come amid the prevalent blocking of roads by religious worshippers during worship periods. A resident of Jos, Plateau State, lamented…

The police have been dispatched to rescue the 20 medical students who were kidnapped on the Otukpo-Otukpa-Enugu Road on Thursday evening. SP Catherine Anene, the state police icommand’s spokesperson, told our correspondent on Friday that the command, along with other security agencies, had deployed officers to ensure the abducted medical students were rescued. She said, “Yes, we have deployed officers to rescue the abducted medical students. It is definitely a joint force; police, in collaboration with other security agencies, were deployed.” Anene also mentioned that the medical students were abducted around Ojano village, located along Otukpo/Otukpa/Enugu Road. The kidnappers on…

The kidnappers of the 20 medical students who were abducted in Benue State on Thursday have demanded a N50 million ransom.  One of the kidnapped students, Kingsley Aondona, a student of the University of Jos, UNIJOS, disclosed this in a tweet from captivity on Friday. Crying for help, Aondona, who secretly tweeted from captivity, mentioned that the kidnappers have demanded a ransom of N50 million for all the abducted students. He added that their kidnappers have also threatened to start killing them on Saturday if the ransom is not paid. Aondona’s tweet reads, “We were kidnapped on our way to…

The kidnappers of the 20 medical students who were abducted in Benue State on Thursday have threatened to start killing the students. One of the kidnapped students, Kingsley Aondonai, a student of the prestigious University of Jos, UNIJOS, disclosed this in a tweet from captivity on Friday. Crying for help, Aondona, who secretly tweeted from captivity, mentioned that the kidnappers have demanded a ransom of N50 million for all the abducted students. He added that their abductors have also threatened to start killing them on Saturday if the ransom is not paid. Aondona’s tweet reads, “We were kidnapped on our…

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has issued a letter of advice to Justice O. M. Olagunju, an Oyo State High Court Judge, encouraging her to use caution as a judicial official before acting, especially in the most difficult circumstances.  Justice Olagunju was accused of using foul language in a letter to Nigeria’s Chief Justice, disputing the Council’s judgement and policy direction on the nomination of the President of the Customary Court of Appeal in Oyo State. Soji Oye, the NJC Director of Information, stated in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja that the NJC has also formed four investigative…

The queues for Premium Motor Spirit, also known as fuel, continued on Friday in Abuja, Niger, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and many other states as the Federal Government threatened to revoke the operating licenses of oil marketers implicated in PMS hoarding.  On Friday, huge lines of automobiles were seen at several fuel stations throughout the Federal Capital Territory, with many outlets closing owing to a lack of supply. Some fuel outlets in the Kado axis of Abuja Municipal Area Council, including AA Rano, were selling petrol at N849 per litre, while others were closed. Petrol scarcity frustrated motorists who had to wait…

The Nigerian police’s illegal occupation of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC’s national secretariat in Abuja has been condemned by the global leadership of Public Services International, PSI. PSI also criticised the reported harassment of NLC President, Comrade Joseph Ajaero, and called for a stop to the intimidation of trade union leaders in Nigeria. The censure was made in a statement by PSI General Secretary Daniel Bertossa. According to the statement, “Under the guise of a search for seditious materials purported to have been produced by the NLC for the End Bad Governance Protests led by citizens of Nigeria, especially the…

A traditional title ceremony in Amakor village, Nanka Community, Orumba North local government area of Anambra State has turned tragic, with gunmen kidnapping eight persons and injuring twelve others.  An Ozo title holder, Emmanuel Ilo, who was there at the occasion, claimed his escape was due to divine intervention. According to him, the police officers defending the site tried to oppose the attackers but were overwhelmed by the gunmen. Gunmen kidnap Anambra commissioner, wife enroute Abuja “While the event was reaching its climax, some armed men, some of whom covered their faces, stormed the venue. They were accompanied by some…