Current News In Nigeria Today 2nd January 2019

There is tension in Benin City following the killing of a middle-aged man around King’s Square (Ring Road) by policemen believed to be attached to the Oba Market police station.

According to a police source, the man was a suspected armed robber who had been on the wanted list of the police and who allegedly coordinated early-morning robberies after the New Year, when mobile phones were stolen from several persons.

The killing has however, raised concerns as members of the public believed the victim was innocent.

Consequently, the approach routes to the Oba Market Police station were barricaded for fear of reprisal attacks.

Two persons have lost their lives in a brutal cult clash in Ondo, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The clash was the aftermath of an argument that ensued among some members of rival cult groups in the town during a ceremony involving residents of the town and some indigenes who came home for Christmas celebration.

The development which caused panic in the town, led to the arrest of several persons by the police.

Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria on Tuesday attended the  2019 New Year Church Service in Zaria, Kaduna State, to strengthen inter-religious harmony and enhance national cohesion.

The El-Zakzaky group attended the service at St. Mary’s Parish Church, Samaru, Zaria, Kaduna State.

The Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Michael Ibrahim-Bazai, expressed his appreciation at seeing members of the IMN in the church. He described the visit it as the first of its kind.

He said, “We are happy to receive our brothers and sisters from Islamic faith here in our Church to celebrate with us today on 1st January 2019.

“It is true that sometimes we are scared of each other, this is because some of us are ignorant of the religion but we are all one.”

The leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, El-Zakzaky, is currently in detention by security forces and is undergoing trial in court.

The new year celebrations in the badagry area of Lagos state, were abruptly halted due to a bloody clash between suspected rival cult groups which left one person dead.

Sources said that the deceased, simply identified as Shefiu, who allegedly belonged to the Eiye confraternity, was shot dead around Senior Boys Joint along Soglo way early on new year day.

According to the source, members of the groups ran away from the scene immediately after the shooting, leaving behind the lifeless body of the victim.

This development was confirmed by the Nigeria Police, as the Divisional Police Officer in Badagry, Mr Samson Akhiromen, said that one suspect had been arrested over the killing.

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has said the contention over his academic credentials is an attempt at mudslinging, adding that he never claimed to have graduated from the Obafemi Awolowo University (formerly University of Ife).

A suit filed earlier this month at a High Court in Abuja, had sought Abiodun’s disqualification from the governorship race for allegedly giving “false information” in the academic qualification he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission

Abiodun also said the APC chieftain, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was not responsible for his victory at the party’s primary in Ogun State as reported in some quarters.

The mood of residents anticipating the new year was indeed gloomy, as 30 lives were reportedly lost in a road accident on the eve of the new year.

This incident which occured at night — near Bola Ige International market along new Ife-Ibadan expressway, Gbagi, Ibadan, Oyo state capital — was caused by an oncoming trailer from Iwo road axis which rammed into the commercial buses by the entrance of the market.

Sadly, only two people survived the accident while other passengers were said to have died immediately.

Governor Samuel Ortom’s rice farm has been burnt allegedly by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Gbajimba, Guma Local Government Area of the state.

Manager of the farm, Kena Iordzua, disclosed that the herdsmen invaded the facility with a large number of cattle during the day and set it on fire at three different points.

He explained that the fire in no time engulfed the entire farm assisted by the harmattan wind, adding that the inferno could not be put out despite concerted efforts by those who were working on the farm.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Nigerians to be confident and steadfast in the hope for a better future for Nigeria.

He said “On behalf of my family and the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, I wish you and your family a Happy New Year. 2019 is the year of better things for Nigeria.”

Jonathan disclosed this in his New Year message to Nigerians, stressing that 2019 offers the citizens a new opportunity to aspire for a prosperous nation.

Former vice president Atiku Abubakar has said President Muhammadu Buhari will be judged by his actions in the run-up to the February 16 presidential election and not by his words

Atiku, who is also the presidential standard bearer of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stated this, yesterday, in a statement by his media aide, Paul Ibe, in reaction to the president’s New Year message, in which he cautioned that the 2019 polls should not be a do-or-die affair.

The former vice president said it was not enough for Buhari to condemn do-or-die politics if he could not contain the activities of overzealous aides, including the country’s security chiefs.

Organised Labour yesterday tasked Nigerian workers to begin mobilisation for a prolonged strike which may commence in few days to press home their demand for the N30,000 minimum wage recommended by the tripartite committee.

NLC in December had declared January 8 as a day of national protest to drive home its demand for a new minimum wage.

The protest, according to the NLC president, is to express anger and total dissatisfaction over the delay by the federal government in transmitting, enacting and implementing the new national minimum wage of N30,000.