Nigeria National News Today 9th January 2019

iDONSABI presents the latest happenings in Nigeria today 9th January 2019. Teni’s case hero — MC Oluomo — gets stabbed in Lagos, Tinubu attacks Atiku, FG finally agrees to transmit minimum wage bill and many more.

MC Oluomo Gets Stabbed At APC’s Lagos Rally

The campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that was held at Skypower Ground Ikeja, Lagos, ended on a bloody note as thugs stormed the campaign ground with guns, shooting into the air.

Party supporters scampered for safety as thugs, suspected to be members of National Union Road Transport Workers (NURTW), gained entry into the campaign ground.

MC Oluomo, a strong member of NURTW and supporter of the party, was also said to have been stabbed while Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was giving his speech.

Akinwunmi Ambode, Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos APC governorship candidate, and other high-profile politicians affiliated to APC were later escorted out of the venue.

NLC Shuts Down Lagos

The protest by the organised Labour on Tuesday, caused heavy traffic on Lagos roads, while many commuters were stranded at the various bus stops.

The organised labour is protesting over government’s delay in submitting the N30,000 minimum wage report agreed by the tripartite committee.

Mr Solomon Adelegan, Vice President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) told the workers that the current demand for a new minimum wage had gone beyond negotiation stage.

According to him, labour will not renege until the report of the new minimum wage is passed to the National Assembly for implementation.

FG To Transmit New Minimum Wage Bill January 23

The Federal Government has finally set a date for the transmission of a bill for a new national minimum wage to the National Assembly.

The move is aimed at stopping the organised labour from embarking on a strike about a month before the presidential election.

With the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliate unions threatening a protest and a nationwide strike, the government on Tuesday agreed to send the bill on January 23.

Buhari Reacts To Amaechi’s Leaked Tape

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says the purported leaked audio of Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, criticising President Muhammadu Buhari, will not break the ranks of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

The Minister, said the leaked audio was part of the “mudslinging’’ politics of the opposition and that the Presidency was going to ignore it.

Gombe Bans Sale Of Firewood

The Gombe State government is waging a war against indiscriminate tree felling and booming sale of firewood which is threatening the environment and depleting forest in the state.

An investigation by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) revealed that more than 20 truck-loads of firewood are offloaded daily at Tashan Dukku Junction in Gombe between 7a.m. and 9a.m.

Alhaji Sa’ad Hashidu, Director of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Gombe State Ministry of Environment, said deforestation was a serious challenge in the state.

Hashidu explained that the government was aware of the activities of firewood merchants and had taken steps to curb the menace to avoid desertification. He said governor of the state, Ibrahim Dankwambo, inaugurated a task force to handle cases of deforestation in the state.

NAF Buries Five

The remains of five Air Force personnel, who died in the ill-fated MI-35 Helicopter which crashed in Damasak, Borno state on 2nd January 2019, were buried on Tuesday by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

They were laid to rest in military tradition during a solemn ceremony after a Christian church service and Moslem funeral prayers held at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja.

Those buried are: Flight Lieutenant Perowei Jacob – Pilot in Command; Flight Lieutenant Kaltho Paul Kilyofas – Co-Pilot; Sergeant Auwal Ibrahim – Flight Technician; Lance Corporal Adamu Nura – Gunner and Aircraftman Meshack Ishmael – Gunner.

Tinubu Attacks Atiku

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, yesterday dismissed the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as unfit to be entrusted with the presidency of the country, describing the main opposition party’s flag bearer as “a merry-go-round and carnival-like politician with no focus or mission.”

Tinubu said: “Atiku could build a house of the party membership cards he has accumulated. But one thing he should remember is that a man who builds a house of cards ought not to cast stones at a man who is building a house with a firm and true foundation”.

Speaking in similar vein Vice President Yemi Osinbajo expressed confidence that the APC would win the forthcoming presidential election, saying Atiku would be no match for President Muhammadu Buhari.

CCTV Exposes Police Raiders

The Punch, reveals that the management of Lakers County, a popular night club in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, is seeking redress over an attack by men of the Anti-Cultism Unit of the Lagos State Police Command, who allegedly invaded its premises on Sunday and seized from its customers and workers valuables worth several millions of naira.

Some of the customers and workers have yet to recover their belongings, which were seized by the officers during the raid.

The Lakers County’s barman, Samuel Edeh, who was on duty during the police invasion, said the sales proceeds were taken by one of the police officers who was in mufti.

The Chief Executive Officer, Lakers County, Oladimeji Ogunfolaju, who said the raid had cast a dent on the image of the club, stated that he initially thought that the attack was carried out by armed robbers and he informed the officer in charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Ikorodu and the Divisional Police Officer, Ipakodo Police Station, who mobilised to engage the invaders before their identities were revealed.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, who confirmed the incident, said operatives of the Anti-Cultism Unit of the command were at the club to arrest a cultist.

Ambode Arrests Soldier For Breaking Traffic Rule

Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode played the cop on Monday as he arrested some motorists, including a soldier for driving against traffic.

The governor was on his way back from Abuja when he caught the motorists taking ‘one way’ to beat the traffic on the airport road in Ikeja.

He came down hard on the soldier who drove a space bus marked JJJ 290 AC. The soldier, the governor said, should know better as a security personnel.

INEC Says VPS Meant To Aid Abuja Voters

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday revealed that the springing up of new settlements, as well as population growth in the nation’s capital prompted the introduction of Voting Point Settlements (VPS).

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this at a regular consultative meeting with media executives, revealing that the creation of VPS was to ensure that voters are given pleasant experience on Election Day without having to trek for kilometres to a Polling Unit (PU).

Yakubu said that was one of the reasons why the last commission tried to create additional polling units, which became a big issue over distribution of these polling units.