Sen. Dino Melaye, who is currently wanted for homicide after allegedly killing a police man during his political campaign.
The Senator whose house has been surrounded by the police for refusing to surrender himself, cries out as police is about to break into his house and arrest him.
He wrote:
Police bringing in tool boxes to break doors and vandalize my house. Police EOD truck just brought them. Media take note
Men were found at check-point between Spanish enclave Melilla and Morocco. The migrants were found hiding in two bed mattresses strapped to a van roof. Footage shows guards cutting through plastic and fabric to reveal men inside
This is the extraordinary moment two migrants emerged from inside mattresses during their bid to reach Europe from Africa.
The sub-Saharan men were arrested after border guards found them at a check-point between Melilla, a Spanish enclave on the north African coast, and Morocco.
It is understood to be the first time the method has been used to smuggle migrants and there are fears criminal gangs could increasingly use the tactic, according to Spanish media.
Footage captures the extraordinary moment two migrants emerged from inside mattresses during their bid to reach Europe from Africa
The sub-Saharan men were arrested after border guards found them at a check-point between Melilla, a Spanish enclave on the north African coast, and Morocco
Men in Guardia Civil uniforms can be seen using a knife to cut through plastic wrapping and fabric after lifting the mattresses from the roof of a van
Men in Guardia Civil uniforms can be seen using a knife to cut through plastic wrapping and fabric after lifting the mattresses from the roof of a van.
Two men then emerge from inside as guards watch on in the footage, which was shared on the Twitter page of Spanish senator Jon Inarritu.
The Basque senator: 'As long as there are no safe routes to request asylum, situations like this will continue to occur in the southern border of Europe.'
Despite having been concealed in mattresses, the men appeared to be in good health and did not need medical help.
The driver of the vehicle who used to transport them is said to have fled into Morocco before he could be detained.
Spain has become the main entry point for migrants and asylum-seekers looking for a better life in Europe as other EU countries tighten up controls at their borders. A smuggling route through Libya to Italy has also been complicated by conflict and violence there.
Melilla, together with a second Spanish enclave, Ceuta, have the European Union's only land borders with Africa.
In line with federal government directive, the implementation of mandatory usage of the National Identification Number (NIN) takes effect on January 1, 2019, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced.
- The NLC said it is ready to go on strike on January 8
- The union blamed the government for the looming strike
- The NLC vowed not to go lower than the proposed N30,000 minimum wage
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked Nigerians to blame the Muhammadu Buhari-led government for the looming strike over the N30,000 minimum wage.
The Punch reports that the NLC has frowned at President Buhari’s proposed establishment of a technical committee to look into the minimum wage issue.
It said the only recognised panel was the tripartite committee that had already submitted its report on the minimum wage.
In a communiqué issued on Friday, December 21, the union said it would embark on a nationwide strike on January 8, 2019 over what it described as the “Federal Government’s delay in transmitting, enacting and implementing a new national minimum wage of N30,000 for workers.”
Peter Ozo-Eson who is the general-secretary of the NLC said the workers would not accept anything lower than N30,000.
He said: “After the statement we issued on the coming industrial strike, we have not heard anything from the Presidency. The day we submitted the report, he (Buhari) promised that he would speedily transmit a draft bill to the National Assembly; but till today, about two months after, he has not transmitted that to the National Assembly.
“What we heard during the budget presentation at the National Assembly is that a high-powered technical committee will be set up. We find that very unfortunate because the technical committee in relation to minimum wage is the tripartite committee that has finished its work and made recommendations.
“Talking of any committee, be it low-powered, medium-powered or high-powered at this stage is unacceptable to us. We formally reject it and call on Mr President to send the bill to the National Assembly. The ultimatum we gave is for the bill to be sent to the NASS. The House took a resolution calling on the President to bring the bill; what is the difficulty he is having? If he cannot do it, nobody should hold organised labour in the country responsible for the industrial chaos that is likely to follow.”
He also lashed out at governors for their lavish expenditure saying the NLC was not blackmailing them as they claimed.
“The minimum wage issue is not a partisan issue. It is one of the issues that will determine the next elections. Workers are not slaves; politics is about interest and seeking one’s own interest. If workers in their states are saying that they will not vote for them because they have not taken care of their interest, you don’t call that blackmail. I have a different name for it; that is democracy. That is how democracy works. They can go and mourn till high heaven; we will continue to work in that direction.”
Meanwhile, Isaac Gbadero, the senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Sabongari, Zaria, Kaduna state, on Tuesday,December 25, advocated a slash in political office holders’ remuneration to comfortably accommodate the N30,000 minimum wage demanded by organised labour.
Gbadero made the call in a message to the Christian faithful in commemoration of the 2018 Christmas, shortly after Christmas Church Service in Zaria, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
(NAN)
President Muhammadu Buhari has welcomed Nigerians into the New Year.
Buhari assured Nigerians that the year 2019 will be significant for the country.
Full text below:
“ It is my utmost pleasure to rejoice with all Nigerians as we enter the year 2019, which will be a very significant one for our country.
2. At the turn of every year, we often use the opportunity to look back at the past and forward to the future. To review the outgoing year, its high and low points, successes and failures, and be fully thankful to God.
3. We Nigerians are a religious people, and we believe that God reigns and rules in the affairs of men. A time like this offers precious opportunity for thanksgiving, stock taking and reflection on goals and targets set for the receding year, and how much was accomplished. The ones not done can then be rolled over into a new year.
4. The dawn of a New Year is also a time to look forward. To consider new prospects, unfold our plans, and prepare for landmark dates and events.
5. 2019 will be an election year for us. In about two months, the polls are due, and we will elect leaders into various offices, at national and state levels.
6. As I welcome you into 2019, I also reiterate my many promises and declarations that the general elections will be free, fair and credible.
7. Elections need not be do or die affair, and we should not approach that eventuality in a democracy with trepidation and mortal fear. Happily, a large number of presidential candidates have committed to peace, and peace we shall have.
8. Those who continue to trumpet falsehood and negativity are on their own, fighting a losing battle. The greater number of Nigerians are trusting and believing that we shall deliver on our promises for a level playing field at the polls, and that is what we shall do.
9. Nigerians desire peace, security, prosperity, inclusiveness and infrastructural development, a nation they can be proud of, a country that can hold its own among the nations.
10. That is the journey we have embarked on since we came onboard in 2015, and we are not distracted as we move on. We are resolved to build a country in which the resources are utilized for the benefit of the largest number, and not appropriated by a privileged few in their never ending quest to satisfy their greed. We are on this mission together, and I assure you of a firm commitment to the ideals of a safe, secure, fair, just and prosperous country.
11. We have had our challenges: security, economic, political, social. But we are resolved to combat and overcome them all.
12. I appreciate your support and collaboration in previous years, and look forward to same in 2019, and beyond, as I hope you will renew the mandate you overwhelmingly gave us in 2015, for another term.
13. We are motivated by nothing other than service to motherland, and service without selfishness or personal interest.
14. I can assure you all that we are making steady and sustainable progress in all areas of national life. Those who are unbiased can see and appreciate the progress the country has made since 2015.
14. A New Year provides opportunity for renewal of commitment, and I invite you to rededicate yourselves to the vision of a Nigeria that works for all.
15. We are moving from potentials to actualization, and it’s a task to be accomplished by us all; man, woman, young, old, military, civilian, all Nigerians.
Please come along, as we journey to the land of our dreams. Happy 2019.
17. Thank you and God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Flying Eagles coach, Paul Aigbogun, could be in hot water with his employers, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), following his arrest by the London Police for public disturbance.
Aigbogun, who lives in North West London, was arrested by the London Police outside a woman’s house at 6am on Friday, December 28 on charges of domestic violence and being five times over the legal alcohol limit.
Report has it that the former Warri Wolves manager has family in North West London and lives there usually when he’s not on national assignment.
It is understood that Aigbogun goes around the woman’s house uninvited very late at night, drunk, and bangs in the door screaming her name for hours until she is forced to open up.
Prior to his arrest, the Neighborhood Watch were aware of the situation and they were concerned about hearing the woman scream so often.
The Flying Eagles coach has been labelled an alcoholic and abusive man who is not fit to be a role model and shouldn’t be around young players.
Aigbogun previously worked for Enyimba.
A filing station in Enugu known as Juhel has gone up in flames after a tanker explosion in the area.
According to a video shared by Instablog, the incident occurred at Transekulu in Enugu state.
Watch video below:
https://zenithnaija.com/juhel-filing-station-goes-up-in-flamer-after-explosion-in-enugu-video/
Troops of the 22 Brigade Garrison have killed three suspected female suicide bombers in Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State.
According to a statement by the Deputy Director of Public Relations, Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu on Monday, the suspected terrorists were neutralised on Sunday during a patrol around Kubtara village in the LGA.
The troops also recovered some weapons from the terrorist comprising one Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) and a suicide vest.
Nwachukwu stated that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, commended the troops for the quick response in tracking the terrorists.
He, however, encouraged them to be more daring, vigilant and steadfast, as they clear the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists.
Few days ago, it was reported that suspected bandits killed an unspecified number of soldiers at a forest in Doburu, Zurmi local government area of Zamfara state.
One of the slain soldiers has been identified as Suleiman Maihakuri from Keffi in Nasarawa state.
An online news portal, The Cable, quoted a military source as disclosing this on Saturday, saying many of his colleagues sustained injuries in the incident. He said some of the injured persons were receiving treatment at Zurmi General Hospital.
The source said the officer who led troops into the forest was captured by bandits.
“We ran into an ambush in the forest today. The bandits opened fire on us and we responded but they surrounded us from different directions,” he said. “They had bombs and sophisticated weapons.”
See photos below:
A video in which President Muhammadu Buhari said he did not regret ousting President Shehu Shagari through a military coup has resurfaced just as Buhari has flown to Sokoto State to commiserate with Shagari’s family.
In the video, which was an interview with Seun Okinbaloye on Channels TV’s Politics Today programme which was recorded in December 2014, Buhari said he had no regret removing Shagari, adding that a democratic government that is corrupt can be overthrown.
When asked if he was sorry for ousting Shagari’s government, Buhari said, “No. I am not sorry because I mentioned why we did it and we proved our case.”
When reminded of the fact that the coup veered Nigeria off the course of democratic advancement, Buhari said, “So, when you are a democracy, you are entitled to steal the country dry and put our people in a pauperised position and destroying institutions and destroying infrastructure?”
However, when asked if he blames Shagari solely for the corruption, Buhari responded: “Don’t personalise it. I will blame the Second Republic for that.”
The video, which has been shared thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter, attracted comments from a wide range of persons.
Expectedly, many persons have tagged Buhari and his media aides to the video.
Reacting to Shagari’s death on Friday, the President said on his official Twitter handle that he would miss the former President who was a man of integrity.
He wrote, “I mourn the departure of a patriot, who served Nigeria with humility, integrity and diligence. Nigerians held him in the highest esteem even when he was out of office, until his demise, and will forever miss his wise counsels.”
However, a former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, said Buhari’s condolence message would be watery without an apology.
Odinkalu said Shagari was a man of peace and forgiveness, adding that as President, he pardoned a former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who had been on exile after being implicated in the assassination of Gen. Murtala Muhammed.
He noted that Shagari also pardoned Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, the leader of the defunct Biafran Republic who was also on exile.
Odinkalu wrote, “I’m not holding my breath but I’d have thought that the death of President Shagari is a perfect opportunity for the man who toppled a popularly elected govt on Dec 31, 1983 to apologise for that crime. Saying all these nice things now risks being branded insincere or cynical
“President Shagari did four remarkable things to bring the wounds of Nigeria: First he pardoned Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, 1982; he pardoned Yakubu Gowon, 1981; he pardoned Michael Okpara, 1981 and he granted Nigeria’s highest civilian honour, GCFR, to Obafemi Awolowo, 1981.”
Some other Twitter users wondered why Buhari would topple Shagari’s government and put him on house arrest for nearly two years if the latter was a man of honour as claimed by Buhari in his condolence message.
Meanwhile, Buhari has flown to Sokoto State to commiserate with the family of the late President who was buried on Saturday.
In a tweet on Sunday, Buhari’s aide, Bashir Ahmad, posted a picture of his principal boarding the Presidential jet with the caption, “President Buhari leaving Abuja for Sokoto, on a condolence visit to the state government and family of former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari over his death.”
