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Ohakim to Okorocha: Thanks for Paying Judges 6 Months Salary Arrears

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Former Governor Ikedi Ohakim on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, thanked Governor Rochas Okorocha “for heeding his wise counsel by paying the Judges in Imo State six months salary arrears out of the 16 months he owed them.”

Ohakim had on Saturday, February 3, 2018, during an interaction with media men in Owerri raised the alarm that Governor Okorocha was owing judges in the state 16 months salary arrears.

The Governor has denied owing the Judges and said that it was the NJC that pays the Judges. He said that Ohakim needed to go to the psychiatric hospital.

But in a press release by his Chief Press Secretary, Collins Ughalaa, on Tuesday, the former Governor who is staging a comeback in 2019 said that Governor Okorocha paid the Judges six months salary arrears on Monday.

“Governor Okorocha on Monday, February 12, 2018, hurriedly paid the judges six months out of their 16 months salary arrears,” he said.

He also thanked “the more than 12,000 people who have already signed up for the planned mass protest in Owerri, including so many people from the United States of America (USA) and Britain who planned to come back home to join the mass protest.”

Ohakim added: “We thank God immensely that His Excellency Dr Ikedi Ohakim’s brain is intact, contrary to Governor Okorocha’s insult,  and he did not need to be taken to the psychiatric hospital before the Judges were paid six months salary arrears. Dr. Ikedi Ohakim is nevertheless not worried about the insults from Governor Okorocha, some of his appointees and hirelings.

“We equally thank the media which showed massive support and interest in the matter and insisted that the Judges must be paid.

“We thank the Judges too for their patience, decorum and continuing to discharge their duties even when they were owed 16 months salary.

“Our immense gratitude also goes to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for taking the matter to court on behalf of the Judges. We are really proud of the NBA in Imo State for living up to their responsibilities.”

He called on the Governor to ensure that the balance of 10 months is paid, saying that he has put his planned protest on hold.

“We therefore request Governor Okorocha to please do everything humanly possible to pay the balance of 10 months salary arrears as quickly as possible, while we put the protest on hold,” he said.

Ohakim also extended “his heartfelt condolences to the family of a retired Justice who passed on Monday, February 12, 2018. Unfortunately he died without adequate medicare as a result of non-payment of his accumulated pension and gratuity.” He stressed: “Now that Governor Okorocha has started paying the Judges, he should also pay those who have served the state meritoriously their pension and gratuity without further delay.”

He also noted: “Workers deserve their wages. The first line charge of every government is the welfare of the people, and the civil servants and pensioners deserve their pay and must be paid as at when due,” even as he said he is “prepared to offer wise counsel to the Governor on how to get those problems solved in no time.”

Ohakim gave the assurance that he “is not a man that finds pleasure in spreading falsehood,” adding that he says what he is “only sure of and believes so much in the truth.”

He further assured that he “will continue to speak for Imo people and the disadvantaged, no matter the risk involved. And when by the grace of God he returns to office in 2019, he will continue to treat the workers and every other segment of the Imo society very well and ensure that their comfort and welfare remains top on the agenda of his government.”

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IPOB Declares May 30th As Sit-at-home Day Across The Southern East States To Honour Biafran Fallen Heroes

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The Indigenous People of Biafra has declared May 30, 2024, as a sit-at-home day across the South-East to celebrate Biafran soldiers.

The pro-Biafran group said that day is set aside annually to celebrate the men and women who died in the Biafran war between 1967 and 1970 and beyond and even until now.

This was made known in a press statement by the group’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, on Thursday, adding that every Biafran in the South-East is expected to sit at home and reflect on the war.

He cautioned South-East residents to avoid loitering about on this day, adding that those who intend to travel to and fro Biafra land must do so before the evening of May 29.

The IPOB statement also directed that all the residents of “Biafra Land” are to stay indoors from 6 am to 6 pm on May 30, 2024.

He also called on christians and traditionalists to pray to Chukwu okike abiama for the fallen heroes, And also for the independence of Biafra from Nigeria.

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Anambra State Government Arrests Man For Marrying Off His Underage Daughter

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The Anambra State Government has arrested one Uzochukwu Okoli, for marrying off his underaged daughter.

Okoli was apprehended after his daughter reported to the State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare about the alleged ill-treatment being meted out to her by her father and the man he forced her to marry.

The daughter, Chioma Okoli, who is currently 16 years old, said after the death of her mother, her father took her and her sister out of Edo state and brought them to Anambra.

She alleged that she was first forced to live with a 70-plus-year-old man at the age of 14 but after some time, she ran back to her father’s house before he finally gave her out to a 34-year-old Chinedu Nweke as husband.

Chioma who was in the company of her sister, explained that life with Chinedu has been a living hell because he allegedly beats her and sometimes pees in her mouth.

She said this act made her run away with their 9-month-old baby. Her father, Uzochukwu Okoli, on the other hand, claimed her daughter is 18 years old and, at some point, said she is 20 years old.

After he was handcuffed, Mr Okoli threatened to deal with the daughters if he made it out of prison. He also urged Chioma and her sister to pray he dies in prison because he would make life more miserable for them.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Hon Ify Obinabo, has instructed that the case be charged to court so that the girl can get justice.

Both Mr Okoli and Chinedu Nweke were arrested and will be arraigned in court.

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Nigerians Seek Woman Who Spoke Out Eloquently Against Fuel Scarcity In Viral 1994 TV Clip

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April 30th 1994, 30 Years Ago, And Till Today Nothing Has Really Changed.

Netizens have gone in search of a beautiful and well-spoken woman who spoke out against fuel scarcity 30 Years Ago.

A user on X.com, Jackie, who identifies as #JWEZEE had shared the video yesterday with the caption, “On this day April 30 1994, same day same time, only difference 30years ago.

“Nigerians in long fuel queues lamenting, 30years later they are still lamenting. And In another 30years will still lament, why? Because patterns don’t lie.”

In the video, which has since gone viral, Nigerians were seen queuing to purchase fuel and lamenting their predicament as citizens waiting in long queues with their gallons to buy fuel.

The woman passionately addressed the unfairness of soldiers skipping queues to resell fuel, highlighting a longstanding problem.

She said in part, “You have the soldiers that come, they buy petrol, they put it in jerry cans they sell it right in front of these people, it’s ridiculous.

“They get the fuel themselves, why do they have to come here, they don’t join the queue, they just buy and they sell right in front of people, it’s ridiculous. Something has to happen.”

The 30-year-old video which recently surfaced coincides with the current fuel price hike across the country.

Here is the viral video from 30 years back.

Currently, the country is facing fuel scarcity and price hike, with fuel being sold at N900 per litre in some states. This has affected the price of goods in the nation.

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