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IPOB sit-at-home order: Police, Army, NSCDC tighten security in South East

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The Police Command in Abia on Monday led detachments of the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in a show of strength in Umuahia, ahead of the IPOB sit-at-home order for Wednesday, May 30.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise took off from the Central Police Station (CPS), Umuahia, at about 9 a.m. and moved round the major streets up to Ubakala and Olokoro in Umuahia South Local Government Area back to CPS, via Bende Road.

The convoy included one Armoured Personnel Carrier and about 15 patrol vans, loaded with heavily armed men.

Speaking with newsmen at the end of the show, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Anthony Ogbizi, said the joint exercise was designed to reassure residents of the readiness of the security agencies to continue to protect their lives and property.

“The show of strength included men of the Police Command, the army and Civil Defence and the essence is to demonstrate our resolve to ensure that Abia residents continue to enjoy uninterrupted peace.

“We are poised to continue to sustain the prevailing peace and wish to send a signal to troublemakers, especially members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which has been proscribed as a terrorist group.

“We want them to know that the law will not spare them should they go ahead to disrupt the prevailing peace, which residents of the state are presently enjoying.

“So we used this opportunity to instill confidence in the people that security agencies are alive to their primary duties of protecting their lives and property.”

The Police boss, therefore, urged the people to ignore the sit-at-home order and go about their lawful businesses without any fear of molestation.

“Sitting at home for fear of any possible attack by IPOB members will give them a sense of victory.”

Ogbizi further charged security operatives “to be alert and vigilant” to be able to checkmate the activities of IPOB.

He alleged that the group now indulged in producing Improvised Explosive Devices (IED)

“If we do not respond now to nip the activities of the group in the bud, especially in producing IED, then we may be heading for doom.

He said that some policemen were recently attacked in Aba with IED, allegedly made by IPOB, adding that the incident was currently being investigated.

“Let us have it at the back of our minds that IPOB is a violent group. We should not treat them with kid gloves.

“We should work to protect ourselves. Your lives are as important as those that you protect.”

The police commissioner underscored the need for security agencies to sustain the existing synergy for mutual benefits. (NAN)

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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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FG Declares May 1st Public Holiday To Mark Workers’ Day

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The Federal Government had declared Wednesday, May 1st, 2024, as a public holiday to mark this year’s Workers’ Day.

Nigeria’s Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo made the declaration, according to the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Aishetu Ndayako.

“The Federal Government has declared Wednesday, 1st May 2024 as a Public Holiday to commemorate this year’s Workers’ Day Celebration,” Aishetu said in a statement on Tuesday, April 30.

“In alignment with this year’s theme, which focuses on ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate, I wish to state that the Federal Government remains steadfast in its resolve to prioritise the safety and well-being of all citizens,” the minister said.

“Let me reaffirm Mr. President’s commitment to providing a conducive environment for work, where every worker can thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development”.

The minister, who acknowledged the contribution of workers, called for more measures to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change through synergy.

“The Minister also urged Nigerians to remain committed to the present administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda as he wishes workers a happy celebration,” the statement read.

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“There Would Be total Blackout For Three Months If Electricity Tariff Hike Is Not Implemented ” – Minister Of Power Warns

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The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has warned that there would be a total blackout in the country in the next three months if the proposed electricity tariff hike is not implemented.

The minister gave the warning in Abuja when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Power at an investigative hearing over the recent electricity tariff hike by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)on Monday, April 29.

In his words

“The entire sector will be grounded if we don’t increase the tariff. With what we have now in the next three months, the entire country will be in darkness if we don’t increase tariffs. The increment will catapult us to the next level. We are also Nigerians, we are also feeling the impact.”

He said the sum of $10 billion is needed yearly for the next ten years to revive the nation’s power sector and nip in the bud the challenges bedevilling it.

“For this sector to be revived, the government needs to spend nothing less than 10 billion dollars annually in the next 10 years.

“This is because of the infrastructure requirement for the stability of the sector. But the government cannot afford that. And so we must make this sector attractive to investors and to lenders. So, for us to attract investors and investment, we must make the sector attractive, and the only way it can be made attractive is that there must be commercial pricing.

“If the value is still at N66 and the government is not paying subsidy, the investors will not come. But now that we have increased the tariff for A Band, there are interests being shown by investors,” he said.

Adelabu said the inability of the government to pay outstanding N2.9 trillion subsidy was due to limited resources, hence the need to evolve measures to sustain the sector.

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