TheNewsGuru

Author: Emmanuel Bagudu

  • JUST IN: El-Rufai declares NLC President, others wanted for allege economic sabotage

    JUST IN: El-Rufai declares NLC President, others wanted for allege economic sabotage

    Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-rufai has accused the national leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress of economic sabotage and attacks on public infrastructure.

    This according to the governor is an offence that contravenes the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Kaduna state.

    In Tweet on Tuesday on his private verified twitter handle @elrufai, Governor El-rufai also announced that a handsome reward awaits anyone with useful information leading to the arrest of the national chairman of the NLC and his colleagues.

    “KADUNA UPDATE: Ayuba Wabba & others of @NLCHeadquarters
    declared wanted for economic sabotage & attacks on public infrastructure under Miscellaneous Offences Act. Anyone that knows where he is hiding should send a message to @MOJKaduna. KDSG. There will be a handsome reward!” Governor El-rufai tweeted.

    The NLC and it sub-bodies have since Monday shutdown economic activaties in the state following plans by governor El-rufai to sack four thousand (4000) civil servants in the state.

     

     

    Details soon….

  • Pro-Elrufai group begins protest over NLC’s 5-day strike in Kaduna State

    Pro-Elrufai group begins protest over NLC’s 5-day strike in Kaduna State

    Following the commencement of the five-day strike by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Kaduna on Sunday, a group of youths with no defined name have come out in hundreds protesting against the strike action in solidarity with the Kaduna State government.

    The NLC and its various affiliates had planned and have began its strike for five days from May 16 in Kaduna State. The strike is in response to reform plans by the state government, including the recent dismissal of workers. Various groups of state workers, including those in the electricity, health, and aviation sectors, plan to participate.

    So far, the Kaduna Electricity distribution Company have taken the lead by ensuring a total blackout from 12midnight on Sunday.

    Aviation workers at Kaduna International Airport (KAD) plan to withdrawal services from 00:01 May 17.

    The work stoppage is unlikely to affect emergency services and COVID-19 care.

    However, disruptions to routine health services at government hospitals and health facilities may occur due to understaffing.

    Increased demand for care could also disrupt services at private facilities.

    Disruptions to electricity supply or maintenance of electricity infrastructure are possible.

    Disruptions to KIA flight operations are likely while general public transport services may also be disrupted.

    State services, generally, could be impacted.

    Striking workers may participate in protests near government buildings, particularly in the state capital, Kaduna.

    Police will almost certainly deploy to any strike-related protest and clashes are possible if demonstrators fail to heed orders to disperse.

  • NAF neutralizes armed bandits in Kaduna

    NAF neutralizes armed bandits in Kaduna

    Aerial patrols, show-of-force to be sustained over Kaduna metropolis, major routes and other locations of interest.

    According to the Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, the air component of Operation Thunder Strike conducted a series of aerial missions across several locations, as reported in operational feedback from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to the Kaduna State Government.

    Armed reconnaissance was conducted over Erena, Kusasu, Kuduru, Kulefe, Kusherki and Shiroro in neighboring Niger State as well as Chikun and environs, in Chikun local government area. Bandits were seen fleeing Kaduna State part of Kusasu (in Chikun LGA) on motorcycles. They were trailed by the crew and subsequently neutralized.

    Following this, armed reconnaissance was conducted along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway, Olam Farms, Rugu, Akilbu, Polewire Rijana, Katari, Jere and adjoining settlements. Normal human activities and free flow of traffic were observed along the highway and rail line. All locations scanned were reported calm with no threats observed.

    Additionally, strike aircraft carried out operations over Jan Birni, Birnin Gwari local government area, which was observed to be active with bandits. The targets were attacked by the aircraft, and was subsequently confirmed that some bandits were indeed taken out and the camp set ablaze and destroyed.

    A second mission was flown over another identified camp in the area, which was also attacked, set ablaze and completely destroyed by two strike aircraft.

    Thereafter, a show-of-force was carried out by the aircraft over the Birnin Gwari general area, Kaduna metropolis and Zaria. Normal human activities were observed along the expressways and rail lines.

    The operations continued as aircraft conducted armed reconnaissance and show-of-force over Birnin Gwari, Kaduna metropolis and Zaria. Free flow of traffic was similarly observed along the expressways and rail line. Normal activities were reported within the metropolis as citizens observed the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations without incident.

    Afterwards, a show-of-force was conducted over Gwagwada, Gadani, Chikun, Kusasu, Iburu, Zamba, Shiroro, Kuta, Kwatayi and Erena, spanning Chikun, Kachia and Kajuru LGAs. All locations covered were reported calm with no threats observed.

    These air operations, which include air interdiction, armed reconnaissance and patrols are set to be sustained over the coming days over Kaduna metropolis and other areas of interest in the state. Major highways will also be covered, including the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari, Kaduna-Abuja, Kaduna-Zaria, Kaduna-Kachia and Kaduna-Afaka roads.

    Receiving the feedback, Governor Nasir El-Rufai commended the crews for the successful missions, and thanked them for their proactive operations.

  • BREAKING: Confusion as train loaded with water pipes derail in Kaduna

    BREAKING: Confusion as train loaded with water pipes derail in Kaduna

    A train loaded with water pipes, heading to Zaria and Kano from Lagos State on Thursday derailed at the Ungwan Kanawa area of Kaduna North Local Government, Kaduna State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the incident, which occurred at about 5:45 pm, resulted in confusion and the Kaduna State Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps, Hafiz Mohammed has confirmed the accident.

    Mohammed said the accident was minor and that the railway headquarters has been contacted so that they would send their technical team to Kaduna.

    Also, the Kaduna State Police Command Spokesman, ASP Mohammed Jalige confirmed the accident, saying the train developed some faults and derailed.

    He said no life was lost and no property was damaged in the accident, but that operatives were guarding the train against possible vandalism.

  • BREAKING: Former Women Affairs Minister, ‘Mama Taraba’ is dead

    BREAKING: Former Women Affairs Minister, ‘Mama Taraba’ is dead

    A former Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan, popularly called ‘Mama Taraba’ is dead.

    According to reports reaching TheNewsGuru.com, TNG, she died on Friday evening in an Egyptian hospital after battling a protracted illness.

    She was 61 years old.

    She was Minister of women affairs in President Buhari’s first term in 2015 before decamping to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where she supported former vice president Atiku Abubakar’s bid for the presidential seat.

    She also contested the Taraba State Governorship election in 2015 but lost to incumbent, Governor Darius Ishaku.

    Details soon…..

  • Bandits reportedly write, threaten to attack Veritas University, Nigerian Law School

    Bandits reportedly write, threaten to attack Veritas University, Nigerian Law School

    The Management of Nigerian Law school and Veritas University in Bwari have been forced to shut down following a letter they allegedly received from bandits who threatened to attack and kidnapped their students.

    Thenewsguru.com TNG confirmed the development from some of the students who have returned home following closure of the said schools.

    A security expert working on the area who pleaded anonymity confirmed the incident but said “no brief have been received by the police yet” on the development.

    In his words;

    “As we all know Sabon wuse has a shortcut that links to Bwari where there is a recent threat on Law school and Veritas.

    I don’t think this is in isolation of ransom paid by the govt. (My take).

    The whimper of these guys has now being fueled and they are moving fearlessly for fatter targets.

    Based on these, we will experience sharp increase in abduction/kidnapping mainly VIPs children and family members on route in and out to school or office. Abduction of Various sector and organizations staff members. Attack on popular government facilities, top private schools and universities in FCT.

    My Advice
    the situation in the country is deteriorating which requires extra conscious to deal with the current threat’s.

    Going forward.
    1. Kindly ensure you take your kids to school yourself or assigned a trust worthy driver.

    2. Monitor them while at home not to go out of sight.
    3. Make alternate of route a habit.

    3. Don’t allow bike riders to take you directly to your resident, stop 100 -200 mtrs from your house.
    4. Low profile is the key this time around”

    He said.

    Meanwhile a leaked audio conversation between Ordinary Ahmed Isah and the Inspector General of Police Ahmed Alkali confirm the possibility of many bandits finding their way into the Federal capital territory.

  • Tension in Kaduna as bandits threaten to kill remaining Greenfield University Students

    Tension in Kaduna as bandits threaten to kill remaining Greenfield University Students

    Bandits have told the Hausa Service of the Voice of America (VOA Hausa) that they they will kill the remaining 17 students abducted from Greenfield University, Kaduna State if the remaining N45million naira ransom is not paid to them by Tuesday.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) gathered that parents of the abducted students have so far gathered and N55million to the bandits but the kidnappers claimed they have used it to feed their hostages.

    Twenty-two students and a member of staff were abducted from the school campus along the Kaduna-Abuja highway on April 20 and within a week, five of them were killed.

    In an interview with the Hausa Service of Voice of America (VOA), monitored by our correspondent, a leader of the bandit group who identified himself as Sani Idris Jalingo, said if the Kaduna State Government or their families fail to pay a ransom of N100 million as well as provide them with 10 brand Honda motorcycles by Tuesday, the remaining students will be killed.

    Jalingo said there were 17 students in his custody, including 15 females and two male students among them a grandchild of the late 18th emir of Zazzau, Shehu Idris, whom he identified as Hamza.

    He vowed that it was his final warning and should government or the students’ families fail to meet his demands, all the students will be killed.

    “You are speaking with the abductors of Greenfield students. We heard the utterances of the Kaduna State Governor that he will not pay ransom to bandits to purchase additional arms.

    Asked if he sees himself as a terrorist, Jalingo laughed and said: “I’m not but a food seeker.”

    Emphasising on his threat, the bandit said: “If they fail to bring N100 million and 10 brand new Honda motorcycles known as Boko Haram by Tuesday, I can assure you they will use trucks to evacuate the bodies of the remaining students.”

    He warned security agencies not to waste their time planting trackers on the motorcycles, saying his members do not go to cities and therefore arresting them will be difficult.

  • May Day 2021: You fired 60,000 workers, Kaduna lawyer blasts El-Rufai in open letter

    May Day 2021: You fired 60,000 workers, Kaduna lawyer blasts El-Rufai in open letter

    Founding Executive Director of House of Justice and Human Right Lawyer, Gloria Ballason ESQ, has accused the Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai of power abuse which she said is conspicuous in the sack of sixty thousand workers, displacement of traditional institutions, land grabbing among others.

    In an open letter made available to TheNewsGuru.com, TNG, Miss Ballason claimed the governor is only using his current immunity to inflict hardships on some disadvantaged Citizens in Kaduna, a development she said is merely transient and temporary.

    The Full Text of the Letter Reads:

    “Gloria Mabeiam Ballason Esq wrote:

    An Open Letter to Governor Nasir Ahmad Elrufai of Kaduna State.

    Dear El-rufai,

    YOU CANNOT CONTINUE TO TREAT KADUNA AS A CONQUERED TERRITORY.

    It is the 2021 Workers Day and you hold the record of throwing out over 60,000 civil servants out of job in Kaduna State. Since your assumption to office as the 22nd Governor of Kaduna state, you have acted as law unto yourself. Many actions you have taken have had direct negative and sometimes life threatening consequences on the people in terms of employment,security, education or cultural heritage.The actions are too numerous for mention. Here are a few:

    Mass Retrenchment of Civil Servants & Destruction of Business Premises.

    In 2016, 13,336 workers who your administration adjudged as ghost workers, were retrenched. Local government treasurers and directors of personnel management were sacked.Typists in the public service were rendered redundant. In Sabon Gari- Zaria, a bomb blast occurred that claimed the lives of at least 25 teachers and wounded 32 others during your imposed verification exercise. A further 36,000 workers, 4,466 traditional rulers, 21,000 teachers, 4,000 local government workers and 8,000 from the state ministries have received marching orders. Civil Servants 50 years and above or at level 14 and above are felled by your sword of damocles while those from level 1-6 are demoted as casual staff.

    As though this is not bad enough, you have continued to chase not just ‘ghost workers’ but the ghosts of those who you have rendered jobless by destroying thousands of shops in markets and other business premises.

    Official Land Grabbing and Demolition of Houses.

    Your government has led a persistent and gruesome exercise in land grabbing and demolition of private houses and estate. With no consideration for the Rule of Law or legal acquisition for overriding public purpose, vast swathes of lands belonging to citizens and acquired by legitimate processes have been confiscated and forcefully acquired by your government. Houses are demolished in the dead of night or at periods when people cannot even retrieve invaluable documents and possession. You have usurped powers you do not constitutionally possess.You have been law maker, law breaker, persecutor and judge.

    Destruction of the Traditional Institutions and Cultural Heritage.

    While you make a claim of pursuing peace, you have undermined the traditional institution that has over the years been instrumental in ensuring peace. You have abrogated identities, cultures and cultural life. You have even deluded yourself to have had the power to scrap the Adara chiefdom, adjust boundaries and foisted identities that communities do not identify with. Traditional leaders in Kaduna state have now been stripped of agency and their salaries slashed down and paid when you deem fit.

    Education
    You made so much song and dance about providing free education in Kaduna state but you have raised school fees from N24,000 to a minimum of N150,000 – a 500% increase capable of creating 75% school drop outs in a state already beleaguered by insecurity and joblessness.

    Insecurity & Abducted Students.

    Kaduna state is now the hub of kidnappers. Schools are no longer safe. The roads are not safe. The villages are not safe. The cities are not safe either .The people live in perpetual fear.

    In December 2016, you acknowledged paying terrorists to stop the killings, in 2021, you announced you will punish anyone who paid terrorists. Your policy summersaults are gravely concerning as you seem to rule by your whims and caprices.

    Your government has become an undertaker- announcing casualties and collecting mangled lifeless bodies of precious children and returning them to inconsolable parents and families. The continuous abduction of the students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization and Greenfield University is deeply worrisome. Five students and a staff of the Greenfield University have already been killed. 29 abducted students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization are still at large.You have a constitutional and moral obligation to ensure the safe return of each of those students and many other residents who are even now in captivity.

    You have so far treated Kaduna state with unbridled power and as your conquered territory. May I remind you that power is transient. The Nigerian Constitution may have guaranteed your immunity today but it will not last forever.

    Gloria Mabeiam Ballason Esq
    C.E.O. House of Justice
    1st May, 2021.”

  • [EXCLUSIVE] May Day 2021: How Nigerian Governors are handling New Workers’ Wage

    [EXCLUSIVE] May Day 2021: How Nigerian Governors are handling New Workers’ Wage

    April 18 2021 makes it two years since President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the bill to increase Nigeria’s minimum wage.

    The new wage bill puts the minimum monthly salary of an average Nigerian worker at 30,000 naira ($98); from 18,000 naira.

    But as the world marks the 2021 Workers Day today, it is clear that, in Nigeria at the moment, very little of the fate of workers especially those at the subnational (state) seems to be worth celebrating. With the current economic reality in Nigeria where the movement of goods and services is completely at the mercy of the stabilization fuel price, the collapsed Naira value and the mounting insecurity, one will agree that the non-implementation of the new minimum wage by some state governors and the deliberate “robbing Peter to pay Paul” strategy employed by other governors, calls for national empathy for the Nigerian workers today.

    From Kaduna to Kano, Zamfara down to some north central states, up to some southern states, it’s been one excuse or the other. It is either threat of sacking state civil servants or deliberate non-payment of their wages as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari sanctioned new wage law.
    President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Quadri Olaleye, in February this year noted that some of the states found wanting include Benue, Cross River and Ekiti. Some others have only implemented the new wage for workers on levels one to six with backlogs of arrears on promotion. Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Ogun are with huge remittance on deductions. The story is not different in Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, Kano, and Zamfara.

    In Kaduna, Governor Nasir El-rufai, recently announced his notice of disengagements of workers in the state public service. According to Governor El-Rufai in a statement made available to ThenNewsGuru.com, TNG on April 13 this year, his administration being the first to implement the new minimum wage in September 2019 is now faced with a significant increase in wage burden.

    “While the Kaduna State Government believes that public sector wages overall are still relatively low, their current levels are obviously limited by the resources available to the government. What each public servant earns might be puny in comparison to private sector wages, but the total wage bill consumes much of the revenues of the state.” El-Rufai said.

    “The desire to pay more is a sentiment that must bow to the limits prescribed by the ability to pay….Therefore, the state government has no choice but to shed some weight and reduce the size of the public service”. He added.

    This has sent cold shivers down the spine of a lot of the workers in the state who are battling with the vagaries of the current harsh economic reality in the country and in their state. The security threats from bandits which has made Nigerian farmers not to be able to engage in farming and other agricultural activities which they are known for, has added to the fears of the workers.
    Although Governor El-Rufai promised to ameliorate the expected effects the disengagements may cause on the affected workers, however, marrying words with action has always been the bane of the average Nigerian politician.

    In Kano, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje just recovered from a mild rift with labour over non-implementation of the new minimum wage and his deliberate deduction of workers salary in March 2021. After a day-long negotiation on April 8, labour shelved its decision to embark on a warning strike after the governor and his team promised to refund the deduction they did in March. However the old minimum wage of Eighteen Thousand Naira (N18,000) is what the Kano state workers have to make do with for now.

    In Taraba, Governor Darius Ishaku had to make a pledge of working out modalities to start paying the new minimum wage between April to June before the workers ended the over two weeks strike they began on March 22 this year. The Taraba workers expect the governor to get back to them by June this year as promised. The also told the governor to stop hiding under the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) crisis to deny them their right of the new national minimum wage.

    Currently, on the good books of the Nigerian Labour congress are; Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo, Sokoto, Yobe and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who have commenced the implementation of the new minimum wage.

    As Nigeria marks the workers day today, it is hoped that other state governors will be moved to motivate their state workers who have been the backbone of their various stewardships.

    This year’s Workers Day will particularly commemorate the efforts of Nigerian Workers throughout the COVID-19 crisis, where their importance in the smooth running of healthcare and other sectors of the economy has been highlighted globally.

  • BREAKING: Bandits release new video of 29 students abducted from Kaduna school

    BREAKING: Bandits release new video of 29 students abducted from Kaduna school

    …includes abducted wife of naval officer

    After releasing ten of the initial thirty-nine kidnaped students of federal college of forestry mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna state, bandits have released yet another video of the remaining students.

    Recall that TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reported on 11th March this year, the attack and kidnapping of the thirty-nine students.

    Five of the students were released on 5th April. Barely three days after (8th April), another five were also released. Parents of the students have since united themselves seeking ways to free their wards from the dreaded bandits.

    In the video released by the bandits, the students appeared calm but exhausted and looking desperate for help.

    The video which was recorded in the night also included a newly kidnapped wife of a naval officer who was kidnaped at Agwa, Trikaniya area of Kaduna metropolis.

    Most of the students who spoke on the video called for quick negotiations for their release.

    Speaking Hausa, one of the female students said; “Our parents please we beg of you, please try your best to come pay for our release, please”.

    Another abductee named Yahaya Paul said “…my name is Yahaya Paul from the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, please we are calling on our parents to come and take us out of here, they should try there possible best to see us out of here. Some of us are sick, we have not been eating well. Please parents help us, so that we can come out of this place”.

    Another named Benson Emmanuel; “… my name is Benson Emmanuel, please we are begging on our parents to please come and help us out of here, we have stayed here for days, we have not been eating, some us have been sick… please we are calling on our parents… come and help us please, please.”

    “…am one of the students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, please we are calling on our parents to come and rescue us, we have not been eating, we are all exhausted…” another kidnapped student said.

    The wife of the naval officer who spent seventeen days so far with the kidnaped students also begged her husband to make a move for her release.

    Watch video below:

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Media/News Company (@thenewsgurung)