Author: Kwara Reporters

A group under the aegis of the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights, CDWR, has urged the Organised Labour to quickly mobilise and declare a nationwide strike over the minimum wage and the recent hike in electricity tariff.This is contained in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Bosah.The group recalled that organized labour had been at loggerheads with the government and private sector over a new minimum wage, and negotiation had been deadlocked for over three weeks and still counting.It stressed that the Government and Private Sector insistence on paying N60,000 provoked the declaration of an indefinite strike…

By Funsho AbdulmalikThe upcoming local government elections in Kwara State have brought to light concerns about the affordability and inclusiveness of the political process. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has fixed exorbitant prices for its nomination/intent forms, charging the sum of N250,000 for counselorship positions, while members of the party willing to secure tickets for chairmanship positions will have to cough out a whooping N1million. In stark contrast, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demonstrated a commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, fixing cost of its forms at ₦25,000 for counselorship aspirants and ₦100,000 for chairmanship aspirants. This disparity…

Seriake Dickson, chairman of the senate committee on ecology and climate change, says the masterminds of oil theft in the Niger Delta reside outside the region.In a report by NAN on Friday, Dickson said the “big players” are based in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the world.The senator spoke during a visit to the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, at Oporoza, Warri, Delta state.“Those big players behind the crude oil theft are not from the region but are based in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the world,” he said.“We have no means and no capacity to engage in the…

The meeting between former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai and the leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on Thursday sparked fresh speculations that some northern political bigwigs are plotting a coalition to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, Daily Trust on Sunday reports.While it wasn’t unusual to see El-Rufai and Kwankwaso together, preceding events, which had seen many northern political heavyweights turn the Daura home of former President Muhammadu Buhari into a sort of Mecca, have raised eyebrows among political observers.It would be recalled that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accompanied by…

Two suicide bombers have detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) at a wedding venue in Gwoza town, Borno State, killing a soldier, and seven others including wedding guests. Sixteen people were also injured. According to a survivor, the first bomber was carrying a baby on her back when she stormed the venue and detonated the IED.The wedding was held on Saturday at Tashan Mararaba near the Fire Service in Gwoza town.A military source in Gwoza said the female suicide bomber crossed the road opposite the military base and immediately detonated the IED, killing a soldier in the process.The terrorists reinforced and…

Twenty-seven states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, have failed to access the N36.1bn education fund provided by the Universal Basic Education Commission in 2023.The N36.1bn figure is obtained from a document prepared by UBEC in March 2024, which showed how state-by-state matching grants were not accessed.The document, which was signed by UBEC’s Director of Finance and Account, Adamu Misau, said the sum of N36.1bn was not accessed by states.According to the data on the document, Jigawa, Sokoto and Zamfara states in the North-West; Borno and Taraba states in the North-East; Nasarawa State in the North Central; Ondo…

The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal on Thursday upheld a previous ruling by a Lagos State High Court, confirming a five-year prison sentence for Nollywood actor Olanrewaju James, also known as Baba Ijesha, for the sexual assault of a minor aged 14.The Court of Appeal, in a judgment delivered by Justice Folashade Ojo, upheld the conviction of Baba Ijesha on two counts, specifically indecent touching and sexual assault of a 14-year-old minor.Justices Abdullahi Bayero and Paul Bassi concurred with the lead judgment, aligning themselves with Justice Folashade Ojo’s decision.Justice Folashade Ojo delivered a judgment setting aside Baba Ijesha’s…

The 103 Nigerians arrived at the Abuja airport on June 28, 2024 onboard the Southwind airlines flight.One hundred and three Nigerians on Friday arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the nation’s capital.They were part of those deported from the Republic of Turkey.They arrived at the pilgrims’ wing of the airport at about 6:45 pm on the Southwind Airlines flight with registration number TC-GRB.Upon their arrival, they were received by multiple agencies of government like the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) as…

Troops of One Division of the Nigerian Army in Kaduna State have arrested 47 suspected rail track vandals along the Kakau Daji-Anguwan Ayaba area in Chikun Local Government Area of the state.According to the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of the division, Lieutenant Musa Yahaya, the troops intercepted and arrested the suspects during a routine patrol on June 26, 2024.He said that the suspects, who had loaded two trucks with the vandalized rail tracks before their arrests, revealed that they were employed by one Alhaji Babawo who is at large to load the vandalized rail tracks and off-load same…

The organised labour on Friday lambasted some state governors canvassing payments of minimum wage based on capacity of their respective states, saying the concept of a national minimum wage is not arbitrary.Governors from the southern part of Nigeria, under the aegis of the Southern Governors’ Forum, had called for the consideration of the cost of living and the ability of each state to pay in reaching an agreement on the new minimum wage.The governors, who disclosed their position at a meeting held at Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, also advocated that each state negotiate the new wage with the labour unions.But…