News
Nigeria: DSS quizzes seven foreigners as protest loses steam
Hunger protest loses steam as DSS grills seven foreigners
The hunger protests, which rocked the country, especially the northern part, from last Thursday, appears to have lost steam following the police crackdown on the organisers and protesters, many of whom had been detained.
Some of the #EndBadGovernance protest leaders have also gone underground and switched off their phones as the Department of State Services took custody of seven Polish nationals arrested for waving Russian flags during the demonstration in Kano on Tuesday.
DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, confirmed the arrests on Wednesday while explaining that the action was part of routine security enforcement rather than a targeted effort against Polish nationals.
The protest, which gained momentum in major cities such as Kano, Gombe, Yobe, Borno, Niger, Kebbi, Abuja and other northern towns, were marked by escalating violence.
In some instances, security officials’ actions were the catalyst for the violence, while in other cases, it was driven by overzealous protesters or counter-protesters.
A few days ago, media reports and footage showed some #EndBadGovernance protesters carrying Russian flags.
In a national broadcast on Sunday, President Bola Tinubu pleaded with the organisers of the nationwide protest to suspend the action as it had gone violent in some states with the attendant loss of lives and destruction of property.
However, the protests scheduled nationwide between August 1 and 10, 2024, seem to have faltered as the demonstration was not held in Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, Borno and other states on Wednesday.
The development followed the arrest of 873 protesters by the police, and detention of 30 others for waving the Russian flag during the protest in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Bauchi states.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, had said the individuals waving the Russian flags committed treason and would therefore, be prosecuted.
The four political bigwigs, who hail from Katsina, Kaduna and Kano states, were being investigated for allegedly instigating the use of Russian flags by demonstrators in the north to orchestrate an unconstitutional regime change.
Confirming the probe of the seven Polish nationals, the DSS spokesman, Afunanya, explained that the action was in line with democratic principles and respect for human rights.
Afunanya addressed the Polish Ambassador to Nigeria during a briefing with the Diplomatic Corps in Abuja, on Wednesday.
“Seven persons were picked up from Kano because of where they were found during the protest and display of foreign flag in Kano two days ago.
“As a responsible security organisation, we owe it an obligation to do some verification and ascertain basic reasons and circumstances for some cases.
“They were picked by security enforcement because of where they were when the incident happened. It is not a targeted operation,” the spokesperson stated.
He also issued a plea for international cooperation in maintaining global stability, urging other nations not to allow their citizens to be used as instruments for undermining domestic peace in any country.
Afunanya added, “As the foremost domestic security organisation, we believe we have to work in sync with all of you who are men and county of goodwill.
“Our operations must be governed by democratic principles and protocol that emphasises freedom and human rights and of course intelligence and security governance. We obey all of these, whether we are dealing with Nigerians or foreigners.
“But we have a plea. In the course of discharging of our duty, we also see that some Nigerians definitely would want to use foreign lands as a launch pad to attack domestic peace and stability.
“We plead that you do not offer your country to some persons who may be deviant or have a terrorist inclination in today’s global pursuit; if anything happens in a country, it affects the others. Nigeria is a country with a large population and I believe that the support other countries will give will help us.”
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Economic Community of West African States have called for dialogue to address the tension from the hunger protests.
This is as the international community expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, emphasising their importance for Nigeria’s future prosperity.
Diplomatic Corps
Speaking at a briefing of the Diplomatic Corps in Abuja on Wednesday, the British High Commissioner, Richard Montgomery, and his US counterpart, Amb Richard Mills, stressed the importance of maintaining dialogue and peace-building efforts to address the issues raised by the protesters.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs convened the parley to brief the international community about the protests over the economic hardships in the country.
The diplomats praised the Nigerian administration’s commitment to reform, while also urging continued dialogue to address the citizens’ concerns.
Montgomery commended the security agencies for their restraint in managing the protests, highlighting their avoidance of lethal force.
“I commend the synergy and policing agencies for avoiding lethal force. This is a big and complex situation, and we have noted very clearly the commitment to enabling a peaceful process and the commitment to policing proportionately.
“And I just wanted to put on record our appreciation of some of the handlings. We have a lot of empathy for people facing significant hardship. The level of inflation is significant, and I would endorse my colleagues’ question and interest in the dialogue and the peace-building that needs to continue in Nigeria given the hardship that people face.
“But I also want to put on record that we fully support the big and important economic reforms that are going on in Nigeria at the moment, which we see as essential for the future prosperity of the country, and indeed the economic relationships of many of us here with this major power,” Montgomery said.
Mills expressed his condolences for the losses caused by the recent events.
He reiterated the US support for the necessary reforms undertaken by the Tinubu administration.
“I thank you for bringing us together for this useful and informative briefing. I also want to take this platform just to express my embassy’s condolences for the loss of life and suffering that Nigeria has seen over the past several days.
“And let me echo my British colleague’s comments that we understand the difficulty that the reforms President Tinubu and his administration have undertaken have imposed.
“We know that these reforms are necessary, and we have supported and worked with the administration as they have carried them out,” Mills stated.
Weighing in on the protest, the ECOWAS Commission expressed deep concern over the demonstration, lamenting the reports of violence, fatalities and property destruction.
In a statement on Tuesday, ECOWAS emphasised the right of citizens to peaceful protests, as enshrined in the 2001 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.
“The ECOWAS Commission has been closely monitoring the ongoing protests by citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and deeply regrets reports of violence in the course of the protests and the unfortunate death of some protesters as well as alleged looting and destruction of public and private properties.
“The commission extends heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and sympathises with the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria over the losses.
“The ECOWAS Commission recognises the right of citizens to peaceful protests, as guaranteed by the 2001 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended,” the statement read in part.
The commission also welcomed the national broadcast by the President, urging the protesters and all stakeholders to heed Tinubu’s call for inclusive dialogue to address their grievances and ensure peace and security in Nigeria and the wider ECOWAS region.
“The commission welcomes the State of the Nation address of 4th August 2024 by H.E. President Bola Tinubu and urges the protesters and all stakeholders to heed the President’s call for inclusive dialogue for the resolution of all grievances and the preservation of peace and security in Nigeria and the ECOWAS region at large,” it added.
As the police and the DSS clamp down on protesters continued, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, says intelligence failure led to the attacks on public and private properties during the protest in the state.
Several public property and private businesses were attacked and looted by hoodlums, who hijacked the peaceful protest.
The Emir, who spoke when he paid an inspection visit to Kano Printing Press, the NCC Digital Industrial Park and Barakat Stores, on Wednesday, said the security agencies were notified of the plot to attack some public facilities in the state days before it occurred.
He said, “As we used to say, whoever had a hand in this is an enemy of Kano and he is an enemy of its people. What happened in Kano, whoever saw them, knew was planned. Kano was billed to be destroyed but we pray that God will not let them succeed. May God return all that was lost, we can only pray.
“Before this happened, the security operatives were notified in writing that it was going to happen but instead of preventing it, it was allowed to happen. Whoever did well knows, whoever did badly knows and they all will see their result. We pray that God gives the government the opportunity to return it.
“My grandfather had worked here (Kano Printing Press). It is sad that a place like this is destroyed by their grandchildren.
“We pray that God comes to the aid of these youth, and whoever is behind it God will deal with them. We pray that we may not witness anything like this in the future. I swear to Almighty God, those bent on destroying Kano will not succeed and God willing, the way they saw Kano they will leave it like that.”
The Commissioner, the Ministry of Science and Technology, Muhammad Othman, said the state government had secured the approval of the minister to restore the looted facilities.
The monarch had expressed deep concern over the incident during a press conference held two days after the incident.
The Kano Printing Press was established in 1938 and has been serving the state ever since.
The NCC centre was billed for commissioning this week before it was vandalised and a section of the building set ablaze.
Curfew lifted
As the tension over the protest subsided, a curfew imposed by the authorities to control the situation has been partially lifted in some northern states.
Following the last Security Council meeting in Borno State, which saw the temporary lifting of the curfew, protesters have deserted the streets and returned to their daily engagements.
Although there is still heavy security presence in strategic locations in Maiduguri, the state capital, the Internal Security Commissioner, Prof Usman Tar, said the city would remain under watch by security operatives to prevent a further escalation of violence.
The commissioner explained that the lifting of the curfew was temporary until it was confirmed that there was total peace in Maiduguri and its environs.
However, a police source confirmed that the curfew had helped in dousing the protest in the city.
“After the lifting of the curfew last Saturday, till this moment, we have not witnessed or heard of any protest in Maiduguri,” the police officer said.
A Maiduguri resident, Jeremiah Blessing, confirmed that “Maiduguri is now peaceful with less tension” while appreciating the effort of the state government and security agencies in maintaining law and order in the state.
In Kaduna, the shooting of a boy raised tension in the metropolis, forcing the State Security Council to extend the 24-hour curfew imposed on Kaduna and Zaria towns, despite initial plans to relax it.
A security source revealed that the government hesitated due to the killing of a 16-year-old boy by a soldier in Zaria, fearing potential escalation.
The source stated that the government was satisfied with the situation in the southern part of the state, where residents did not participate in the protests or were peaceful during the protest.
However, the reported looting and destruction of property made the government cautious about reviewing the curfew.
“An investigation is ongoing, and authorities have identified individuals responsible for manufacturing and distributing foreign flags, with some allegedly using children for this purpose.
“The curfew remains in place as the government prioritizes maintaining security and order in the affected areas,” the source said.
Speaking on the waning protests, the Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, Damilare Adenola, argued that the demonstration had not died down, adding that the issue was the government clampdown on activists and protesters.
“The protest has not died down. We should be talking about how the government continually cracks down on free speech, making it unsafe for activists and citizens to express their human rights,” the activist stated.
OSOGBO — The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the outcome of the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that it is not convinced that Governor Ademola Adeleke secured the highest number of valid votes.
INEC on Sunday declared Adeleke the winner after the Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Olalekan Ogunwale, announced the final results at the commission’s headquarters in Osogbo.
Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dr Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes.
However, the APC said it would not accept the declaration without conducting a comprehensive review of the electoral process.
Speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme on Monday, the Director-General of the APC campaign for the Osun governorship election, Hon. Oluwole Oke, said the party had commenced an audit of the results and electoral materials from the poll.
Oke said the party had directed its agents across the state to submit relevant result sheets for scrutiny as it investigates alleged infractions.
“We need to do the needful which is to evaluate the process, review the process and then form an opinion. We’ve embarked on an audit process; we’ve asked all our party agents to submit copies of Form EC8A, B, C to our secretariat for review. We need to inspect all the materials because we do not agree with the declaration of INEC, and that’s our position for now,” he said.
The APC campaign chief also dismissed suggestions that the party was under pressure to immediately accept the outcome following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s congratulatory message to Adeleke.
Tinubu had congratulated Adeleke after the declaration, describing the outcome as a reflection of the will of the people.
Reacting to the President’s position, Oke said Tinubu spoke in his capacity as President and a democrat following INEC’s declaration.
“Mr. President spoke as the Father of the nation and a democrat following the declaration by INEC,” he said.
Oke, however, maintained that the APC would rely on its own assessment of the election after completing its review.
“We’re on ground and politics is local and, like I’ve told you, what we’re doing is to conduct a thorough review of the entire process and form an opinion,” he said.
He added that the party would not be rushed into congratulating Adeleke, insisting that its preliminary position was that the governor did not secure the highest number of valid votes.
“We won’t be under any subtle pressure to easily reach out to congratulate Senator Ademola Adeleke because we believe he didn’t score the highest valid votes,” Oke said.
The APC is expected to determine its next course of action after completing its audit and reviewing the electoral materials and results submitted by its agents.
ABAKALIKI — The 2027 governorship race in Ebonyi State is gathering momentum, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Odii, unveiling a package of reforms aimed at improving the welfare of workers, teachers and retirees.
Odii made the commitments during a meeting with representatives of Ebonyi civil servants and members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) at his Lagos residence, where he outlined his plans for a comprehensive reform of the state’s public service.
A major component of his agenda is a workers’ housing scheme designed to provide 1,000 housing units within his first year in office and up to 5,000 units over four years if elected governor.
Odii said the housing programme would be structured to minimise dependence on direct government funding, with workers’ contributions and existing pension assets forming part of the financing framework.
He said the initiative would address the housing difficulties faced by workers and retirees, particularly retirees who often struggle to sustain rented accommodation after leaving government service.
The PDP candidate also proposed a paperless digital loan platform that would allow workers to access loans against their contributory pension savings without the bureaucratic delays associated with the existing system.
On retirement benefits, Odii pledged that workers would have access to their entitlements immediately upon retirement, arguing that retirees should not endure prolonged delays in receiving benefits accrued during their years of service.
He further promised to reform the promotion process through computer-based promotion examinations capable of producing results instantly.
According to him, the digital system would reduce delays, curb opportunities for manipulation and promote greater transparency and fairness in the career progression of civil servants.
Odii said the proposed reforms were aimed at creating a public service where workers would have improved access to housing, credit facilities and timely retirement benefits, while ensuring a more transparent promotion system.
He presented the proposals as part of his broader agenda to improve workers’ welfare and reposition the Ebonyi State civil service for greater efficiency if elected governor in 2027.
The MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) has confirmed the death of one of its operations staff in an electrical accident.
The Head of Communications, MEDL, Mr Emeka Ezeh, who confirmed the incident in Enugu on Monday, said that the incident occured on Aug. 13 at Eke in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Ezeh said that the incident, which occurred at about 1p.m., involved Mr. Samson Okechi, the Team Lead, Abor, attached to the company’s 9th Mile District.
He said, “Okechi was carrying out maintenance work on a 50kVA/11kV pole-mounted distribution substation at Eke when he sustained an electric shock.
“Okechi was immediately evacuated to Our Saviour Hospital, Ngwo, for medical attention but was pronounced dead by the doctor on duty. His remains were subsequently deposited at a mortuary.”
He said that the incident was formally reported at the Ngwo Police Station for documentation and other necessary statutory actions.
Ezeh also debunked claims circulating on some social media platforms that Okechi was murdered or that the incident was the result of sabotage.
“I wonder why some people take pleasure in conjuring unfounded narratives and circulating them, thereby creating unnecessary tension and bad blood. This is so unfair,” he said.
He urged members of the public to disregard the claims, describing them as baseless.
According to him, Okechi had requested a Station Guarantee (SG) for the Okwe 11kV Feeder, which was granted at about 11:06 a.m. at the 9th Mile Injection Substation. The feeder was subsequently opened and tagged.
“This is a very unfortunate development and a big shock to all of us, his colleagues. Our hearts go out to his immediate family as they grieve,” Ezeh said.
The MEDL spokesman disclosed that MainPower management had commenced a comprehensive investigation to establish the immediate, underlying and root causes of the accident.
He said, “We are committed to ensuring that the investigation is thorough and evidence-based.
“The findings will be used to identify any gaps, determine appropriate corrective measures, and strengthen safety procedures and operational controls where necessary.”
Ezeh MEDL assured its customers and stakeholders that safety remained a paramount priority in its operations, adding that appropriate measures would be taken based on the outcome of the investigation.
Idiaye, a third-term lawmaker, takes over from Blessing Agbebaku, who resigned as Speaker on Monday amid moves by lawmakers to impeach him.
The emergence of Idiaye was said to have been influenced by the gentleman’s zoning arrangement in the Assembly, which provides that when the governor is from the Edo Central Senatorial District, the Speaker should come from Edo North.
Idiaye, being the oldest member from the Edo North Senatorial District, was subsequently elected Speaker.
Without the zoning arrangement, the Deputy Speaker would have automatically succeeded Agbebaku, according to the new Speaker.
Members of the Assembly were at the Government House to inform Governor Monday Okpebholo of the change in leadership.
Agbebaku was said to have resigned early on Monday following alleged moves by lawmakers to impeach him.
Reports gathered that 17 of the 24 lawmakers had signed a notice of impeachment on Sunday night, a development that may have prompted his resignation.
Agbebaku’s resignation was confirmed by Ebojele, who said details of the development would be made public later.
She said, “I can confirm the Speaker’s resignation but details will be made public later.”
The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, has resigned from his position.
Agbebaku stepped down on Monday amid moves by some lawmakers to impeach him.
His resignation was confirmed on Facebook by his media aide, Ivy Adodo-Ebojele, who said further details on the circumstances surrounding his exit would be made public later.
“EDO ASSEMBLY SPEAKER RT HON CHIEF BLESSING AGBEBAKU RESIGNS,” she wrote.
The development has thrown the Edo State House of Assembly into a fresh leadership crisis, with lawmakers expected to determine a new Speaker.
Details shortly…
-
News5 days ago15 Dead, 200 Buildings at Risk as Sand Mining Ravages Anambra Community
-
Foreign5 days agoFamily Seeks Help to Locate Enugu Man in Dallas After Viral Social Media Post
-
News5 days agoAnambra NDC Crisis Deepens As 2 Contending Aspirants Lose Assembly Ticket
-
Health4 days agoPeter Obi, Chinyeaka Ohaa Visit Parklane Hospital in Solidarity With Kidney Patients
-
Crime4 days agoEnugu: Police arrest 14 kidnap suspects, recover cache of arms, ammunition
-
News4 days agoMainPower calls for partnership, support to improve electricity service delivery
-
Crime2 days agoArmy Destroys Three Suspected IPOB/ESN Camps, Kills Three in Anambra
-
Business5 days agoPatience Jonathan Hails Azikel Boss Eruani as ‘Small Boy’ She Mentored Into Billionaire League