Author: NPO Admin II
Major cities in Niger are facing rolling blackouts following last week’s coup in the West African country. The power shortages are a result of Nigeria cutting supplies to its northern neighbour, Niger’s electricity company Nigelec says. The West African trading bloc Ecowas has imposed sanctions on Niger over the coup but has not said if these include electricity supplies. Ecowas defence chiefs are meeting in Nigeria to discuss the Niger crisis. On Sunday, West African leaders gave Niger’s military junta a week to give up power or face possible military intervention. European countries are currently evacuating its citizens from Niger.…
President Bola Tinubu, who is at the helm of regional superpower Nigeria, regards the coup across the border in Niger as a litmus test for democracy in West Africa. Having assumed the chairmanship of regional bloc Ecowas a mere three weeks ago, he was confronted with a major foreign policy challenge when the military seized power in Niger – a strategic ally in the fight against militant Islamists wreaking havoc across much of West Africa. Mr Tinubu had raised concerns about the coups in Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea when he rose to Nigeria’s presidency in May, saying Ecowas needed…
By Kamil Opeyemi The Senate on Wednesday asked the Senator representing Borno South senatorial district, Ali Ndume and his counterpart for the Federal Capital Territory, Ireti Kingibe, to address protesters after they invaded the National Assembly complex. The protesters had made good their promise to enter the National Assembly after pulling down its gate and overpowering the security men. He said that the Organised Labour won’t shelve the protest until there is a desired response from the government. Ajaero said the response from the states will determine “whether the protest will be from today, or tomorrow or next or till…
Lagos state deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat on Wednesday told protesting workers that the government has heard their cries over the hardship in the country. Hamzat, who stood in for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in addressing the workers who stormed the office of the governor in continuation of their protests against fuel subsidy and rising cost of living, said government appreciated the fact that it was a peaceful protest. “We have heard you. A lot of things have been said. And the letter has been given to me. What we all want is a better Nigeria. And I am sure we will…
By Kamil Opeyemi Fuel subsidy protests took another dimension on Wednesday as protesters forced their way into the National Assembly complex in Abuja. The protesters under the aegis of the organized labour moved to the Three Arms zone of FCT to take their protest to lawmakers. The Organised Labour including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliate unions, today, kicked off a protest in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and other states of the Federation including Lagos, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, Zamfara, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Ondo, and…
Men of the Nigerian Police Force on Wednesday matched along with the organized labour movement in the protests against fuel subsidy removal. NPO Reported earlier that protesters had converged at the Unity Fountain Abuja where President of the NLC Joe Ajeoro addressed workers and members of the civil society on the decision for the protest. A combined team of police officers from various commands had met with the protesters to ensure that the protest is not hijacked by hoodlums. Details later…
By Halimah Olamide Members of the Academic staff Union of Universities have joined others in protesting against the removal of fuel subsidy on Wednesday. The protesters which also comprised members of the Joint Action Front (JAF), displayed different placards with inscriptions such as “Tinubu Government is choking Nigerians to death, “Tinubu let us breath”, “Kill corruption, not Nigerians”, “Cost of living in Nigeria is choking us”, “FG allow the poor to breath”, and “Keep your palliatives, fix our refineries”. The protest is part of the ongoing national action against the rising costs of living in the country. President Bola Tinubu…
By Temitope Ajayi A pattern has emerged in the arguments many of the partisan and ideological critics routinely make on television stations. There is this tendency to always muddle up facts and mislead the public, notably through willful ignorance. One point that has been erroneously made is the view that the Federal Government is not doing anything about fixing the four refineries it owns. This view is incorrect. The Federal Government, through the NNPC in 2021, signed a deal with an Italian company, Maire Tecnimont SpA, for a complete revamp of the two refineries in Port Harcourt at a cost…
Defence chiefs from West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS will meet in Nigeria’s capital Abuja for two days beginning Wednesday to discuss last week’s coup in Niger, the bloc said in a statement on Tuesday. On Sunday leaders of the Economic Community of West African States slapped sanctions on Niger and warned they may use force as it gave the junta a week to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum. The leaders gave the junta seven days to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum, who is being held captive. Earlier, the junta warned it would resist any “plan of aggression against Niger” by regional or…
By Kamil Opeyemi The Organised labour have made good their promise to bring out Nigerians in their thousands on Wednesday for the commencement of a nationwide protests and strike over removal of petroleum subsidy. In Abuja, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajeoro, has led protesters to the Unity Fountain to open the protests as more people join to make the protests a success. “The protests have taken off in all parts of the federation,” he told journalists in Abuja This was just as the NLC President said there is nothing on the part of the federal government to…