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‘We are suffering’ – Npower beneficiaries cry out to Tinubu over unpaid eight months stipends

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The Batch “C” set of N-Power beneficiaries has written to President Bola Tinubu, calling for urgent intervention as they lamented that they have not been paid their stipends for the past eight months.

The N-Power batch “C” beneficiaries in the letter written by their National Publicity Secretary, Gbadebo Adesiyan, said that the nonpayment of the stipends had caused immense distress, inconveniences and hardship to millions of unemployed Nigerian graduates captured under the scheme.

Adesiyan stated that no N-Power beneficiary under batch “C” had been paid a dime from January to July of this year, with August, the eighth month coming to an end, lamenting that the situation had left beneficiaries in a state of financial uncertainty and despair.

According to Adesiyan, they were told that the delay on the payment of their stipends was because funds for the said unpaid months have not been approved or disbursed into the National Social Investment Management System (NASIMS) account by the presidency.

The letter read, “I wish to write this article with a heavy heart and a sense of urgency, hoping to shed light on a matter of National concern that needs your immediate action.

“The non-payment of stipends to beneficiaries of the NPOWER program has caused immense distress, inconveniences and hardship to millions of our unemployed Graduates captured under the scheme.

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“I implore Mr. President to take swift action to address this issue and restore the faith of the Nigerian people in their government’s commitment to their well-being and welfarism.

“For the past eight (8) months, NPOWER has failed to disburse stipends to its beneficiaries. The months of October, November and December of 2022 were paid to some of the beneficiaries while the majority still remain unpaid.

“No beneficiary was paid a dime in the whole of 2023 starting from January, February, March, April, May, June and July of 2023 this has left beneficiaries in a state of financial uncertainty and despair.

“The reason provided for this delay is the claims that funds for the said months have not been approved or disbursed into NASIMS account by the presidency, isn’t this laughable?

“Adding insult to our injury, a fake validation process was introduced by the Authorities and this has been riddled with technical glitches and inconsistencies.

“Beneficiaries have faced numerous challenges and roadblocks when attempting to validate their accounts, thereby impeding their access to the vital stipends they depend on for their livelihoods. Even those who successfully completed the validation process have not received a single payment.

“This situation has created a dire state of affairs, as beneficiaries struggle to meet their basic needs and support their families. The unpaid stipends were meant to alleviate financial burdens and enable individuals to contribute to the economy.

“Instead, the prolonged delay has exacerbated the already difficult circumstances faced by these individuals, pushing them further into poverty and despair,” the Npower beneficiaries wrote over their unpaid entitlements.

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DSS releases Nnamdi Kanu’s doctor, Aghaji

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Martin Aghaji, retired professor
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…insider sheds light on reason for his arrest

Professor Martin Aghaji, personal doctor to Nnamdi Kanu, has been arrested by Nigeria’s security operatives, Aloy Ejimakor, Mr Kanu’s lawyer said in an X post on Saturday.

Mr Kanu is the convicted leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He is serving life imprisonment in Sokoto State after a federal high court in Abuja convicted him in November for terrorism.

Mr Ejimakor said in the X post that Mr Aghaji, a retired professor, was arrested at his residence in Enugu State on Friday.

The lawyer did not specifically say which operatives arrested the medical doctor, although he suggested that the arrest was connected to a medical report issued by the doctor on Mr Kanu which contradicted a similar report by the Department of  State Security (DSS).

“This is the height of the official harassment he has been facing since he issued the medical report that did not comport with the SSS’s medical report on Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” Mr Ejimakor said.

How they arrested the medical doctor

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In another post on Sunday evening, the lawyer claimed “the security operatives” stormed Mr Aghaji’s residence at about 3:00 a.m., violently pulled down his gate and forcibly gained entry” into the apartment.

“During the commotion, shots were fired. They’ve now taken him to Lagos,” he stated.

Release of the doctor

Mr Ejimakor, in a fresh post on Sunday night, announced that Mr Aghaji has been released from detention following the intervention of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and other bodies.

“While welcoming this development, the DSS is hereby admonished to do better than this,” he said, suggesting that the secret police earlier carried out the arrest.

DSS speaks

When contacted on Monday, the spokesperson of the DSS, Favour Dozie, confirmed the secret police indeed arrested Mr Aghaji from his residence in Enugu.

Ms Dozie, however, said the arrest was never linked to Mr Kanu or IPOB.

“He was arrested, but not in connection with Nnamdi Kanu,” she said, refusing to give details because the matter was under investigation.

The DSS spokesperson stressed that the retired professor’s arrest could not have been linked to Mr Kanu because the IPOB leader had already been convicted by a court and currently serving jail term.

She confirmed that Mr Aghaji was granted administrative bail and subsequently released to the NMA leadership in Lagos State on Sunday after providing a credible individual as his surety.

An official of the DSS later informed PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Aghaji’s arrest followed his alleged financial transactions to high-profile criminals under investigation.

“He was even sorry about it when he was informed of the transactions he made. The man himself felt very bad,” said the official who asked not to be named because he did not have permission to speak on the matter.

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PFIPC: Adeyemi’s father arrested as police intensify forgery probe

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The father of Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, who is facing criminal charges over alleged forgery and impersonation, was reportedly arrested by police operatives on Monday in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

Residents told journalists that the arrest took place at the family’s residence, where officers reportedly arrived in several vehicles before taking Adeniyi’s father and another man said to have been visiting the home into custody.

Witnesses said the operation drew the attention of residents and caused anxiety within the household, particularly for the suspect’s elderly mother.

A resident, who requested anonymity, alleged that the officers quickly secured the premises and left with the two men, while a security presence remained in the area for some time after the operation.

Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi is currently standing trial over allegations of forgery, impersonation and related offences arising from claims linked to the purported Presidential Fiscal and Infrastructure Projects Council.

The case is pending before the court.

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As of the time of filing this report, the Oyo State Police Command had not issued an official statement confirming or explaining the reported arrests.

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Tiktoker, Peller, arraigned in court for threatening and videoing police officers on duty; granted 500k bail

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The Lagos state police command today July 6 arraigned popular TikToker, Habeeb Hamzat aka Peller, and one other, Bello Oladipo, before a magistrate court on a three-count charge bordering on resisting police officers, obstructing them from carrying out their duties, and threatening and videoing police officers while performing their lawful duties.

Recall that on July 2, Peller clashed with some officers along the Coastal road in Lagos after he was intercepted for allegedly driving a car without a plate number.

Peller had claimed he had just purchased the vehicle.

The officers, however, dismissed his claim and insisted he must be taken to the station. Things, however, took a different turn after Peller began recording his interaction with the police officers.

He claimed the officers became hostile to him. He alleged that one of the officers dragged his shirt and even pointed a gun at him.

Monday morning, both Peller and his friend, who was in the vehicle with him, were arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate court.

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Count one of the charges reads:

‘’That you Bello Oladipo “m” and Habeeb Hamzat “m” of No. 16,Platinum Road Lekki phase 2 , on the 2” day of July 2026 at about 2000hrs at Coastal Road Lekki, Lagos within the Magisterial district of this Honourable Court, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: Resisting public officers and thereby committed an offense punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos state 2015.

COUNT 2

‘’That you Bello Oladipo “m” and Habeeb Hamzat “m “ of Number 16, Platinum Road, Lekki Phase 2, on the 2’” day of July 2026 at about 2000hrs at Coastal Road Lekki, Lagos within the Magisterial district of this Honourable court did obstruct one ASP Agbede Victor and three other police officers while engaged in the discharge of their constituted duties and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable by Section 117 (1)(2) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.”

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all three counts.

The court subsequently granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties, one of whom must be a bl++d relative. The court also directed them to present two years’ tax clearance certificates as part of their bail conditions.

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