News

Hardship: Govt officials panic, Police on Red Alert over planned nationwide protest

Published

2 years ago

July 15, 2024

Spread the love

As hardship bites harder, some Nigerian youths plan nationwide protests beginning from August 1-10, 2024.

The protest, which is currently gaining traction in the North and other parts of the country, is aimed at drawing the attention of governments at all levels to the plight of the citizens.

Since the current administration took off in May 2023 when President Bola Tinubu announced the abolition of fuel subsidy, there has been an untoward hardship in the country.

This has led to calls for the reversal of some policies of the government believed to have birthed the hardship.

It will be recalled that angry youths and women had on February 9, 2024, taken to the streets of Minna, the Niger State capital, and Kano to protest the astronomical rise in prices of food and other essential commodities in the market.

In a similar vein, some civil society groups, including the Take It Back Movement, the Education Rights Campaign, the Coalition for Revolution and the Socialist Workers League on June 12, protested against the surging cost of living, insecurity and other challenges facing the nation.

The protesters, who stormed the streets in some Southwestern states, wielded placards that had inscriptions like: ‘President Tinubu, let the poor breathe’, ‘Payment of living wage to all Nigerian workers now, ‘End Insecurity,’ ‘Nationalise the power sector,’ and ‘Reverse Fee Hikes Now,” among others.

The planned August protest

The protest is scheduled to take place in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

While some of the organizers, particularly from the northern region, remain anonymous, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore has been campaigning for the August protest via his social media handles.

Sowore, who had led several protests in the country, said revolution would start in August, insisting that “Nothing Can Stop An Idea Whose Time Has Come” #RevolutionNOW.”

Sowore wrote: “The REVOLUTION is now knocking on our doors! #RevolutionNow. Let everyone rise all once in August 2024!

“Nothing can stop an idea whose time has come. They asked for a revolution and It is here now! @officialABAT once asked for a revolution, even @MBuhari once asked for a revolution and Nigerians now want a real revolution.

“Nothing Can Stop An Idea Whose Time Has Come” #RevolutionNOW.”

Similarly, a flyer making the rounds on social media titled: “End Bad Government in Nigeria 2024” by anonymous groups, ascribed the planned protest to 10 policies of the government, which according to them have imposed unexpected hardship on Nigerians.

Among other demands, the group urged the government to “end subsidy scam and reverse fuel price to below N300 per litter, bring tertiary education fees back to their previous rates, restore electricity tariff to affordable levels for the public, return import duties to their previous rates, publicly disclose and reduce the salaries and allowances of all Senators, House of Representative members, reform EFCC.”

Police moves to halt protest in leaked memo

The Nigeria Police Force is allegedly initiating plans to halt the planned protest.

The police, in an internal memo said “some groups are mobilizing for mass protest nationwide beginning from 1 to 10 2024”.

The memo, dated July 8 and copied to zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, urged the operatives to be proactive and “mobilize well kitted and equipped personnel” ahead of the protest.

“INGENPOL directs you to be proactive, mobilize well kitted and equipped personnel, synergize with other sister agencies and the military, takeover all strategic points in your AOR, deploy undercover for intelligent gathering, disperse unlawful gatherings, be in heart-to-heart conversation with community stakeholders, no form of protest must be allowed during the period,” it said

A popular social commentator and investigative journalist, @PIDOMNIGERIA posted the leaked memo on his verified X handle.

Efforts by the Journalists to reach the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi over the matter was unsuccessful as he could not take his call and failed to respond to all text messages sent to his phone.

Fear grips government officials

The planned nationwide protest has instilled fear on Nigerian public officer holders, especially lawmakers who are fidgeting over possible attack on them.

The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday engaged in a panic debate, expressing fear of attacks by angry Nigerians who are bedeviled by the prevailing hardship.

The lawmakers expressed fear that the angry Nigerians may resort to attack and revolt against public office holders.

The debate followed a motion, titled: “Urgent Need to address Food Insecurity and Market Exploitation of Consumables in Nigeria”, sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi Steve representing Kogi West Senatorial District and co-sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume Mohammed representing Borno South Senatorial District.

Former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, after commending the mover of the motion submitted that Nigerians have exhausted their patience and may come after them if nothing was done in quick time due to acute hunger.

“If we don’t take immediate action, we will lose the power and our citizens under the situation of increased fuel price, increased electricity price, increased everything and we are yet to get the right measures to provide questions for our constituents.

“We wouldn’t like the kind of thing that we see in our streets and it is time that we take every possible action to get out of the arms of the government to ensure that food floods our country, the right food”, he said.

A few days earlier, former lawmaker Shehu Sani had warned the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio not to pass a route in Wuse 2, in the FCT over protesting Nigerians.

Sani said he recently encountered protesters in Wuse 2, carrying placards against ‘hunger in the land’.

The former lawmaker said some of the protesters among them recognized him and allowed him to pass.

However, Sani suggested in the post that Akpabio might not be given a free pass by the protesters. He, therefore, advised the Senate President not to go through Wuse 2.

He wrote: “I just passed a group of protesters in Wuse 2, carrying placards against ‘hunger in the land’. Some ladies among them recognized me and shouted “No be that Afro Senator be that”, I answered “yes na me the former Senator”; then they responded “Oya pass”. Make Akpabio no pass there o.

Meanwhile, a chieftain of the Labour Party, Mr Kayode Oyeniran told DAILY POST in Abuja that “if the protest is allowed to hold, government officials may have to find where they will hide themselves.

“The truth is that Nigerians are angry. For the past few months now, there has been debates on the salaries and allowances of the Federal lawmakers.

“I don’t know how much they earn but the way it is painted in public, many Nigerians now see them as their number one enemies.

“It is my prayer that the organizers find other means of expressing their grievances. It must not always be a protest. You see what is happening in Kenya?

“Both the government and the protesters are having a bad time. Protests most times make things worse”, he said.

Oneyiran, however, stated that “sometimes you can’t blame these people. They have had enough and have been patient enough.

“Since 2023, the government has only been making promises. The Port Harcourt refinery that they said would work last year December, I don’t think it is functioning now.

“They said when the CNG vehicles are rolled out, prices of goods will crash, where are the vehicles? How long would Nigerians wait? People are suffering.

“People have come to a level where they are no longer afraid of anything. If you stay back, you may die of hunger and if you protest you may die, so they will tell you that it is better to protest and die. We have never had it like this”.

Meanwhile, in his own opinion, the President General of the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, Goodluck Ibem urged Nigerian youths to jettison the planned protest and channel their energy to something useful.

In a chat with DAILY POST on Saturday, Ibem said, “Nigerian youths should redirect the energy they want to use for protest into farming and full time agriculture.

“That is the major way to end hunger and food scarcity.

“Many of our farmlands are not cultivated even when we have so many youths. They only want white collar jobs, which are not available.

“We have to remain positive here. Hunger cannot disappear if we fail to embrace farming as a culture and lifestyle. That is the bitter truth”.

PROMISES DELIVERED

News

Kidnappers torture 20 corps members, demand N5m each NYSC

Published

5 hours ago

October 4, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

Spread the love

Oyo adopts Oriire abduction template, engages Imo, security agencies

The 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted by gunmen in Imo State have allegedly been subjected to physical assault by their captors, including the female victims, as the kidnappers reduced their ransom demand to N5 million per victim.

The development came as the deadline reportedly given by the abductors for payment of the ransom approached, heightening anxiety among the victims’ families.

One of the affected relatives, Alhaja Alimot Akande, whose 25-year-old sister, Kehinde Akande, is among the abducted graduates, said the victims had allegedly been beaten since Saturday.

She described the situation as “horrible, scary and overwhelming,” while appealing to the government to intensify efforts to secure the victims’ release.

Akande said the kidnappers had reduced their initial demand from N50 million per victim to N5 million each.

“They are still demanding N5 million. They have come down to N5 million each,” she said.

Asked whether the N5 million was being demanded for each of the 20 victims, she replied: “Yes.”

She said she could not confirm how much had been raised towards the ransom, explaining that she was not privy to arrangements between the abductors and other families.

“I cannot say because I do not know how much they have told those people that they have,” she said.

According to Akande, her sister told her that the abductors had started beating the victims.

“Sir, we appeal to the government to please assist us in getting them rescued out of that place. When I spoke to my sister, they started beating them since yesterday,” she said.

Asked whether the female victims were also being assaulted, she said: “They are not sparing anybody. They are beating all of them.”

Akande also said one of the abducted corps members had been allowed to communicate with his father, alleging that the kidnappers monitored the calls as part of their efforts to assess the family’s ability to raise the ransom.

She said the abductors would alert the victim whenever his father called and allow him to speak to him.

She added that the families had been relying on assurances from the police while efforts continued to raise the ransom.

“The police are telling us to still be buying time. We are still looking for the money. Depending, they will see them rescued,” she said.

Akande confirmed that her family was directly affected by the incident, identifying her abducted sister as Kehinde, 25.

Oyo engages Imo, security agencies

Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government said it was maintaining contact with the Imo State Government and security agencies as efforts intensified to secure the release of the abducted graduates.

The state Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said the government was actively involved in efforts to rescue the victims despite the abduction occurring outside Oyo State.

Oyelade said the government was drawing on its experience from the recent abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area in its engagement with the Imo authorities.

“We are in close contacts at government-to-government level and actively with the security apparatus in Oyo and Imo states,” he said.

“We are volunteering our template and experiences garnered during the Oriire kidnapping, and the report of the Judicial Inquiry just submitted last week by the Hon. Justice (Professor) Mojeed Owoade Panel is coming in handy in our bilateral discussions on the matter.”

He explained that the government would not disclose all aspects of its strategy because of the sensitive nature of the operation.

“Governments all over the world are not in the habit of disclosing all they are planning in delicate situations like this,” Oyelade said.

The commissioner, however, said the Federal Government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces should provide answers on the broader national security response to the incident.

“The pushback should be on the Federal Government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, who are in charge of national security, on what they have done in 72 hours,” he said.

Oyelade also referred to Governor Seyi Makinde’s recent intervention over the abduction of students in Borno State, noting that the Borno incident occurred on the same day as the Oriire abduction.

He said Makinde had appealed to the Federal Government to expedite action on the rescue of the abducted Borno students.

Reaffirming the state’s commitment to the victims, Oyelade said the fact that the graduates were abducted in Imo did not absolve the Oyo Government of its responsibility to its citizens.

“Oyo State Government had not and will not abandon its citizens. We will continue to work endlessly and desperately to secure the release of our children,” he said.

How the graduates were abducted

The 20 prospective corps members were abducted on Thursday while travelling from Ibadan to their respective NYSC orientation camps in two buses.

The vehicles were reportedly attacked by gunmen along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State, while the graduates were travelling to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.

The incident triggered concern among the affected families, particularly after the parents said the kidnappers initially demanded N50 million for each victim — N1 billion in total — and gave them a 24-hour ultimatum to raise the money.

The parents subsequently sought the intervention of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, during a visit to his private residence in Bodija, Ibadan.

They were accompanied by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, and the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri.

The parents appealed to the monarch to intervene, saying they could not raise the N1 billion ransom demanded.

“They have been calling us since yesterday (Friday) with a demand for N50 million ransom each. They are threatening that anything untoward will happen to our children if we fail to heed to their request,” the parents had said.

“There is no way we can raise such an amount at this period. Baba, kindly assist us. Don’t let them kill our children.”

Responding, Ladoja assured the families that efforts were being made to secure the victims’ release.

“I want to assure that your children would be rescued unharmed. We will relate whatever information we gather to you,” he said.

“The police are working round the clock to secure their rescue. Don’t worry yourself, police are up to the task, and nothing would happen to your children.”

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola, also said he had remained in contact with his Imo counterpart since the incident.

“I had already contacted Imo State CP. We have been talking since the day of incident, and he assured me that the victims would be rescued unhurt,” Abimbola said.z

PROMISES DELIVERED

News

Eight Zamfara lawmakers dump APC over insecurity, unpaid salaries

Published

5 hours ago

October 4, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

Spread the love

Eight members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly have resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing insecurity, injustice and other issues affecting the wellbeing of the people.

The lawmakers, including an ally of former Governor Abdul’aziz Yari, said they could no longer remain in a political party which they said had failed to provide adequate security for citizens.

In a statement announcing their decision, the lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as the party’s inability to address challenges confronting the state, particularly the worsening security situation.

The lawmakers who resigned are Hon. Aliyu Ango Kagara (Talata Mafara South), Hon. Ibrahim Tukur Bakura (Bakura), Hon. Faruk Musa Dosara (Maradun I), Hon. Barrister Bashir Abubakar Masama (Bukkuyum North), Hon. Muktaru Nasiru Kaura (Kaura North), Hon. Nasiru Abdullahi (Maru North), Hon. Bashar Bello (Bungudu West), and Hon. Bashar Aliyu (Gummi I).

Their resignation adds to the growing political developments within Zamfara APC, where internal disagreements and realignments have continued to shape the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The lawmakers did not immediately disclose their next political destination.

When contacted, the state APC Publicity Secretary, Hon. Ibrahim Danmadamin Birnin Magaji, said the party was yet to be officially notified.

“We are still waiting for their correspondence from their respective political wards after reaching their local government executives, which would later be forwarded to us,” Danmadamin said.

He added that the party had only seen the resignation letters on social media.“We all saw it on social media platforms, but whenever we receive the copies officially, we would communicate with you on our stand,” he said.

Responding to whether the development was linked to internal crisis, Danmadamin said the APC was not aware of any grievances until it saw the letters online.

On their part, the resigned lawmakers accused Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration of failing to give adequate attention to insecurity affecting rural communities.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Kagara said they decided to leave the APC because the party had failed to properly address insecurity and had allegedly reneged on earlier agreements.

“What we are challenging Governor Lawal’s administration about is even worse now compared to previous times, so we have seen no reason to continue remaining in the APC. Our constituents in rural areas who voted us into power to address their security concerns were not being given any attention,” Kagara said.

He also alleged that the lawmakers had gone for 32 months without receiving salaries, allowances and other entitlements.

“This is our 32 months without salary, allowances and other entitlements as honourable members, and the people of Zamfara; the ball is in their court,” he said.

PROMISES DELIVERED

News

Parents of abducted corps members beg Olubadan: We can’t raise N1bn ransom

Published

11 hours ago

October 4, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

Spread the love

Parents of the 20 abducted prospective National Youth Service Corps members, PCMs, were thrown into profound sadness, yesterday, leading them to appeal to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, to assist in rescuing their children from the kidnappers’ den.

The distraught parents, who visited Ladoja at his private residence in Bodija, Ibadan, along with the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Olugbenga Abimbola, and the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri, said the kidnappers threatened to kill the victims if they did not pay the N1 billion ransom within 24 hours.

This came on a day when the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Olatunji Disu, deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, DIG Shehu Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the rescue of the PCMs and other abducted passengers.

Last Thursday, gunmen attacked the 20 PCMs, who had travelled from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State, while on their way to NYSC orientation camps in different vehicles.

Accusation

Some of their parents accused the transport company that conveyed them from Ibadan of allegedly withholding vital passenger information when they approached its office for assistance.

The parents alleged that when they visited Eduak King Transport Company in Samonda, Ibadan, in a desperate search for information that could help them contact other affected families, the company refused to provide the list of next of kin of passengers aboard the ill-fated vehicle.

One of the affected mothers, Mrs Iyabo Akande, whose daughter, Kehinde Akande, was among the abducted graduates, called on the Inspector-General of Police and the government to investigate the transport operator and ensure that those found culpable were held accountable.

She said: “Please, our government and the Inspector-General of Police should help us investigate the transport company, Eduak King, located at Samonda, and put fear into them. Call them to order. “Yesterday morning at their office, we were asking for the next-of-kin list so we could contact other parents, but they refused to present it or assist us. They must be held accountable.”

Another parent, Olawale Olaleye, whose daughter was also among the victims, expressed concern over what he described as the company’s continued transport operations despite the abduction and the distress the incident had caused the affected families.

According to him, the parents were surprised to find the company loading another vehicle when they visited its premises to seek information and assistance.

He said: “We went to Samonda, to Eduak King. Surprisingly, they were already loading another vehicle. People are complaining. The company should be held liable.”

Plea to Olubadan

But speaking at the Olubadan’s residence, yesterday, Alhaja Akande and Oyebola Akande, who spoke on behalf of the families, said the kidnappers had been calling since Friday, demanding N50 million for each victim.

“There is no way we can raise such an amount at this time. Baba, kindly assist us. Don’t let them kill our children.”

They appealed to the Olubadan and the police commissioner to intervene urgently, expressing fears that the lives of their children could be in danger if the abductors carried out their threats.

Responding to the appeal, Oba Ladoja assured the families that concerted efforts were being made by security agencies to rescue the abducted graduates alive and unhurt.

He said: “I want to assure you that your children will be rescued unharmed. We will relay whatever information we gather to you. The police are working round the clock to secure their rescue. Don’t worry yourself; the police are up to the task, and nothing will happen to your children.”

Also speaking, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, disclosed that he had been in constant communication with his counterpart in Imo State since the incident occurred, expressing confidence that the victims would be rescued safely.

“I had already contacted the Imo State CP. We have been talking since the day of the incident, and he assured me that the victims would be rescued unhurt,” he said.

However, the police commissioner did not disclose whether any ransom had been paid by the families or provide specific details of the ongoing rescue operations.

Deployment

Meanwhile, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, in a statement, yesterday, said IGP Disu had deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, DIG Shehu Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the rescue operation.

Iniedu said the DIG arrived in Imo State with two Commissioners of Police and conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and the ongoing search-and-rescue efforts.

He said the DIG also reviewed the operational strategies, deployment of personnel and operational assets, and provided further directives to strengthen the coordinated response.

Iniedu added: “The police are working in close coordination with sister security agencies to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted persons and the apprehension of the perpetrators. The DIG Operations, DIG Shehu Umar Nadada, assured members of the public that the Nigeria Police Force is committed to securing the safe rescue of the 20 abducted persons and will sustain the operation until the mission is successfully concluded.

“He urged members of the public and the media to remain calm and vigilant and encouraged anyone with credible information that could assist the operation to promptly contact the police or the nearest security formation. All information received will be treated with strict confidentiality. Further updates will be issued as the operation progresses.”