The Federal Government says it will soon make a pronouncement on salary increase for civil servants to meet up with the economic realities in the country occasioned by inflation.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, made this known while fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja.
The minister said a Presidential Committee on Salaries is currently reviewing salaries with a plan to announce its decision in early 2023.
The minister had recently hinted that the government would adjust workers salaries to cushion the effect of rising costs of living in the country. Fielding questions on the issue;
Ngige said:
“Yes, I am saying that the Presidential Committee on Salaries is working hand-in-hand with the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission.
“The commission is mandated by the Act establishing them to fix salaries, wages, and emoluments in not only the public service.
“If you want their assistance and you are in the private sector, they will also assist you. They have what is called the template for remuneration, for compensation.
“So, if you work, you get compensated, if you don’t work, you will not be compensated.
“So they have the matrix to do the evaluation. They are working with the Presidential Committee on Salaries chaired by the finance ministry and I am the co-chair to look at the demands of the workers.
“Outside this, I said discussions on that evaluation are ongoing.” On whether a time line has been fixed for implementation of new salary increase.
Ngige said:
“As we enter the new year government will make some pronouncements in that direction.”
The sight of dead bodies floating on the Kirikiri canal, Apapa, Lagos, has assumed a disturbing phenomenon, with three bodies –two males and a female recovered within three days.
These bloated bodies which usually floated towards the shore of Vanguard’s corporate office, emit distinct odours.
Last year, over nine bloated bodies in their decomposing states were found in the same canal, some with injuries.
Though details of the exact circumstances that led to ugly sights could not be ascertained.
But residents within the Kirikiri area told Vanguard that they could have been victims of robbers who were pushed into the canal from the Kirikiri, Mile-Two and Festac ends for putting up the resistance.
Others were of the view that some of them could have been drunk and mistakenly plunged into the canal, or that the male corpses, in particular, could have been robbers who were caught, beaten and thrown into the canal.
More worrisome is the fact that none of the corpses had been identified by residents on that axis.
Last week Tuesday, members of staff of the Lagos State Ministry of Health/Occupational Health and Safety Services came in a white ambulance with plate number KTU 514 ER, to evacuate two corpses: a male and a female, after Vanguard alerted them.Barely two days later, they returned to evacuate another male bloated corpse.
One of the staff, Mr Christopher Okwu, confirmed to have evacuated the bodies on two occasions, within three days.
Another member of staff, Eniola Yusuf, said the recovered corpses were in their decomposing states and as such, could not be identified.
He said:
“I cannot recall the number of dead bodies we found last year. However, in the month of December 2022, alone, we evacuated three bodies within the space of three days.
“Whenever we evacuate the bodies, an autopsy is not carried out on them because the bodies are decayed.”
An admin officer in Vanguard, Mr Orji Francis, lamented that “we have seen multiple dead bodies floating here. When such happens, we would immediately contact the Ministry of Health to evacuate them so that it doesn’t get decayed, because when it starts decaying, nobody can not come into our premises. And the ministry has always responded without delay.
“We noticed an injury on one side of the last body evacuated. The injury showed that he had been stabbed and maybe thrown into the water.”
Police sources at Kirikiri division told Vanguard that the division had been alerted to the incident.
Sources said;
“Policemen are stationed at Vanguard junction. We often patrol the area to ensure such an ugly incident does not happen again. Special focus is centred around the bridges because information got to us about the dangerous activities that happen both at night and daytime in the location.”
When contacted, the Lagos State Police spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin said such matters had not been brought to his notice. But he promised that the command would swing into action immediately.
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have killed a retired squadron leader, Mrs. Hellen Godos, in the Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The gunmen attacked the residence of the deceased in the Dong area of Jos North at about 8:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
The kidnappers shot sporadically into the air to scare residents of the community before proceeding to the residence of the retired squadron leader.
One of the residents of the house who escaped disclosed that some of the kidnappers positioned themselves around the house while four of them forced their way into the building and attempted to abduct the retired squadron leader’s son, which was resisted by the woman.
“In the process of pleading and trying to hold back her son from being kidnapped, one of the kidnappers pulled the trigger and shot the woman at close range. The retired squadron leader died on the spot; another occupant was shot in his leg while the kidnappers went away with the son of the deceased,” the source said.
“After the operation, the kidnappers, who came on motorcycles and in a car, released several gunshots into the air again to aid their escape from the community. The incident caused such serious apprehension and tension that no one could come out of their respective houses one hour after the incident.”
He added that the incident has been reported to the security agencies, adding that, in addition to the report, hunters and vigilantes are presently combing the hills in the area to arrest the perpetrators and rescue the son of the deceased who was kidnapped.
The Media Information Officer for Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Captain Oya James, who confirmed the incident, said the deceased son, who was kidnapped by the gunmen, had been released while the manhunt for the perpetrators continued.
The police have arraigned a man, Daniel Ogbonna, before a Yaba Magistrate’s Court, Lagos State, for allegedly obtaining N1.4m from some residents under the pretext of investing the money in a scheme and paying back N5m within six months.
It was gathered that the complainant met the defendant at a Catholic church, where the latter claimed to be a member.
Ogbonna was alleged to have also claimed that investors in the scheme, tagged, Grace Families and Friends, met regularly on the church premises.
The police prosecutor, Haruna Magaji, told the court that the defendant committed the offence in August 2021 at the Saint Dominic’s Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos State, together with one Ngozi Ugwu, a worker in the administrative unit of the church.
According to him, the offences contravene sections 411, 168, 315 (1) and punishable under Section 316(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
The charges read in part,
“That you, Daniel Ogbonna, and others at large, between August 19, 2021, till date at the Saint Dominic’s Catholic Church, Yaba, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire together to commit a felony, to wit, obtaining the sum of N1.424,000, from one Paul Ogwuche, by false pretence to transact in an Internet scheme called Grace Families and Friends, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 315(1) and punishable under Section 316(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Magistrate, O.Y. Adefope, admitted him to bail in the sum of N300,000 with two responsible sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till January 31, 2023, for trial.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, has rebuked those that are extremely hungry for wealth and power to the detriment of others while asking them to imitate the Christian deity, Jesus Christ, who according to Biblical records, was poor during his time on earth.
Recalling Jesus’ birth in a stable, Pope Francis rebuked those “ravenous” for wealth and power at the expense of the vulnerable, including children, in a Christmas Eve homily decrying war, poverty and greedy consumerism, Associated Press reports from the Vatican City.
Christmas is an annual Christian festival, held on December 25 in most parts of the world, including Nigeria, celebrating Jesus Christ’s birth.
In the splendour of St. Peter’s Basilica, Francis presided over the evening Mass attended by about 7,000 faithful, including tourists and pilgrims, who flocked to the church on a warm evening and took their place behind rows of white-robed pontiffs.
He drew lessons from the humility of Jesus’ first hours of life in a manger.
Francis said,
“While animals feed in their stalls, men and women in our world, in their hunger for wealth and power, consume even their neighbours, their brothers and sisters,” the pontiff lamented.
“How many wars have we seen? And in how many places, even today, are human dignity and freedom treated with contempt?
“As always, the principal victims of this human greed are the weak and vulnerable,” said Francis, who didn’t cite any specific conflict or situation.
“This Christmas, too, as in the case of Jesus, a world ravenous for money, power and pleasure does not make room for the little ones, for the so many unborn, poor and forgotten children,” the pope said, reading his homily with a voice that sounded tired and almost hoarse.
“I think above all of the children devoured by war, poverty and injustice.”
The village head of Mulo Community in Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State, Mallam Usman Garba, has been killed by bandits.
The Nation reported that the bandits invaded the community on Thursday, December 22, and abducted four people including the village head.
Garba was murdered some distance from the village by the gunmen who then left with their remaining three victims.
Niger Commissioner of Internal Security, Emmanuel Umar, who confirmed the incident during a security briefing on Friday, December 23, said;
“There is improvement in the security situation in the state.“There has been a reduction in attacks but we are aware that the threat is still there and still exists.
“Of recent, we have seen attacks in the fringes of Mashegu, Mariga, and Kontagora.”
Another Catholic Priest and Chaplain of St. Mary’s Hospital, Okpoga in Okpokwu Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state, Rev. Fr. Mark Ojotu has been abducted by unknown gunmen.
The cleric was reportedly kidnapped Thursday evening along Okpoga – Ojapo road along the Okpoga – Utonkon road.
The abduction of the Priest on that axis of the state which has become notorious for the kidnap of commuters came about five months after another Priest, Rev. Fr. Peter Amodu was in a similar fashion waylaid and taken away and later released by armed men along Otukpo – Ugbokolo road while on his way to celebrate the Holy Mass at Okwungaga in the same Okpokwu LGA.
The latest incident was confirmed Thursday night by the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo in a letter from the Diocesan Secretariat addressed to all Priests, Religious and Lay Faithful by the Diocesan Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Joseph Aboyi.
The letter read in part,
“We write to notify you of the kidnap of one of our priests, Rev. Fr. Mark Ojotu. He is the Chaplain of St. Mary’s Hospital, Okpoga. The sad incident occurred today December 22, 2022 at about 5pm along Okpoga – Ojapo Road, Okpokwu LGA, Benue State.
“The Local Ordinary, Most Rev. Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, has called on all Christ’s Faithful in the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo and beyond to earnestly pray for his quick and safe release as we intensify efforts to ensure his release.
“We commend our brother and all those in the kidnappers’ den throughout the country to the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for their speedy and safe release from the hands of their abductors.”
Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene who confirmed the incident in a text massage said “the command is on the trail of the priest and hoodlums involved.”
A mass burial has been held for 40 victims killed in last Sunday’s attack by suspected terrorists in Malagum 1 and Sokwong communities in Kagoro chiefdom, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The Inter-denomination burial service of the victims was held on Thursday, December 22, 2022.
The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan posted photos from the burial on its official Facebook page.
“The Inter- denomination burial Mass/ service of the victims of Fulani herders attack at Mallagum, Kagoro, Kaura Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on this day Thursday, 22nd December, 2022. May their Souls Rest in Peace with the Lord.” the post read.
Meanwhile, the people of Southern Kaduna have cried out against the government’s inability to arrest and bring to book the perpetrators of several attacks on the area since 2014.
A statement issued by the spokesman of Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Mr Luka Binniyat, said,
“Let it be put on record that in the hundreds of attacks that have put many parts of Southern Kaduna into ruins and thousands killed since 2014, we have not seen anyone arrested and brought to book over these heinous crimes against humanity.”
The union lamented what it called “the gruesome mass murder of not less than 38 harmless, armless villagers in Malagum 1 and Abun (Broni Prono) villages, Kaura Local Government Area (LGA) in Southern Kaduna”.
The statement regretted that the killings, which lasted for long, started around 11pm Sunday night simultaneously in the two villages.
“Not only were these poor innocent citizens killed, not less than 100 houses were razed, with some victims burnt alive,” the forum explained.
According to the statement, volunteers are still combing surrounding bushes in search of missing persons and more corpses following the attacks by the gunmen on the two communities.
He disclosed that the villagers had noticed the gathering of strange herdsmen coming from different directions on motorbikes to set camp in a nearby bush some days back.
He further lamented that the security forces deployed in the area did nothing when the villagers noticed the gathering, adding that the dastardly act is coming five days after armed herdsmen herded their cattle into a farm owned by Cletus Dunia, 45, in Kpak village, a sub-unit of Kagoro, in Kaura LGA and shot him dead at close range before mutilating his corpse and fleeing with their cows.
The statement stated that the rampaging herdsmen also shot and killed Levi Zakaria, 19, as he was harvesting yams on a farm that was by the fleeing path of the killer herdsmen, saying that on the same day, the same herdsmen killed Ezra Sunday 16, about 2km from where Zakaria was killed.
It explained that the same herdsmen caused the death of Gaje Habila, 31, when he fell and died of exhaustion while escaping, leaving behind a widow and a six-month-old baby, his only child, pointing out that between Tuesday and Wednesday last week, armed men described as herdsmen, invaded some homes in Kamuru village, Ikulu Ward in Zangon Kataf LGA in Southern Kaduna and killed four (4) persons.
The statement explained that forty-six (46) persons were killed in the attacks in Southern Kaduna in the past five days.
“We believe that the aim is to further destabilise Southern Kaduna and give excuse to the Federal Government to stop election in the area.
Already there are thousands who have been chased out from their ancestral homes as a result of similar violence unleashed on them, between 2019 and this year as the attacks are coming close to the 2023 general elections,” he added.
A man identified simply as Nonso has been arrested for defiling a 3-year-old girl in a Lagos day care centre.
Executive Secretary of the state’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi said the suspect was arrested after the mother of the child filed a complaint on the 14th of December, 2022.
Adeniyi said;
“The case was reported by the mother of the survivor at the agency on the 14th of December, 2022.
“The DSVA Field Operations Officers reported the case at the Family Support Unit of the Ikotun Police Station.
“DPO Ojajuni of Ikotun Police Station said the suspect was already in custody. He briefed the DSVA team that the perpetrator would be charged to court on the 19th of December, 2022.
“During proceedings at the Samuel Ilori Court, Ogba, the survivor’s mother recounted her daughter’s defilement ordeal while at the day care centre.
“The court ruled that the perpetrator be remanded till the 14th of February, 2023 pending DPP’s legal advice.”
Vivour-Adeniyi who noted that perpetrators of such heinous crimes would be prosecuted, also called on parents to ensure their children and wards are cared for at registered and approved schools and day care centres in the state.
The Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Yahaya, has expressed sadness over the incessant kidnappings in the state.
The Governor, who spoke on Thursday, December 22, 2022, during a visit to the palace of the Mai Tangle in the Billiri Local Government Area of the state, said no fewer than 27 kidnap cases are reported monthly in the state.
Governor Inuwa said protection of lives and property of the people always tops his government’s agenda, noting that no meaningful development could be achieved without peace.
He lamented over the security challenges bedevilling the Billiri local government and the increasing number of kidnappings in some parts of the area, a development he attributed to the failure of leadership in the past.
He called on the people of Billiri “to be security conscious and be their brother’s keeper, in order to collectively fight insecurity, particularly kidnappers where the state records almost 27 cases of kidnap on a monthly basis.”
“People of different faiths have been living peacefully under one roof for many centuries in this chiefdom, this good relationship should be preserved; We should embrace the virtue of understanding and forgiveness for the overall progress of our society”, he added.
He recommended community dialogue and reconciliation as surest ways to resolving differences and restoring peace, unity and progress in the chiefdom and beyond.
He also expressed dismay over the cattle rustling in Amtawalam and some cases of kidnapping for ransom in the area, calling on residents to report any suspicious movement to security agencies for prompt response.
Governor Inuwa explained that criminality respects no bound. “Crime has no religion, region, tribe or identity, when one of us is terrorised, all of us will be affected regardless of the faith one professes or the language he or she speaks. Criminals do not respect religion or region when perpetrating their heinous acts”. he said
The Nigerian military has launced an investigation into the airstrikes targeted at terrorists by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), which killed civilians at Mutumji community in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Addressing newsmen on Thursday, December 22, Director of Defence Media Operations (DMO), Maj.-Gen. Musa Danmadami stated that the airstrikes were targeted solely at bandits who invaded the area in their hundreds on motorcycles.
Reacting to claims of over 60 civilians being killed in the strike, Danmadami said the military has set up a committee to investigate the matter.
According to him, the number of civilians killed has not been officially communicated to the military by the Zamfara State government.
He also said the number of soldiers killed during the operation was over-exaggerated in the media.
Danmadami said;
“Investigation has been ordered into the operation to ascertain if actually there was collateral damage and equally the number of people that were involved
“So, for now, we cannot give you any specific number as to the level of collateral damage that happened during that incident so as not to jeopardise the investigation that is ongoing.
“The air bombardment was a precision bombardment and a lot of terrorists were equally neutralised during the operations.”
A tanker was gutted by fire in Aba, Abia State on Thursday, December 22. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Firefighters arrived the scene and have been working to put out the fire.
Nine suspects linked to the attack on a convoy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in Borno state, have been arraigned in court by the police.
Speaking to newsmen on Thursday, December 22, Borno State Commissioner of Police, Abdul Umar said a total of 14 electoral violence offenders were arrested by the command.
Out of the 14 suspects, 12 are supporters of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) while the remaining two are for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Umar added;
“Even though there was allegation that somebody died, till today we have not seen the corpse.”
The police commissioner also disclosed that they’ve take different measures to curtail thuggery in the state.
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