FAMILY OF NIGERIAN MARRIED TO A POLE: WE PLEADED TO SEE THE CORPSE BUT HER HUSBAND HASTILY SENT IT FOR CREMATION

The family of a Nigerian lady, believed to have been killed in Krakow, Poland, and subsequently cremated by her Polish husband, is appealing to the Federal Government and Polish authorities to intervene in the matter, Punch reports

Mrs. Abimbola Essien-Nelson’s voice over the telephone exposed her grief despite her attempt to conceal it.

She has been heartbroken following the suspicious death of her younger sister, Mrs. Oluwashola Gaska (nee Adefolalu) in Poland and the cremation of her remains by her Polish husband, Mr. Jakub Gaska, despite the family’s objection.

The incident has been hard-hitting for the Adefolalus especially as Gaska carried on without remorse after his action.

Essien-Nelson said, “My sister, Sholly, was born on September 25, 1980. She was such a beautiful baby and my parents, Professor and Mrs. Daniel Oladele Adefolalu, named her Oluwashola Atunrayo Adefolalu. Atunrayo means ‘My joy has been restored’ and that is exactly how my mom felt at the birth of my sister. About two years before Sholly was born, my mom had almost lost her life giving birth to a still born baby.

So, when Sholly was born, the whole family was super excited and thankful to God. I was 12 and my brother, Tokunbo, was 10 then and Sholly was our pride and joy. She was the object of everybody’s adoration.

“Sadly, our mother passed away in 1986 when Sholly was just five years old and so, at the age of 17, I basically became her mother. Oh, ours was an extraordinary sister bond. I loved my sister with all my heart and she loved me back.

Even as a grown up 36-year-old woman, she still called me her ‘sistermom’ and I called her my ‘aburochild.’ I am a blogger and over the years I have shared my feelings about my sister on my blog.’’

Noting that her late sister was full of life, passion and loved to laugh, she added that anybody could hear her laugh from miles away.

“I remember my last phone call with her on December 24, 2016. She was laughing as usual as we talked. She always said, ‘Life is an orchestra; play it loud’ and she lived by it.’ She was always smiling or laughing.

She was always positive about life no matter what. She was loving and kind; creative and artsy. Sholly moved to Poland to go to university in 2000. She studied Architecture and Interior Design. After her studies, she decided to give life in Poland a shot and the rest is history. She met Jakub (Kuba) Gaska, fell in love and got married in 2010.’’

According to Essien-Nelson, Shola loved to take photos and ran a small photography business in Poland apart from her day job of teaching English as a foreign language.
Being a totally detribalised Nigerian, she explained that her late father did not discriminate based on tribe or nationality when Shola decided to marry Gaska.

She stated, ‘‘He had no issues with her marrying Gaska. He only wished she had made him visit Nigeria first to meet the family. In the end, he put her happiness first and gave his consent. I travelled to Poland for the wedding back then in August 2010.

“Like my sister, Gaska was the last born of three children. He was also much younger than his two older sisters and therefore a mama’s boy if you like. I believe these similarities were initially what made them click. To me, they had a great relationship and there was nothing to suggest that he would behave the way he has done.’’

She told our correspondent that before her sister’s death, she constantly received reports from her that there was friction in the marriage due to the interfering stance of her mother-in-law.

She added, ‘‘In the early years of the marriage, we used to joke about it and I would ask her to calm down, that the mother would eventually understand that her son was now married and step back. Sadly, that did not happen and as they lived in the same home.

One can imagine her frustration. Towards the end of 2016, she was so happy because they had started building their own house and she was finally going to be able to live with her husband alone for the first time since they got married.’’

But sadly, a puzzling development truncated that dream as conveyed in the call Abimbola received from Gaska on Wednesday, December 28, 2016.

“I was at work that day and I will never forget that moment. At about 11.28am on Wednesday, December 28, 2016, I received a telephone call from Kuba. I remember looking at my phone surprised to see his number. I thought to myself maybe Sholly is pregnant but feeling poorly with it and Kuba is calling me to give me the good news.

How wrong I was! ‘There’s been an accident, Shola was unconscious and has died.’ Those were his words. I screamed and fell to the ground. The office was spinning; my world had just crashed. I was still crying and asking him to explain what he had just said when the telephone was disconnected.

“He called back and this time he said that Shola had been feeling sick on Tuesday evening, and that he and his sister had taken her to the hospital.

Tests were said to have been conducted which showed she had anaemia and low haemoglobin level. She was admitted and treated but eventually passed away at about 3am on Wednesday, December 28, 2016. It just does not make any sense.

How do you die from anaemia in a hospital? I spoke to my sister on December 24 and there was nothing to suggest that would be the last time. And till today, we are not even sure of what really killed her. Apart from speaking with my sister on December 24, I also chatted with her on Facebook on December 26 and 27. She was not sick,’’ she insisted.

She noted that Gaska increased the pain the Adefolalus felt after losing their daughter in an inexplicable circumstance when he announced that he was going to cremate her corpse as they had both agreed.

Essien-Nelson stated, “One wonders what kind of discussion they were having for such a topic to come up. We asked him to suspend all his plans until my family and I got there in early January 2017. We also made it clear to him that because of the sudden nature of her death, we wanted to see her.

We sent several sets of representatives from the Nigerian community to him in this regard but he refused to allow anyone have access to the corpse. He said Shola told him that I was the only one to be allowed to see her body. Again, this is just bizarre. What kind of discussions where they having?

“When it became clear that Kuba had no plans of waiting for my husband and I to get to Poland, we purchased tickets for my aunty and two of my cousins to fly in from Ireland to participate in the burial arrangements.

We asked him to suspend all arrangements for the burial/cremation until their arrival but he defiantly proceeded to cremate the remains a day before their arrival. He said ‘the cremation will proceed as planned and there is nothing anyone can do about it.’’

It was learnt that Gaska defiantly sent the remains of Shola for cremation on January 2, 2017 without he or any members of his family in attendance.

According to the Adefolalus, Gaska also later interred the ashes on his birthday, January 7, 2017, by holding a burial without informing the deceased’s family members.

Essien-Nelson further told SUNDAY PUNCH that after constant requests for photograph of her late sister from Gaska, he reluctantly sent a photograph, which she said when examined carefully, revealed attempts to conceal the swelling on her lips and neck region with clear signs of trauma and bruises.

Our correspondent also gathered that Gaska hurriedly pulled down the deceased’s social media accounts and her business website. It was learnt that friends of Shola have also initiated an online ‘Justice for Sholly’ petition on change.org. It was addressed to the Mayor of Krakow and the Polish Ambassador in Nigeria.

In her cry for justice, Essien-Nelson has also petitioned the Nigerian government and the Polish authorities to step into the matter. She stated the position of the family at a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday.

When contacted, an official of the Nigerian Embassy in Warsaw, Poland, identified only as Mr. Ogunsanya, said the embassy received report on the incident which SUNDAY PUNCH gathered occurred at Gaska’s family home at ul. Owiecimska 33, 32 –551, Wygielzow, GMINA Babice District, Chrzanow County, Lesser Poland, a suburb of Krakow.

He said through a text message on Thursday to our correspondent, “It was a pity. The Embassy reported to the Polish Police as well as the host Foreign Ministry for investigation and possible prosecution. The two departments had submitted their reports which were submitted to the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Presidency through Mrs. Erewe (Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa).’’

When our correspondent contacted Dabiri-Erewa, who is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, she said a preliminary report on the matter was prepared by Ogunsanya immediately the incident happened and forwarded to Essien-Nelson.

She added that the office was awaiting further investigation and next steps to take on the case.
The Director, Public Communications, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Clement Aduku, said the ministry was not aware of the incident.

Aduku stated, “The Consular and Immigration Services Department handle such matters and need to give an update on it before any official statement can be issued on the matter. The media will be communicated when such details are made available through the diplomatic channels.’’

A Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Mr. Jiti Ogunye, however, said the deceased’s family had a right to lodge a criminal complaint in Poland having suspected a criminal intent regarding her demise.

Ogunye said, “If the lady was taken to the hospital as the husband claimed, there should be a coroner’s inquest into what led to her death before her remains were cremated. The doctors who attended to her, what was responsible for her death and other things will be revealed.

This will thus determine the husband’s prosecution if found culpable. The remedy lies in Poland. They need to file a criminal complaint that they suspect that her death was due to criminal neglect.’’

The emails sent to the Poland Police Headquarters and the Mayor of Krakow on the matter had yet to be responded to as of the time of filing this report.
Also, Gaska neither replied the email sent to him nor the text message to his mobile.
Source:Sunday Punch

Mixed reactions trail proposed ban on Danfo buses in Lagos

Ebun Sessou and Aderonke Adeyeri Residents of Lagos have expressed mixed reactions over the plan by the state government to phase out the yellow commercial buses popularly called danfo.

While some of the residents believed it would create more hardship for them, others argued that it was a welcome development. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had last Monday announced plans by his administrations to withdraw danfo buses from Lagos roads to reposition road transportation system in Lagos in line with its megacity status.

The Governor noted that the development will evolve a more efficient, well-structured and world class mass transportation system that would facilitate easy movement within the city adding that well-structured transportation mode would be put in place to address the challenge.

He said, “when I wake up in the morning and see all these yellow buses, Okada and all kinds of tricycles and we claim we are a mega city, that is not true and we must first acknowledge that that is a faulty connectivity that we are running.

Having accepted that, we have to look for the solution and that is why we want to banish yellow buses this year. 

We must address the issue of connectivity that makes people to move around with ease and that is where we are going”, he said. In their immediate reactions, some residents expressed apprehension that the state government would not be able to provide an effective transportation system in view of the population of Lagos

A student, Babtunde Adedeji, lamented that, the development will further create havoc in the city. According to him, “what is the alternative to those buses? Government should get the necessary alternatives first before it bans those buses. I would rather subscribe to enforcing some simple regulations on the drivers and their operational rules among others.

Banning those buses without providing an alternative would put a lot of people into hardship and create more havoc on our depressed economy. Another resident, Nwosu Chukwuemeka, said, “the Lagos state government seems not to care about her citizens. Despite the situation of the economy, the only thing a governor is concerned with is, “Mega city”.

Will the so called Mega city put food on my table? I am a fashion designer by profession, but due to the economic crisis, I have combined it with commercial driving which I have been doing for a while. 

How will I feed my family of four, my aged mother and younger ones, if my means of livelihood is taken away? Governor Akinwunmi Ambode should think well otherwise the crime rate in Lagos will increase, I promise. For Peter Kehinde, an artisan, he said, “the Lagos state government should know that this can’t work in Lagos state.

The Yellow buses are more efficient than waiting and depending on BRT long queues. How many modern buses can Lagos afford? Also, this will lead to many losing their source of livelihood and more hardship for the average Nigerians. Also, a journalist, Chima James, noted that, the idea is wrong. “I am so disappointed that the government could think in this direction.

Regardless of what the Megacity syndrome is all about, it is important to know that many people will be rendered jobless and the state will be in disarray. Already, the country is experiencing serious hardship, there is hunger in the land and if the next step is to further frustrate Nigerians and subject them to pains, it is unfortunate.

Many families will suffer. I hope, this is a joke because it will not work. Meanwhile, some people said, it is a good development. A civil servant, Olakunle Adebesin, said, “It is a welcome development considering many lives that have been lost due to the recklessness of “Danfo”drivers on Lagos roads.

Many of them do not understand what traffic rules and signs are meant for. Another civil servant who would not want his name mentioned said, “What Lagos state government is trying to do is a welcome development.

There is need for reformation in the transportation system in the state. There are a lot of ills in the system and the only approach is to be proactive or else it will be a painful story. The fact that there is increase in insecurity calls for proactive step, there is need to save the lives of Lagosians.
Source:Vanguard

Nollywood producer, Seun Egbegbe, accomplice arraigned on 36 counts charge of fraud

Nollywood movie producer, Seun Egbegbe and his accomplice were arraigned before an Ogudu magistrate court on a 36 counts of fraud.

Movie producer and director, Seun Egbegbe, was on Friday arraigned by  men of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID)of Lagos State Police Command, Panti-Yaba, before a Lagos Federal High Court, on 36 counts charge of fraud.
He was arraigned alongside his accomplice, Oyekan Ayomide.

In the charge marked FHC/L/40c/2017, filed before the court  by the SCIID’s head of legal department, Mr. Effiong Asuquo, the two suspected fraudsters were alleged to have between 2016 and February 2, 2017, defrauded the BDC Operators at various places in Lagos State to the tune of N40.647 million; $29, 800,00 USD; and £4, 815 United Kingdom Pounds Sterling.

The two accused persons were Slammed with 36 counts charge bordering on conspiracy and fraud.
The offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. Anyigor Innocent, are contrary to sections 8 and 1(1)(a)(B)(3) of Advance Fee Fraud and  Other Related Offences Act 2006, and punishable under section 1(1) of the same Act.

Among the BDC operators allegedly defrauded by the alleged fraudsters include: Issa Adamu, Mohammed Sanni, Jubril Ado, Hassan Amodu, Bala Mohammed, Sanni Hassan, Abdullahi Mumuni, Suraju Garuba, Mutairu Shuaibu, Sanusi Muhammad, Kabiru Jubril.

Others includes: Barowo Abdullahi, Yahu, Abubakar Musa, Abdullahi Babatunde, Nasir Musa, Umaru Haruna, Umaru Sanni, Mohammed Bello, Mohammed Alli, Abdulrazaq Sanni, Tairu Musa, Sulaiman Sheu, Amadu Abda and Dauda Ibrahim.

Count one of the charge against the two alleged fraudsters reads: “that you Olajide Oluwaseun Karrem and Oyekan ayomide, on or about 2nd February, 2017, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court by false pretence and intent to defraud conspired among yourselves to obtain the sum of N2. 450, 000 million; £3000 Pounds Sterling from one Alhaji Isa Adamu, and therefore committed an offence contrary to Section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences, and punishable under the same Act.)”.

The two accused pleaded not guilty to all the  counts charge.
Upon their non guilty plea, the prosecutor, Mr. Anyigor, urged the court to remand them in Prison’s custody pending trial.

But their lawyer, A. O. Gbadamoshi, pleaded with the Court to give date for the hearing of his Clients’ bail applications. He informed the court that he his yet to file the application.

Consequently, the presiding judge, Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, ordered that the two accused persons be remanded in Prison’s custody, while adjourned the matter till March 10,  for trial.
Source:Tribune

Mixed reactions trail AMCON’s takeover of Arik Air

  …We’ll challenge govt action in Court –Airline
Mixed reactions have continued to trail yesterday’s takeover of Arik Air by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

While most stakeholders applauded the decision as a timely intervention that could resuscitate the ailing airline, some were cynical of AMCON’s ability to effectively run an airline as evident in a similar takeover of Aero Contractors.

Recall that AMCON) announced that it was taking over the management of the airline Thursday after sacking its entire management team and replaced them with new ones. Arik Air is currently indebted to AMCON to the tune of N135 billion and has been struggling to service the debt. But the airline vowed on Thursday that it would challenge the takeover in court.

Capt. Ado Sanusi, its Senior Vice President, stated this at a joint news briefing with the newly appointed receiver Manager, Mr Oluseye Opasanya (SAN) and the airline’s technical consultant, Capt. Roy Ilegbodu.

AMCON had earlier said in a statement that “the airline would now be managed by Captain Roy Ukpebo Ilegbodu, a veteran aviation expert under the receivership of Mr. Oluseye Opasanya.
“We believe that this appointment is timely and will stabilise the operations of the airline,” said Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, in his reaction.

“This will enhance the long term economic value of Arik Air and revitalise the airline’s ailing operations as well as sustain safety standards, in view of Arik Air’s pivotal role in the Nigerian aviation sector,” Sirika added. 

The Minister who further pledged that the Federal Ministry of Aviation would support the new management of the carrier, adding that all necessary steps have been taken to ensure that there would be no undue disruption on regular business operations or activities of other stakeholders.

Commenting on the development,  a renowned aviation analyst, Chris Aligbe, expressed sadness over the turn of events. According to him, Arik Air carried the hopes and aspirations of Nigerians, ‘and for this airline to go down to a level where AMCON has to take it over, despite all the new equipment (aircraft) that they had in their fleet, tells a very sad story of the industry; I am very sad” he said.

Aligbe was, however, cynical about the fate of the airline under AMCON receivership, saying AMCON is not an airline management company. ìAnd I don’t think they have what it takes to run an airline. I just hope Arik Air does not go the way of other Nigerian airlines that had a major financial crisis like this and never came back,” Aligbe added. Another aviation analyst, Capt. John Ojikutu, however, said he saw the take-over coming.

“For me it is long expected because since early 2015, we knew that the government should have evaluated the debts of Arik and Aero. ìTheir access to aviation intervention funds and evaluate this against their assets,” said Ojikutu.

“Where balance of debts is greater than their assets, government should use their fleet to establish the planned national carrier,” he advocated.

A Manager of Zenith Travels Agency, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo, said “the airline must not be allowed to go down considering its size and influence on air travel within Nigeria. Maybe the national carrier riddle has just been resolved with AMCON takeover of Arik Air,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Arik Air, Sir Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide, was on Wednesday quizzed by some operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegation of some financial impropriety in the airline.

The airline had initially denied the visit earlier in the day, describing it as rumours.
However, at about Thursday noon, the Spokesman for the airline, Mr. Banji Ola, in a statement eventually acknowledged the visit of EFCC to the airline office.

“Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, February 8 , 2017 visited Arik Airís head office at the Murtala Muhammad Airport , Lagos, and held a brief meeting with Chairman of Arik Air, Sir Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide after which the Chairman visited their Ikoyi, Lagos office for further discussions and to respond to their enquiries,” Ola said. “Having satisfactorily answered the query, the Chairman later left the EFCC office,” he added.

Ola, however, declined to give reasons for the EFCC visit. The airline is currently indebted to some Nigerian banks. It was learnt that the EFCC visit might not be unconnected with several financial transactions between the airline and its creditors.

As a matter of fact, Arik airline has been in a precarious situation largely attributable to its heavy financial debt burden, bad corporate governance, erratic operational challenges and other issues, that required immediate intervention in order to guarantee the continued survival of the airline.

Yesterday, Arik temporarily suspended its flight operations to the John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, United States, claiming that the two Airbus A330-200 aircraft dedicated to the route have been taken to France for C-check at the same time. Equally, more than eight aircraft are currently grounded at the tarmac making it difficult to meet their routine commercial flights.

The myriad of issues confronting Arik Air of late ranges from confiscation of aircraft due to non-payment of leases, frequent flight delays, constant fracas between Arik staff and irate passengers at both local and international airports, among others.

During the last yuletide season, passengers were stranded in airports all over the country due to Arikís incessant flight delays and cancellations, which negatively affected the preference they enjoy from passengers.

The airline was so overwhelmed to the extent that workers’ wages were not paid for several months, leading to occasional confrontation between the management and different aviation unions in the country. It was Arikís inability to pay its workers for seven months that forced the United Labour Congress (ULC) and Engineers Union to recently shut the offices of the airline across the country causing untold hardship to thousands of travellers and an embarrassment to the aviation sector in the country.

Beside owing workersí salaries, the airline also has not been remitting the taxes of workers to relevant bodies, thus also defrauding the country. It is also in perpetual default in its lease payments and insurance premium, leading to regular and embarrassing repossession of its aircraft by lessors. Various class actions are pending against the airline all over the world.
Source:The Sun

NO STARVATION IN NIGERIA — FG

The Federal Government has adopted measures to bring down prices of food items in the country, Agriculture Minister Audu Ogbeh has said.
The minister stated that "There is really no starvation in the land."

The minister disclosed this to State House correspondents on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

He said the task force set up by the FEC last week to look at the issue of hike in food prices submitted an interim report yesterday.
Ogbeh, who noted that the committee's work was almost concluded, said it identified the causes of food price increases.

According to him, "The good thing is that there is no real shortage of food. There is food, but the prices are a bit too high and Nigerians are groaning under the pain."

He said the committee found out that the cost of transportation "is becoming extremely high, especially because most of our transpiration is by road and diesel prices have gone up and trucks are finding it difficult to move from place to place at old prices."

The minister said the government, therefore, considered as an alternative, using railway wagons along the current railway network.

"As we did before when we moved cattle from North West to Lagos, we brought down the cost and avoided the multiple taxation on transporters by local governments which delay movement. We've decided to work with the state governments and the police to reduce delays," he said.

He said the government would also adopt the Ivory Coast's system in which "trucks carrying foods are given labels. In fact, in Ivory Coast, they cannot be stopped for more than 10 minutes anywhere.

Even if something serious has happened, the security agencies will follow them to their destinations and come back to investigate whatever has happened."

He added: "Finally, we shall be looking into our reserves if in the next few days, the situation persists, to see what we can bring out to lower the prices because another bumper harvest will be coming up again at the end of March."

Source: Daily Trust reports

Boko Haram: We got N200 to kill, says suicide bomber

•One killed in Maiduguri as Army confirms arrest

A failed 18-year-old Boko Haram suicide bomber, Amina, who was intercepted by men of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) yesterday morning, in Maiduguri, Borno State, confessed to security agents, she was given N200 for the mission.

She said her accomplice, who succeeded in detonating her bombs, also got N200.

Amina was one of two suicide bombers intercepted by NSCDC officials while attempting to detonate explosives around a long queue at NNPC mega station, along Damboa Road, in Maiduguri, yesterday.

Amina told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Maiduguri, that she was abducted two years ago by Boko Haram in Madagali, Adamawa, and taken to Sambisa forest.

“They gave us N200 each, which they said we should use to buy food for ourselves.

“ It took us three days to come to Maiduguri on a motorcycle. We were directed by the sect members to detonate our explosives any where we saw any form of gathering.

“They said if we press the button, the bomb would explode and we will automatically go to heaven.

“I was scared, so, I told them that I could not detonate any explosive. So, they said if Zainab detonated her own, it would serve the purpose. 

On our way to Maiduguri, we encountered the military and they were shooting. I was very scared and the people that brought us ran away.

“I am from Imam Shekau’s faction of Boko Haram, even though I have never seen Shekau. But, I hear about him in Gobarawa,” Amina said. She said her father, mother and younger brother, Umar, were all killed when they tried to escape from the Boko Haram enclave where they were held hostage.

“We came from Gobarawa along Damboa, Madagali and Algarno axis, in a community where a lot of us were held hostage and married off by the sect members.

“I also am married to a Boko Haram Commander known as “Amir.”

NSCDC Commandant in Borno, Abdullahi Ibrahim, said Amina has been handed over to the Garrison Commander, 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, “ for proper investigation’.’

Theater Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor, confirmed that Amina was in custody of the Army and that she would be investigated.

“We are going to profile her as she would give us the lead to get to other insurgents,” Irabor said.

Abdullahi told newsmen that the attempted bombing occurred at about 6.45am yesterday.

“Our personnel at the NNPC station intercepted two female suicide bombers who were targeting motorists on the long queue at the NNPC mega petrol station at about 6.45am.

“One of the bombers got scared and threw away her bomb and was instantly arrested, while the other one began to run after people with her explosive but, luckily, she was shot on the leg by our personnel after he chased her to a safe place,’’ Ibrahim said.

Source:The Sun

NLC, TUC hold protest march on Thursday

• Corruption, good governance, minimum wage review, exchange rate top demands

LED by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC),  organised Labour will on Thursday lead Nigerian workers, it’s civil society allies and the masses to protest the state of the nation, demanding for effective and efficient anti-corruption fight and good governance.

Tagged National Day of Action against Corruption and for Good Governance, the NLC said it would mobilise hundreds of thousands of Nigerians on the street in Abuja and Lagos for the protest march.”

President of NLC Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who addressed journalists on the planned action in Abuja on Monday said the day would be marked with marches, rallies and submission of petition containing a list of demands to the government at the Presidency and the National Assembly.

Wabba said the workers and Nigerians will gather as early as 7am at the Unity Fountain , from where the protest will head to the Federal Secretariat, the National Assembly and to the Presidency.

“There is the need for a popular mass movement support for the government to call for good governance to overcome the resultant full fledge recession, and free for all multiple exchange rate regime, which has very negative effect on manufacturing and other sectors of the economy.” He said.

The NLC pointed out that other issues include the review of minimum wage and payment of salaries, adding that the organised labour would also take the protest to state level after that of the national level.

He pointed out that labour, as represented by the NLC and TUC must lead the process, adding however that every Nigerian has the right to protest without taking any permission from the police.
Wabba said: “We should be leading not people who don’t have address trying to lead us from behind. Our perspective is that we must be cleared on where we are going and what our demands are.

Our demand is clearly that we must be able to have good governance in place across all our structure. Part of why we have not make sufficient progress and these challenges keep occurring is that there is lack of good governance

“A lot of resources that would have hitherto address some of these challenges have been taken out by few but instead of responding to those issues as Nigerians, most people tribalise the issues.

As a mass organisation, we must be able to situate our argument and contestations within the demand of our members and also wishing the demand of larger public. We are not going to join our own with anybody; we have planned our activities with our civil society allies.

“I situate also the issue of high cost of goods and services . A lot of Nigerians had difficulty in having one meal per day talk less of somebody that is working but has not been paid for six months. In our contestations, we must be able to situate all of these within the context of lack of good governance and also that corruption is fighting back.”

“Basically, whether we like it or not, corruption will continue to fight back, except we the working class and others come together to defeat those forces, nobody will help us,” he added
Wabba said the review of national minimum wage is long overdue as today, the dollar is being exchange for almost N500 to a dollar, adding that all conditions precedence to the review show that the demand is legitimate.

On the state to visit for protest, he specifically mentioned Imo State where the state government owed 77 months liability in salaries and gratuity.

Wabba lamented the inability of most of the state governors to pay workers salaries, pension and gratuity; adding, “We thought that we must canvass for the issue of good governance and the fight against corruption as a lot of state government are not doing the needful as it concerns workers.

In spite the Paris Club Refund to some of the states, some of the states are not making efforts to ensure that workers interest is given the priority it deserved.

“Gratuity in most of the states are also building up, we have liability of gratuity ranging between seven months and some 77 months. The worst-case scenario is Imo State, where we have liability of gratuity of 77 months and pensions.

Wabba said that the Imo State government had contemplated paying the pensioners 60 per cent of their 77 months’ pension arrears while the pensioners have rejected; adding that the Labour movement was proposing on how to move down to those states owing workers and pensioners to engage the governors.

He added: “This portrays a lot of danger and challenges basically because, in some of those states they do not look at the issue of workers’ salaries, among others as a priority. So, the whole essence of the rally for good governance is to see that our political elite get their priority right.

It is in this context that the NLC and the TUC are going do a second round of campaign for good governance and fight against corruption because, we realised from the data’s we have it is not about how much those states earned, but it about how transparent the process is in those states.”

Wabba pointed out that some states received less, but yet do not have liability of salaries and pensions while some receive much but have accumulated liabilities.
Source:Tribune

Close shave with death • Catholic priest shot by Fulani herdsmen recounts ordeal

But for divine intervention, a Catholic Priest of Nnewi Diocese, Anambra State, Rev. Fr. Jude Chetanna Chukwuneke, would have been dead and buried by now.

Chukwuneke, a youth motivator and the Chaplain, St. Camillus De Lelis Catholic Chaplaincy, College of Health Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Okofia, Nnewi Campus, was attacked by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Monday, September 26, 20I6, while returning from the burial ceremony of the mother of a fellow priest in Nsukka Diocese, Enugu State.

  In company with two other priests, Rev. Prof. Jude Ezeokanna and Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Dim, the attack, which happened within the Uzo-Uwani axis of the old Adani-Anambra road, left in its wake sorrows, tears and blood.

  Chukwuneke, who was driving, was shot in the head by one of the herdsmen and in a staggering deadly fit, lost control of the steering and the vehicle ran into a ditch.

Though he escaped with serious injuries, the exhaust pipe of the vehicle caused serious burns on his colleague, Ezeokanna, who attempted to jump out of the vehicle while the attack lasted.  Dim was forcefully abducted by the attackers.

  Through intelligence gathering and spirited efforts, the kidnappers released Dim two days after while Chukwuneke and Ezeokanna began the tortuous battle to save their lives at different hospitals.

After undergoing treatment at different hospitals in Nsukka, Enugu, Anambra and also abroad, which lasted for four months, Chukwuneke, who still has some pellets lodged in his head, gathered friends and well wishers recently at the College auditorium in Nnewi for a thanksgiving service.

At the ceremony, which attracted several dignitaries including Anambra Governor, Willie Obiano who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha; Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ebonyi State, Prof. Bernard Odoh; former SSG, Anambra State, Oseloka Obaze; and business mogul, Chief Cletus Ibeto; among others, Chukwuneke told the pathetic story of his encounter with death and how God miraculously saved him. “I’m resting in peace but still alive,” he said pathetically.

  Narrating his ordeal inside the capacity filled auditorium, Chukwuneke recalled how on that fateful day they had finished their condolence visit to Nsukka and were chatting in the vehicle on their way back to Anambra when suddenly, few minutes after passing a police check point, they came upon a figure on the road holding a gun about 200 metres ahead.

He said he looked back and spotted another figure, also some 200 metres behind. Sensing trouble, he decided to take the option of escaping by engaging the reverse gear. This was the last thing he recalled doing.

  “It was a marksman that shot me at a close range and if you see my vehicle dashboard, you will realise that miracles do happen even now.

He pointed the gun directly at my face and the bullet shattered the windscreen and penetrated. The next was that I found myself in the middle of the bush about 20 metres away from the road. I also realised that I was bleeding profusely in the head and that my immaculate white cassock has been drenched in blood.

  “Fearing for my life, I asked Fr. Ezeokana who was in the passenger seat to perform the last rites for me but he was also traumatised. At this point, I told my fellow priests let everybody run for dear life. But I was pursued by one of the gunmen who soon caught up with me and demanded for money.

  “I told him I had no money. He cocked his gun as if to shoot me again, but probably believing there was no need, and since I would soon die because of the amount of blood he saw, he left me and ran back towards the others in the car. I soon heard one of the priests shouting, ‘I am a priest of God!’ and when I looked, I saw Fr. Emmanuel Dim being marched off with his hands in the air.”

  Chukwuneke said that at that point, he remembered that he had a watch; he tore it off his wrist to check the time and realised it was 6.15pm. He stated that his experience in the modus operandi of robbers told him that they do not usually remain at the scene of robbery beyond 20 minutes. But he decided to wait another 10 minutes before making a move.

  According to him, his decision to move out of the bush was to ensure that even if he died, his body would be discovered. When he succeeded in coming to the road, he tried stopping passing vehicles whose drivers refused to stop. He saw a group of people at a distance and began to run towards them. But after running for about 200 metres, he became exhausted.

  It was then that God sent one Ebuka Oluka to help him. Chukwuneke said he immediately grabbed the scruff of Ebuka’s shirt for support. Together, they ran again for the rest of the distance towards the group of people. He stated that while he ran, he kept calling out the phone number of his brother which was the only number he had memorised. He said he was doing that because he was afraid that he could pass out at any moment.

He said that Ebuka tried calling his brother with the number but he did not pick his calls. Before then, Ebuka had pulled off his shirt and wrapped it on Chukwuneke’s head to stem blood flow. When they eventually got to the people, he was taken to Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka.
  Chukwuneke expressed regret that in most cases in Nigeria, people die and property are also lost due to ineffectiveness of emergency services.

He recalled that when it became expedient that he should be transferred to a specialist hospital in Enugu for proper medicare, he was surprised that even the life ambulance that was supposed to convey him first of all had to look for a nearby filling station to buy fuel before they could proceed on the journey.

  Chukwuneke, who thanked everyone who God used to contribute to his being alive, said he bears no grudge against anybody. He, however, tasked the Federal Government to take drastic steps against the menace of herdsmen not only in Igboland but across the country.

  “The security of lives and property is the fundamental work of the governor as the chief security officer of the state. That Uzo-Uwani area has been infested with Fulani hoodlums and people think we are speculating. Since we fell victims, we have gone ahead to discover that many unreported cases had occurred in that area before now.

This is in Igboland and we think that both the Federal Government and the states have not done much in curtailing the menace of these herdsmen. The worst of it all was that the police we passed few minutes before the incident never responded even when they heard the gunshots,” he said.

The thanksgiving service also featured the presentation of the cleric’s new book, Reflections on the State of the Nation, among other activities.
Source:The Sun