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Work Resumes Today After Moslems Holidays
Major motor parks in Port Harcourt metropolis, including the popular Abali Park and the Mile Three Motor Park, came alive yesterday as citizens who travelled to the countryside to celebrate the Moslems Sallah holidays started returning to Port Harcourt.
At the Abali Park, a civil servant, told The Tide that the Sallah celebration was without colour as he did not receive his October salary before travelling to his village for the Sallah.
However, he gave kudos to the Federal Government for stabiling the price of petroleum products which help to ensure there was no transport fare hike during the Sallah period.
Also speaking to The Tide, Miss Mary Adam said the Sallah holidays were a period of sober reflection for Nigerians, saying, it was not a mere coincidence that the Sallah fell on a Sunday, the day of worship for Christians.
She said the coincidence provided both Moslems and Christians in the country an opportunity to reflect on their relationship and live as brother and sisters.
But Mr Christopher Amadi was of the opinion that the Federal Government should take proactive measures to checkmate the Boko Haram Islamic sect that is unleashing terror in some parts of Nigeria.
He said this was necessary as the sect had gone haywire, destroying valuable lives and property without any hindrance.
The Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, yesterday saw a huge number of passengers returning from the Eid-El-Kabir holidays across the nation.
Our correspondent recalls that the Federal Government had declared November 7 and November 8 as public holidays for the celebration of Eid-El-Kabir.
The Tide correspondent, who was at the airport, reported seeing hundreds of passengers exiting the arrival hall of terminal 2 of the MMA and the General Aviation Terminal of the airport.
Two of them told our correspondent that they were Lagos-based and hoped to resume work on Wednesday.
Mr Segun Atobatele, who works with an oil company on Lagos Island, said: “My family is in Abuja. I went to spend the holidays with them; it is great to be with one’s family and have fun with them.
“My flight was very smooth and there was a lot of passengers in the aircraft.’’.
A female civil servant, who pleaded anonymity, said that she had to come back to resume work on Wednesday at the state secretariat, Alausa.
She commended the government for the holidays, noting that it allowed some workers to have enough rest and take care of their health condition.
A businesswoman, Mrs Fatimah Jimoh, told newsmen that she had to come back to supervise her fashion and eatery business in Surulere.
Jimoh, who came back with her two kids, said that the holidays had given workers the opportunity to relax with their families.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.