News
RIVERS ALGON DISTANCES SELF FROM PLANNED PROTEST
Members of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Rivers State Chapter, have dissociated themselves from the planned protest against hunger billed to commence on August 1 across the country.
Addressing a press conference in Port Harcourt on Friday, the ALGON members, comprising chairmen of caretaker committees in the 23 local government areas of the State, said that they are totally against the planned protest because it was capable of being hijacked by hoodlums to loot and destroy valuable properties and cause break down of law and order.
Speaking on behalf of members of ALGON in the State, the Caretaker Committee Mayor of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council, Prince Ichemati Ezebunwo, said that the State has been peaceful, adding that it was unnecessary to allow agents of destabilization to plunge the State into palpable instability, anarchy and chaos with needless protest and disorganized demonstrations.
Ezebunwo also reiterated the unalloyed support and commitment of the ALGON members to the implementation of the key objectives of Mr President’s policies and programmes as enunciated in the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.
He said, “Sequel to the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting of June, 2024, where intense deliberations were held and resolutions reached on measures to adopt in improving the lives of our people at the grassroots, and the swift release of allocations due the local government councils, we, the members of ALGON, Rivers State Chapter, state”, that” we thank Mr President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the timely and unhindered release of allocations for the various local government councils.
“We want to thank our peace-loving Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, who has instructed us to remain peaceful in the face of unwarranted provocation, and to dispense the local government funds in line with the local government laws for the overall benefit of our people.
“ALGON, Rivers State, dissociates itself from the planned protest from August 1, 2024, by faceless individuals against the government and policies of President Tinubu.
“We state categorically that we are committed to cascading the key objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President in our various local government areas.
“We hereby call on the people to discountenance any planned protest as measures are being put in place to cushion the effects of the economic situation” in the country today.
The State ALGON also expressed worries at the increasing involvement of police officers in the escalation of hostilities against members of the caretaker committees and peace-loving and law-abiding Rivers people by the immediate past chairmen of local government councils, and their violent and armed agents, whose intentions have been to cause anarchy and engineer a climate of lawlessness in the State.
While condemning the rising attacks on CTC chairmen and supporters of the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, the ALGON members cautioned those involved in perpetrating acts of violence and intimidation in the State, to desist forthwith, and toe the path of peace, saying that their desperation was becoming unacceptable to the generality of Rivers people.
They said, “We recall that earlier today, the immediate past local government chairmen made inciting statements bordering on claims to perpetuating themselves in office they had constitutionally ceased to occupy at the effluxion of time on June 17, 2024.
“We hereby warn these impostors to desist forthwith, and also call the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, to call them (immediate past LG chairmen) to order.”
The ALGON members urged the police to be professional, apolitical and neutral in the discharge of their duties, and avoid compromising themselves by aligning with some impostors and desperate politicians to destabilise the State and cause unnecessary distractions for the government, which they said, was committed to the delivery of good governance to Rivers people.
They also condemned, in strong terms, the dastardly attacks on ALGON members in Ikwerre and Obio/Akpor local government areas, where the immediate past chairmen and a former lawmaker led armed thugs and rogue policemen to inflict deadly harm on their members, and vulnerable people in the communities.
They specifically mentioned the incidents in Omerelu in Ikwerre Local Government Area, and Eliozu in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, where pregnant women, vulnerable children and people with disabilities were ferociously attacked, teargassed, and injured while vehicles and valuable medical consumables and hospital equipment were damaged.
The ALGON said that it was callous for the past local government chairmen to hire thugs and mindless policemen to attack law-abiding people who were responding to a key Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda programme aimed at providing healthcare services to the people at the grassroots.
The ALGON members wondered why any politician and former elected public office holder should disrupt a Federal Government-sponsored primary healthcare programme designed to improve the health status of rural dwellers, who they had claimed to serve.
They warned that the police must not deliberately create an atmosphere of crisis by openly or clandestinely showing support for and protection to the immediate past LG chairmen, and other loyalists of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, adding that such posture would be vehemently resisted.
The State ALGON members also called on the Inspector General of Police, and the Commissioner for Police, to respect the will and the fundamental rights of the people at the LGAs by allowing legitimate workers at the local governments unfettered access to their offices to perform their lawful duties unhindered.
They argued that by denying the local government workers access to their offices to carry out their legitimate duties, the police were deliberately allowing themselves to be used to deny the people at the grassroots the opportunity to enjoy the dividends of democracy and good governance.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 1.63 million pills of tramadol concealed in two long trailers heading for Kano as it intensified efforts to dismantle a transnational drug trafficking syndicate operating along the Togo-Benin Republic-Nigeria corridor.
The agency also arrested an 80-year-old suspected drug dealer in Rivers State, a businesswoman linked to cannabis shipments from Canada, a Chadian woman, a couple and other suspects in coordinated operations across Lagos, Edo, Kogi and Rivers states.
The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement, yesterday.
According to the statement, the latest intelligence-led operation came barely one week after NDLEA operatives recovered 558,900 pills of tramadol concealed in the false-bottom compartment of a truck that entered Lagos through the Togo-Benin Republic route.
Babafemi said, “Ongoing efforts to dismantle a transnational drug trafficking syndicate smuggling tramadol from Togo, through Benin Republic into Nigeria have yielded another success with the interception of two long trailers used to move One Million Six Hundred and Thirty (1,630,000) pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in fabricated compartments of the trucks across multiple borders into Lagos.”
He added that one of the two trailers was intercepted on July 2 along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, where operatives recovered 853,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in a fabricated compartment beneath the cargo floor.
Babafemi said, “One of the two trucks already heading to Kano was tracked and located on 2nd July 2026 along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway where NDLEA officers recovered 853,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in a fabricated compartment beneath the cargo floor of the trailer and arrested the 22-year-old driver Jabir Kabiru.”
He further disclosed that another trailer was intercepted two days later on the same route.
“Two days later, 4th July, NDLEA operatives acting on processed intelligence successfully tracked and recovered the second trailer from the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway while heading to Kano. A total of 777,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in a fabricated compartment beneath the cargo floor of the truck were evacuated and the 22-year-old driver Muhammed Nuhu arrested,” the statement read.
According to Babafemi, investigations established a link between the three intercepted consignments.
He said, “Investigations revealed that all three trucks and consignments intercepted on 21st June, 2nd July and 4th July belong to the same transnational drug trafficking syndicate operating along the Togo-Benin Republic-Nigeria axis.”
The agency also intercepted 4.70 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
Babafemi said, “Two consignments of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, with a combined weight of 4.70 kilograms have been intercepted at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos. The cargoes, which arrived the Lagos airport from Canada in cartons with ‘Odugwu’ boldly written on them, came aboard British Airways and Ethiopian Airlines flights on 24th June and 3rd July respectively.”
He said two cargo agents, Ali Rotimi Samson and Orimolade Oluwagbenga, were initially arrested in connection with the shipments, while another suspect, Edeh Onyeamachi Stanislus, was apprehended after arriving at a logistics company to take delivery of the consignments.
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has denied claims that it has commenced registration for a purported ?50,000 National Support Allowance.
The ministry, in a public notice posted on its official X handle, yesterday, described messages, links and websites advertising the alleged programme as fraudulent.
It urged Nigerians to disregard such claims and verify information only through official government channels.
“The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has NOT commenced registration for any ?50,000 National Support Allowance,” the ministry said.
It added, “Disregard fraudulent messages, links and websites claiming otherwise. Verify any info only through official govt channels.”
The alert is in response to a circulating scam flyer that falsely claims the program is ongoing under President Bola Tinubu’s directives.
The fake advertisement, which includes text in Hausa and English, directs victims to a suspicious website (kluspz.com) for applications.
The ministry’s warning comes amid heightened concerns over digital fraud targeting vulnerable populations seeking social support.
Similar scams have previously surfaced around programs like N-Power, prompting questions from citizens in replies to the official post.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed its preparedness for a major national struggle for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage.
NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, hinted at this while making his remarks at the commissioning of the Comrade Godwin Abumisi Pensioners Legacy House and Multipurpose Hall in Abuja.
Ajaero said it is no longer acceptable to discuss the welfare of workers without also discussing the welfare of those who have completed their active years of service.
He advised workers and pensioners to get prepared for the ideological and economic battles that lie ahead.
According to the NLC president, “The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) is one of the proud affiliates of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Therefore, your struggle is our struggle, and your welfare remains a priority for the organised labour movement.
“We are currently in the preparatory stages for a major national struggle for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage.
“However, let me state unequivocally that it is no longer acceptable to discuss the welfare of workers without also discussing the welfare of those who have completed their active years of service.
“Accordingly, the Nigeria Labour Congress will not only push for a new national minimum wage but will also demand the establishment of a national minimum pension. It is a historical injustice that men and women who devoted their youth, strength and productive years to the service of this nation should be condemned to live below the poverty line after retirement.”
Ajaero noted that the cost of living has risen astronomically as food, healthcare and transportation have become increasingly unaffordable.
“We cannot continue to allow our senior citizens to survive on pensions that have become poverty wages. Every retiree deserves to live with dignity after decades of faithful service to the nation,” he said.
He urged pensioners across the country to remain united and prepared as the process begins, adding: “This Legacy House should not merely be seen as a physical structure; it should become a centre for mobilisation, strategic engagement and solidarity as we prepare for the struggles ahead.”
The NLC president pointed out that the working class has always understood that “those who exploit workers are united in advancing their interests. We too must remain united in defending our collective interests and ensuring that government fulfils its obligations to both serving workers and retirees.”
He urged pensioners across the country to remain united and prepared as the process begins, adding: “This Legacy House should not merely be seen as a physical structure; it should become a centre for mobilisation, strategic engagement and solidarity as we prepare for the struggles ahead.”
The NLC president pointed out that the working class has always understood that “those who exploit workers are united in advancing their interests. We too must remain united in defending our collective interests and ensuring that government fulfils its obligations to both serving workers and retirees.”
He said the completion of the project should serve as a clarion call to all workers and lovers of the masses.
“We must not only build physical structures but also build a strong movement capable of compelling government to honour its commitments,” he said.
Ajaero further stated: “We will continue to demand the immediate payment of all outstanding pension arrears and the implementation of a pension regime that guarantees every retiree a life of dignity and security.
“Together, we shall continue to fight until every Nigerian worker and pensioner receives the justice, respect and welfare they deserve.”
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