Nelson Ugwuagbo

Tragedy struck in Elebele Community, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, as a 22-year-old man, identified as Godwin, reportedly stabbed his mother to death over claims that she hindered his destiny and wealth.

Community members revealed that Godwin recently returned to Elebele after spending months in Benin City, Edo State. Reports suggest that the suspect had been behaving strangely since his return, alleging that a spiritualist, referred to as “Baba,” told him his mother was responsible for his misfortunes.

Some residents also claimed that the deceased had been warned by a pastor to avoid accepting any unusual gifts from her son, citing an impending danger.

Confirming the incident, Elebele Community Youth President, Comrade Precious Okala, disclosed that the suspect attacked his mother during an argument, stabbing her in the stomach. “Since he came back from Benin City, he has been behaving in a strange manner. On the day of the incident, he reportedly struggled with his mother and stabbed her, claiming that she held his destiny and wealth,” Okala said.

Following the attack, the youth in the community detained the suspect and alerted authorities.

The spokesman for the Bayelsa State Police Command, ASP Musa Mohammed, confirmed the incident, adding that the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Niger Delta University (NDU), Amassoma, has declared an indefinite strike following the Bayelsa State Government’s alleged failure to meet key agreements reached with the union.

The decision, announced on Tuesday after a meeting at the union’s secretariat, stems from unresolved issues, including irregular salary payments and other unmet commitments. The industrial action is expected to disrupt academic activities at the state-owned university, with further details on the union’s demands and the strike’s implications anticipated in the coming days.

Recall that the Lagos State University (LASU) chapter of ASUU has also declared an indefinite strike, effective December 6, 2024. The action is in protest against the Lagos State Government’s failure to implement a salary increase of 25% to 35% for academic staff, a policy approved in January 2023.

According to a statement from ASUU-LASU Chairman, Prof. Ibrahim Bakare, and Secretary, Sylvester Idowu, the increment has been implemented in federal universities and 18 state-owned universities but remains unpaid at LASU.

Meanwhile, the union has urged students to disregard statements from the university management and Students’ Union, which claim that academic activities are unaffected despite strikes led by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Related Institutions (NASU) at the institution.

The ASUU-LASU strike is expected to escalate tensions between the union and the Lagos State Government as negotiations stall.

The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has announced a three-day warning strike in Lagos State, slated to run from Wednesday, December 11, to Friday, December 13, 2024.

In a letter dated December 5, 2024, and signed by the union’s Secretary, Oloruntoba Odumosu, NANNM disclosed that the strike will be carried out in collaboration with other unions in the health sector to protest the Lagos State Government’s handling of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) adjustment.

“The three-day warning strike is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, and will continue until Friday, December 13, 2024, in collaboration with other sister unions in the health sector,” the letter stated.

The union criticized the state government for what it described as discriminatory practices in implementing the salary adjustments. While doctors under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure have received their adjustments, other health workers, including nurses and allied health professionals, have reportedly been excluded. “The government’s failure to implement the adjustment for other health professionals is intolerable and must be addressed,” NANNM stated.

Adding to the concerns, the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) has also expressed dissatisfaction over the delayed implementation of the 25% CONHESS adjustment. In a letter signed by its State Secretary, Kabiawu Kamaldeen, the union called for unity among health workers, urging members to prepare for the strike. “This notice serves as a clarion call for mobilisation and preparedness. Let us be resolute in this struggle for a fruitful outcome,” the letter read.

Similarly, the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) have voiced their frustrations, accusing the government of neglecting the contributions of non-medical health workers. In a statement, JOHESU condemned the state government’s actions, describing them as divisive and demoralizing. “Despite the essential contributions we make to healthcare delivery in Lagos State, the government’s response to our legitimate requests has been nothing short of neglect,” the union said.

The unions have resolved to press for a resolution that ensures fair treatment and equity for all health workers in the state.

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol was barred from leaving the country on Monday, the Ministry of Justice confirmed. The development comes less than a week after Yoon caused political turmoil by briefly imposing martial law.

On the night of December 3, Yoon deployed special forces and helicopters to parliament, a move lawmakers swiftly overturned by rejecting his decree. Despite narrowly surviving an impeachment motion in parliament on Saturday, Yoon faces mounting public discontent, with large protests calling for his removal.

The president is now under investigation for alleged insurrection, alongside several close allies. According to immigration services commissioner Bae Sang-up, who addressed a parliamentary hearing on Monday, Yoon is the first sitting South Korean president to face a travel ban.

Others affected by travel restrictions include former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, currently in detention, and former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min. General Park An-su, who oversaw the martial law operation, and Defence Counterintelligence Commander Yeo In-hyung are also barred from leaving the country.

Investigators brought General Park in for further questioning on Monday as part of ongoing probes into last week’s events.

Gunmen suspected to be bandits attacked Kakin Dawa village in Gidan Goga district, Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State, abducting over 50 women and children.

The assailants, armed with sophisticated weapons, reportedly stormed the community around 1:30 am on Sunday, moving from house to house in their assault.

A resident of the village, speaking on the incident, said, “Everyone started running because the armed bandits have been targeting our village. Later, we discovered that more than 50 of our women were abducted.” He added that the victims include young girls and married women.

The resident appealed to the federal and Zamfara State governments to deploy more security personnel to the area to combat the attackers and prevent further incidents.

Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Lagos State University (LASU) chapter, has declared an indefinite strike over the Lagos State Government’s alleged failure to implement the federally approved salary increments of 25% and 35% for its members since January 2023.

This development was announced in a statement jointly signed by the union’s Chairperson, Prof. Ibrahim Bakare, and Secretary, Sylvester Idowu.

According to the statement, the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration has refused to implement the salary adjustments, which have already been effected in federal universities and 18 state universities across the country.

The union stated that the strike aligns with the decision of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of all staff unions at LASU. A formal letter has been sent to the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, and Governor Sanwo-Olu to notify them of the action.

ASUU-LASU also called on the Lagos State Government to harmonize its salary structure with those of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) and the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), where academic staff reportedly earn higher salaries.

The union noted that the state government has failed to act on the recommendations of its own committee on salary harmonization, adding that this inaction has exacerbated the situation.

Addressing claims by some student leaders that the strike only involves ASUU, the union clarified that the action is collective and involves all staff unions at LASU.

“We are aware that the state government and university management are making efforts to resolve the situation, but until then, the strike will continue,” the union stated.

It also urged students to refrain from meddling in matters related to staff welfare, emphasizing that the issue is between the university’s staff and the government.

An 18-year-old boy was killed in a fire outbreak that occurred in the early hours of Monday at the Sayi area of Alore, Ilorin, Kwara State.

The incident, which reportedly happened around 1:30 am, has drawn reactions from residents and government officials.

Confirming the incident, a senior government official stated that a delegation from the Kwara State Government was preparing to visit the scene to assess the damage and commiserate with affected residents.

“Yes, a devastating fire outbreak occurred in the Sayi area of Alore early this morning. We learnt it claimed the life of an 18-year-old boy. We will soon visit the scene of the incident to commiserate with our people,” the official said.

Further details regarding the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage were not immediately available.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Chief Edward David Onoja, a former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, as a member of the South East Development Commission (SEDC).

The nomination was part of a revised list of appointees forwarded to the Senate for confirmation, aimed at inaugurating the Governing Boards of both the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and the North West Development Commission (NWDC).

According to a statement issued on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the revised list reflects the President’s commitment to regional development.

In the nominations, Emeka Atuma is set to chair the Governing Board of the SEDC, while Hon. Mark C. Okoye has been named as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the commission.

Other nominees to the SEDC Governing Board include Barr. Ugochukwu H. Agballah, Hon. Okey Ezenwa, Chief Hyacinth Ikpor, Hon. Donatus Eyinnah Nwankpa, Barr. Ifeanyi Agwu (Ph.D), Nasiru Usman, and Hamma Adama Ali Kumo. Additional appointees include Edward David Onoja, Orure Kufre Inima, and Chief (Mrs.) Joke Adebayo-Chukwuma.

Furthermore, Prince Obinna Obiekweihe was nominated as Executive Director of Projects, Senator Anthony O. Agbo as Executive Director of Finance and Administration, and Dr. Daniel Ikechukwu Ugwuja as Executive Director of Corporate Services.

The President emphasized his expectation that the nominees, upon Senate confirmation, will leverage their experience and expertise to fulfill the mandates of their respective commissions and contribute to the development of their regions.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has completed its first export sale of low-sulfur straight-run fuel oil (LSSR) from the recently upgraded Port Harcourt Refinery.

The 15,000-metric-ton cargo, equivalent to approximately 13.6 million liters, is destined for Gulf Transport & Trading Limited (GTT), a Dubai-based trading firm. The shipment will be loaded onto the Wonder Star MR1 vessel in the coming days, marking a milestone in Nigeria’s refining sector as the country begins exporting petroleum products from its domestic refineries.

The exported product, with a sulfur content of 0.26 percent and a density of 0.918 g/ml at 15°C, was sold at an $8.50 per ton discount to the Northwest Europe (NWE) 0.5 percent benchmark on a Free on Board (FOB) basis.

While the initial export volume is modest, it is expected to impact Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) benchmarks in global markets. Analysts suggest this move could reshape trade dynamics, particularly for Atlantic Basin exporters, as Nigeria reduces its reliance on imported petroleum products.

This development also poses a challenge to traditional fuel oil suppliers in Africa and Europe. With domestic refining capacity improving, Nigeria’s reduced demand for clean petroleum product (CPP) imports is already affecting broader West African import markets.

The commencement of fuel exports from the Port Harcourt Refinery signals NNPCL ambition to establish Nigeria as a significant player in the global petroleum market, further diversifying the country’s energy export portfolio.

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has dismissed 19 senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) over allegations of misconduct.

In a statement on Friday, Ikechukwu Ani, the PSC spokesperson, said the decision was reached during the commission’s plenary session, where 110 disciplinary cases, 23 appeals and petitions, and 13 court judgments were reviewed.

The dismissed officers include ten assistant superintendents, six deputy superintendents, two chief superintendents, and one superintendent of police.

Additionally, the PSC approved the demotion of 19 other senior officers, including one assistant commissioner of police, one chief superintendent, two superintendents, two deputy superintendents, and 13 assistant superintendents.

Two assistant inspectors general of police were also sanctioned. One received a reprimand for refusing to carry out lawful instructions, while the other was issued a letter of warning for negligence.

“Several other officers found culpable received different punishments, including severe reprimand, reprimand, and letters of warning,” the statement added.

The chairman of the commission, Hashimu Argungu, reiterated the need for officers to maintain professionalism and avoid involvement in civil matters.