NLC PRESSES AHEAD WITH PLAN FOR SOLIDARITY STRIKE – NATIONS PG.28
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says there is no going back on its planned protest on July 26 and 27, 2022. The protest is in solidarity with university lecturers, to salvage the education sector in the country. All affiliate unions of the NLC in Ekiti State said they have agreed to participate in next week’s solidarity mass protest. The various affiliate unions made their commitment known during a meeting held at the Labour house in Ado Ekiti to deliberate on how to carry out the protest. Two of the affiliate unions, JNC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Fatomiluyi and NULGE president, Mr. Oluseyi Olatunde noted that they have directed all their members to come out en masse to rescue the future of the younger generation.
ABBA KYARI-LINKED BILLIONAIRE FOR TRAMADOL TRIAL OCTOBER 6 – NATIONS PG.28, THIS DAY PG.8
The Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed October 6 for the trial of a billionaire industrialist Afamefuna Mallinson Ukatu and his worker, Sunday Ifeanyi Ibekwute, on a banned drug charge. Ukatu is the Managing Director of Mallinson & Partners Ltd, whom the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) alleged imported two containers containing 1,284 cartons of Tramadol worth N22billion in 2019. The agency also claimed he was behind an N3billion shipment of tramadol linked to the suspended police chief, Abba Kyari.
KUJE JAILBREAK: POLICE ARREST ANOTHER ESCAPEE IN BENUE – NATIONS PG.29
Benue State Police Command said it has arrested an escapee from Kuje Prison. The escapee, Ebube Igwe, was arrested on Wednesday in Makurdi, Benue State capital. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kate Atene (SP) said Igwe was arrested along George Akume Way, Wurukum, and Makurdi. In a press statement made available to newsmen on Thursday, SP Kate Anene said “On 19/7/2022 at about 3 pm, information was received about one Ebube Igwe Jude; a fugitive who had arrived in Makurdi as a result of Kuje jailbreak. Detectives deployed to investigate the case arrested him at George Akume Way, Wurukum, and Makurdi. “During the investigation, he confessed to having escaped from Kuje Correctional Center during the jailbreak. He stated further that he is an awaiting trial inmate, standing trial in a case of culpable homicide involving his girlfriend.
DSS report won’t stop solidarity rally, Labour tells FG – PUNCH PG.4
The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Joint Action Committee, comprising the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, have said their planned protest in solidarity with the Academic Staff Union of Universities will hold as planned. The labour unions said they were not aware of any security report by the Department of State Services that advised against the rally, insisting that their protest in solidarity with ASUU over its six months old strike would hold on July 26 and 27. ASUU had on February 14, 2022 embarked on a nationwide strike over the failure of the Federal Government to honour the agreement it reached with the union in 2009.
ARMY COURT-MARTIALS 501 PERSONNEL IN 32 MONTHS – PUNCH PG.5
No fewer than 501 Nigerian Army personnel have been court-martialed for indiscipline and other offences across the country. The figures were based on collated media reports between November 2019 and July 1, 2022. Saturday PUNCH observed that during the period under review, most of the personnel tried were those serving in the terrorism ravaged North-East geopolitical zone. For instance, in November 2019, 70 erring personnel found defaulting in the counter-insurgency operation in the North-East were court-martialed.
