Author: oduduwanews

The National Association of Nigerian Students NANS has vowed to embark on protest to register its grievances against the continuous hike in prices of cooking gas across the country.

This was contained in a release signed and sent to ODUDUWA NEWS by the President of the association, Sunday Asefon as read in part:

THE HIKE IN THE PRICE OF LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS (COOKING GAS) AND ITS ATTENDANT HARDSHIP ON STUDENTS, NIGERIANS, AND THE CLIMATE – A CALL FOR URGENT INTERVENTION

“In 2021 alone, we have seen over 120% increments in the price of cooking gas. This coupled with hyperinflation, hike in the price of petroleum products, hike in the price of electricity, and devaluation of naira which has resulted in skyrocketing in the prices of domestic goods. This development is imposing unprecedented hardship in the lives of students who have been overlooked from all the government initiatives to cushion the effect of the Covid19 pandemic.
Average Nigerian students rely solely on the cooking gas to feed and the recent trend in the price of the product is making life unbearable for many students and Nigerians.

“I have received countless petitions and complaints from students calling for intervention and holding the government accountable for these hardships. I have also received videos of many students turning to firewood in their various hostels to be able to cook since the price of cooking gas is no longer affordable to students. This development is not only dangerous to the health and safety of our students and Nigerians, it is equally dangerous to the climate at this period the world is witnessing the very harsh effect of climate change and global warming.

“As the umbrella body of all Nigerian students, home and in the diaspora, I am compelled by the hardship currently experienced by our members and Nigerians to address the press today to demand immediate government intervention in the price of the cooking gas as the students will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the price of the product is significantly reduced. We have investigated the cause of this astronomical increment and come to the understanding that the government through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources can do a lot in reducing the hardship currently experienced by Nigerians in this regard.

“The introduction of 7.5% VAT on the product should be immediately reviewed, the completion of Train 7 which the NLNG claimed will increase local production by 35% must be prioritized, infrastructural and logistics deficit in the industry which is currently partly responsible for this hike in prices of the product must equally be addressed with immediate urgency in such a way that the effect will be felt on the consumer price immediately.

“As an organization holding the trust and mandate of millions of Nigerians, we will not hesitate to take to the street anytime soon to demand immediate intervention that will result in the crashing of the price of the product. The Nigerian students have endured a lot of hardship, neglect from palliatives, and economic interventions of government as a result of the global pandemic, we have seen increment in various fees payable by students even at this period of economic hardship. However, now that our only source of energy for cooking is largely becoming unaffordable, we might be left with no alternative than to hit the street. Food is a basic necessity and when students can no longer cook and eat, it is a direct invitation to crises of national significance.

“We therefore on behalf of all Nigerian students and Nigerians demand immediate actions towards crashing the price of LPG with immediate effect to avoid the wrath of Nigerian students.
We also reject any effort to increase the price of PMS under any guise and semblance as such will vehemently be rejected and radically fought against with the last blood in our veins”.

The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered a training camp used by an illegal Military outfit known as the Nigerian Merchant Navy, in the Ogudu Stanfield area of the State.

Commanding Officer of the unit, Sunday Dakare, 47, was arrested alongside 107 youths: both males and females between ages 19 and 47, who were undergoing training.

Parading the suspects who were clad in what looked like the Nigerian Navy camouflage, at the headquarters of the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, yesterday, the command boss, Hakeem Odumosu, said that the command embarked on intensive surveillance of the camp and its activities, following what he described as credible actionable intelligence on the illegal activities of the outfit, before it carried out a well-coordinated overt operation at the training camp, at the early hours of yesterday.

Odumosu explained that “During the raid which was coordinated by the Operations Department of the Command, the following items were recovered: several military accoutrements including, camouflage, badges of ranks, flag, signboard, ID cards.

Other items recovered include recruitment letters, promotion letters, a portrait of the Commanding Officer, two motorcycles, one plasma TV, three cutlasses, criminal charms and other items.

“In the course of interrogation, it was discovered that the Nigerian Merchant Navy also called the COASTAL DEFENCE FORCE has been operating illegally since 2005”.

He recalled that the Nigerian Merchant Navy has since been outlawed by the Federal Government and therefore, said it was illegal for anyone to operate such a military outfit and give military training to unsuspecting young Nigerians.

He said, “ this trend portends danger for our Nation and a threat to peace and security. It, therefore, behoves us as a law enforcement agency to enforce such law banning activities of the illegal military outfit.

I want to use this medium to warn other individuals or groups still operating such illegal outfits in any part of the State to close it forthwith. Anyone nursing the plan to operate such an outlawed security outfit is advised in his own interest to rescind the decision or face the full wrath of the law. The police will not hesitate to clamp down on them and their operators and bring them to book”.

He, therefore, urged members of the public with useful information on anyone operating a clandestine military outfit or training camp to inform the police for urgent necessary action, adding that the suspects would be charged to court.

Suspects speak

However, the suspects who seemed oblivious of the offence showed no remorse, Rather, they maintained that moves were on to legalise the outfit, by the Federal Government, just like the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The Commanding Officer, Dakare, expressed shock at Police action, questioning the rationale behind it.

He said, ” I don’t know why they will arrest us. Efforts are on to legalise the Nigeria Merchant Navy as obtained elsewhere in the world. Besides, the uniform we are wearing is not Military camouflage, it is not Navy best, it is Marine Navy and we are not operating yet. Other countries have Coast guards and that is our role.

We are not being paid, we are only undergoing training while we await Federal Government’s consent”.

On her part, a lady who simply gave her name as Sultan, said “We enrolled online. What we are doing is to seek our rights. The work of the Nigerian Merchant Navy is to secure the sea, tackle sea robbery and fight piracy.

The bill is before the National Assembly, it has passed the second reading and we are waiting for the third reading. Buhari is aware of this, the House of Reps didn’t kick against it when it was presented for reading.

I was surprised when the Police came to raid our camp. I don’t want to believe we were arrested because of the outfit, it could be because the land we are using as camp belongs to a foreigner.

The things the Police displayed as exhibits are not criminal ”.

The Federal Government, has dismissed the rumour circulating on social media that the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State has ‘opened up’.

On Monday, a post asking motorists to take alternative routes from the Third Mainland Bridge to avoid “major disaster” appeared on WhatsApp.

Reacting to the rumour, spokesperson of the Federal Ministry of Works, in a statement, Boade Akinola said the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olukayode Popoola, drove on the bridge without noticing “any shaking” as claimed in the social media messages.

Akinola said: “The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr. Olukayode Popoola, has debunked insinuations making the rounds in the social media that the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos has opened up and shaking and, therefore, unsafe to traffic saying the claim was both false and unfounded,” the statement reads.

“Giving an on-the-spot report on the Bridge, the controller, who said he just drove along the Bridge without noticing any opening or experiencing any shaking as contained in the social media report, advised members of the public not to take report seriously.

“He especially advised commuters to ignore the insinuations as to the Bridge, which is receiving regular attention along others across the country.”

This is not the first time social media will be inundated by rumour on the safety of the Third Mainland Bridge.

In 2019, the Federal Government debunked a similar rumour about the bridge.