Many feared dead as gunmen invade Kogi community

Some residents of Ejule town in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State have been feared dead after gunmen invaded the community around 3.am on Thursday, June 22. 

Daily Trust reported that an Okada rider (commercial motorcyclist) was said to have been hit by a stray bullet while the wife of a youth leader in the community who was looking for her husband died after being hit. 

A family house in the town was reported to have been set ablaze by the hoodlums.

An eyewitness told the publication; 

“I cannot tell you the number of the dead now. Two have been identified, an okada rider and a wife of a known youth in the town have been confirmed dead as a result of the early morning attack.

“The situation is still tense, but more dead bodies are sighted on the streets. No one can go out now,” a resident told our correspondent on the telephone.

Commander Jerry Omadara (retd), the Security Adviser to the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, confirmed the incident but said he's yet to get the details.

“Someone just drew my attention to the incident. I am yet to get the details. I will get back to you shortly.” 

The increment should be reversed immediately - Peter Obi reacts to alleged 114% increase in salaries of Tinubu, VP, governors

Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential elections, Peter Obi has reacted to reports of an alleged 114% increase in the salaries of the President, Vice president, senators and lawmakers.

On Tuesday, June 20, Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, a Federal Commissioner who represented Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, Muhammad Shehu, at the presentation of the reports of the reviewed remuneration package to Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, in Birnin Kebbi, had reportedly said that the salaries of politicians, judicial and public office holders would be increased by 114 per cent.

However the RMAFC Public Relations Officer, Christian Nwachukwu, denied the reports saying  President Bola Tinubu has not given approval for the increment of salaries of public servants.

Obi on Thursday morning, June 22 reacted to the development via his Twitter handle, saying such a move was insensitive at this time and should be reversed.

"I learnt with great reservation, the approval of a 114% increase in the salaries of elected politicians, including the President, vice president, governors, lawmakers as well as judicial and public office holders by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). This is not the appropriate time for such salary increment if it is at all necessary. We are living in a time when an average Nigerian is struggling with many harsh economic realities, and with over 130 million Nigerians now living in poverty. This is a moment when recent reform measures by the government have increased living costs astronomically.
One would expect the leaders and public officeholders to focus on cutting the cost of governance, alleviating the sufferings of Nigerians. This moment calls for creative ways of pulling the majority out of poverty.

In the immortal  words of Shakespeare’s Julius Ceaser, “What touches us ourself shall be last served.”   The leaders, therefore, should prioritize what affects the masses and those on the lower strata of society over themselves.

The sacrifice, at this time in our nation, should be borne by the leaders. The increment should be reversed immediately, and the savings should be devoted to fixing education, healthcare and poverty alleviation especially in the remote rural areas. -PO

15-year-old boy killed as building 'marked for demolition' collapses in Minna

A 15- year-old boy identified simply as Sallah has been killed when a storey building marked for demolition collapsed in Minna, the Niger State capital. 

The incident occurred along Shiroro Road on Tuesday morning, June 20, 2023. 

According to Daily Trust, the staircase of the building fell on the boy’s head. 

Sallah, a student of an Islamic School in the area, was said to be resting with two of his friends when the incident happened and he died instantly while one of his friends sustained injuries.

One of the residents, Jabir Ayuba, told the publication that the building which had been under construction for the past one year lacked standard specifications.

"We have been concerned since the beginning of construction of this storey building. The boy that was killed was with us this morning; he even told us that he wanted to buy a recharge card to call his mum at the village. He’s our neighbour. He was sitting here with two of his friends when the staircase of the building collapsed on his head and he died instantly.

Niger State Urban Development Board had already marked the building for demolition before it collapsed.