The Lumine News

Author: News

  • Freedom, Like Most Things In Life, Doesn’t Come By One-off Actions, It’s A Product Of Cumulative Consistency – Agba Jalingo

    By Agba Jalingo

    Whatever you want to be free from will never want to let go. I am sure you know.

    Be it poverty, slavery, ignorance, pestilence, or bad governance. Their claws evoke identical pinch. You have to be consistent, cumulatively, over a period of time that isn’t in your control to ensure incremental progress. It’s a journey, not a destination. A baton a generation must hand to another and another.

    See our black brethren in the US, over two hundred years, they have been marching and protesting against police brutality. They have become free yet still in chains. But they are still marching. Their old and young. Marching for more than 200years now. Just to have the police treat them right.

    But we just started our own in the real sense. Our own oppressors will not give up. They will come back at us. Brutalize us more. Intimidate us. Instill fear. Try to break our ranks and will. But we must stand strong and determined.

    We must keep our eyes on the long haul and train our will for a tortuous trek. I am referring to all of us. Not just the youth now. Every suffering peoples of Nigeria. Wherever we are.

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

  • Negotiation Between FG And ASUU Today Yielded Good Result, All Withheld Salaries To Be Paid With The Old Platform

    By Elijah Ugani

    There seemed to be hope for students to return to school before the end of the year as the meeting between the Federal Government of Nigeria FGN and the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU today, Friday 20th November, 2020 yielded good results.

    This was disclosed by ASUU on its verified official tweeter handle @ASUUng where ASUU noted that “The negotiation between FG and #ASUU today yielded very good results”

    The release indicates that “government has agreed to use old platform before IPPIS to pay all withheld salaries.

    “#UTAS is still undergoing usability test.

    “On revitalization, the government offered N15billion in addition to the N20billion pledged earlier”

    The twit further disclosed that “ASUU will now consult with its council and then get back to the government in a short while, to make their final intention known, if the strike will be suspended or not”

  • Case Against Kufre Carter Thrown Out By A Magistrate In Akwa Ibom For Want Of Diligent Prosecution

    By In Inibehe Effiong

    The case of “criminal defamation” instituted against Kufre Carter by the Akwa Ibom State Government has been struck-out today Friday the 20th day of November, 2020 by the Chief Magistrate Court of Akwa Ibom State presided over by Chief Magistrate Winifred Umohandy for want of diligent prosecution.

    Kufre was arrested and arraigned in court in April by the State Security Service (SSS) on the instigation of a former Commissioner for Health in Akwa Ibom State, Dr Dominic Ukpong, over a viral audio message circulated on social media in which the said Dr Ukpong and the State Government were castigated for their poor handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Our firm, Inibehe Effiong Chambers, represented him pro bono as part of our human rights programme.

    The same Government that acted as if the world was going to end if Kufre was released, could not produce a single witness in court.

    Dr Ukpong who was in a hurry to use the SSS to arrest Kufre in connivance with other officials of the Akwa Ibom State Government ran away from the court and did not show up at all.

    Those who occupy political positions in Nigeria must realize that the era of using security agencies to hunt and persecute citizens unchallenged for expressing their views on issues of bad governance is over.

    We will never tolerate such reckless abuse of power and cowardly acts of intimidation by politicians. We will continue to challenge their impunity within the ambits of the law.

    History will vindicate the just.

  • Street Children Controls Traffic In Calabar

    By Elijah Ugani

    As part of their efforts to contribute to free flow of vehicular movement in Calabar, street children popular referred to as scolombo boys have taken to control traffic in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

    The Lumine News caught the boys on camera while driving through Marian by Crunches, at Prof. Eyo Ita House.

    As at the time of this report, it was unclear what happened that the traffic police in charge of the bit was/were absent.

    This act of service as displayed by these boys has clearly shown that, if they properly integrated into our planning, they can be more productive in all sphere of life.

    This has however invalidates the erroneous notion that street children are good only at begging. Government or Civil Society Organizations can develop a strategy to engage this boys productively.

  • Breaking: Leader Of The 7th Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba Losses Wife

    By Elijah Ugani

    The leader of the 7th Nigerian senate, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba has lost his wife, Amaka Ndoma-Egba to the cold hands of death in the morning hours of Friday, November 20, 2020.

    According to CrossRiverWatch, it was unclear what led to her death as at the time of the report.

  • C’River Police Parades Looters Of Rice Seeds And Seedlings Factory in Calabar

     

    The Cross River Police Command has arrested three suspects who looted insecticide pumping machines from the Calabar Rice City during the EndSARS protest on Oct. 24 in Calabar.

    The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Abdulkadir Jimoh, who paraded the suspects on Thursday in Calabar, said they were arrested at 8miles axis of Calabar on their way out to Uyo, Akwa Ibom.

    According to him, the state command had earlier announced and gave out 48 hour grace period to looters who looted both private and public properties to return them to the police or face arrest.

    He said “In line with the Inspector General of Police directives, we gave out a grace period for all those who looted public and private items to return them to the state.

    “Earlier today, our vigilant officers intercepted a lorry loaded with insecticide pumping machines that were looted from the Calabar Rice City.

    “After much interrogation, the suspects failed to explain how they came about the machines. It was an aide to Gov. Ben Ayade on Agriculture that came in an identified the machines.”

  • Lagos State Police Command Returns A Woman’s Purse Containing #115,000.00 After It Fell Off Without Her Knowledge

    By Elijah Ugani

    The management of the Nigerian Police Force NPF, Lagos State Command has stated that its officers had returned a woman’s purse containing #115,000.00 to her.

    The Lagos State Police Command made this known on its verified twitter handle @rrslagos767, noted that “While on patrol this evening around Igando, Officers of the Lagos State Police Command saw a red purse falling from a lady on a bike.

    “They picked it up and tried signaling the rider but he mistook it for an attempt to arrest him.

    “Gradually they followed the bike to her destination, then handed it over to her.

    “She confirmed the sum of *N115,000* and a *Tecno phone* inside the purse were all intact”

  • Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila Suspends Police Officer Attached To His Convoy Who Shut At The News Paper Vendor

    By Elijah Ugani

    The Speaker of the House of representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajamiabila has suspended the police officer attached to his convoy whose stray bullet killed one of the newspaper vendors, when the officer shut into the air to disperse unidentified men who attempted to obstruct the speaker’s convoy.

    The Speaker took to his verified twitter handle to disclose this, noted that “A horrible incident has taken place. This evening (yesterday) as I left the national assembly, I stopped as usual to exchange pleasantries with the newspaper vendors at the corner. Many of them have known me since I first moved to Abuja and it was a friendly exchange.

    “Unfortunately, after the convoy set out in continuation of movement, unidentified men obstructed the convoy which got the attention of security men in the convoy who shot into the air to disperse them.

    “Some hours later, after getting to our destination, it was brought to my attention that someone was hit by a stray bullet, contrary to an earlier report by men in the convoy that they applied their security discretion to shoot in the air.

    “In the meantime; the officer who fired the fatal shot has been suspended from the convoy pending the conclusion of the investigation.

    “My value for human life and my respect for all people – irrespective of social economic status – is what endeared me to these vendors and these are the reasons why I stop my convoy quite often to connect with them.

    “For one of them to have been shot by my security detail is horrific and I cannot begin to imagine the grief and loss Ifeanyi’s family must feel on this sad day. No family should have to go through this.

    “I am personally distraught about this incident and my deepest sympathies go to the victim, his family and Abuja vendors.

    I have caused a report to be made to the local police station and an investigation has commenced”.

  • Obong of Calabar Lauds Ayade On Proactive Measures In The Health Sector, Endorses Immunization Services.

    By Simon Ushie

    The Obong of Calabar, His Eminence Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu v has lauded the Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade for his proactive nature and health intervention programs in the state as he gave his full Endorsement to the forth coming Meningitis vaccination exercise .

    The Obong made this known when the state social mobilization team led by the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency Dr Janet Ekpenyong paid him a courtesy visit in his palace to seek for his Endorsement on the forthcoming state wide Immunization service for meningitis slated for December 4th – 10th(plus 2 days).

    The Obong noted that raising a healthy society is of concern to everyone hence the need to regularly raise awareness on killer diseases which over the years have contributed to the rising indices of mortality.

    He therefore called on all parents especially mothers to present their children and wards for Immunization in designated health facilities in their Communities While also charging members of his advisory council to lend their voices before, during and even after the forth coming state wide vaccination to help obtain optimal result.

    “As far as health is concerned, it is of primay interest to our people and l’m happy that the state Government have taken the health sector seriously to keep our people healthy and to make sure that you have gone round the whole state to take care of our people.

    I’m happy that in this state, there is no full blown health concern that is because of your proactive nature. Today I want to lend my voice to make all parents especially mothers to take their children all out especially those between the ages of 1-5 years old so we can put an end to the scourge of meningitis in our state and country.

    The state Government has done everything possible to curb it and in two years from now, we must work to record 0% of vaccine preventable diseases in our state”.

    Speaking earlier, the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong thanked the Obong and the Royal fathers for their supports in the actualization of various health interventions in the state.

    Dr Ekpenyong noted that, through the pragmatic efforts of the Obong, the state was able to record improve indices and compliance in immunization services which helped in the elimination of Poliomyelitis in the state and the country at large.

    She therefore used the opportunity to reaffirm the His Excellency, Senator Prof Ben Ayade’s desire in improving the lives of Cross Riverians as she stated that no Community and child will be left unattended to in the forth coming exercise.

    The 2020 supplementary vaccination for meningitis is slated for December 4th-10th 2020(plus 2 days) across the 18 LGAs in the state with a targeted population of 800,000 children within the age bracket of 1-5 years .
    She encouraged caregivers to bring out their children as stated that Immunization is safe, free and Effective.

    Also in the team were the Secretary of the Primary Healthcare board, the State Social Mobilization Officer, Nsa Ekpenyong amongst others.

  • Winning CRN Bye Election Will Assist Us To Capture The State In 2023 – APC National Care Taker Committee Chairman, Buni

     

    By Omeiza Ajayi – Abuja

    The Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress APC, Governor Mai Mala Buni has explained why the party attaches great importance to the December 5 senatorial bye-election in Cross River North, saying winning the legislative seat would assist the party in its quest to capture the state in 2023.

    Buni disclosed this on Wednesday while inaugurating the APC Cross River North Senatorial Campaign Council.

    Represented by the Secretary, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe said: “it is not often that this Party sets up a National Campaign Council for a Senatorial election. This shows the importance the Party attaches to this election”.

    Speaking further, he said; “We already have the Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency in our bag; where our brother, Hon. Alex Egbona, PhD, is serving his people very well. So this election is ours for the taking.

    “The importance of having an overwhelming majority in the Senate for our party cannot be overemphasized. This will deepen our in-road as a party into Cross River State.

    “Let me use this opportunity to advise our leaders to leave the 2023 Governorship permutations aside, and throw everything into this election. The victory can only help the 2023 Project for whoever God chooses, as power, after-all, power belongs to God.

    “You all are tested hands in this business, so I will not tell you how to do it. All we need is victory but within the ambit of law”.

    “We are going to ensure victory for our party in the upcoming election. Although power belongs to God, the committee would ensure that the party emerge victorious in the election”, he said.

    Other members of the campaign council are the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), Minister of State, Power, Goddy Jedy Agba, Amb. Anthony Ogah Dimo, Alh. Bala Mohammed Gwagwarwa, Joshua Akpan and Mrs Stella Oketete who will serve as Secretary.