News
Hunger protest: Hoodlums vandalise bank, mount armoured tank in Kaduna
Hunger protest: Hoodlums vandalise bank, mount armoured tank in KadunaThe ongoing #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria protest in Kaduna took a new twist on Monday as protesters regrouped and set fire to a security patrol vehicle belonging to the Kaduna State Vigilance Service in Rigasa, located in the Igabi Local Government Area.
The Zaria office of the Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Agency was also razed.
Spokesman for the state police command, ASP Mansir Hassan, confirmed that hoodlums vandalised a branch of one of the new generation banks at Tudun Wada in Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Monday.
He said, “Hoodlums broke into the bank and carted away some valuables and also destroyed some vehicles parked within the bank premises.”
He, however, debunked rumours that “a police armoured personnel carrier was snatched by the violent protesters at Tudun Wada.”
Hassan said, “The driver of the armoured vehicle succeeded in manoeuvring the crowd of protesters who climbed on top of the vehicle since it was carrying live ammunition and couldn’t have used maximum force against the crowd.
He added that “On the same day, protesters vandalised several government properties, including the office of the Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Agency on Sokoto Road in the heart of the state. Part of the office was burnt, and furniture and other items were stolen.”
Our correspondent reports that this unexpected escalation has raised concerns about the protests’ direction and the potential involvement of external influences.
This was just as the Kaduna State Security Council, led by Governor Uba Sani, has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Kaduna and Zaria metropolitan cities and their environs, effective immediately.
The decision followed a review of the security situation in the state, which revealed that the ongoing protests have been hijacked by criminal elements engaging in looting and destruction of private and public property.
In a statement by the Overseeing Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, citizens were advised to remain indoors while security forces work to maintain safety and security.
He said the curfew would be reviewed as necessary.
The Kaduna State Government urged citizens to cooperate with the security forces and to report any suspicious activities.
Meanwhile, after a brief period of calm, the protesters, mainly youths and children, reassembled in the city centrechanting “bama so,” meaning, “we don’t want” in Hausa.
They carried no placards stating their demands, only leaves and the Russian national flags.
According to one of the protesters, who wished to remain anonymous, they were angered by President Bola Tinubu’s failure to announce the return of fuel subsidies in his Sunday address to the nation.
Source : The Punch
News
Sacking Lands Minister won’t end galamsey – Miracles Aboagye
The Communications Director for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has stated that removing the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Jinapor from office, will not resolve the issue of illegal mining.
According to him, illegal mining existed before the minister took office, making calls for his dismissal unnecessary.
The Minority members on Parliament’s Works and Housing Committee has demanded the immediate removal of the Lands Minister and his deputies. They accuse them of failing to protect Ghana’s water bodies and rivers from the damaging effects of illegal mining, also known as “galamsey.”
Vincent Oppong Asamoah, the Ranking Member on the Works and Housing Committee, believes that removing the sector ministers would lead to the desired improvement.
However, speaking on JoyNews, Mr Aboagye asked; “Was there Galamsey before the Lands Minister took office? If you fire the Land Minister tomorrow, will it end Galamsey? The point is, before I say that, let’s relieve you of your role as a host on this program, you might have been culpable of something. I might have seen that you are either incompetent in fixing it or doing what you are doing, or you have not done what you are supposed to do.”
Mr Aboagye stated that social problems cannot be effectively addressed through scapegoating and politicisation.
He emphasised that if social issues are tackled in this manner, the real culprits are often left untouched.
“I am one person who has refrained from allowing this galamsey conversation to be drawn along partisan lines. Whose purpose does it serve? Who benefits from this? This galamsey menace has been present since 2011, when it first emerged under the former president as vice president and former President Mills,” he said.
Source:Myjoyonline.com
News
‘Fix The Country’ member seen tearing down posters at National Cathedral site arrested
A member of the Fix the Country movement, under the auspices of Democracy Hub, has been arrested at Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
Ralph St. Williams, also known as Fellow Ghanaians, was arrested while en route to Kumasi in the Ashanti Region ahead of the group’s protest on Saturday.
The convener of the movement, Oliver Baker-Vormawor, made this known in a tweet on X on Thursday, September 19.
Mr Baker-Vormawor believes the arrest is linked to Fellow Ghanaians’ participation in the “Enough is Enough” demonstration organised by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) against the Electoral Commission.
“It appears that Ralph’s arrest stems from his peaceful participation in Tuesday’s ‘Enough is Enough’ demonstration, where he highlighted government mismanagement by opening the National Cathedral pit, a site that has already cost Ghana 58 million cedis, for symbolic swimming,” portions of the tweet read.
A viral video of the suspect shows him tearing down some posters at the Cathedral project site and expressing his anger over the misuse of public funds.
But the convener of the movement also alleged that the arrest was aimed at preventing Ralph St. Williams from participating in the upcoming ‘Say No to Galamsey’ protest, and to “intimidate activists fighting for transparency and environmental justice.”
Mr Baker-Vormawor condemned the arrest and demanded the immediate release of their member.
He also called for an official apology from the authorities for what he described as a blatant attempt to silence critical voices.
Meanwhile, he said that the group will be submitting a formal petition to the Inspector General of Police to address the situation.
Source:Myjoyonline.com
