Metro

Nigerian labour president narrates how he was beaten, dragged on the floor by thugs

Published

1 year ago

November 11, 2023

The President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has recounted the humiliating and traumatizing experience he went through in the hands of political thugs whom he said beat and dragged him on the floor like a common criminal in Imo State.

Ajaero had, on November 1, along with other NLC officials both at the national and state levels, stormed the southeast state to mobilise NLC members for a protest against a backlog of salaries and allowances running into months.

The NLC had also planned to ground activities in Imo over the alleged violation and abuse of the rights and privileges of workers.

However, while getting set to address the workers at the state NLC Secretariat in Owerri, the state capital, Ajaero was reportedly picked up by security operatives who stormed the venue.

While giving an account of how he was brutalized during a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Ajaero said he was initially arrested by the police before the operatives handed him over to some suspected thugs for beating.

The NLC president said he was about to address the press at the NLC secretariat in the state when some men in plain clothes came to withdraw the security men behind him, after which he was arrested and handed over to the thugs.

“That was how they dragged me on the floor. About seven people. I can’t explain the beating. But they tied my nose, eyes, and hitting me with all maners of instrument,” he said.

“They were asking me why I am a challenging group, that I should say my last prayer. They said they are going to throw me inside a river.

“The same people carried me to the police headquarters. The police were standing outside as if they were waiting for a common criminal.

“They transferred me to another bus and I was taken to where they called the Tiger base. It was there they brought out different court orders and started interrogating me”, he said.

The labour leader said the traumatic experience he went through was so much that he was yet to come to terms with the mental torture he had been going through.

Click to comment

Metro

Nigerian govt to begin tracking terrorists’ social media accounts

Published

40 minutes ago

November 25, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian government says it will begin tracking social media accounts run by terrorists following a disturbing infiltration of the space by insurgents and bandits.

In recent times, known terrorists and bandit leaders have been using different social media platforms to either propagate their agenda or taunt security operatives, with some daring authorities to engage them in direct combat.

A new Islamist terror group, Lakurawa, was also discovered to be using social media platforms to spread their propaganda and recruit young Nigerians with monetary incentives .

Others like notorious bandit kingpin, Bello Turji go as far as displaying wads of cash they collect as ransom for kidnapped victims or announcing give aways.

In recent videos he has posted on TikTok, Turji has been seen brandishing weapons and calling out the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Gen. Chris Musa, challenging the military to come and get him.

Worried by the ugly trend, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters has now resolved to start tracking such social media accounts.

National Coordinator of yhf Counter-Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, who revealed the plans, said the government was actively working to counter the trend by terrorists.

“Yes, we have noticed it and are taking actions against such trends,” Laka said while fielding question from journalists on whether the centre was aware of the increased usage of social media by terrorists.

Laka who however dismissed threats by terrorist groups as mere propaganda aimed at instilling fear in Nigerians, urged citizens to remain calm and disregard such statements.

“These threats are part of their propaganda to create fear among the population. Nigerians should disregard them,” he said, while describing terrorists in the country as cowards, challenging them to a direct combat with the security agents to prove themselves.

“If the terrorists are that bold and equipped, let them inform the security agencies where they are and invite them to a fight. But the truth is they are cowards,” he added.

Metro

Zambia: Farmers’ union warns of uncertain future for agriculture sector

Published

1 day ago

November 24, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Small-Scale Farmers Development Agency (SAFADA) of Zambia has warned of uncertainty on the future of the agricultural sector, stating that its outlook over the next 25 years remains uncertain and gloomy.

The Executive Director of SAFADA, Boyd Moobwe, who raised the concerns in a telephone interview with Zambia Monitor on Saturday, expressed regrets that the agric sector was facing critical challenges that could hinder its contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and overall economic growth by 2030.

Moobwe admitted that the rapid changes in agriculture due to new technologies and innovations, has been slow amid the inconsistent implementation of these advancements which raises questions about the sector’s ability to survive amidst the growing threats of climate change, political instability, and economic difficulties.

The SAFADA Director pointed out that many of the problems plaguing agriculture were self-inflicted.

“The current measures for agricultural and rural financing are inadequate due to poor data analysis and utilisation,” Moobwe said.

Agriculture, he said, “had the potential to revive the economy if proper policies were introduced and if small-scale farmers were fully involved in planning and implementing agricultural projects.”