Labour leaders Wednesday rose from a meeting and unanimously called for the head of the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

In a statement signed by its president Abdulwaheed Omar, the labour leaders under the auspices of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) called for the immediate sack of the governor saying “It is obvious Sanusi was never qualified for the office of CBN governor in the first instance, and he must be asked to leave the office as he has shown more than enough incompetence and contempt for the Nigerian people.

“We see in Sanusi an agent of death that must be defeated and crushed before he further destroys the Nigerian economy,” the statement continued.

Labour president accused the CBN chief of implementing policies that are not beneficial to Nigerians and the country’s economy at large.

The NLC censured the government’s chief banker of pursuing an anti-peoples agenda saying all his major pronouncements as governor since his assumption of office have been either directly anti-people or ruinous to the Nigerian economy.

“And we need to ask Sanusi how much work he has successfully done in the CBN to reposition the bank to tackle present day realities? He is surrounded with countless aides that are obviously not required by a man who believes that the Nigerian economy runs too high on overhead cost,” they asked.

The labour leaders took a swipe at the governor over his call for the scrapping of the third tier of government (local government) reminding him (Sanusi) that the third tier of government that he so earnestly desires to scrape is part of the federal system and the fulcrum on which the federal system of government is operating. They instead called for increased funding for the local government system to enable it function properly as required under a federal system.

Concluding, the said “The truth, which Sanusi as a beneficiary is running away from, is that corruption has become a real burden on the economy and it should be the only priority item on the table of any serious government. Even if you sack all the workers in Nigeria, any amount saved from that will be stolen and the culprits will walk away in freedom,” the statement concluded.

Residents of Aba, the commercial nerve centre have expressed happiness at the flagging of rehabilitation of 16 roads in the commercial city by the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji.

They congratulated the governor for fulfilling his promise of giving the city a facelift as soon as the dry season sets in.

In a chat with our correspondent, Mr. Nnamdi Nwankwo, a trader at the New Market, Aba said the governor’s intervention came at the right time as the residents are set to mark the festive season.

“The problem of bad roads and power has been the major problems affecting residents of Aba. We are happy that the governor has fulfilled his promise. Since he also assured that Geometric power plant coming on stream soon, I think business in Aba will pick up,” he said.

A cross section of residents interviewed at Brass junction on the Aba – Owerri road said they hoped that the rehabilitation efforts would be sustained to end the suffering of people.

A man who simply gave his name as Chief Ike called on the governor to tackle the issue of the roads with the same energy he fought the issue of kidnapping in the state. “I’m happy with the flag off. I thank Ochendo for keeping his promises. I want him to tackle the issue of roads with the way he fought kidnappers in the state.”

247ureports.com gathered rehabilitation works has commenced on the bad spots at Azikiwe by Asa road. When our correspondent visited the area, the Transition Committee chairman of Aba South local government, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwogu was on site to monitor the progress of work

Speaking at the occasion,the Commissioner for Works, Prince Kingsley Mgbeahuru said that the government was also de-silting Aba drainages from Okigwe Road through Aba Sports Club to Aba River and Ukwu Apou through Umuocham Road to Aba River to further give the city a face-lift.
He said that already some roads had been constructed in Aba which included Old Express, Danfodio, Emelogu, and Park to Azikiwe by Ube Street, Aba South council headquarters to Fire service and Batta to Old Post Office.

A source from the Ministry of works said rehabilitation works will be tackled seriously as the government intends to round off the exercise before the festive period.

He urged residents of the city to support the efforts of the state government to make life easier for them by abstaining from blocking the drainages which washes off the roads.

Recall that Gov. Orji had yesterday flagged the rehabilitation of 16 roads in Aba, assuring that he is determined to end the suffering of the people. According to him,” We are set to match our words with action.”

The roads marked for rehabilitation are Ngwa Road, Azikiwe, Cemetery, Nwala by Faulks, Brass by Aba-Owerri Jubilee, Milverton, Eziukwu to Azikiwe, Amaogbonna to ACCM Headquarters and Ehere.
The others are Umuola, Ikot-Ekpene Road to Opobo Junction to Batta, Umuoba and Access Road to Geometric power plant Howell Crescent, Railway Crossing to Abia Hotels and Ukwu Mango Roads.

He assured that government would provide the people with infrastructural facilities to enable them enjoy dividends of democracy.

The sleepy community of Agbere in Sagbama local government Area of Bayelsa state was on Tuesday devastated as twelve persons including a police man were killed in a bloody chieftaincy tussle among youths of the community.

The community serve as host to major oil exploration companies, the Nigerian Agip company (ENI) and the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

While the youths were killed during an open battle fought with guns and other dangerous weapons, the Policeman was killed during an invasion launched on the existing Police Post in the community.

Our correspondent gathered that the cold war existing between the youths loyal to the Paramount Ruler of the community degenerated into full scale crisis following the report of the Commission set up by the Local Government council on the issue of who to emerge the paramount permanent ruler of the community.

The report, according to sources, recommended that the Acting Paramount Ruler be made a permanent Ruler and such recommendation provoked a section of the community and they went on rampage.

It was further gathered that following the sack of the Former Traditional ruler, Chief Aziza Ekade by the Chief Timipre Sylva Administration for alleged violation of existing chieftaincy laws and the emergence of Chief Victor Alali as acting paramount ruler, the peace in the community became fragile.

Community sources confirmed that the home of the Acting Paramount ruler has been set ablaze by rampaging youths and other palatial homes of prominent indigenes touched.

Already, the State commissioner of Police, Mike Omieri has been to the troubled community with heavy deployment of armed Mobile Policemen and deployment of men of the Joint Military Task Force code named Operation Pulo Shield.

When contacted, the chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Daniel Markson-Iworiso said though the situation has been brought under control, the state government will not condone such acts of lawlessness and criminality, “anybody indicted over the crisis will be made to face the full weight of law and be prosecuted. We hereby warn any aggrieved section of the society to pursue a legitimate means of resolving conflict and channel grievances through the proper channel.”

Also, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Fidelis Odunna confirmed the development and said the actual number of those killed and houses razed are yet to be ascertained.

Two Iranian naval vessels will dock at the Sudanese Red Sea city of Port Sudan at the end of November, Sudanese military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Sawarmi Khaled Saad told reporters on Monday.

According to Khartoum, the Iranian ships would be making a routine visit and they would be refueling and restocking provisions.

Two Iranian naval ships docked at Port Sudan last month in what the navy called a “routine visit,” days after Sudan accused Israel of carrying out a airstrike against a munitions plant outside the capital of Khartoum. Israel ignored the accusations, but pointed at Sudan’s involvement in providing Iranian arms to Hamas.

Israel charges that Iran provides Gazan terrorist groups with weapons, including rockets, via Sudan. The weapons are smuggled across Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and into the Gaza Strip through a network of smuggling tunnels under the 15-kilometer border.

Monday’s announcement came days after Hamas officials claimed that Iran had promised to increase its military and financial support of the Islamist terrorist group in the wake of its perceived victory against Israel during Operation Pillar of Defense.

Last week, Palestinian Islamic Jihad official Ziad Nakhaleh said that Fajr missiles fired at Israel during the week-long operation were delivered from Iran. Iran has repeatedly denied it directly supplied Hamas with the Fajr-5.

Hamas representative in Lebanon, Ali Baraka, also met with senior Sudanese diplomatic officials in Beirut on Tuesday, according to Hamas’s official news outlet. Baraka thanked the Sudanese diplomats for their country’s continued support for the Palestinian cause, saying that “Gaza’s victory is a victory for Sudan and the entire Arab and Islamic nation.”

The Sudanese, in turn, praised Hamas’s efforts against Israel and pledged continued support for “the Palestinian people and their just cause.”

Earlier this month, Sudanese Vice President Al-Haj Adam Youssef said his country was not intimidated by “Israeli aggression” and would continue to support Hamas.

Information reaching 247ureports.com through security sources in Kaduna indicate that youths from five communities in Chikun local government area [LGA] shutdown and sealed off Africa’s largest indomie factory located in Kaduna South. The factory was sealed today at 6am.

According to information received, the youths are reported to be demanding for the industry to extend employment opportunities to the members of the host communities – as previously agreed.

The youth protesters arrived at the factory facility at 6am with placards to seal off the facility. The youths comprised of a mix of Christains and Muslims from the five host communities.

The area police control post manned by DPO Oliver Eze addressed the youths pleading with them to allow the staff of the Indomine factory to enter the facility. In response, the youths were said to allow the staffs to gain entrance into the facility.

But talks between the facility managers, the police and the youths – according to our source – remain ongoing.

The protest was peaceful.

Stay tuned.

Information reaching 247ureports.com through sources in Owerri indicate that a riot has broken out at the Alvan Ikoku college of education in Owerri, Imo State. The riot was reported to have begun today’s morning at minutes to 9am.

As at 11:30am, it was understood that the riot was still on. Information as to the details of the riot is known. But details are expected to be available shortly.

A media source attached to the Okorocha administration confirmed the riot but indicated that he is not aware of the cause of the riot. He pointed out that the institution was a federally owned institition.

It was gathered that the cause of the riot was the result of shortage of power supply to the school – which Alvan Ikoku student indicate was previously set – using the available school generator – from 7pm to 6am to facilitate for night studying and to deter rapists and other criminals and crime activities. But the power supply to the school has recently been set from 7pm to 9pm. The power supply to the school is shut off by 9pm leaving the entire school in darkness – enabling criminal activities to hold sway.

The school authorities were not willing to speak on record but one of the top ranking administrators told our correspondent that the school has been shut by the rioting students – “the streets are blocked and the police are outside the campus. The sstudents are manning the gates and entrances to the campus by themselves” said the administrator who indicated that it is likely the school authoritives may announce the indifinite closure of the school later today.

Stay tuned.