Category Nigeria News

Following the recent layoffs at Dangote Refinery, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has stated that it will continue to work to protect the rights of oil sector workers.

Before calling off the nationwide strike, the union claimed to have acted as the mediator between the Federal Government and the Dangote Refinery.

Festus Osifo, president of PENGASSAN, stated on Thursday that the union’s main objective was to safeguard the lives and rights of the families in question during a discussion on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

In the event that government actions fail to deliver fair outcomes to its members, he noted that PENGASSAN still has the “tools of negotiation, the tools of discussion, and the tools to take it to the maximum level.”

According to him, the union was promised by senior government officials, adding that the government would “force the system to do what is right” in the settlement of the dispute.

PENGASSAN is currently closely monitoring implementation, according to Osifo, and it is still skeptical about Dangote’s willingness to follow the meeting’s instructions.

Do we share any suspicions? Yes, I’ll say that. Do we really think he will act in accordance with his will? Because they have a history of breaking agreements, the union responded, warning that workers will be defrauded, Osifo said.

The Ministry of Labour’s announcement to end the conflict between Dangote and PENGASSAN followed a statement from the union. According to Osifo, the Association’s National Executive Council (NEC) has made a decision to give the government time to carry out the assurances, but the union won’t hesitate to escalate if there isn’t any lasting change.

He continued, “It is not about PENGASSAN; it is about the Nigerian workers who were abruptly terminated because they were exercising their freedom of association,” adding that the union places the welfare of the affected families first.

PENGASSAN Suspends Nationwide Strike Following FG Intervention, READ ALSO.

Osifo came to the conclusion that PENGASSAN will use “every available instrument” to protect members in the event that negotiations break down.

Femi Falana, the current political class’s senior advocate, claimed that politicians failed to maximize Nigeria’s independence.

This was made known by Falana, a human rights lawyer, on Wednesday during a special broadcast on Channels Television to honor Nigeria’s 65th anniversary.

However, he claimed that the colonial structure that was preserved by the British in 1960 gave Nigeria its flag-freedom.

Falana claims that the politicians now lacked ideology and saw political power as a means of acquiring power rather than a means of achieving it.

“The political parties that were established were ideological,” according to the politicians at the time of the first republic and even in the second republic. They were arguing with one another and knew what they wanted, he said.

“Political parties were not used as tools to retake control,” the statement read. They were balancing responsibilities with power-acquisition. What did the British colonial regime give to Nigeria by 1960?

It refers to flag independence as it is. The colonial structure was largely intact. Before the system fell, the first set of politicians “didn’t make the best of it,” he claimed.

Falana recalled how the Murtala Mohammed regime’s presidential system of government was essentially an American creation.

Cycle of four years

Rewane attributed Nigeria’s four-year political cycle to its slowinfrastruktur growth since 1999.

“The four-year political cycle.” Politicians start focusing on re-election within two years, he explained.

This cycle, in his opinion, interferes with capital project execution and long-term economic planning.

Since 1999, there hasn’t been anything significant in the growth of gross capital or infrastructure, according to Rewane.

He urged Nigeria’s leaders to reevaluate their political and economic frameworks, noting that the country could only benefit from strategic planning and achieve sustainable growth.

On the occasion of the nation’s 65th anniversary of independence, Kaduna State governor Uba Sani expressed his gratitude to Nigerians.

Governor Sani stated in his goodwill message that President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda will keep Nigeria’s future in perspective.

He claimed that the country is going through radical reforms to restore prosperity, promote democracy, and promote peace.

The governor added that the Renewed Hope Agenda is fully supported by Kaduna State, just as he claimed that his administration in Kaduna is implementing vision through strategic and person-centred investment.

With the launching of 85 urban and rural road projects covering 785 kilometres across the state and regenerating the economic potential of previously marginalized communities, Governor Sani’s administration placed emphasis on infrastructure as the driving force behind development.

Read President Tinubu’s 2025 Independence Day Address in its entirety here.

He added that under his administration, the entire educational system is being overhauled to ensure that every child, regardless of background, has access to quality education.

Infrastructure upgrades, teacher training, and the integration of digital tools are some examples of these reforms.

Additionally, 535 schools that were previously closed due to insecurity have been reopened, while the Kaduna State Government has successfully returned over 10, 728 students to the classroom through the Reaching Out-of-School Children Project.

“An overwhelming majority of these have been completed, facilitating trade, reducing travel time, and improving farmers’ and business access to markets.” In order to encourage investment and improve living conditions, we are rebuilding urban roads, bridges, and essential public utilities.

Our Rural Revitalization Agenda restores the economic potential of previously underdeveloped communities.

We are seeing a resurgence of local commerce and a renewed sense of community confidence as a result of the reopening of important markets like the Birnin Gwari Livestock Market and the Kidandan Market in Giwa.

More than 500, 000 acres of farmland have been reclaimed, enabling our farmers to produce more food while boosting the state’s food security.

Education and health are not luxuries; they are our future’s pillars, according to Mandela. Every child, regardless of background, has access to high-quality education, and we are implementing a comprehensive reform of our educational system. This includes the integration of digital tools, teacher training, and infrastructure upgrades.

We have successfully returned over 10, 728 students to the classroom as a result of the Reaching Out-of-School Children Project. Additionally, we have reopened 535 schools that were previously closed because of insecurity, confirming our position that education is a privilege, according to the governor.

The governor cited the accomplishments as evidence of the government’s commitment to creating a safe, strong, and inclusive Kaduna, noting that the government’s and people’s cooperation is a shared responsibility.

Three kidnappers were found safe in Kokolo Forest, Nasko, Magama LGA, on September 12th during a raid by the Niger Police Command.

Wasiu Abiodun, a spokesman for the police, confirmed that during the clearance operation, officers engaged the kidnappers in a gunfight.

While others escaped with gunshot wounds, one kidnapped victim was saved during the operation.

Two AK-74 rifles and 49 rounds of ammunition were found in the suspects’ hiding place, according to officers.

Abiodun urged people to report any injuries that had been discovered in nearby villages.

On September 25, The Anti-Thefty Unit detained two robbery suspects and raided Sabon-Titi, Tunga, Minnesota.

Read more about Bandits abducting the Niger State Electoral Commissioner, the former governor of the Bahamas, and numerous travelers.

Murtala Abbas, 18, of Katsina State was detained while carrying two sharp sickles. Hassan Ibrahim, 20, of Tunga was detained with two locally produced weapons, a police T-shirt, and illegal substances.

He admitted that a vigilante group called “Sadiq” had given him a gun and malfunctioning walkie-talkies.

As investigations continue, police confirmed that the suspects are still in custody.

Bashir Abubakar, 28, was detained by police on September 27th for attempting to defraud at the Kontagora market.

He allegedly attempted to exchange a bag containing paper cuttings for $5000 worth of phones and other accessories. He was linked to a previous fraud in August that involved 240 000 stolen phones and an abandoned motorcycle.