News
VP Shettima assures Plateau communities of justice over massacre
The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration will not rest on its oars until victims of the gruesome attacks on communities in Barkin Ladi and Bokkos local government areas of Plateau State get justice and the residents are safe.
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, gave the assurance when he visited crisis-ravaged communities in Plateau State to condole with the people and state government over the recent killings in Barkin Ladi and Bokkos local government areas of the state.
Vowing vehemently that the Killings on the Plateau and other parts of the country must stop, the VP said, “Now Please accept our heartfelt condolences. Please accept our deepest apologies. Because we won’t rest until you access justice and until you are safe.”
In a statement Wednesday, Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, quoted Senator Shettima to have informed the people about how heart-broken his principal, President Tinubu, had been since he received news of the gory incident, saying the president “is deeply shaken by this tragedy and shares in this unspeakable sorrow that has shattered the joy of Christmas across the country.
“When one community bleeds, the entire nation feels the pain. The pain we feel now transcends ethnicity or religion, geography or politics. The grief that binds us is a testament to our shared humanity, not differences,” he added.
Identifying with the grieving families who lost loved ones in the attack, the Vice President acknowledged the fact that it is an indescribable nightmare to bury families, describing it as a rare experience that is much more unbearable than the pain of losing one or two loved ones.
“We cannot fathom the depth of this grief beyond the experience of the bereaved. We can only offer to assuage your pain. What has happened to you is a funeral for the entire nation. Our hearts bleed alongside yours, our dear brothers and sisters in Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi, and all over Plateau State,” he stated.
VP Shettima assured the people that the Tinubu administration is out to protect them and ensure justice, even though it may appear as if the government has failed them in their time of serious need.
Noting that justice is the path to collective safety, unity, and healing of the nation, he said, “We came to power promising to uphold the sanctity of every citizen’s life, and now is the time to reassure you that this inter-community violence, which has hijacked the humanity and serenity of this beautiful State over the past decades, will never persist under our watch. We will harness all our resources to bring those responsible to justice; we will not rest until we are able to prevent the recurrence of these heinous acts.
“Your blood, your tears, and your cries stain our collective conscience. We are here for you, we are here, resolute in our commitment to ensuring that the perpetrators of these mindless killings face the full force of the law.”
He however appealed to the people of Plateau State to resist what he described as “the temptation to succumb to sectional divisions or the poisonous rhetoric of hatred towards” their fellow citizens while assuring that the government is set out to ensure justice and security for them.
“This violence persists due to this dangerous practice of treating criminals as ambassadors of their group, where the law is taken into our hands, and where protection fails. But this is not the case now. This is a promise,” Shettima assured.
News
Generator fumes suspected for death of UNN students
Strong indications has emerged that the use of a generator in a poorly ventilated environment may have caused the death of some students of the University of Nigeria, Nssuka.
The suspicion emerged after a survivor of the incident disclosed that a generator was operating outside the corridor of the apartment where they gathered, while the doors and windows remained shut.
According to the 24-year-old survivor, an Art Education student, about 10 people attended the party organised by his friend, David, to celebrate the completion of his final examinations.
The gathering reportedly started around 11:30 a.m. at the host’s residence in the Hilltop area of Nsukka, with participants sharing alcoholic drinks and playing Truth or Dare.
Recounting his experience, the survivor said he suddenly lost consciousness after helping one of the participants who had vomited and returning to clean the floor.
He disclosed that his legs had become stiff and he could no longer walk before eventually passing out. The student said he regained consciousness at about 9 p.m., only to discover that his friends were lying motionless on the floor.
“When I regained consciousness at about 9 p.m., I heard someone saying that the host was shaking. I woke up and managed to look into the parlour, where I saw the host and other participants lying on the floor,” he recounted.
He said he subsequently contacted friends for assistance, before one of them eventually helped convey the affected students to Bishop Shanahan Hospital and other medical facilities in Nsukka.
The survivor further explained that the apartment was poorly ventilated, with the doors and windows shut, while a generator was running outside in the corridor. A fan was also operating inside the room.
News
Speed Darlington begs Burna Boy to drop case
Nigerian singer, Darlington Okoye popularly known as Speed Darlington, has apologised to Grammy-winning musician, Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, asking him to withdraw the charges against him and promising to stop making comments about his sexuality.
Speed Darlington made the appeal in a video posted on his Instagram page on Thursday, in which he expressed regret over the pain and embarrassment he might have caused the singer.
“This video is for Burna Boy. Burna, this is an apology video. I apologise for any pain that I have caused you. Any shame that I have caused you,” he said.
The singer admitted that he was wrong to assume that everyone had the same temperament, adding that he wanted an end to their disagreement.
“I made the mistake of thinking that everybody vibrates at the same frequency. That’s wrong of me. I apologise, Burna Boy,” he added.
He further pledged to refrain from making both direct and indirect comments about Burna Boy’s sexuality, making the withdrawal of the charges a condition for his promise.
“I give you my word that if you withdraw all charges and let everything die, I give you my word that I will never make any direct comment regarding your sexuality. “Even indirect comment. I will no longer try sustain. I give you my word. Let peace reign,” he said.
Speed Darlington also promised not to mention the singer’s name again if the legal dispute was resolved.
“I promise I will never use my mouth to mention your name,” he added.
News
Why I left Peter Obi- Yinusa Tanko
Yinusa Tanko, former national coordinator of the Obidient Movement, says he experienced a betrayal of trust and loyalty in Peter Obi’s camp, which led to his exit from the movement.
Tanko spoke on Thursday shortly after his unveiling as the coordinator of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential campaign council.
Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Party (NDP), appointed Tanko as national coordinator of the Obidient Movement in September 2024, following a consensus to zone the position to the north.
He was later redeployed as Obi’s political adviser (north), a position he held until October 30, when he resigned.
However, Tanko said he never wanted to leave Obi’s camp, insisting that he was pushed out rather than choosing to exit the movement.
Tanko said although he appreciated the opportunity to serve Obi, he could not remain in a political group where his contributions were no longer valued.
“Well, you know, as you move along in politics, there may be a time when your group does not want you, does not need you or does not appreciate what you do,” he said.
“You don’t stay where you are being tolerated; you go where you are appreciated.
“As far as I’m concerned, I appreciate all the work I have done, and I appreciate him for giving me the opportunity. But the only thing I have suffered in that particular movement is betrayal of trust and betrayal of loyalty.”
Tanko said he served the former Anambra governor with diligence, honesty and integrity, adding that he still held him in high regard despite the circumstances surrounding his departure.
“Everybody knows that I have served with diligence, determination, honesty and integrity. That was how I served Peter Obi, and I continue to respect him,” he said.
“But now, since they don’t want me, people who appreciate me have picked me from the dustbin and made me a bride.”
Asked whether Obi would be pleased to see him in another political party, Tanko said he could not determine what was on the former governor’s mind.
“You cannot say what is on his mind; only he can speak for himself,” he said.
He added that his new political associates had recognised his contributions to nation-building and offered him another opportunity to serve.
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