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Category: Kwara Update

  • Kwara NLC Warns of Strike Over Unpaid November Salaries

    Kwara NLC Warns of Strike Over Unpaid November Salaries

    The Kwara State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given the state government a three-day deadline to resolve the unpaid November salaries of local government workers.  

    According to the NLC, about 75% of the state’s workforce, including members of unions like the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Medical and Health Workers Union (MHWUN), and the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), are yet to be paid for November 2024.  

    READ ALSO: How Abdulfattah Ahmed, Ex-Kwara Governor Allegedly Stole N5bn UBEC Fund – Witness

    The union has demanded that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq address the delay by ensuring immediate payment. It stated that December salaries would not be accepted until the November arrears are cleared.  

    The NLC has warned of statewide industrial action if the issue is not resolved by Thursday, December 19, 2024. This action could result in a shutdown of key services, potentially disrupting activities across the state.  

    The union has called on the government to act promptly to prevent further unrest and maintain stability in the workforce.

  • Kwara LG Elections: Its a shame – Saraki

    Kwara LG Elections: Its a shame – Saraki

    Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki has stated that it is a shame that the 16 local government areas in Kwara State now have chairmen and councilors who would be in office without legitimacy and people’s mandate.

    He said this while reacting to the announcement by the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) declaring the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winners of the local government elections held in the state.

    The chairman of the KWSIEC, Baba Okanla, who announced the results, said APC won all 16 local government area chairmanship positions and secured all 193 councillorship seats.

    Speaking on the development in a post on his X handle on Wednesday, Saraki argued that the people have sent a message to the government that it has not made any significant, positive impact on their lives after 64 months in office.

    The ex-governor maintained that the people mobilised themselves to the polling units for Saturday’s local government election but met the absence of electoral officials and shoddy preparations by the electoral body.

    He, therefore, hailed the people for standing firm against what he described as deliberately concocted frustrations.

    He wrote, “Last Saturday, in a manner that went beyond partisan consideration and gave expression to the protection of community interests, people from Kwara mobilised themselves to the polling units and met the absence of electoral officials and shoddy preparations by the electoral body.

    “Whatever results the electoral body eventually declared, our people have sent a clear signal to a government that has not made any significant, positive impact on their lives after 64 months in office. It is a shame that the 16 local government areas now have chairmen and councilors who would be in office without legitimacy and people’s mandate.”

  • Fire Ravages Owode Market in Offa, Kwara State

    Fire Ravages Owode Market in Offa, Kwara State

    In the early hours of Tuesday, a devastating fire tore through Owode Market in Offa, Kwara State, leaving several shops engulfed in flames.

    Heart-wrenching footage obtained by SaharaReporters captured the anguish of shop owners as they witnessed their livelihoods being consumed by the inferno.

    Amidst the chaos, one trader speculated on the cause, suggesting it might have originated from cooking activities rather than an electrical fault.

    Responding swiftly, personnel from the Federal Fire Service and Kwara State Fire Service managed to extinguish the blaze, but not before it had ravaged at least five shops.

    While the authorities are still assessing the extent of the damage, initial reports indicate significant losses in goods and property.

    Details surrounding the cause of the fire remain unclear, prompting calls for an official statement from the fire service to shed light on the incident.

  • How 3 Siblings Suffocated To Death In A Car On Sunday

    How 3 Siblings Suffocated To Death In A Car On Sunday

    In a heart-wrenching incident at No. 8, Boluke Line, Zango-Kulende quarters, Ilorin, a boy and two girls, siblings of the same parent, lost their lives due to extreme suffocation inside a car parked in their residential quarters on Sunday.

    The children, playing inside the borrowed car, accidentally locked themselves in at around 2 p.m.

    The car, borrowed from their father’s sister within the same premises, became a harrowing scene when their mother, Shade Silifat, returned from buying noodles for their school meals.

    Discovering their footwear outside the car, she raised an alarm after forcing the doors open, only to find her children motionless, having succumbed to suffocation.

    Efforts to rescue them were made, rushing the children to Olutayo Clinic, near their residence, but the medical director, Dr. Adeyemo, advised moving them to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, where they were tragically confirmed dead.

    The grieving family later conducted the burial at the Muslim cemetery, adhering to Islamic rites.

  • Former Kwara Governor Arraigned In Court For Fraud

    Former Kwara Governor Arraigned In Court For Fraud

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought forward charges against the immediate past Kwara State Governor, Abdulfattah Ahmed. 

    Ahmed was arraigned on Friday at the Federal High Court in Ilorin, the state capital.

    The anti-graft agency alleged that Ahmed misappropriated the sum of N1,610,730,500.00, originally designated for the security and running costs of the state, to charter private jets during his tenure. 

    The charges include an alleged N10 billion fraud, with Ahmed facing a total of 12 counts.

    One of the counts accused Ahmed of converting N400 million from a N1 billion short-term loan received by the Kwara State Government from Ecobank Nigeria Limited. 

    The EFCC contended that this conversion was done fraudulently, diverting funds intended for ongoing state projects.

    The EFCC’s document stated, “Ahmed (while being the Governor of Kwara State) between 2015 and 2019 in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this honourable court used an aggregate sum of N1,610,730,500, property of Kwara State Government, meant for the security and running cost of the Government of Kwara State, to charter private jets through Travel Messengers Limited on different occasions for your local travels and which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust or theft.”

    Abdulfattah Ahmed, who served as the state finance commissioner during Dr. Bukola Saraki’s governorship, succeeded Saraki in office and governed Kwara from 2011 to 2019.

  • Kwara University deputy bursar dies watching Super Eagles AFCON semi-finals

    Kwara University deputy bursar dies watching Super Eagles AFCON semi-finals

    The Deputy Bursar of Kwara State University Malete, Alhaji Ayuba Abdullahi, on Wednesday night, died while watching the semi-finals between Nigeria and South Africa in the ongoing AFCON.

    Nigeria won the match against South Africa by 4-2 goals on penalties after regulation and extra time ended 1-1.

    Sources close to the deceased but who spoke on condition of anonymity said Abdullahi went to a sports centre in the Sango area before he started feeling uneasy.

    One of the sources said, “The Deputy Bursar watched the Nigeria/South Africa match from the beginning till the end of the extra time, till it was time for a penalty kick.

    “He complained that he was feeling dizzy, so he said he needed to go back home and rest not knowing that his BP had gone up.

    “On getting home, he collapsed and was rushed to a private hospital in Sango and he was referred to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital and before he could be attended to, he died.

    “He was buried on Thursday morning according to Islamic rites.”

    The university’s Director of Information, Dr Saedat Aliyu, confirmed Abdullahi’s death.

    Aliyu, however, stated that the cause of death was yet to be ascertained by the management of the university.

     Super Eagles’ Victory: Shettima pledges government reward for AFCON finalists
    “Yes, he died last night. He was hale and hearty and was full of life on Wednesday at his office. May Almighty Allah grant him Aljanah Firdaus” she said

    A statement by the university said, “This is to announce the death of Mr. Ayuba Olaitan Abdullahi of the Bursary Department.

    “Janazah will be held this morning, and his remains will be interred at the Hausa Muslim cemetery, Apata Yakuba, Oyun area, Ilorin, at 9 am.”

    Also, a former federal lawmaker in Delta State, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, died while watching the Eagles’ match..

    A source close to the politician said, “Cairo Ojougboh, a medical doctor died during the Nigeria vs.South Africa match.

    “The incident happened when the penalty was awarded against Nigeria. Dr Ojougboh was said to have shouted and slumped due to a massive heart attack when SA scored.”

    In the same vein, a member of the National Youth Service Corps serving in Adamawa State also reportedly died during the game. 

    The corps member identified only as Samuel from Kaduna State, allegedly passed away just before the final kick which secured Nigeria’s win in the match, The Nation reports.

  • Kwara Governor Vows To Get Justice For Slain Monarch

    Kwara Governor Vows To Get Justice For Slain Monarch

    Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic death of Peter Aremu, the Onikoro of Koro-Ekiti in Ekiti LGA of Kwara state. 

    The traditional ruler was brutally killed during a home invasion by gunmen on Thursday, who also abducted his wife and two others.

    In a statement issued by Rafiu Ajakaye, the chief press secretary to the governor, Abdulrazaq denounced the incident as “reckless, shocking, and abominable.”

    The governor has urged security operatives to swiftly track down the perpetrators, rescue the abducted individuals, and ensure justice is served.

    “We will certainly get the perpetrators and ensure that this is their last crime against humanity,” Governor Abdulrazaq vowed. 

    “My profound condolences go to the people of Koro. Our hearts are broken, and we stand by them at this time and always.”

    This tragic event further compounds the unsettling pattern of attacks on traditional rulers, echoing the broader security challenges facing the nation.

    Just days ago, on January 29, two traditional rulers fell victim to suspected kidnappers in Ekiti state, heightening concerns about the safety of community leaders.

  • 103 die as boat capsizes in Kwara

    103 die as boat capsizes in Kwara

    Police Command in Kwara has confirmed that 103 persons died in a boat accident at Egbu village, in the Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara.

    The Spokesperson of the Command, SP Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed the incident on Tuesday.

    The deceased reportedly met their end after the boat conveying them while returning from a marriage ceremony capsized.

    The tragic incident has cast an ominous cloud of sorrow and despair on the village.

    Okasanmi said the names of the survivors would be published soon.

    The Transition Implementation Committee Chairman, Patigi, Alhaji Mohammed Liman, put the number of passengers that died in the accident at 110.

    Liman, while quoting from a statement by one Alhassan Bala Mohammed, a community leader in the area, said, “About 110 people died in the boat mishap in our area.

    “We’re going to tell you about the tragedy and unforgettable memory that occurred to my people from our village and other neighbouring villages close to us.

    “Our village people went to a wedding ceremony in another village called Gboti and the boat carried about 270 people, and almost 110 people were lost.”

    “This is an unforgettable memory and tragedy in the history of our village,” he said. 

  • Subsidy: Gov AbdulRazaq approves bus palliatives for students, workers

    Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved the deployment of government buses to support the movement of students and workers in public tertiary institutions within Ilorin and its environs.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Rafiu Ajakaye, on Sunday in Ilorin.

    The statement read the bus palliative for the students covering the metropolis is the second phase in the measures by the Kwara government to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal.

    “The government had earlier reduced workdays for civil servants from five to three every week, while bureaucrats work out other measures for workers that are exempted from the policy.

    “From Wednesday, June 14, some large buses will be deployed to transport students of public tertiary institutions within the metropolis, including those going to the Kwara State University campus at Malete.

    “Further details will be released by the coordinating Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDAs).

    “The state government will continue to offer immediate support for the Kwara public as Nigeria permanently transitions to the post-fuel subsidy regime and different steps are taken to bring more ease to the people while growing the economy in a sustainable way,” he said.

  • Construction firm’s truck kills 4, injures 16 in Kwara

    Four persons were killed and 16 others injured in a lone accident on Olooru-New Jebba Road in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara at the weekend.

    Sector Commander of the FRSC in Kwara, Mr Frederick Ogidan, stated in Ilorin on Sunday that the vehicle belongs to Chinese construction firm, CGC Construction Company.

    He blamed the accident, which occurred at Olooru on over-speeding.

    Ogidan said relatives of the deceased had claimed the corpses while the injured were taken to a hospital at Kambi Village in the area.