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EndSARS: Mike Okiro Urges Tinubu To Declare October 20 National Freedom Day

Published

6 months ago

October 21, 2023

Former Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, rtd, has urged President Bola Tinubu, to declare October 20th each year, as National Freedom Day in honour of the collective struggles of Nigeria’s for justice.

Okiro, who is currently the Board Chairman of JusticeNOW International, otherwise known as NigeriaFIRST Foundation, made the appeal at a press conference he addressed to mark the 3rd anniversary of the EndSARS Memorial 2023/36th monthly Extra-Ordinary Zoom Session of The Diplomatic, Diaspora And National Strategic Stakeholders Forum.

The former IGP equally commended President, Tinubu for what he described as his strategic appointments of young persons to serve as Ministers for Humanitarian And Poverty Alleviation, Minister for Youth Development, Minister for Interior as well as several others into the Presidency.

Okiro, said by giving approval for the proposal for the National Freedom Day, the President would be proving to the whole world that he was never against the EndSARS protest at the Lekki Toll Gate, as it was widely speculated in some quarters in Nigeria and abroad

The ex-IGP said, “Your Excellency, in your noble capacity as the Head of the Government of Nigeria, the full responsibility and powers now rest on your shoulders to do something remarkable to change the narratives of the #EndSARS for the better because this generation cannot forget the memories of October 20, 2020.

“As a body committed to the NigeriaFIRST advocacy, which seeks national Interest, patrotism and peaceful co-existence, we are therefore officially and publicly appealing, for the third time, thus using the instrumentality of your Excellency’s Renewed Hope to appeal for your Excellency’s Presidential Declaration of October 20th as National Freedom Day- to remember our collective struggles of our youths for justice.

“Your Excellency Mr. President, it will please you to know that the Institunalisation of October 20th as National Freedom Day (National Holiday) would be one of Your Excellency’s greatest legacy ever.

“It will show your true appreciation of your love for the youths as this development would serve as a sign of respect to the souls of departed at Lekki Toll Gate otherwise known as struggles for social justice.

“Already, one of our Organization’s advocacy for the EndSARS has been clearly witnessed which is your Excellency’s maximum engagement of youths and young People the governance structures of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“We therefore use this opportunity to thank your Excellency for the strategic appointments of a truly young persons to serve as Hon. Ministers for Humanitarian And Poverty Alleviation as well as Minister for Youth Development and the Minister for Interior and several others in the Presidency.

“This is a great sign your excellency will approve this national proposal (October 20) to further prove your excellency was never against the EndSARS Protest at the Lekki Toll Gate as it was widely speculated by some quarters in Nigeria and abroad.”

While appreciating the efforts of the Organization’s Speaker and International President, Comrade Vik-Morrow in this diaspora strategic engagements, Okiro lauded Nigerian/African Diaspora stakeholders for their support over the years.

News

Woman killed while crossing road in Anambra

Published

4 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Fellow Press

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra State Sector Command, has confirmed the death of a woman in an accident at Okpoko Market on the Asaba-Onitsha Road.

The Sector Commander, Mr Adeoye Irelewuyi, who confirmed the accident to journalists in Awka on Thursday, said that the woman was hit while she was crossing the road.

He said that the accident, which occurred on Wednesday, involved a commercial tow truck with registration number XA550BMA.

“Eyewitness report reaching us indicates that the truck was towing a vehicle in an uncontrollable speed along the axis.

“The vehicle that was being towed got detached from the tow truck.

“It hit and killed a female adult, who was said to be crossing the road, while the tow truck continued its movement.

“FRSC rescue team came to the scene and took the woman to Toronto Hospital, Onitsha, where she was confirmed dead and her body deposited at the hospital’s mortuary,” he said.

While sympathising with the family of the dead, the sector commander urged motorists, especially tow truck drivers, to exercise a high level of professionalism.

He also urged the drivers to always use standard equipment and avoid speeding.

News

LASG’s maize palliative impactful, says poultry association chair

Published

4 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Desmond Ukafor

The Chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Lagos State Chapter, Mr Mojeed Iyiola, said the state government’s maize palliative to members of the association made a positive impact on the sector.

Iyiola said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

“We received about 150,000 tons of maize in February from the Lagos State government as palliative to cushion the effect of high feed prices.

“The major benefit of the palliative is that it actually cushioned the cost of production for most poultry farmers in the state.

“The palliative was beneficial as it made the cost of some poultry produce, especially eggs to drop,” Iyiola said.

He noted that prior to the palliative, a crate of egg was sold between N3,500 and N3,700 at the farm gate, but after the palliative, it now sells between N3,200 and N3,400.

According to the PAN chair, retailers and middlemen who sell from N3,800 to N4,200 do that for their personal gain.

“We have urged our members to sell their eggs at reasonable prices following the receipt of the palliative from the government.

“We appreciate the Lagos State government for the palliative but we also urge the federal government to do likewise, to further reduce the cost of production in the sector.

“This will consequently lead to drop in the prices of all poultry produce across board,” he said.

He said the palliative was shared among financial members of the association at no extra cost.

“As an association we shared the grains equally across PAN’s eight zones in the state equally. We also mandated each zone not the sell even a grain of the maize.

“We, however, considered new poultry farmers who wanted to the join the association as beneficiaries of the palliative,” said Iyiola.

He noted that through the palliative, more poultry farmers were recruited into the association.

“The maize was shared only to poultry farmers and not feed millers, it is the major component of poultry feed formulation,” he said.