NEWS
Lagos Orders Additional 100 Trucks From Dangote’s Trucks Assembly Plant
. . . Akpabio Commissions new CKD Plant, Gov, Senators Hail Impactful Facility
The leadership of the Senate at the weekend unveiled the multi-million dollar world-class Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Ltd CKD Plant established by the business mogul, Aliko Dangote with a call on other eminent Nigerians to emulate him in using their wealth to benefit the country.
During the event, an excited Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, announced his administration’s plan for the acquisition of extra 100 compactor trucks from the indigenous automobile manufacturer to enhance service delivery within the state metropolis.
Gov Sanwo-Olu emphasised that the products of Dangote Sinotruk are of world-standard, crafted with precision to meet customer satisfaction.
On his part, President/CE of the Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, who conducted the leadership of the Upper Chamber and executive management of the company around the premises of the Dangote facility in Ikeja, Lagos, stated that the decision to invest in the truck assembly plant was part of his strategies to add value and reduce imports.
He added that the plant would be fabricating diverse types of trailers and tipper bodies with the goal of achieving domestic self-sufficiency and serving the West African regional market.
In his words, “We are playing a strategic and key role in developing the heavy-duty truck assembling and manufacturing industry in Nigeria. We are providing employment opportunities for Nigerians as well as improving the local automobile industry.
“We will continue to invest in the plant and achieve technological advancement for Nigeria. We will continue to promote Nigeria’s economic development.”
While appreciating the support of strategic stakeholders, including the National Assembly, Dangote pointed out that the Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Limited was set to write the next chapter in Nigeria’s industrialisation story as well as drive progress across West Africa for a brighter and more prosperous future.
Noting that the state had acquired 102 compactor trucks for its Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) in 2022, Gov Sanwo-Olu hailed Dangote for the remarkable transformation of the facility from a dormant textile mill to a thriving vehicle assembly plant.
“Honestly, this is about partnership. It is about a sense of purpose and the fact that as a people, we need to develop our economy and our environment better than we met it.
“Dangote Industries Limited is a testament to a good local business that has become a global name. It can compete with other brands globally. It is a brand that all Africans can be proud of.
“They have kept the vision of this place by ensuring that industry is created, people are employed, and young people are trained,” Gov Sanwo-Olu said.
He stressed that the state was open to business as the commercial hub of Nigeria, commending the Dangote Group for embracing CNG-powered vehicles, which he pointed out was cost-effective, while promoting cleaner energy.
Commissioning the plant, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, commended the proprietors, and stressed that ‘Dangote is Africa’s export to the world’.
He noted that the facility, which already created over 3,000 jobs across Nigeria, aligned with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty.
Reiterating the senate leadership’s happiness with the facility, Sen Akpabio assured of the federal government’s support to Dangote’s drive to ensure Nigeria attains self-sufficiency in key sectors.
Calling on other investors to learn from Dangote, he also challenged other states to provide business-friendly environments for investors.
Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Limited, is a joint venture company with a total investment of $100 million, which boasts of cutting-edge facilities and machinery, enabling it to achieve a production capacity of 15-16 trucks per shift, or approximately 10,000 trucks annually.
However, the Chief Executive Officer of the facility, Hikmat Thapa, said the capacity would be scaled up to 13,000 trucks annually with the commissioning of the new CKD plant.
He also affirmed that the majority of the fabrication and assembly lines are being handled by trained Nigerians.
He stated that the vision of the plant is to assemble and produce a full range of commercial vehicles tailored to the specific needs of the market.
“From heavy-duty trucks to medium trucks, light trucks, and semi-trailers, our aim is to meet the growing demand for reliable transportation across various sectors, including logistics, construction, and food and beverage industries,” he added.
NEWS
BREAKING: Sen Kingibe Weeps Over Arraignment Of Minors In Adult Court
The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Ireti Kingibe, has wept openly that Nigeria has ‘become a nation that turns against its own children’.
The senator was reacting to the “arraignment of over 100 young boys, aged between 10 and 16, who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest,” in an adult court, against established legal standards.
She took to her verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Saturday, to shed tears and register her strong disappointment with all the parties involved in the shameful and illegal act.
ALSO READ: #EndBadGovernance2024: Atiku Decries Dehumanisation Of Minors
According to Sen Kingibe “How can a government tasked with protecting its citizens justify holding minors in correctional centers, treating their peaceful protest as a criminal offense?”
On the law enforcement agencies breaching the law, Sen Kingibe pointed out that, “According to Nigeria’s Criminal Procedure Act (CPA), minors between the ages of 1 and 17 should never be arraigned in adult criminal courts but instead in juvenile courts, which have exclusive jurisdiction over such cases. Yet, these minors were held in maximum correctional centers for over 85 days before being charged with treason.”
She expressed her firm position that all relevant stakeholders must “urgently unite to secure the immediate and unconditional release of these minors.”
Sen Kingibe wrote, “As the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, I condemn in the strongest terms the recent arraignment of over 100 young boys, aged between 10 and 16, who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest. These minors, who bravely voiced their grievances against the unbearable hardship and hunger ravaging our land, are now being charged with treason — an offense that, if found guilty, carries the death penalty.
“When did we become a nation that turns against its own children — our very hope for tomorrow? When did we lose our compassion and humanity to the extent that we humiliate, arrest, and drag young children into court for the “crime” of speaking out? This shameful prosecution of our youth is not only unjust — it is a betrayal of our humanity and an assault on our future. How can we stand idly by as the dreams of our children are crushed under the weight of oppression? This must end.
“This is utterly disgraceful, and everyone involved should feel ashamed. We owe our citizens, particularly our children, not just protection from external threats but also from unjust treatment within. Children deserve quality education, better healthcare, and protection from domestic violence and abuse, not brutal treatment for exercising their constitutional rights. According to Nigeria’s Criminal Procedure Act (CPA), minors between the ages of 1 and 17 should never be arraigned in adult criminal courts but instead in juvenile courts, which have exclusive jurisdiction over such cases. Yet, these minors were held in maximum correctional centers for over 85 days before being charged with treason.
“How have we, as leaders, stooped so low? Instead of addressing the root causes of their protest, we prosecute those who cry out against them. How can a government tasked with protecting its citizens justify holding minors in correctional centers, treating their peaceful protest as a criminal offense? When did peaceful protest — a fundamental right of citizens — become a crime in Nigeria?
“Numerous videos circulating on social media and news platforms show malnourished children with visible collarbones, countable ribs, fainting, crying, hungry, sick, and, most horrifically, being manhandled. This has turned us into an international embarrassment. If we cannot protect our own citizens, how can we expect to safeguard foreign investors whom we are actively trying to attract to our country?
“This is not only condemnable but an absolute disgrace, and it cannot stand. I demand that every relevant authority — the Ministry of Women Affairs, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the Chief Justice of the Federation — as well as the Human Rights Commission and all human rights lawyers, urgently unite to secure the immediate and unconditional release of these minors. I also call upon all mothers and women across the nation to rise in protest against this deplorable treatment of our children. This is not the Nigeria we dreamed of; we cannot allow our future to be sacrificed in silence.”
NEWS
Strike Relief: FG Releases Funds To NASU, Retirees
In a significant development aimed at resolving the ongoing strike by non-academic university staff, the Federal Government has released funds to settle the long-overdue salaries owed to members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Federal Universities (NASU).
The funds will also cover outstanding pension payments for retirees under the Nigerian Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme.
READ ALSO: Banky W, Adesua Etomi Welcome Second Child [VIDEO]
Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, confirmed the release in a statement on Saturday.
Mokwa stated that payments to NASU members have commenced, with numerous staff already confirming receipt of the funds.
The move comes after members of NASU and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), operating under a Joint Action Committee, began an indefinite strike last Monday in protest over the withheld salaries.
The strike brought federal universities across the country to a standstill, with various academic and administrative services halted.
Several other unions and universities expressed support for the protest, amplifying calls for the funds’ immediate release.
Tensions between the union leadership and the federal government had escalated in recent days, despite a directive from President Bola Tinubu for payments to be made.
On Wednesday, SSANU leaders expressed frustration, stating that many top university officials, including vice-chancellors, bursars, and registrars, had yet to receive the outstanding salaries, further straining relations.
SSANU leadership vowed to keep university facilities shut until all owed salaries are fully disbursed.
“We will not resume activities in our universities until every last outstanding payment has been made,” SSANU leaders warned in a statement.
In his official statement, Mokwa reassured all concerned parties that the government has fulfilled its commitment to fund these payments, which he called “a priority move to alleviate the financial strain on university staff and retirees.”
NEWS
#EndBadGovernance Protests: IGP Claims Suspects’ Collapse Staged To Sway Public Opinion
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun has alleged that the collapse of six suspects in court was a deliberate act intended to attract negative attention to law enforcement efforts.
The six individuals, part of a group of 76 mostly minor suspects facing charges related to the #EndBadGovernance protest, collapsed in the courtroom on Friday.
Related News: EndBadGovernance Protests: Court Sets N10m Bail Each For 67 Minors
Egbetokun, however, underscored that medical aid was promptly provided, highlighting the police’s commitment to the welfare of individuals in custody.
In a statement dated November 1 and signed by Force Spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, the IGP affirmed that under Nigerian law, individuals who reach the age of criminal responsibility are held accountable for their actions, irrespective of age.
“Today, an unexpected incident in court saw six of the suspects suddenly rush out and faint, drawing media attention in a deliberate and scripted manner to attract negative attention,” Egbetokun said.
“Medical aid was promptly provided to these individuals, demonstrating the Police Force’s commitment to the welfare of those in its custody, irrespective of the allegations they face.”
Recall that the court granted bail for each minor at N10 million, sparking criticism both domestically and internationally.
The arraigned individuals, many of whom appeared malnourished, are facing a series of grave charges including terrorism, arson, treasonable felony, and other allegations related to the destruction of public property and threats to national security.
The IGP emphasized that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) remains committed to balancing justice with compassion, noting that the Force has adhered to legal procedures to ensure fairness.
“The NPF has rigorously adhered to legal provisions to ensure fairness and accountability under the rule of law,” he said.
“Throughout this process, the Police have worked to balance justice with compassion, ensuring that each suspect’s basic rights and privileges are respected, including access to medical care and other necessary provisions.”
In his statement, Egbetokun urged the public to avoid bias and pledged transparency throughout the legal proceedings.
“The NPF acknowledges public interest in this case and assures the public that our officers will maintain professionalism throughout the legal process.
“The public is encouraged to view this case without undue bias, as the Force remains focused on a transparent pursuit of justice.”
The police chief added that the Force is committed to aligning with international standards in justice, drawing comparisons to legal practices in countries like the United Kingdom, where young individuals facing serious charges are held accountable, though with empathy and respect for human rights.