A seething rage is trailing last week’s directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to a committee to reclaim old grazing routes, with Nigerians kicking against the move and warning that the move could court a civil war.

This new move is coming three months after the Southern states have commenced signing laws prohibiting open grazing in the 17 states of the region following their meeting in Asaba, Delta State, on May 11 and some days to the September take-off of the anti-grazing laws in the Southern states.

This, notwithstanding, the Federal Government has continued to tinker with the unpopular policy as it frantically repackages the failed 2017 Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) policy.
   

It was repackaged as the 2019-2028 National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) in 2019 as a child of circumstances due to RUGA’s widespread rejection. Two years after the introduction of NLTP, the package is currently described as the Livestock Intervention Programme (LIP), and part of it is reclaiming the old grazing routes

Contrary to initial hope that the ongoing industrial action by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) will be suspended today due to an agreement reportedly reached, it has emerged that the sustenance of ‘no work, no pay’ rule had truncated the resolution of the crisis.

The rule was introduced by the Federal Ministry of Health, obviously, to force the striking medics back to work.

The ministry also approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) to adjudicate on the legality or otherwise of the strike.

Speaking after a two-day meeting involving the ministry, Budget Office, National Salaries, Income and Wage Commission, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and NARD with the Ministry of Labour and Employment as a conciliator at the weekend in Abuja, Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, confirmed that the withdrawal of ‘no work, no pay’ rule was not part of the negotiated items.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has urged taxpayers to continue to pay their Value Added Tax (VAT) to it to avoid paying penalties for failure to do so.

Mr Abdullahi Ahmad, Director, Communications and Liaison Department of the FIRS, gave the advice in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

He said the FIRS issued the directive following numerous enquiries in the aftermath of a recent judgment obtained by the Rivers government at the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt.

The court had on Aug. 9 ruled that the Rivers government, not the FIRS, was the rightful authority to collect VAT.

Twelve persons have been killed, with six injured following an attack by bandits on the Duba community in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Corresspondents gathered that the hoodlums, numbering over 300 and armed with General Purpose Machine Guns and RPGs, attacked the community on Saturday night.

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Gambo Isah confirmed the incident to correspondents on Sunday via a telephone call.

Fifteen more abducted students of Bethel Baptist Secondary School in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna state have regained their freedom.

Although the government or security agencies are yet to confirm the development, a source in the school told correspondents that the 15 students were released on Sunday after a ransom was paid to the bandits.

Bandits suspected to be kidnappers had on July 5 attacked the school and took away 121 students from their hostels.

The Ogiame Atuwatse III, formerly known as Omoba Tshola Emiko, has been crowned as the 21st Olu of Warri Kingdom.

This follows a series of activities lined up for the coronation of the monarch who ascended the throne on Saturday.

Such activities include colourful dance performances by various cultural groups and pleasant musical renditions from the Warri Royal Choir and Laz Ekwueme Orchestral, among others.

President Muhammadu Buhari was represented by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, whose mother hails from the Warri Kingdom.

The coronation of the new Olu of Warri also enjoyed the presence of many dignitaries from various parts of the country, including political leaders and traditional rulers.