​Police arrest 18 suspects over riot in Zamfara

The police command in Zamfara has arrested 18 suspects over a riot, leading to destruction of property including the Emir of Shinkafi’s palace.

This is contained in a statement by the command Public Relations Officer, SP Muhammad Shehu on Sunday in Gusau.

“Youths carrying dane guns, cutlasses and sticks destroyed the Emir of Shinkafi’s palace and two other houses in Shinkafi town.

“A joint police and military team quickly responded and dispersed the protesters to avoid break down of law and order and possible loss of lives and property.

“The 18 suspects arrested are currently in police custody undergoing interrogation.

“The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Abutu Yaro has directed the state CID to commence a discreet investigation into the unlawful protest with a view to unravel the circumstances behind the dastardly act,” Shehu said.

Yaro cautioned parents and guardians to always monitor their children to prevent them from getting involved in criminal acts.(NAN)

​Edo NUT directs members to shun enrollment into pension scheme

The simmering crisis between the Edo State branch of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the State government bordering on their welfare has taken a new twist as the leadership of the teacher’s union has directed its members to shun enrollment into the state government’s contributory pension scheme.

The directive is coming ahead of the scheduled January 18, 2021, resumption date by all public and private primary and post-primary institutions in the State for a second term for the 2021 Academic Session.

A statement titled, “forceful enrollment into contributory pension scheme”, signed and made available to newsmen in Benin City, by the Assistant General Secretary of the union, Moni Itua, said the directive to NUT members remain in force until the union directed otherwise adding that the decision for public primary school teachers not to enrol into the contributory pension scheme was a follow-up to the resolution of the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) of the union at its last meeting held on the 29th of December, 2020.

He insisted that the decision for public primary school teachers not to enrol into the contributory pension scheme was a follow-up to the resolution of the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) of the union at its last meeting held on the 29th of December, 2020.

Recall that the State wing of the NUT had on December 29, 2020, issued a 21-day strike notice to the state government over failure to meet its 10-point demands bordering on poor conditions of service, non-payment of outstanding financial entitlements among others.

He said, “As a follow-up to the resolutions of the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) of the union at its last meeting held on the 29th of December, 2020; especially on the issue of Contributory Pension Scheme for Primary School Teachers in Edo State, I have been directed to inform all SWEC members, school heads and Primary Schools Teachers in the state not to fill any document having to do with the contributory pension scheme.

“No matter the source of such document members should not fill it until the union directs otherwise.

“The above directive becomes inevitable because the two fundamental issues raised by the union as per the Contributing Pension Scheme have not received Government positive responses”.