By Ezinwanne Onwuka
● Nigerian workers threaten nationwide strike November 14
The top two labor unions in Nigeria, the Nigeria Labour Congress [NLC] and Trade Union Congress [TUC], plan to boycott work next Tuesday [Nov. 14]. The strike aims to counter the assault on the NLC president Joe Ajaero during a protest last week.
The national strike also expresses solidarity with the ongoing work stoppage in Imo State, Southeast Nigeria. The workers’ unions on Tuesday called on all workers affiliated with the unions in Imo State to drop their tools starting Wednesday [today] to protest “infractions and encroachments on the rights of workers within the state.”
The top labor unions had on October 2 suspended a planned nationwide strike billed to begin on October 3 for 30 days. The decision was made after last-minute talks between the unions and government officials.
Read the statement from the NLC and TUC: https://www.nlcng.org/communique-at-the-end-of-the-joint-national-executive-council-nec-meeting-of-the-nigeria-labour-congress-nlc-trade-union-congress-of-nigeria-tuc-held-on-tuesday-the-7th-day-of-november-2023/
● Man dies while testing bulletproof charm
A 43-year-old man, identified as Muhammadu Ali, has died in a bulletproof charm experiment in Bauchi State, Northcentral Nigeria. The experiment was intended to check the efficacy of a charm that purportedly would protect the bearer from gunshots.
The charm, fashioned by a traditional spiritualist, failed to protect Ali from bullets. At a press briefing on Tuesday, the police said the incident happened on October 31.
The test was carried out by the traditional doctor and three others. Two are currently held in a police cell while two others are still at large.
Read more: https://punchng.com/bauchi-man-testing-bulletproof-charm-shot-dead/
● Irish chef dethrones Nigeria’s Hilda Baci as record-holder for longest cooking marathon
Irish chef Alan Fisher has unseated Nigeria’s Hilda Effiong Bassey as the world record holder for the longest cooking marathon [Individual], the Guinness World Records [GWR] announced Tuesday.
Fisher cooked for 119 hours 57 minutes to surpass the 93 hours 11 minutes record set in May by Bassey, known on popular social media as Hilda Baci.
Bassey’s record-breaking 93-hour, 11-minute cook-a-thon boosted her to instant fame in Nigeria. Millions of Nigerians at home and abroad followed her progress via an Instagram livestream. Even the GWR website crashed for two days after her record was confirmed in June “due to the immense volume of traffic we received from her legion of loyal fans,” the GWR management said.
● Terrorists kill 5 in Katsina community invasion
A gang of terrorists struck Sayaya village in Matazu County of Katsina State at 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday, killing five persons and abducting five others despite stiff resistance from local “vigilantes,” the Nigerian-speak for citizen guards.
The terrorists invaded the community armed with assault rifles. They went door-to-door vandalizing properties, killing and maiming residents in the process.
The attack came barely 24 hours after another onslaught was reported at Rugar Kusa village in Musawa County, only a few miles from Sayaya. The bandits disrupted a religious event, killing nine and leaving more than 10 persons to battle for their lives at the hospital.
● Nigerian Senate asks President Tinubu to push for ceasefire in Gaza
The Nigerian Senate has pressed President Bola Tinubu to join the United Nations to end the Israel–Hamas war.
The one-month-old war, triggered by attacks on Israel by the Palestinian terror group Hamas, has displaced tens of thousands with claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people, including more than 4,000 children.
At Senate plenary on Tuesday, the lawmakers called for a two-state solution to the conflict.
The Senate’s resolution is in line with the position already taken by the Nigerian government. Nigeria and 119 other countries voted in favor of a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza at a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting on October 27.
Read more: https://guardian.ng/news/israel-hamas-war-senate-nudges-fg-on-ceasefire-call/
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Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
