Boko Haram: Fight to Finish, Buratai Orders Troops Special Motor Cycle Section inaugurated in Chibok Gaidam: No need for exodus from Yobe communities Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and Michael Olugbode in Damaturu The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai has ordered troops battling Boko
Haram in the North-east and bandits in the North-west to “fight to finish.” The Army chief gave the order yesterday while inaugurating the Special Motor Cycle Section of 117
Mohammed Usman, Buratai urged the troops to be proactive and committed to the fight against insurgency. He said motor bikes were introduced to enhance quick counter attack measures
Task Force Battalion’s Quick Response Group in Chibok, Borno State. Represented by the Commander, 28 Task Force Brigade, Sector 1, Operation Lafiya Dole, Brigadier General
against the insurgents. General Usman emphasised that the creation of the Special Motor Cycle Section would enable the troops to chase the terrorist completely out of their enclaves.
He further urged the troops to intensify the conduct of clearance and confidencebuilding patrol within their area of responsibility, which Continued on page 6
Okowa Flags off Campaign for Reelection, Gets Ibori’s Endorsement… Page 6 Saturday 5 January, 2019 Vol 23. No 8662
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Zakari Shares No Blood Relationship with Buhari, Says Presidency INEC commissioner not appointed by President PDP insists Zakari must go, urges N’Assembly to sack her Omololu Ogunmade, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, and Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu The Presidency yesterday in
Abuja, dismissed accusations that Mrs. Amina Zakari is the niece of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying Zakari shared no blood relationship with the president.
Consequently, it accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of launching baseless attacks on the INEC commissioner. But the PDP insisted that
Zakari must quit all her positions in INEC, urging the National Assembly to immediately commence the process of her removal. Zakari, a Commissioner
of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), came under attacks from the PDP on Thursday following her appointment by INEC as presidential election collation
officer. The PDP who described Zakari as Buhari's niece, said the appointment of the Continued on page 6
Minimum Wage: FG, Labour Meeting Deadlocked Again Government still going through the report of tripartite committee NLC, TUC move to shut down Nigeria Tuesday Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The meeting, yesterday in Abuja, between the Federal Government and organised labour, aimed at averting a nationwide strike next Tuesday, has ended without agreement on the key issue of when to transmit the new minimum wage bill to the National Assembly. The meeting was, therefore, adjourned till Monday to allow for more consultations on both sides. But while the talks were on, organised labour commenced the mobilisation of its members ahead of the January 8 nationwide strike over payment of the agreed N30,000 new minimum wage.
Addressing journalists at about 7.50 pm when the meeting ended, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige said that issues were not conclusively dealt with. He said that although significant progress was made in getting labour to understand the position of the government, there was need for another round of talks on Monday in order to agree on the date for transmitting the minimum wage bill to the legislature. Ngige said: "No, the meeting is not deadlocked, we are continuing on Monday. We have made substantial progress in our talks with labour in Continued on page 6
Oshiomhole: Atiku, Obi will Trade Away Nigeria if Elected... Page 52
IN OKOWA WE TRUST, OTHERS TO WAIT... L-R: Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa; former Governor of the state, Chief James Ibori, and Okowa’s wife, Dame Edith during the flag off of Okowa’s governorship reelection campaign at Oghara Township Stadium, Delta State… yesterday