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JUST IN : NLC President arrested in Imo

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The President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero has been whisked away by the Police at the ongoing protest in Imo state.

This is as miscreants have descended on protesters, smashing vehicles and inflicting wounds on labour members.

Already, the whereabouts of the NLC President is unknown as heavily armed security personnel took him away.

Recall Vanguard had earlier published a report on Sunday, wherein NLC said it would begin protests in Imo State from Nov. 1. over alleged violation and abuse of rights and privileges of workers by the State government.

Ajaero said that “NLC was deeply concerned about the persistent and egregious violations of the rights and privileges of workers in Imo State by the State Government.”

“Despite our repeated efforts to engage in constructive dialogue and reach amicable agreements, the Imo State Government has become a habitual and serial breaker of these agreements, continuing to trample on the rights of workers in the state.

“As a result, we are left with no choice but to embark on mass protests and industrial actions beginning on the 1st day of November, 2023.

“This is to demonstrate our outrage and stop the continuing violation of the rights and privileges of workers in the state,”

The NLC president added that the protest was imperative as the government of the state had refused to implement previous agreements.

According to Ajaero, the government has repeatedly reneged on agreements, most notably the accord reached on January 9th, 2021, between the Government and Organised Labour.

“On outstanding salary arrears, shockingly, some workers have been subjected to a staggering 20 months of unpaid salaries under the unfounded label of ‘ghost workers’.

“Unjust declaration of workers as ghost workers,. Approximately 11,000 hardworking individuals have been unjustly branded as ghost workers, their salaries diverted even while they diligently carried out their duties,” he said.

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Sign-Out Viral Video: Ondo Withholds 17 WAEC Results, Expels Non-Graduating Students

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The Ondo State Government has sanctioned 17 secondary school students by withholding their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results and testimonials over a viral “sign-out” video that sparked widespread reactions on social media.

 

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said the students are from three schools: Oyemekun Grammar School, Aquinas College and CAC Grammar School, all in Akure.

Recall that the video surfaced shortly after the students completed the 2026 WASSCE.

It showed them engaging in unruly conduct, including tearing school uniforms and chanting inappropriate slogans during end-of-examination celebrations.

Disciplinary measures were announced after an emergency meeting between ministry officials and administrators of the affected schools at the ministry’s headquarters in Akure.

According to the ministry, official testimonials and WASSCE results of the 17 students identified in the video have been withheld indefinitely.

Their names will be entered into a newly established “black book” for student misconduct in their respective schools. Principals across the state were directed to create similar records for disciplinary infractions.

Senior officers in the affected schools were also issued queries for alleged lapses in supervision that allowed the celebrations to degenerate into disorder.

The ministry further ordered the immediate expulsion of any student featured in the video who is not in the graduating class.

Commissioner for Education Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun said the government would not tolerate conduct capable of undermining discipline and the reputation of schools.

Ajibefun said that “While celebrating academic milestones is natural, the growing sign-out culture among secondary school students must be guided by decency.

“We will not fold our arms and watch the discipline we have painstakingly instilled in our schools be eroded for the sake of social media clout,” he said.

Ajibefun added that government is determined to protect the integrity of the state’s education system.

The Permanent Secretary Dr Akindele Ige urged principals to report disruptive incidents to Zonal Education Offices before they escalate.

Parents and affected students have been summoned to the ministry to receive official letters conveying the sanctions.

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Ogun Doctors Suspend 10-Day Warning Strike

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The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Ogun State, has suspended its ongoing 10-day warning strike following assurances from the state government on the payment of its members’ professional allowance on or before July 31, 2026.

 

The association said that the government gave this commitment at a meeting held with the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi, and the Head of Service, Mr Olanrewaju Saka.

The meeting also had in attendance the state leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

The President of the association, Dr John Omotoso, disclosed this in a statement issued at the end of the association’s emergency meeting held on Wednesday.

Omotoso said that the association, after due appraisal of the issues at hand, decided to suspend the warning strike and urged its members to resume work by 8 a.m. on Thursday.

He stated: “Following a thorough appraisal of the association’s demands and the progress made thus far, Congress resolved to suspend the ongoing industrial action, with the expectation that payment of the Professional Allowance will be effected and reflected in members’ accounts on or before 31st July, 2026.

“This follows meetings and dialogue with the Ogun State Government (the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi, and the Head of Service, Mr Olanrewaju Iskeel Saka) in the presence of NMA Ogun leadership.

“We hereby direct that our members should resume work by 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, 25th June, 2026.”

Omotoso said the association will convene an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) on August 1, 2026, to appraise the situation and determine the next line of action.

The association warned against any form of victimisation, intimidation, or harassment arising from the industrial action, urging members not to hesitate to promptly report such actions to the leadership of the association for appropriate intervention.

The association appreciated the prompt intervention of the state government under the leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun on issues that may disrupt the provision of health services to the people of the state and affect residency training in the state-owned teaching hospital.

The doctors had on Tuesday announced a 10-day warning strike over the non-payment of revised professional and specialist allowances, delayed training funds, and worsening welfare conditions.

They noted that despite the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum earlier issued by the doctors, no Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had been signed, and no firm commitment had been received from the state government regarding the implementation and payment of revised Professional and Specialist Allowances, including outstanding arrears.

The doctors also expressed dissatisfaction with the delay in the payment of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), despite its domestication by the government, coupled with critical manpower shortages resulting in excessive workload, burnout, and prolonged working hours due to inadequate staffing across departments.

Other concerns raised by the doctors include recurrent security breaches, theft, and burglary within the hospital environment, posing risks to staff and patients; the poor state of call rooms and inadequate accommodation facilities for doctors; and the persistent poor quality and inadequate provision of call meals for resident doctors, among others.

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Burnley And West Ham To Meet On First Championship Weekend

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Relegated Burnley and West Ham will meet on the opening weekend of the Championship season on Sunday, 16 August.

 

The Clarets finished 19th in the top flight last season and will host the Hammers, who went down on the final day.

Fellow relegated side Wolves will play the league’s curtain-raiser against Blackburn at Molineux on Friday, 14 August.

Elsewhere, Southampton, who will start the season on minus four points after the Spygate scandal, travel to Watford on the opening weekend and promoted Cardiff welcome Welsh rivals Wrexham on Monday, 17 August.

League One champions Lincoln start the season at beaten play-off finalists Middlesbrough on Saturday, 15 August and third tier play-off final winners Bolton begin the campaign with a home game against Preston on the same day.

The Championship season starts a week after clubs play their first competitive fixture in the first round of the Carabao Cup and one week before the Premier League gets under way.

Burnley, West Ham and Wolves will all be looking to secure Premier League promotions at the first time of asking.

The Clarets have now been relegated from or promoted to the top flight in each of the past four seasons.

However, now less than two months out from the start of the season they remain without a manager following the departure of Scott Parker in May.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo has remained despite them dropping out of the top flight after 14 seasons.

The Portuguese led Wolves to the Championship title in his one previous season managing at this level in 2017-18.

Wolves finished bottom of the Premier League in 2025-26 and sacked boss Rob Edwards earlier this month to bring in Cesar Peixoto.

They have bolstered their squad with former England defender Kieran Trippier and returning Mexico striker Raul Jimenez.

However, all three will be aware that in both of the past two seasons a team relegated from the top tier has suffered a second successive demotion to League One.

Former Premier League champions Leicester City went the same way as Luton Town had in 2024-25.

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