Iraq: Fighters Killed In Air Raids In Anbar

The fight to control Iraq's biggest province, Anbar, has intensified, with air attacks by the military killing dozens of people and the army preparing an assault on a city controlled by al-Qaeda linked fighters.

Missile strikes on Ramadi, the provincial capital, killed 25 people on Tuesday, according to an Iraqi Defence Ministry spokesman, while Fallujah remained deserted as residents fled the violence and the army prepared to launch an operation to regain control of it.

"It is not possible to assault [Fallujah] now" due to concerns about civilian casualties, Staff Lieutenant-General Mohammed al-Askari, a Defence Ministry spokesman, told AFP news agency.

Attacking the Sunni-majority city would be extremely politically sensitive, as it could further inflame tensions between members of Iraq's Sunni Arab minority and the Shia-led government.

It would also be a major test for Iraqi security forces, which have yet to undertake such an operation without the backing of US troops.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has warned people in Fallujah they face dire consequences it they support the government.

The immediate trigger for the unrest was the December 28 arrest of a Sunni politician sought on terrorism charges, followed by the government's dismantling of an anti-government Sunni protest camp in Ramadi.

Parts of Ramadi - the capital of Anbar province, west of Baghdad - and all of Fallujah were seized by al-Qaeda-linked fighters last week.

It is the first time al-Qaeda-linked fighters have exercised such open control in major cities since the height of the insurgency that followed the 2003 US-led invasion.

Overnight, security forces and allied tribesmen sought to retake south Ramadi from fighters loyal to the al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), but the assault failed.

"Security forces and armed tribesmen tried last night to enter areas controlled by ISIL fighters in the south of the city," a police captain in Ramadi told AFP.

"Clashes between the two sides began about 11:00 pm (2000 GMT) last night and continued until 6am," he said, adding that "security forces were not able to enter these areas and ISIL fighters are still in control."

Four civilians were killed and 14 wounded in the fighting, according to Ramadi hospital's Dr Ahmed Abdul Salam, who had no casualty figures for security forces or the fighters.

Meanwhile, three loud explosions were heard outside Fallujah early on Tuesday, a witness said, while the army deployed reinforcements.

"Today, the army sent new reinforcements, including tanks and vehicles, to an area about 15km east of Fallujah," a police captain told AFP.

Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, has called for residents to expel ISIL fighters and stave off a military offensive.

But senior tribal leader Sheikh Ali al-Hammad told AFP on Monday that ISIL's fighters had left Fallujah, and that it was now in the hands of tribesmen.

Final year female Benue varsity student dies in hotel room

A 21-year-old final year female student of the Benue State University, BSU, Joan Adaaku, has been reportedly found dead in a hotel room located in the heart of Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

Source gathered from who preferred anonymity that the Economics undergraduate  had checked into Savannah Guest House at about 7 a.m after paying N2,000 for a room
According to the source, "She actually  arrived the hotel alone and after underaking some check-in formalities she entered the room and locked herself up.

"She never came out of her room again either to ask for food or any other things. So, at exactly 6 p.m, a room attendant knocked on her door to find out if she was interest in being attended to by room service.

"Her silence aroused suspicion and the room  attendant, who repeated his call to the room at 8pm without reply, alerted the manager on duty.

"It was at that point that the management alerted the Police who moved in and broke into the room and discovered the lifeless body of the lady in a position that suggested she was making a call before her death.

Source gathered that the deceased had on her a small purse which contained a Bible, rosary and N8,200. A bottle of water and a bottle of soft drink were also discovered in the room.

Contacted, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent, DSP, Daniel Ezeala who confirmed the incident said investigation into the matter had commenced.

Lamido presents 2014 budget of N114.7bn to assembly

Gov. Sule Lamido of Jigawa on Tuesday presented the 2014 Appropriation Bill of N114.7 billion to the House of Assembly.
Lamido, who presented the budget in Dutse, said that there was a slight decrease of 0.6 per cent in the 2014 estimate compared to that of 2013.

 He said the budget was made up of N53.8 billion capital expenditure and N36.3 billion personnel cost.

The governor explained that N18.4 billion would be spent on overhead cost, N3.6 billion, consolidated revenue fund charges; and N700 million, stabilisation and contingency funds.

Lamido said N13.2 billion, representing 12 per cent of the total budget was earmarked for health sector, while N8.1 billion was earmarked for the education sector.

He said that about N2.9 billion was allocated to agriculture and livestock development to ensure improvement in the food security and production in the state.

The governor said N24.7 billion was set aside for roads and transport development, adding that his administration had restored confidence in governance in the last six years.

Jigawa of today is Jigawa of peace, love, security and stability and our people are no longer timid or shy that they are from the state.

The people are now confident, proud, happy and honourable," he said.

In his response, the Speaker of the assembly, Alhaji Ahmed Adamu, thanked the governor for his achievements in the last six years.

Adamu said the house scored the executive high in terms of budget implementation, and assured that the house would ensure accelerated passage of the budget.

Strike: ASUP accuses FG of abandoning polytechnic education

Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, has alleged abandonment by the Federal Government as the strike declared by lecturers in the sub-sector enters its seventh month.

ASUP had gone on strike April 17, 2013, to press home demands for government's proper funding of polytechnic education as well as address the disparity between the polytechnics and university graduates in the country.
ASUP president laments

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, National President of ASUP, Mr. Chibuzor Asomugha, lamented that the government was killing polytechnic education in Nigeria as several meetings held with government to ensure re-opening of polytechnics yielded no fruits.

Asomugha argued that the lack of interest by government to implement its promises for polytechnics to be re-opened was a deliberate ploy to deny students of Polytechnics access to education.

Expressing concern that efforts to draw the attention of the Nigerian public might be given political colouration and union leaders branded as working for opposition political parties against the government, Asomugha appealed to all relevant stakeholders to intervene on behalf of the poor students who might not have somebody in government to speak for them.

Lack of interest from FG
On why government has not shown interest in the lingering strike, the ASUP boss appealed to relevant stakeholders to prevail on the government, Minister of Education, Permanent Secretary and Minister of Labour to do the needful.

He said: "I am not going to be talking for government, we have been in this, they have given us promises, they have not been fulfilling them.

"The promises were simple things, we even had the understanding where they promised to implement within one week and it is more than four months now, everybody should reach government and let them tell Nigerians what are the problems. I cannot be speaking for government, what I know is that government is not doing any thing.

"We met them yesterday (Monday), the same promises and I don't know why they find it difficult to fulfil the promises.

Okay tell me yourself, what is the problem in releasing the White Paper that is ready? It is the government that should tells us that. The SGF should tell us why he is withholding the White Paper."

Way out of logjam
On the way out of the long strike, he said: "The way out is that we are still on strike until the members tell us whatever they decide with the strike.

"Government has been giving assurances in the past six months, the assurance of government does not amount to anything, that is why ASUU insisted on things concrete and people didn't understand it.

"We agreed with government that they were going to take up four things out of the 13 that we had listed. Government has been able to meet one and half of those issues that we had listed. Even the NEEDS Assessment government constituted Committee is not working at the pace it should work, we are supposed to submit the report in February, up till now, we have not done much.

Waiting on government's White Paper
"Government said it was going to release the White Paper on the visitation to Federal Polytechnics, they were going to complete the lower cader of CONTISS 16 which was the thing that happened in 2009 and up till now, it hadn't been implemented and then, that they were going to complete the appointment of six Governing Councils of six Federal Polytechnics which they have done.

"To constitute the NEEDS Assessment Committee to do the NEEDS assessments of the Polytechnics, which they have constituted and the Committee is more or less not working the way it should work. These are the four issues that we extracted out of the 13.

"There is a director in the Ministry of Education who is the Chairman of the Committee but the problem is that the Committee complains all the time of lack of funding from TETFund which is supposed to fund it."

Source: Vanguard

Ibadan poly part-time student commits suicide

A part-time student of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, Timilehin Ayobami Ogundare, has been found dead in his room in Ilupeju area, Baasala, Asero, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

He was believed to have committed suicide by hanging himself.

According to PM News, the deceased was also a computer operator with a firm in Abeokuta before his death.

A family source who pleaded anonymity said the deceased tried to kill himself last year but was stopped by some people.

The relation revealed that the deceased was arrested by some security guards and handed over to men of the state vigilance service when he attempted to jump into River Ogun. He was later released.

He attempted to jump into River Ogun

"The whole issue is still like a drama because I don't know what could have made him decide to take his life. We have been looking for him since January 1. Later, we heard that he went to Lagos. He boarded a train from Lagos back to Abeokuta on Saturday and came down at Lafenwa. He trekked from the station through Enu Gada area to Ajitaadun down to Arakanga area with the aim of jumping into the river.

"He was arrested by the security men in the area when they saw him wandering with only his boxer pant on. They handed him over to the vigilante men at Oke Ilewo for further investigation.

"We went there to collect him and we were told to come back with him yesterday. On getting to his room, we found out that he had hanged himself. He left a short note, apologising that he disappointed us," the source narrated in tears.

When the spokesman of the Ogun State Vigilante Service, Mr. Soji Ganzallo, was contacted, he confirmed the incident and expressed shock at the boy's death.

The family was careless
"It is unfortunate that what we tried to prevent eventually happened. They (family) were careless with the way they handled the boy. If the boy had been properly monitored, this sad incident wouldn't have happened. We got a distress call on Saturday by local security men around Arakanga that a boy was trying to commit suicide by trying to jump into the river. Our men rushed to the area and took the boy to our office.

"In the course of questioning him, he confirmed to us that he left home for Lagos on New Year day but did not tell us where and who he went to meet in Lagos. When we asked about his phone, he said he had no phone but only his SIM card was with him.

"Sensing that his parents will be looking for him, I directed that his SIM card be inserted into a phone, hoping that someone will call his line," Ganzallo said.

The vigilante spokesman revealed further that not long after the SIM card was inserted into the phone, several calls came in.

Ganzallo said: "We discovered that those calls were from his mother, sister and a pastor. The pastor later called back and demanded to stand as surety for his bail. We agreed.

"The man of God arrived with the boy's mother and some relatives. The pastor's name is Wole Oyenekan and he gave his address as Egba Inner Circle Building, Abiola Way, Abeokuta.

"We questioned the boy but from what I was able to gather, the boy was determined not to tell anybody his problem. The pastor pleaded with me to hand him over to him. I initially disagreed but after much persuasions and assurance that they will monitor him, I released him to them and asked them to come back on Sunday.

"I was shocked when I heard the news that the boy eventually carried out his mission."

He refused to go to church on Sunday
Another source disclosed that the teenager perfected his suicide by refusing to go to church on Sunday, feigning illness.

According to the source, "I remember that he told the pastor while coming from the vigilante's office that he needed some money to pay for his school fees and the pastor told him to see him on Sunday after church service. After the breakfast, he said he was not feeling well and begged to be allowed to stay back, which was granted.

"After the church service, he joined other family members to eat the lunch around 4 p.m. After the food, he went into his room and no one bothered to know what he was doing until around 8p.m. when we were looking for him.

"When we forced his door opened, we met his lifeless body. He hanged himself with his belt. We went to the Obantoko Police Station to report the matter and the police arrived around 11.45 p.m. and removed his corpse to the mortuary," he stated.

Ogun community protests herdsmen’s killing of 4 kinsmen

Hundreds of people of Ketu constituency in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, yesterday, protested over alleged killing of four of their kinsmen by Fulani herdsmen.

The protesters, under the aegis of the coalition of socio-cultural groups, are of the opinion that "the state is sitting on a keg of gun powder due to government's failure to decisively address the unabated killing going on in Ketu Constituency.
"We are helpless, hence our appeal to Governor Ibikunle  Amosun."

The protesters, who are members of Ketu Advancement Front, KAF; Ketu Alliance, KA and Peoples Assembly, PA, called on the governor to speedily constitute implementation committee as contained in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 among the Ketu people, the state government and Fulani herdsmen in the state.

Speaking on behalf of the groups, the spokesperson, Ranti Ogunsola, said: "We recall that while the MoU was being signed on December 17, 2013, the herdsmen were on killing expedition in Ketu.

"We drew government's attention to this and requested the herdsmen's exit before signing the document to allow for the control of their arms but government felt otherwise.

"We reluctantly signed the document hoping that the implementation committee jointly agreed upon would be empowered to work quickly.

"Since  October 2013, majority of the people have abandoned their farms with the hope that government would intervene decisively to create conducive atmosphere required for them to go back to the farms where they earn their living.

"We regret to note that since the signing of the MoU government has gone to sleep over the issue while the herdsmen continue to kill and maim our people."

Their statement was signed by Messrs Ranti Ogunsola for KA, Kunle Abiose for KAF and Lasisi Jelili for PA.

According to the statement, "On December 17, 2013, four Ketu people were shot by the herdsmen. Of the four, one Alade Eyo died on the spot while one Bondu Oladeyo died the following day.

"This was beside the five-year-old Ajimoh Adisa who was gruesomely murdered in her father's farm on December 2, 2013.

"On December 6, 2014, one Fasola Simon was hacked down and shot dead on his farm.

"We are taken aback that the government is still foot dragging on the implementation of the MoU despite our reporting all these incidents to appropriate quarters.

"We can further recall that between 2000 and 2012, 23 people were sent to their early grave by the herdsmen in gruesome manners. The waiting is becoming endless with hunger ravaging our land."

Cultism, Homicide On The Rise In Kwara

No fewer than 61 cases of culpable homicide were recorded in Kwara State in 2013 as against 30 recorded in 2012.

Also, two attempted culpable homicide cases were recorded in 2013 as against none in 2012, the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, Mr. Agboola Glover-Oshodi, has said.

A statement on crime prevention/reduction strategy of 2013 and plans for 2014, which was signed on his behalf by the Deputy Commissioner of Police of the command, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, in Ilorin on Tuesday, also showed that three cultism-related cases were recorded in the state in 2013 while none was recorded in 2012.

The CP,  however, claimed that there was overall decrease of crime cases in the state by 137 as he posited that 803 crimes were recorded in the state in 2012 as against 666 cases in 2013.

He added that armed robbery cases decreased by six from 15 in 2012 to nine in 2013.

Oshodi-Glover said, "The crime situation in Kwara State is relatively low compared to other states within the federation with a strength of 4,072 officers and men.  The command had been fighting crime with all resources available.

"In the period under review, the command witnessed some cases of armed robbery, car theft, culpable homicide, house/shop breaking, chieftaincy and land disputes as well as civil disturbances. The officers and men have no doubt given a good account of themselves because the crime rate has been brought down to the minimum."

Half-nude women protest against Shell in Bayelsa

Hundreds of half-nude women in Peremabiri community in Bayelsa State, Niger Delta, yesterday, staged a protest against non-implementation of an existing agreement by Shell.

The women disrupted movement of workers into the oil platforms and boat houses operated by Shell in the area, alleging non-implementation of the memorandum of understanding Shell entered into with the community.

The protesting women tied red cloth to block the entrance to the oil platform located within the community.

They further alleged that Shell had failed to redeem the two-year-old promise to replace a faulty community generator, renovate existing community school and provide potable water for its host community.

Some of the women carried placards with various inscriptions such as "Shell: Give us Light", "Implement MoU or go", "We need water, Light, School for our children" among others.

The protesters claimed that the oil firm had adopted delay tactics to avoid providing the amenities which they said were time-bound.

Reacting to the development, the spokesman for Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, Precious Okolobo, urged the aggrieved women to adopt the spelt-out channel of addressing their grievances.

"The SPDC has continued to work with the Peremabiri community on the implementation of the MoU in their area. The MoU model has provision for addressing grievances."

On the broken down generator at Peremabiri, Okolobo said SPDC procured a new set that is being transported to the area for installation and commissioning.

He said the set was twice the capacity of the bad one, and would be commissioned as soon as possible.

"The Bayelsa State Government and MoU Cluster Development Board are aware of the situation and are engaging the Community Development Committee," Okolobo said.

Nigeria is one of the world's major oil producers, but the oil- producing Niger Delta region remains one of the country's poorest and least developed regions.
 

Fire Outbreak Engulfs Sawmill in Lagos

A serious fire outbreak has engulped a sawmill market at Pako bus stop, Ipaja road, Lagos state.

The fire which started at about 3:08 am, in the early hours of Tuesday, January 7, got the immediate attention of the Lagos state fire service men who arrived the scene with two trucks of 50,000 litres of water battling hard to douse the fire and was finally put out at about 7:28am.

The Public Information Officer, National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA), Mr. Farinloye Ibrahim disclosed to our reporter that the fire service men responded immediately when they got to know of the outbreak.

"The joy of is that the fire has been put out as they were there with two trucks of 50,000 litres of water to put the fire out and no death was recorded."

However, the cause of the outbreak has not been ascertained as at the time of filing this report.

How 18-yr-old boy killed girl, 12, for money ritual

The police in Lagos State, yesterday, said they have arrested an 18-year-old boy, Ikechukwu Friday, who allegedly killed a 12-year-old girl for money ritual.

The suspect, who is currently being interrogated at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti, Yaba, was paraded before newsmen.

According to him, a pastor he asked for money instructed him to kill a young girl and obtain her faeces.

He said the pastor promised him N100,000 if he was able to accomplish the task.

According to him, "I attend a popular church around Ketu Street, Aguda but I live with my parents in Badagry. I just finished secondary school and I have been very broke so I approached the pastor for money but he told me that I should strangulate a little girl.

"He said when strangulating the girl, she would pass out faeces. The pastor said I should obtain the faeces and bring it to him. He said if I could do this, he would give me N100,000.

"So, on December 30, 2013, I approached a young girl, Bose Ogoja. Her mother sells food in Badagry and I usually patronise them, so she trusted me. I told the girl that I wanted to show her something and that she should follow me. So I took her to an abandoned NITEL building and locked the door.

"I pressed her neck tightly and she passed out faeces. I was, however, not able to get the faeces because I was caught before I could escape."

The suspect, an indigene of Onitsha, Anambra State, pleaded for mercy, adding that this was his first crime.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said the boy was arrested by neighbours in the area and handed over to the Badagry Police Division.

Braide said the pastor, who allegedly gave the boy the instruction, had been arrested and was already cooperating with the police.

While displaying the gruesome picture of the slain girl, Braide said: "He was arrested in an uncompleted building. The security guard manning the building told the police that he saw the boy entering the building with the girl.

He said a few minutes later, he heard the girl screaming and later saw the boy leaving. The security guard raised the alarm and the neighbours were alerted and they arrested the boy."

On entering the building, the discovered that the girl was dead.

The picture of the girl's corpse shows that the girl was naked and defecated on the floor."

Meantime, the police also arrested a 39-year-old, Michael Udom, for allegedly stealing a vehicle belonging to the company he worked for.

According to the police, the suspect attempted to sell the vehicle for N250,000 in the Ijora Badia area of the state but was arrested before he could do so.

The suspect, however, denied the allegation, saying he took permission from his boss before taking the bus home with him.

He said, "I work with a courier company. After the close of work on December 25, 2013, I told my manager that I wanted to use the vehicle to pack things from my house and he agreed. Shortly after parking the vehicle, someone called me from my house saying he wanted to buy the vehicle.

"I refused and told them that I could not sell the vehicle without the company's consent. However, I did not know a policeman was there. He also posed as a buyer and arrested me."

CAR crisis can turn into religious war and spill over borders, UN warns

Jeffrey Feltman, UN Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs, has warned that the   strife in the Central African Republic (CAR) could turn into religious war and spill over the country's borders.

Briefing the UN Security Council in New York, Feltman also warned that the crisis could further destabilise the whole region.

CAR was thrown into turmoil when Seleka rebels launched attacks a year ago and forced President Francois Bozize to flee in March.

Killings in Bangui and in the rest of the country continue every day, and the population remains divided along religious affiliation.

Access to residential neighbourhoods in Bangui is controlled either by 'anti-Christian' or 'anti-Muslim' checkpoints, manned by armed civilians.

Similarly, localities outside Bangui like Bossangoa, Bouar, Bozoum and Paoua, among others, witness atrocities on a daily basis, including direct clashes between the Christian and Muslim communities.

The violence and the atrocities in the CAR must stop. Those in positions of authority or influence must do more to end violence and halt grave violations against civilians, including children.

Attacks against humanitarian personnel, and the use of civilian spaces such as schools and hospitals for military purposes must also end,'' Feltman added.

He, however, urged all parties to the conflict of their responsibilities under International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law to ensure that all those responsible for violations were held accountable.

The UN official lamented the transitional authorities' inability to curb the widespread Seleka human rights abuses and violations against Christians over the past year.

He said this had contributed to the gradual transformation of local self-defence groups.

As a result of its predominantly Muslim composition, Seleka abuses against the Christian populations in the CAR were quickly interpreted as a religious conflict pitting Muslims against Christians.

On the other hand, the frustration of Muslim communities in the CAR is the result of years of marginalisation by the successive governments since the country's independence over 50 years ago.

For instance, while the Muslim community represents an estimated 20 per cent of the total population of the CAR, no Muslim holidays are observed officially by the country,'' the UN Under Secretary-General said.

Those displaced urgently need protection and shelter, as well as access to water, healthcare, food, basic supplies, and sanitation and hygiene services," he added.

3 escape death as commercial bus crashes into shop in Lagos

As Lagos business life gradually returned after the yuletide, no fewer than three people escaped death by the whiskers, yesterday, when a commuter bus veered off the road at the ever busy Awolowo Road in Ikeja and rammed into a boutique.

The accident occurred at about 11 a.m when the commuter bus with number plate Lagos XU 272 AGL, suddenly crashed into shop 10 and 11 in new Ikeja garage and destroyed the entrance door and wares on display in front of the shop.

The shop attendant and two other bystanders, escaped unhurt as they quickly fled the scene.

According to an eye witness who identified himself as David Lateef, "We were in front of our shop when a commercial bus just cleared a woman off the road into the drainage channel before brushing two others into the shop."

Another unidentified woman said: "God saved my life. I was very close to the woman who was knocked down by the reckless driver before he climbed the pavement and destroyed this shop. I really thank God."

The accident resulted into a traffic gridlock as passers-by took over the road.

However, police officers from Ikeja police station were seen assessing the accident with arrangement to tow the vehicle to the station.

Woman slumps, died in Gov Aliyu's office

A woman identified as Hajiya Bilkisu Mahmoud on Monday slumped and died after several hours in the office of the Niger State Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu.

The 46 year old Woman was said to have waited several hours to see the governor but suddenly slump in the office three Minutes after she was usher into the governor's office.

She was immediately rushed to the Minna general hospital with Government House Ambulance where Doctors confirmed her dead.

The late Hajiya Belkisu who was a former Staff Officer (SO) to the Deputy Governor was said to be suffering from asthma until her death.

According to sources close to the government house, Minna, the late Hajiya Belkisu was on a private visit to the Governor as her name was not among the names on the protocol list to see the governor.

The late Hajiya Belkisu, a mother of three children, retired from the State Civil Service three years ago and until her death was a staff of the State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA).

There is no official statement from the government as at the time of filling this report but the governor was said to have hurriedly left his office after the incident.

Health workers declare 5-day warning strike from Jan 15

The Joint Health Sector Unions, in league with the Assembly of Health Sector Professionals, yesterday, directed its members to proceed on a 5-day warning strike from Wednesday January 15, to Tuesday January 21, 2014, except  government  addresses their  grievances through constructive dialogue.

Stating their grievances/prayers in a jointly signed position paper presented on contemporary developments in the health sector, the workers, comprising pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists, radiographers and laboratory scientists among others, insisted that  the dialogue with the President is the minimum and non-negotiable conditionality, as the President, who they described as "the father of the nation", must be willing to give all his children a listening ear in a conflict that continues to fester as a rotten and infected wound.

Spokesperson of the group, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Pharm Olumide Akintayo, warned: "In the event that government does not enter into meaningful dialogue  within two weeks of this notice, we shall be left with no option than to commence a more excruciating and total nationwide strike to enforce our liberties.

Noting that the declaration was a follow-up to the expiration of the 15-day ultimatum earlier given,  Akintayo stated:  "We call on all men and women of goodwill to admonish government on the need to urgently redress this avoidable crisis it has also assisted to worsen."