The Nation July 5 2011

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Nigeria’s truly national newspaper

News One dead as two-storey building collapses in Ibadan P9 Sport Rivers tops table with 86 medals at National Festival P63 Business CBN not promoting Islamic bank, says Sanusi P11 http://www.thenationonlineng.net

VOL. 6, NO. 1811 TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

SSS arrests Boko Haram ‘commanders’ in six states 12 bombs defused Gunmen snatch workers’ salary

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MASSIVE security crackdown on Islamic fundamentalist group Boko Haram has begun, with the State Security Service (SSS) arresting 100 “cell commanders” in six states. Also yesterday, the Military Task Force said it arrested six suspects in connection with Sunday’s explosions at the Wulari Mammy Market in Maiduguri. Amid the clampdown, gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members killed one policeman and three others in Borno State yesterday, unconfirmed re-

How N18,000 minimum wage was agreed upon •ASUU strike notice From John Ofikhenua, Abuja and Jide Orintunsin, Minna

From Sanni Ologun, Abuja

ports said. The victims were Shani Local Government Area workers. They were reportedly on their way to Shani, carrying with them the local government’s workers’ June salary. The gunmen allegedly attacked them between Marama and Mbulatawiwi along Numan road, snatching the cash, it was learnt. SSS spokesma Marilyn Ogar said the suspects were arrested in Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Yobe, Borno and Adamawa. But, according to her, the SSS has no intention

T •Photograph of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted under a rail track in Kaduna shown PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE by the SSS ... yesterday

of prosecuting the suspects – in line with the “carrot and stick” policy adopted by President Goodluck Jonathan in dealing with Boko Haram. The position of the SSS is, however, at variance with

that of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, who said on Sunday that anyone caught with explosive materials by the Army would be tried in accordance with the recently -

signed Anti-Terrorism law. The SSS said 12 home-made bombs planted by insurgents in Kaduna State within the last two months had been Continued on page 2

Jonathan tackles protests •Okonjo-Iweala for screening today From Yusuf Alli and Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

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ORLD Bank Managing Director Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will face the Senate today for screening as a would-be minister, sources said yesterday. The former Finance Minister, who helped negotiate debt relief in 2005, is expected to return to her old position, but with more powers over economic management, sources close to the negotiations said. “She will appear before the Senate tomorContinued on page 2

•Lagos State Governor Babatunder Raji Fashola (right) congratulating Commissioner for the Environment Mr Tunji PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES Bello after his swearing in at Alausa ... yesterday. See also page 9.

HE report of how N18,000 was agreed upon as the minimum wage between government representatives and the labour movement emerged yesterday. The amount, it was gathered, was what state governments proposed during negotiations. Also yesterday, the Academic Staff Union of Nigeria Universities (ASUU) backed the twoweek ultimatum given the government by labour to pay the minimum wage or face a strike. According to a report on the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage, which our correspondent obtained from the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Headquarters in Abuja, Abia State proposed to pay N46,700, Kebbi proposed N30,000, Imo proposed N30,000 and Kwara N30,000. Bauchi proposed N16,585.50, the Federal Capital Territory N25,000, Zamfara N15,000, Jigawa N20,800, Plateau N10,000, Anambra N25,000 and Ebonyi proposed N10,000. Akwa Ibom proposed N13,333.12 and Kano N11,022.17. The average of the various proposals by representatives of state governments, came to N21,800. N18,000 was adopted as the uniform monthly minimum wage for workers across the country. The document was jointly signed by representatives of the Minister of Continued on page 2

•SPORTS P13 •POLITICS P17 •PROPERTY P25 •ENERGY P39 •AVIATION P41


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