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Hunger looms as bakers set to shut down industry nationwide

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The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCN) South-East chapter, has said it is set to withdraw its services from July 13, as directed by its national body.

The Zonal Chairman of the association, Chief Dominic Nwibe made this known in an interview with NAN on Wednesday in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

Recall that the National President of AMBCN, Malam Mansur Umar had also said members would begin a two-week strike from July 13, citing an increase in prices of bakery materials.

Following the directive, Chief Dominic said, “We had a zonal meeting in Abakaliki and decided to follow the directive which is supposed to last for two weeks.

“A bag of baking flour which hitherto cost N25,000 presently cost N28,000 and it is worrisome that it will keep increasing.

“A bag of sugar which hitherto cost N9,000 presently cost N30,000 while 20 litres of groundnut oil costs about N20,000″.

According to him, the members felt it was unnecessary to keep increasing the prices of bakery products such as bread to the detriment of customers.

“The customers would feel that we are greedy and we want to let the federal government know that the situation has become unbearable.

“We are asking for the liberalisation of the sugar importation process to break the monopoly by two or three firms.

“These firms import sugar and control its price mechanisms as the withdrawal of services will make our customers know we are telling the truth on reasons for price increases,” he added.

The zonal chairman regretted that the authorities blamed the high cost of materials on the economic effects of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

“We don’t see any justification to this assertion as flour for instance, can be sourced from nearby countries,” he said.

Also speaking, the south east Zonal Secretary of the association, Mr Okey Ezeanata said that bakers have been seriously affected by the development as most of them have closed shops”.

“The market forces have been unfair to us and as the time we increased prices of products in April till present, there have been several changes.

“We urge the federal government to allow mass participation in our materials’ importation process just like in the telecommunication sector,” he said.

NAN reports that the association alleged that the National Wheat Cultivation Committee already constituted is yet to be inaugurated after over one year.

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Butcher Allegedly Hacks 25-Year-Old Wife to Death in Ekiti

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A 25-year-old woman has allegedly been hacked to death by her husband, a butcher, during a domestic dispute in the Dalimore area of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday when the couple went to the residence of a friend of the deceased’s father, who had offered to mediate in their unresolved marital dispute.

According to sources, the situation, which was initially intended to settle the couple’s differences, turned violent after an argument reportedly broke out between the husband and his wife.

The butcher was alleged to have attacked his wife repeatedly with a machete, leaving her with severe injuries.

She reportedly died from the injuries sustained during the attack.

The suspect was said to have fled the scene immediately after the incident, while the victim’s remains were reportedly taken away.

Speaking on the incident, a cousin of the deceased, identified as Yusuf, alleged that the woman had been planning to leave the marriage after becoming suspicious that some of her clothes and underwear were disappearing from the house.

Yusuf said the deceased had planned to travel to her sister’s residence on Thursday, September 10, as part of her plan to leave the marriage, but told her husband that she was going to her sister’s place for work.

He alleged that while she was preparing to leave Ado-Ekiti, the wife of her father’s friend invited her to the residence, informing her that her husband wanted to see her.

According to him, the woman went to the residence on Wednesday morning, unaware that her husband would also be there.

Yusuf said an attempt to resolve the couple’s differences subsequently degenerated into a physical confrontation, during which the suspect allegedly attacked the deceased with a machete.

He added that some people had been taken into police custody in connection with the incident, while the whereabouts of the suspect remained unknown.

Yusuf also alleged that the suspect fled with the deceased’s mobile phone, which the family believed could contain information that might assist the police in their investigation.

“We want him to be found and arrested. We want justice for our daughter. Her parents are in pain, and my family is in serious agony. She didn’t deserve this,” he said.

As of the time of filing this report, the Ekiti State Police Command had yet to confirm the incident.

The circumstances surrounding the woman’s death and the whereabouts of the suspect could not be independently verified.

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Oyo: Oseni Sympathises With Oranyan Traders Over Market Fire‎

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‎The All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial Candidate for Oyo South, Hon. Aderemi Oseni has commiserated with traders and business owners affected by the fire that gutted parts of the popular Oranyan Market in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area of Oyo State.

‎The fire, which occurred on Sunday night, reportedly destroyed several shops and goods, leaving affected traders to count losses running into millions of naira.

‎Among the businesses affected were jewellery shops, furniture outlets, second-hand clothing stores and other shops within the market.

‎Oseni, who is currently representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, in a statement by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele and made available to journalists in Ibadan, described the incident as “unfortunate and painful”, noting that the victims had suffered a major setback to their businesses and livelihoods.

He said the losses were particularly devastating because many of the affected traders had invested their hard-earned resources in their businesses and depended on them to provide for their families.

‎“I deeply sympathise with the traders and business owners who lost their shops, goods and other valuable properties in this unfortunate incident. Losing the fruits of years of hard work to fire is a painful experience,” Oseni said.

‎The APC chieftain urged the affected traders not to lose hope, saying efforts should be made by relevant authorities and well-meaning individuals to support them and help them recover from the disaster.

‎He called on the relevant government agencies to assess the extent of the damage and consider appropriate measures to assist the victims, stressing that “the affected traders should not be left to bear the burden of the disaster alone.”

The Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) further urged market leaders and relevant authorities to strengthen fire prevention and emergency response measures, including the provision of functional firefighting equipment and ensuring easy access for emergency responders.

He said the incident should serve as a reminder that “more attention must be given to fire prevention and safety measures in our markets to prevent avoidable loss of lives and property.”

‎The lawmaker prayed for strength and comfort for the affected traders and their families, urging them to remain united and hopeful as they begin the difficult process of rebuilding their businesses.

‎He added that the losses suffered by the traders were “not merely about goods and shops, but about livelihoods built through years of sacrifice and hard work,” assuring them of his sympathy at the difficult moment.

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Two die as speeding truck, bus collide on Sagamu-Ore Expressway

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Two persons lost their lives while two others escaped unhurt in a road crash involving a truck and a commercial bus at Ogbere Junction along the Ogbere/J4 corridor of the Sagamu/Ore Expressway in Ogun State on Thursday.

The Federal Road Safety Corps said the accident occurred around 5:10 a.m.

The Ogun State Sector Command Public Relations Officer, Afolabi Odunsi, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, noting that the crash involved a white Mack truck with registration number ABC 660 XC and an orange Peugeot J5 bus with an unknown registration number.

Odunsi said four adult male occupants were involved in the accident, adding that two of them died while the other two escaped without injuries.

He attributed the crash to route violation and excessive speeding.

According to him, the impact of the collision caused the Peugeot J5 bus to burst into flames, leaving its front section completely burnt.

He added that FRSC rescue operatives arrived at the scene within two minutes of receiving the distress call and immediately began rescue and traffic management operations to prevent further accidents.

“Officials diverted traffic to an alternative carriageway to minimise congestion while efforts were made to clear the wreckage from the road,” Odunsi said.

He added that officers of the Nigeria Police Motor Traffic Division, Ogbere Division, evacuated the bodies of the deceased and deposited them at a nearby mortuary.

Reacting to the tragedy, the Ogun State Sector Commander, Corps Commander Oludare Ogunjobi, sympathised with the bereaved families and urged motorists to obey traffic rules to avoid needless loss of lives.

He warned drivers against speeding and route violations, especially during periods of poor visibility and on wet roads, stressing that reckless driving remains one of the leading causes of fatal road crashes across the country.

The FRSC also reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring safer highways through sustained enforcement of traffic laws, public enlightenment campaigns and prompt emergency response to road crashes.

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