The Imo State Government has distanced itself from an N80,000 levy placed on Sienna Drivers across the state and described such action as illegal.
The government disclosed this through the Special Adviser to the Governor on monitoring and compliance, Chinonso Nwaneri to news men on Friday.
He issued a stern warning to unauthorized individuals and criminal syndicates extorting money from transporters using Toyota Sienna vehicles across the state, especially those plying the Umuowa and Aba-Owerri expressway.
Nwaneri said that these illegal agents have been collecting as much as N48,500 for 2005 model Siennas and a staggering N80,000 for 2008 models from unsuspecting drivers.
He said, “This government did not authorize the collection of any such levies and does not operate through Point of Sale (POS) agents.
“All official payments are strictly done through the Imo State Treasury Single Account (TSA). Any collection outside this channel is not only fraudulent but criminal.”
He called on all transporters and motorists in the state and those merely transiting to resist these extortion attempts and to report such incidents immediately to the nearest police station or the Ministry of Transport.
Offenders caught engaging in this heinous act, he added will face full prosecution under the law.
He further admonished commercial drivers, to stay vigilant and not to fall prey to impostors parading themselves as government agents.
He added, “This is not just theft—it is economic sabotage and an attack on the integrity of our state..
“We will not tolerate this criminal enterprise hiding under the guise of government activity.”
We Didn’t Authorize N80,000 Levy On Sienna Drivers-Imo Govt is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
An overpowering performance by Logan Webb wasn’t enough for the Giants to overcome their difficulties against left-handed pitchers Friday night.
Lefty Tyler Anderson gave up no runs in six innings and three relievers finished things off for the Los Angeles Angels in a 2-0 win over the Giants at Angels Stadium.
Webb (2-1) was dominant through six innings, tying his career high with 12 strikeouts in six innings with no walks. He gave up two runs, one of them earned, and threw 105 pitches, 70 of them strikes. The Angels’ 3-4-5 hitters – Mike Trout, Jorge Soler and Logan O’Hoppe – put the ball in play just once and Trout struck out three times.
It was the first time in franchise history a pitcher struck out 12, walked no one and took the loss. Webb told reporters he was “super excited” about his change-up, which had the Angels flailing all night.
All those strikeouts piled up the pitch count, however, and Webb was done trailing by two runs after six innings. Five of his strikeouts were on called third strikes.
“After I was done, guys are coming up, joking with me, saying I was a strikeout pitcher,” Webb said. “I’d honestly rather get seven strikeouts and go seven or eight innings and not give up those two runs. I got into a lot of deep counts. that’s just how the game went.”
It’s just the second time the Giants (13-7) have lost two in a row this season, the first coming on April 7 and 8 in back to back shutout home losses to the Cincinnati Reds. The Angels broke a four-game losing streak and are 10-9.
It was the first of a three-game series and the eighth in a 10-game road trip which saw the Giants win two of three against the Yankees in New York and split a four-game series with Philadelphia.
The Giants have struggled against left-handed pitchers, coming into the game with a .208 batting average against lefties overall and .185 against left-handed starters.
Anderson (2-0) was done after six innings, giving up three hits – two of them to Jung Hoo Lee – with two walks and six strikeouts before giving way to Brock Burke, another left-hander. Anderson, who pitched for the Giants in 2020, threw 96 pitches, 64 of them strokes. He struck out six and walked two.
Brock Burke (another lefty), Ryan Zeferjahn and Kenley Jansen finished off the Giants, with each pitching a scoreless inning. The Giants had four hits and just two runners reach second base, none from the fourth through the ninth innings. Jansen pitched the ninth for his fifth save and 452nd of his career.
Webb retired the first five batters, striking four of them, before giving up two runs in the second.
A.P. PHoto
Angels left-hander and former Giant Tyler Anderson pitched the first six innings of a 2-0 shutout Friday night at Angels Stadium.
Zack Neto got the Angels on the board with a run-scoring double at 106.4 miles per hour that shortstop Willy Adames got a glove on but couldn’t handle. It brought home Nolan Schaunel, who doubled to center.
Kyren Paris reached on an error by Matt Chapman at third, with Chapman cutting in front of Adames with the ball bounding into the outfield to bring Neto home with the second run.
It took Webb 29 pitches to get out of the inning and led to his removal after the sixth.
“That’s a really good performance,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “We’re seeing him with the added pitches being able to strike some guys out too. It was next-level stuff for him. But the one inning cost us some pitches and also cost us one of the runs. He pitched great, good enough to win the game.”
NOTES
— Landon Roupp (1-1, 4.80) starts for the Giants Saturday night against Kyle Hendricks (0-1, 4.20) at 6:38 p.m.
— Friday’s game was the first time Giants G.M. Zack Minasian and his older brother, Angels G.M. Perry Minasian, faced each other while both held the title of general manager.
— Casey Schmitt was originally in the starting lineup but was scratched with left side tightness in favor of LaMonte Wade Jr. Wade didn’t start for the second consecutive game with a left-hander on the mound for the Angels. Wade came in hitting .102 (5-for-41) with a home run and seven RBIs. Schmitt came in hitting .174 (4-for-23) with no homers and two RBIs, got the start. Wade didn’t start in the series finale against Philadelphia against lefty Cristopher Sanchez.
— Outfielder Jerar Encarnacion (left hand fracture) will be in a splint two more weeks before he can begin rehab and is expected to be sidelined eight weeks total.
— Broadcaster and former second baseman Duane Kuiper has the best batting average in Angel Stadium history (.360) among all players with at least 120 career at-bats. His career slugging percentage of .416 at Angels Stadium is his highest in any ballpark.
Minimum academic qualification: B Tech in Structural Engineering or a related discipline.
Professional registration with ECSA as a Pr Tech Eng is mandatory.
A minimum of 8 years’ post-registration experience is required.
At least 8 years of full-time site experience on commercial building projects involving reinforced concrete and structural steel is essential.
Proficient in Microsoft Office 365 and collaboration tools (e.g., Teams, SharePoint).
Experience with AutoCAD, Revit, and MS Project would be advantageous.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has stated that he is open to reconciliation with the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sim Fubara—on the condition that Fubara offers a sincere apology for the ongoing political crisis in the state.
Wike and Fubara have been at odds since the latter assumed office as governor in 2023, leading to a deepening political rift that eventually fractured the state’s House of Assembly and created two rival factions within the legislature.
As tensions escalated and the crisis began to impact security in the state, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency. In a decisive move, the president suspended Governor Fubara for six months and appointed a sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs.
Speaking at a media parley in Abuja on Friday, April 18, Wike questioned the sincerity of efforts made toward resolving the crisis and emphasized the need for genuine dialogue.
“Has anybody approached anybody? I don’t like people who are hypocrites,” Wike said.
“I’ve asked her [a reference to an unnamed individual] to name one elder in Rivers State who has made any real effort to promote peace.”
He added: “At the end of the day, if we don’t achieve anything, we’ll be right back to square one—which makes no sense. The day Mr. President intervened, the Assembly members immediately withdrew the impeachment notice. I’m open to forgiveness—if he comes sincerely.”
President Bola Tinubu on Friday promised a better and more prosperous country for Nigerians.
The president gave the assurance in his Easter message made available to journalists in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to his promise of a renewed hope, a better, more just, and prosperous Nigeria for all.
He said the Holy Week, which spanned Palm Sunday through Holy Thursday and Good Friday, and culminated in Easter Sunday, was a call to reflect deeply on the enduring values of sacrifice, redemption, love, and hope.
Tinubu said: “As president of our blessed nation, I draw inspiration from this timeless message of hope and renewal.
“The recent tragic incidents and the loss of lives in some parts of our country deeply saddened me. I understand the pain and fear these incidents have caused.
“Let me assure you that my administration’s resolve to restore peace and security remains unshakable.”
He said forces of evil would never prevail over the country, and that he had given clear directives to the Armed Forces and all relevant security agencies to end insecurity decisively and without delay.
“With the unwavering courage and commitment of our gallant men and women in uniform, we are turning the tide and making steady progress in reclaiming peace and stability.
“We are also grateful to all Nigerians for your patience and resilience as our economy begins to show encouraging signs of recovery.
“We understand the economic challenges many of you are facing, and we are working tirelessly to restore investor confidence, stabilise key sectors, and build an inclusive economy that serves the interests of all Nigerians,” he added.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has warned that kidnappers in the state will face the death penalty by hanging.
In a statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State Governor, Fred Itua on Friday, Okpebholo expressed his readiness to sign death warrants for convicted kidnappers to tackle insecurity in the state.
The governor disclosed this at the stakeholders’ session at the Uromi Town Hall, where he had an interactive session with leaders and members of the Arewa community in Esan land.
The Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) had passed a bill amending the Kidnapping Prohibition Amendment Law (and Related Matters 2013).
The bill prescribes the death penalty for kidnappers and mandates the confiscation and demolition of properties used in the commission of their crimes.
Okpebholo said his administration will not tolerate insecurity, killing, and kidnapping anymore in the State as he will deal ruthlessly with all criminal elements in the State.
“I take the issue of insecurity seriously and will not bend the rules but apply them strictly. The new law in the State permits us to demolish their properties and confiscate their lands. We will build vigilante team offices on those lands.
“We will bring kidnappers to the public and execute them to show our seriousness, according to the laws already passed by the EDHA. I will not be afraid to sign it,” he declared.
The governor called on all to collaborate with his administration to secure the State, “saying security is the business of all and not for security agencies alone.
“The kind of security we want to have in the State is one where security remnants women are paid salaries, unlike before where the people will just put on uniforms without being paid. We are going to employ vigilante teams and pay them salaries and stop people from just putting on their uniforms.
“These people will work with security agencies and they will be trained on how to fight crimes and handle criminals. I will not wait until campaign time to solve your problems. I will start to address the problems facing our people in the market, and everywhere.
“It is time to start profiling people from other States who claim to be from the North and ensure they don’t spoil your name. We will fence the market, put streetlights, and build abattoirs for those killing cows. We want to secure the people of Edo State.”
Okpebholo said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu loves the North and has been very supportive to ensure that the Uromi killing didn’t lead to more destruction.
“Those destroying the land, causing problems, are not even from Nigeria. They are foreigners but the president has vowed to bring peace to Nigeria,” he revealed.
Also speaking, Chairman of Arewa in Edo Central, Alhaji Bawa Umar, thanked the Governor and the Onojie of Uromi for the peace that has been restored.
He noted that the Governor is doing well in terms of security in the State and the Arewa community will support his administration to ensure it succeeds.
The Chairman of Uromi Cattle market, Alhaji Isah Muhammad, also expressed gratitude to the governor for the way he handled the Uromi incident, which he said helped to bring down the tension in the area.
Edo Gov Vows To Sign Death Warrants For Convicted Kidnappers is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
A federal judge on Friday ordered that a Turkish Tufts University student detained by immigration authorities in Louisiana to be brought to Vermont by May 1 for a hearing over what her lawyers say was apparent retaliation for an op-ed piece she co-wrote in the student newspaper.
U.S. District Judge William Sessions said he would hear Rumeysa Ozturk’s request to be released from detention. Her lawyers had requested that she be released immediately, or at least brought back to Vermont.
The 30-year-old doctoral student was taken by immigration officials as she walked along a street in the Boston suburb of Somerville on March 25. After being taken to New Hampshire and then Vermont, she was put on a plane the next day and moved to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Basile, Louisiana. An immigration judge denied her request for bond Wednesday.
FILE – In this image taken from security camera video, Rumeysa Ozturk, a 30-year-old doctoral student at Tufts University, is detained by Department of Homeland Security agents on a street in Sommerville, Mass., March 25, 2025. (AP Photo)
Ozturk is among several people with ties to American universities whose visas were revoked or have been stopped from entering the U.S. after they were accused of attending demonstrations or publicly expressing support for Palestinians. A Louisiana immigration judge has ruled that the U.S. can deport Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil based on the federal government’s argument that he poses a national security risk.
Ozturk’s lawyers are challenging the legal authority for ICE’s detention. They asked that she be immediately released from custody, or in the alternative, be returned to Vermont while her immigration case continues.
A lawyer for the Justice Department said her case should be dismissed, saying the immigration court has jurisdiction.
Ozturk’s lawyers first filed a petition on her behalf in Massachusetts. Initially, they didn’t know where she was. They said they were unable to speak to her until more than 24 hours after she was detained. Ozturk herself said she unsuccessfully made multiple requests to speak to a lawyer.
Ozturk was one of four students who wrote an op-ed in the campus newspaper, The Tufts Daily, last year criticizing the university’s response to student activists demanding that Tufts “acknowledge the Palestinian genocide,” disclose its investments and divest from companies with ties to Israel.
Ozturk’s lawyers say her detention violates her constitutional rights, including free speech and due process.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said last month, without providing evidence, that investigations found that Ozturk engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group.
Responsible for designing electrical systems, managing power distribution, and ensuring the efficiency and safety of electrical projects
Elementary construction cost estimates
Coordinating with other engineering and project management teams
Preliminary design concepts
Developing electrical plans including drafting
Overseeing project implementation
Conducting site inspections and Quality control
Financial management
Requirements:
BEng/BTech degree in Electrical Engineering
Professional registration with ECSA
Proven skills in Electrical Engineering Design
Experience and knowledge in Electricity and Power Systems
Expertise in Power Distribution
Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
Excellent communication and teamwork abilities
Experience in the construction and consulting engineering industry advantageous
Proficiency in AutoCAD, ACC, Autodesk Build 360, Revit (advantageous), Relux