Latest news with #Jos
Zawya
5 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Nigeria: Forum demands administrative, financial autonomy for SIECs
To restore public confidence in State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) as credible agents of grassroots democracy, the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) has called for strategic measures to rebrand and reposition these local election management bodies. The call and recommendations were contained in a communiqué issued at the end of FOSIECON's 13th National Delegates' Conference (NDC), held in Jos, Plateau State from May 20-25, 2025. The communiqué was jointly signed by Chief Barr. Jossy C. Eze, National Chairman, and Associate Professor Joseph I. Aremo, National Secretary of the Forum. The communiqué called for the administrative independence and financial autonomy of SIECs to be prioritised, describing this as a necessary step toward strengthening their ability to deliver on their constitutional mandates. 'Improved autonomy,' the communiqué stated, 'is the foundation for restoring public trust in the conduct of local government elections.' To address growing concerns about public perception and misinformation, the communiqué urged SIECs to 'embark on regular public engagements with election stakeholders across the 768 local government areas,' adding that such efforts would help build public confidence in the capacity of SIECs to conduct credible and transparent polls. It also highlighted the critical role of political parties and citizens in enhancing democratic accountability. According to the communiqué, 'Political parties, as the only platforms for nominating candidates for elections, should evolve mechanisms that support the emergence of leadership with proven integrity.' It further called on the electorate to 'consistently monitor and assess the performance of their elected representatives in order to promote accountability.' Building on existing electoral reforms, the communiqué recommended the extension of legal and institutional frameworks that have strengthened the operations of INEC and also enable financial autonomy for SIECs, noting that such reforms would enable more effective and standardised performance at the state level. On legislative reform, the communiqué urged state houses of assembly to 'adopt the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 regarding the procedure for conducting Area Council elections.' Doing so, it said, would 'help ensure uniformity and certainty in the conduct of local government elections.' In addition, the communiqué emphasised the importance of grassroots education and voter mobilisation, encouraging SIECs to deepen partnerships with civil society organisations and development partners to support voter education and civic engagement. 'All politics is local,' the communiqué read, 'and it is essential that SIECs become not just administrators of elections but champions of civic competence.' The communiqué also rejected calls for the abolition of SIECs, labelling such proposals as 'mischievous and anti-federalist.' It reaffirmed that SIECs remain constitutionally protected and vital to Nigeria's democratic development. This position was publicly supported by Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang and his Nasarawa State counterpart, Abdullahi Sule, both of whom attended the conference as special guests. Themed 'Local Government Elections in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities,' the conference brought together participants from all 36 states, including representatives from academia, civil society, and key electoral stakeholders. Officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) programme, Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI), and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) were also in attendance. Technical sessions featured expert presentations, including a keynote address by Prof. Samuel Egwu, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Benue State. Other sessions explored topics such as SIECs' Independence: Panacea for Credible LG Polls by Assoc. Prof. Mohammed B. Babanumma; Election Management Bodies, Electoral Process and the Law by Prof. Alphonsus Okoh Alubo, SAN; The Role of SIECs in Grassroots Democracy by Barr. Cynthia Mbamalu; and Voter Education, Civic Competence, and Participatory Democracy in Nigeria by Mr. Martins Oloja. More than 300 delegates from across the federation participated in the conference, reaffirming FOSIECON's commitment to strengthening electoral credibility and inclusive democracy at the grassroots level. Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Sky News AU
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
TikTok influencer left in tears after TSA agents ‘humiliated' her over simple mix-up: ‘I felt so embarrassed'
A social media influencer broke down as she recounted how 'rude' TSA employees allegedly yelled at her over a simple mix-up as she went through security check-in, leaving her mortified. Jos, also known as nnnnylsoj to her 1.8 million TikTok followers, posted a video Saturday about how she mistakenly checked in the wrong bag at Austin International Airport before boarding her flight to London, prompting her to tell a female TSA agent about the issue. The 21-year-old TikToker claimed the female TSA agent took her through the check-in line to 'go ahead and switch your bag out' and told her to come through the priority line to check-in once she's done. However, this is where things took an awkward and embarrassing turn. After switching the bags, Jos said she walked over to the priority check-in line like she was told, where a different male TSA agent started yelling at her for being on the wrong line. Jos explained that the other agent told her to come through the priority line after switching her bag — and even pointed at the woman agent who told her to do so for backup, but it only made things go from bad to worse. 'She turns around and she goes, 'No, no, I said go through normal TSA,' whatever it's called,' the influencer recalled. Jos claimed that when the original TSA agent who helped her with the bag issue didn't back up her claim, the other employees, who were all male, started 'making fun' of her and left her feeling humiliated. 'I just got quiet because that is so embarrassing,' Jos told her followers as she sobbed to the camera. But the ordeal continued to get worse for the TikToker. Jos said she was now going through security and putting her stuff in the bin to be checked, but it wasn't pushed enough to move through the machine. She then claims a bunch of the male TSA employees 'all start yelling' and noticed the woman employee who initially helped her 'laughing.' 'And the girl in the f–king jacket starts laughing, and she's like, 'Oh my Gosh, y'all are yelling at her so much!'' the influencer painstakingly recalled. 'Like, f–king pick me ass b–ch. Like a f–king female in a group of men.' Jos, already embarrassed, pushed the bin herself, and the agents all allegedly condescendingly said to her, 'Now you can have a fun trip,' after stressing her out and calling her out on the spot in front of other travelers. 'Like, why are y'all being rude? I'm just a sensitive person, but that was so mean,' the teary-eyed influencer questioned at the end of the video. 'I felt so embarrassed. I felt so stupid. I literally felt humiliated.' While the experience may have left the young TikToker in tears, her devoted followers were there to have her back in the comments of the video, which garnered over 2.5 million views and nearly 400k likes since being posted. 'Girl file a report!! You don't deserve that!' one of her followers suggested. 'ur definitely not being dramatic, people can be so rude for no reason,' another wrote. 'She was obviously looking for validation from her male coworkers smh don't let it get to you,' wrote another user. Other commentators tried shedding light on why TSA agents have a reputation for being rude to flyers. 'As a previous airport employee, they're all assholes because they work sh-tty ass hours and h8 their job they rather take it out on others to make their day better,' one user wrote. 'All airport staff hate their jobs and lives I swear,' another pointed out. 'They are just mad that you are going on a trip and they are stuck at work. And yes I agree Austin TSA is horrible they are all rude for no reason,' commented another. Originally published as TikTok influencer left in tears after TSA agents 'humiliated' her over simple mix-up: 'I felt so embarrassed'
Arab News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
30 killed in central Nigeria attacks: local govt official
JOS, Nigeria : More than 30 people have been killed in separate attacks in recent days in central Nigeria, a local government official said Monday, the latest raids in a region where herders and farmers often clash over land access. The attacks occurred in three villages between Friday and Sunday, chairman of the Gwer West local government area of Benue state, Ormin Torsar Victor, told AFP. 'No less than 20 people were killed at Aondana village on Sunday,' he told AFP over the phone, adding that more than 10 others died in another village. A resident of Aondona, Ruthie Dan Sam, told AFP that '20 people were killed here in Aondona.' 'Children of less than two are being killed. The worst sight is a baby macheted on its mouth,' she said. She added that other people had been killed in neighboring villages, but she had no figures. Victor said he and other locals had buried five people, including a father and two of his sons killed in the village of Tewa Biana 'very close to a military base.' Benue State Police spokesperson Anene Sewuese Catherine confirmed two attacks in the area but said her office had received 'no report of 20 people' killed. She said one raid resulted in the death of a policeman who had 'repelled an attack' and that 'three dead bodies were discovered.' Motive for the violence was not clear, but Victor blamed the 'coordinated attacks' on Fulani cattle herders. Muslim ethnic Fulani nomadic herders have long clashed with settled farmers, many of whom are Christian, in Benue over access to land and resources. The attacks in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt often take on a religious or ethnic dimension. Benue has been one of the states hit hardest by such violence between nomadic herders and farmers who blame herdsmen for destroying farmland with their cattle grazing.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Airline passenger reduced to tears after she's berated by TSA for simple mistake
A woman was left in tears after she was berated by TSA employees for accidentally checking in the wrong luggage. Jos, a social media personality, shared a video on TikTok on Saturday, detailing the 'mean' incident at Austin International Airport. Arriving for her flight to London, the woman, 21, checked in one of her bags and took the other to security. Jos soon realized she had checked in the wrong bag and told a TSA agent. The employee told her to 'go ahead and switch your bag out' then go through the priority section to get checked in for her flight. Jos thought that was the end of her problem, but soon realized her airport nightmare had just begun. After checking in the correct bag, she made her way to the priority line, as she was told, where another employee reprimanded her for being in the wrong line. Trying to defend herself, Jos pointed out the agent she originally spoke with and said the woman had said she could go through priority. 'And she turns around and she goes, "No, no, I said go through normal TSA", whatever it's called,' Jos recalled. Confused and embarrassed, Jos said several male employees started laughing and 'making fun' of her. 'I just got quiet, that is so embarrassing,' Jos said as she cried on camera. Detailing her experience going through security, Jos said she was berated yet again after her bin full of her belongings wasn't pushed far enough to make it through the machine. At that moment, she said a bunch of employees 'all start yelling' and laughing - including the one who she approached first. 'And the girl in the f***ing jacket starts laughing and she's like "Oh my Gosh, y'all are yelling at her so much!",' she said. 'Like, f***ing pick me a** b****. Like a f***ing female in a group of men,' she said of the female TSA agent. 'Like, I was so upset,' she said, adding that when she went to push her belongings like she was told to do, they laughed at her again. She even recalled them telling her: 'Now you can have a fun trip,' as she cried into her hands. 'Like why are y'all being rude? I'm a sensitive person, but that was so mean. 'I felt so embarrassed. I felt so stupid. I literally felt humiliated.' Her loyal followers quickly flocked to the comment section and validated her emotions after the alleged incident. 'Ur definitely not being dramatic, people can be so rude for no reason,' one wrote. 'I get so sensitive at airports too bc why on earth are they so cold for,' another told her. 'Why is everyone that works in airports are always a**holes. They purposely try to ruin your day,' a user said. Others tried to explain why TSA employees tend to be short-tempered. 'As a previous airport employee, they're all a**holes because they work s****y a** hours and h8 their job they rather take it out on others to make their day better,' one said. Someone else commented: 'Most airport staff are rude because we're going where they aren't.' Followers also encouraged Jos to take matters into her own hands and file a report against the employees she interacted with. Jos eventually took their advice as she detailed in a subsequent video that she filed a report against the female agent. Sitting aboard her British Airways flight, Jos gave viewers an update on the situation. 'Ok guys, I'm not crying anymore! What did I do? I reported that b**** to the supervisor,' Jos said as she turned the camera to her boyfriend Coby, adding that he was 'p***ed' over what happened to her. 'I ended up reporting her to the supervisor, Coby reported her - we were angry,' she said. Austin International Airport told the incident does not involve them, only TSA.
New York Post
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
TikTok influencer left in tears after TSA agents ‘humiliated' her over simple mix-up: ‘I felt so embarrassed'
A teary-eyed social media influencer recounts how 'rude' TSA employees allegedly yelled over a simple mix-up as she went through security check-in, leaving her mortified. Jos, also known as nnnnylsoj to her 1.8 million TikTok followers, posted a video Saturday about how she mistakenly checked in the wrong bag at Austin International Airport before boarding her flight to London, prompting her to tell a woman TSA agent about the issue. The 21-year-old TikToker says the woman TSA agent took her through the check-in line to 'go ahead and switch your bag out' and told her to come through the priority line to check in once she's done. Advertisement 3 TikTok influencer Jos posted a video Saturday about how she was left humiliated by 'rude' TSA agents at a Texas airport. However, this is where things took an awkward and embarrassing turn. After switching the bags, Jos said she walked over to the priority check-in line like she was told, where a different male TSA agent started yelling at her for being on the wrong line. Advertisement Jos explained that the other agent told her to come through the priority line after switching her bag — and even pointed at the woman agent who told her to do so for backup, but it only made things go from bad to worse. 'She turns around and she goes, 'No, no, I said go through normal TSA,' whatever it's called,' the influencer recalled. Jos claims that when the original woman TSA agent who helped her with the bag issue didn't back up her claim, the other employees, who were all male, started 'making fun' of her and left her feeling humiliated. Advertisement 'I just got quiet because that is so embarrassing,' Jos told her followers as she sobbed to the camera. But the ordeal continued to get worse for the TikToker. Jos said she was now going through security and putting her stuff in the bin to be checked, but it wasn't pushed enough to move through the machine. She then claims a bunch of the male TSA employees 'all start yelling' and noticed the woman employee who initially helped her 'laughing.' Advertisement 'And the girl in the f–king jacket starts laughing, and she's like, 'Oh my Gosh, y'all are yelling at her so much!'' the influencer painstakingly recalled. 'Like, f–king pick me ass b–ch. Like a f–king female in a group of men.' 3 Jos said that when the original woman TSA agent who helped her with the bag issue didn't back up her claim, the other employees, who were all male, started 'making fun' of her and left her feeling humiliated. Jos, already embarrassed, pushed the bin herself, and the agents all allegedly condescendingly said to her, 'Now you can have a fun trip,' after stressing her out and calling her out on the spot in front of other travelers. 'Like, why are y'all being rude? I'm just a sensitive person, but that was so mean,' the teary-eyed influencer questioned at the end of the video. 'I felt so embarrassed. I felt so stupid. I literally felt humiliated.' While the experience may have left the young TikToker in tears, her devoted followers were there to have her back in the comments of the video, which garnered over 2.5 million views and nearly 400k likes since being posted. 3 Passengers wait to pass through security at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Aug. 31, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Getty Images Advertisement 'Girl file a report!! You don't deserve that!' one of her followers suggested. 'ur definitely not being dramatic, people can be so rude for no reason,' another wrote. 'She was obviously looking for validation from her male coworkers smh don't let it get to you,' wrote another user. Other commentators tried shedding light on why TSA agents have a reputation for being rude to flyers. Advertisement 'As a previous airport employee, they're all assholes because they work sh-tty ass hours and h8 their job they rather take it out on others to make their day better,' one user wrote. 'All airport staff hate their jobs and lives I swear,' another pointed out. 'They are just mad that you are going on a trip and they are stuck at work. And yes I agree Austin TSA is horrible they are all rude for no reason,' commented another.
