NANS to donate 10,000 excercise books to Gombe primary schools.

National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) plans to donate 10, 000 exercise books to primary school pupils in Gombe State as part of its gesture of support for the giant strides of the governor, Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo in education, as well as, in celebration of his 55^th anniversary.

 “We are motivated by Governor Dankwambo’s visionary leadership, which has bequeathed a silent revolution in infrastructure development of Gombe, especially in the areas of education, health, agriculture, improved local government administration, provision of social amenities among other mass-oriented programmes.

In a statement issued to newsmen on Monday, the student body said it is supporting the state’s education system because, Governor Dankwambo has taken giant strides in ensuring that education in the state is at par with international standards.

“More importantly the ‘Last Man Standing’ has proved beyond doubt that new breed politicians and indeed young and emergent leaders can hold their own in the Nigeria project, a development which was well demonstrated by the massive voter support for his second term in office.

“It would be an understatement to say that Nigerian students are gratified by Governor Danwambo’s leadership style and giant strides in developmental politics, but we are truly pleased that Ekiti State University (EKSU), recognized these qualities and conferred him with honorary doctorate degree alongside such eminent leaders as Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi 11 and Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State.

“In character and learning, Governor Dankwambo has distinguished himself and made himself a model for young people who believe in hardwork, honesty and are determined to make the best out of life through education and sound personal principles. 

“For a young man to serve as the Accountant General of the Federation and two terms as governor without being loud and arrogant shows a streak of genius and self realization, all pointing to the fact that Dr. Dankwambo stands out as a role model for Nigerian students and youth. 

The Gombe State governor’s life story gives hope to longsuffering Nigerian students going through tough times in the nation’s tertiary institutions that their tomorrow will be better if they continue on the path of peace and academic excellence. “It was out of his love for proper youth development that the Gombe State governor agreed for the state to serve as host of the most peaceful election in the history of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), without any gunshot or violent attempts to undermine the popular will of students. 

“July 19, 2016 stands out as a memorable day for NANS when students elected Comrade Chinonso Obasi as its national president alongside other national executive officers and credit for that remarkable peaceful convention goes to Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo, who as the chief security officer of Gombe State ensured that there was no improper or undemocratic behaviour before, during and after the election. 

“It is therefore in recognition of the foregoing that we decided to use the opportunity of Governor Dankwambo’s 55th birthday to recognise primary school pupils in Gombe State and by that gesture also, remind them to emulate their leader for a better tomorrow.”

Breaking News: Suicide bomber shot dead in UNIMAID

A Boko Haram suicide bomber, who tried to make entry into the University through the works department on Sunday was shot dead by troops stattioned in the school.

Mr. Tanko Ahmed, the public relations officer of the school confirmed the incident to the newsmen.

As related to the newsmen by Mr. Ahmed, the suicide bomber had already enterd the school through the Univercity back gate around the hours of 11pm, before being guuned down by a vigilant soldier.

He said the works department where the incident occured has been sealed off by the security agents to ensure the area is safe.

Recall that the University has been attacked lately by the terrorist group, one of which was at the mosque in the school.

Two apprehended over drowning of NYSC Corps members

The Enugu State Police Command has arrested two persons in connection with the alleged drowning of a corps member at a hotel swimming pool in the state.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Enugu.

Mr. Amaraizu said that the corps member was allegedly drowned on Saturday at a hotel swimming pool at Ugwuoba community in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State.

“It was gathered that a group of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members had allegedly gone to a hotel at Ugwuoba in Enugu State identified as Hotel De Oranzi Resort, Agungwu Ugwuoba for swimming.

“In the ensuing swimming rendezvous amongst the celebrating corps members, one of them whose name is yet to be established allegedly got drowned.

“She was later rescued and rushed to General Hospital, Amaku in Awka, Anambra State, (since Oji River Local Government Area shares boundary with Awka) for medical attention but was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty,’’ he said.

Mr. Amaraizu said that the body of the deceased corps member had been deposited at the hospital morgue.

He, however, said that the police had intensified efforts to establish the full identity of the deceased corps member.

“While the two persons nabbed in connection with the alleged incident are helping the police operatives in their investigation,” he said.

EFCC remands Head of Nigerian University Teaching Hospital for alleged fraud

Justice I. E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross Rivers State has remanded the Chief Medical Director of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Thomas Agan, two other staff of the university and promoters of two companies in prison custody.

This follows their arraignment on Monday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a five-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy, bid rigging, abuse of office and breach of due process contrary to the Procurement Act of 2007.

Two other staff of the Teaching Hospital arraigned with Mr. Agan are: Offor Jonan Offor, Head, Works and Engineering and Francis I. Utu, Chief Administrative Officer and Head, Legal Services.

The other two accused persons remanded in prison are Okocha Anthony and Emmanuel Etta Nkim, both owners of Anchor Industrial & Construction Services Nigeria Limited and Basemark Energy Nigeria Limited respectively. The companies were allegedly used to perpetrate the fraud.

Mr. Agan, a professor, and his two other colleagues were alleged to have used their positions to corruptly influence the award of the purchase of a Life Support Ambulance Vehicle and one Toyota Coaster Bus to Anchor Industrial and Construction Services Nigeria and Basemark Energy Nigeria Limited by inflating their costs and without following due procurement processes to the tune of N85, 062,000.00 thereby contravening the provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007.

Count one of the charge read, “That you Prof. Thomas U. Agan as Chief Medical Director, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Offor Jonah Offor as Head of Works and Engineering, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Francis I. Utu as Chief Administrative Officer and Head of Legal Services, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Okocha Anthony being the alter ego of Anchor Industrial and Construction Services Nigeria Limited and Emmanuel Etta Nkim being the Alter Ego of Basemark Energy Nigeria Limited sometime in the month of October 2015 in Calabar, Cross Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did conspire amongst yourselves to bid rig for the purchase of one Advance Life Support Ambulance vehicle and one Toyota Coaster Bus 30 seater to Messrs Basemark Energy Nigeria Limited and Anchor Industrial and Construction Services Nigeria Limited contrary to Section 58(4) of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 58(5) of the same Act”.

When the charges were read to the defendants, they all pleaded not guilty.

In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, Kayode Oni, asked the court to remand the defendants in prison custody and to fix a date for trial. However, an attempt by the defence counsel, Mba Ukwenyi, to move an oral application for bail for his clients was refused by the judge who ordered that a formal application be filed.

Justice Ekwo adjourned the case to May 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 for trial and ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody.

UI: ASUU begins one-week warning strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan (UI) Chapter, has declared a one-week warning strike over illegal pension deductions, fractional salary payments and non-payment of supervision allowance.

The decision was taken on Tuesday at a congress convened by the union and presided over by its Chairman, Deji Omole.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members also complained about excessive deductions in their March salaries.

The management of the university was also alleged to have failed to declare the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profile of the university.

According to Mr. Omole, the warning strike is, therefore, to compel the university administration to address the issues which ASUU said bordered on the welfare of her members who are being owed since 2010.

“The congress of ASUU, UNIBADAN, at its meeting of 4th April, 2017, having received permission from the national body of the union, hereby, declare a one-week warning strike.

“The warning strike will commence from 12:01 midnight of Tuesday, 4th April, to 12:00 midnight of Tuesday, 11th April, 2017.

“The congress of the union maintains that the failure of the university administration to satisfactorily resolve all the issues, will force the union to proceed on a comprehensive and total strike,” said Mr. Omole.

The congress, which was well attended, was also addressed by the national delegates of ASUU, which included Mahmood Lawan, from Kano; Tony Monye-Emina, from Benin and Bebe Sese, from Port Harcourt.

NAN recalls that the union had in a congress resolution in March warned the university management to address its grievances, bordering on reversal of illicit deductions and non-payment of promotion arrears.

The three non-academic staff unions of the institution had also been on strike since March 13, grounding administrative activities in the institution. (NAN)

WAEC: Exam papers safe after fire out break

The West African Examination Council, WAEC, has confirmed that computers, vital documents and 10 offices of the control department were destroyed by Tuesday's fire at its Kaduna zonal office. 

The council however said examination papers were not affected by the inferno, which erupted at about 9.50 a.m.

Fidelis Gayan, deputy zonal coordinator in charge of Kaduna office, told journalists that he was at the office when the incident occurred, and that no casualty was recorded.

He said the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained.

Mr. Gayan told the News Agency of Nigeria that the fire probably started from an electrical spark or fault.

“We are running on generator. When they restored electricity, we saw smoke all over the place,” he said.

“We are grateful that no life was lost because most of our staff members were out to their various examination centres.’’

He said that the incident will not affect the ongoing examination because the question papers were safe.

He commended the Federal Fire Service, Nigeria Air Force, State University and State Fire Service for responding fast to the situation.

“We are grateful to all the fire service departments that responded very fast to the situation. Otherwise, the damage would have been more than this.’’

Deputy Controller of Federal Fire Service, Thompson Mohammed, reiterated the need for fire extinguishers to be installed in offices to reduce the rate of damages caused by fire.

“I am sure if there were fire extinguishers here with trained men, the damage would have been minimal.’’

He urged them to liaise with the service to train their staff on how to operate fire extinguishers, adding that “it is committed to discharging its duties effectively and promptly.’’

UNILAG: Disowns 13 students detained in prison

The management of the University of Lagos has disowned the 13 students who are currently in prison custody over an alleged “riotous invasion” of the university campus and a television station.

In a statement on Tuesday, Toyin Adebule, Deputy Registrar, Information Unit of the university said the detained people comprised of students rusticated by the institution and others from a school in Ogun State.

“University of Lagos hereby states that the 13 students remanded by the court as reported by different newspaper tabloids and electronic publications are not students of the institution.

“Let us emphasise here that the rusticated students are requested to apply for re-admission after serving their punishment. Until re-absorption, they are not considered bona fide students of the university.”

The statement came just as Nigeria’s umbrella student body, the National Association of Nigerian Students, issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the release of the students.

The police had charged the students before a Special Offences Mobile Court for “riotous invasion.”

The students include Femi Adeyeye (who is currently rusticated for four semesters by the university for criticising the management on social media), Tony Aina, Kodri Yaya, Asimi Oladime, Ismahim Olalekan, Segun Okesola, Abdulazeez Soneye, Idris Abogunloko, and Muyiwa Olaniyi.

The rest are Toheed Oladimeji, Joseph Akanni, Lukumon Olusegun, and Abiodun Agbeniyi.

They are charged before P.E. Nwaka, a chief magistrate, for two counts of unlawful invasion and disruption of activities.

The students pleaded not guilty to the charges.

On Sunday, TVC, a television station the police claimed the students invaded, said they were at their premises and conducted themselves peacefully.

Journalists learnt that the students were protesting the rustication of a visually-impaired student, Lawrence Success, who was suspended for criticising the university management.

The police arrested the students on Friday and arraigned them before a mobile court on Saturday.

The magistrate had ordered their remand at Kirikiri Prison until April 6 when their bail application will be determined.

UTME: Nigerian lawmakers ask JAMB to extend registration deadline

The House of Representatives has urged the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB to extend the one month deadline given to applicants for the 2017 UTME exercise by at least another month to create more space for prospective applicants.

The call was contained in a motion on Tuesday raised by Danburan Nuhu (Kano-APC)

Mr. Nuhu said during the 2016 UTME exercise, about 1.6 million applicants registered out of which about one million passed while the 2017 exercise might reach 2million across the country given the growing number of applicants.

“Some of the approved centres are registering 250 applicants at a time and most of them are not spacious, do not have adequate number of computers,” he said.

He urged the examination body to specify the requirements including safety measures, which qualify any centre to participate in the conduct of UTME Computer Based Test.

He also urged JAMB to deploy safety equipment to each centre to forestall any incidence of stampede due to overcrowding.

The motion was unanimously adopted by the House and the committee on basic education was mandated to direct JAMB to comply with the resolutions.

The JAMB has repeatedly said it has no plans of extending the April 19 registration deadline for the UTME.

Nigerian student dies in Malaysia

A Nigerian PhD student at the International Islamic University, Malaysia, IIUM, has died.

Journalists gathered that Adedeji Liadi, 44,  slumped while jogging on the campus field.

The late Mr. Liadi, who was popularly known as ‘Olubadan’ because he hailed from Ibadan, Oyo State, was reportedly rushed to the school’s medical facility where he was pronounced dead last week.

He was a lecturer at the Department of Economics, National Open University Nigeria (NOUN), Lagos.

Sources said he had been buried according to Islamic rites at the Muslim burial ground in Malaysia, with members of the Nigerian community in Malaysia in attendance.

The late Mr. Liadi attended Eleta High School, Ibadan, before proceeding to the Lagos State University, LASU, and the University of Lagos, UNILAG, for higher studies.

He joined NOUN as a lecturer in 2013 and started his PhD programme in Malaysia in 2014.

He was about to submit his thesis for viva before he died, sources said.

Speaking with Journalists, Lambe Mustapha, a lecturer at the Department of Mass communication, University of Ilorin, who studied alongside the deceased in Malaysia, said the late Mr. Liadi was a “promising young man with great potentials.”

“He was a nice fellow and his death remains a great loss,” he said. So sad.

UNILAG: Nigerian students's body threatens invasion of Kirikiri prison for the 13 students apprehended.

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to prison authorities to release the 13 students of the University of Lagos currently remanded at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in Lagos.

The student body, in a statement on Monday, threatened to invade the prison and “relocate its headquarters” if the government fails to accede to its demand within the stipulated time.

“After a painstaking review of the circumstances surrounding the draconian ruling, we have resolved to demand and hereby demand the unconditional release of these students within 24 hours,” Chinonso Obasi, the NANS president told journalists, according to a statement he released.

“Consequently, we make bold to state that if at the expiration of our 24 hours ultimatum, these innocent students are not released without strings, we shall relocate the Headquarters of NANS to Kirikiri in solidarity with our members.

“We also hope that the authorities would use the opportunity of the 24 hours ultimatum to either expand the facilities of Kirikiri prison or release our colleagues, as they can see we are serious and determined by offering them a fair choice.”

The police last Saturday charged the students before a Special Offences Mobile Court for “riotous invasion” of TVC, a television station, as well as the main campus of the University of Lagos and disrupting normal activities.

The accused include Femi Adeyeye (who is currently rusticated for four semesters for criticising the University of Lagos management on social media), Tony Aina, Kodri Yaya, Asimi Oladime, Ismahim Olalekan, Segun Okesola, Abdulazeez Soneye, Idris Abogunloko, and Muyiwa Olaniyi.

The rest are Toheed Oladimeji, Joseph Akanni, Lukumon Olusegun, and Abiodun Agbeniyi

They are standing trial before P.E Nwaka, a chief magistrate, on two counts of unlawful invasion and disruption of activities. The students pleaded not guilty to the charges.

On Sunday, TVC refuted the police claims that the students invaded their station, insisting that they had come to protest the rustication of a student by the university management.

The TV station said the students’ protest was “peaceful and they left our premises peacefully.”

Journalists had learnt that the students were protesting the rustication of a visually-impaired student, Lawrence Success, for criticising the school’s management.

The police arrested the students on Friday and charged them to a mobile court on Saturday.

The magistrate ordered their remand at Kirikiri Prison until April 6 when their bail application will be determined.

NANS criticised the magistrate’s decision to clamp the students into a prison facility for one week.

“Being first time offenders, the Magistrate, if ever he was once a University student, would have handed down a stern warning and demand of good behaviour instead of sending them to prison for whatever reasons,” said Mr. Obasi.

“In saner climes, what the Magistrate should have done was to certify that the suspects are bonafide students and release them to their school authorities or student leaders. But rather than factor in the extenuating circumstances of their protest, the Magistrate apparently in a hurry to please some hidden forces, decided to blunt the proper socialization of 13 Nigerian leaders of tomorrow."

Vice Principal admits to having sex with a 16-year-old female student

A Minna Magistrates’ Court on Monday ordered the remand of a 51 year-old-man, Mohammed Kuyizhi, in prison for allegedly impregnating a 16-year-old student.

The Magistrate, Fati Auna, ordered that Kuyizhi, the Vice Principal, Government Day Secondary School, Tunga-Minna, be remanded after he denied committing the offence.

She adjourned the case till April 5 for further mention.

The prosecutor, Abdullahi Maiyaki, had told the court that the complainant, a junior student in the school, alleged that the defendant had sex with her three times in his office.

“The defendant always give her between N50 and N100 for her transport after the sexual intercourse,’’ he said.

According to the prosecutor, the matter was reported to the Child Right Protection Agency by a teacher, after the girl’s guardian informed the school that her ward was pregnant for the teacher.

Mr. Maiyaki said that the accused admitted that he penetrated the girl, but did not release sperm and could not be responsible for the pregnancy.

Mr. Maiyaki said that the offence contravened Sections 19 and 25 of the Child Rights Act.

UTME: JAMB says there won't be an extension as it registers 600,000 candidates.

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has so far registered 600, 000 candidates for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) across the country.

Fabian Benjamin, Head of Public Relations JAMB, made this known on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bwari, FCT.

He said that JAMB was not going to extend the registration period, saying that before deadline every candidate will register.

The spokesman said that measures were on ground to ensure the regulated platform could help candidates to get registered before the end of the month and to prevent irregularities in registration.

Mr. Benjamin said some applicants were seeking extension of the UTME registration deadline due to irregularities in the ongoing registration process.

According to him, it is wrong for any person to also think that there is inadequacy in the number of centres stipulated to register candidates for the UTME.

“We have already registered 600, 000 candidates since sales of form began March 20, how can there be inadequate centres or lack of manpower, when we have more than 400 centres.

“There is no such delay as alleged by some candidates, the issue here is that plenty people are registering for the UTME at the same time.

“The internet is working, if it is not working how then we arrived at the total of 600, 000 that have so far been duly registered.

“Large numbers of applicants seeking to register for UTME go to the Banks allocated for the exercise that is why there seem to be some form of delays and irregularities.

“Before we used three banks and now it is 15 banks because the period is short, but we are not going to extend the registration period, before deadline every candidate will register,” he said.

JAMB spokesman told NAN that the initiative for use of the platform to register candidates for the UTME was in line with the Board’s policy to ensure standards operation.

He, however, said that 25 persons have been arrested and handed over to the police for illegal registration and sale of the 2017 UTME materials to candidates across the country.

He mentioned that the suspects were arrested by a combined team of Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU); members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the NigeriaPolice Force.

UNIJOS: Vice Chancellor dissolves Student Union Government(SUG)

University of Jos, UNIJOS dissolved the Students Union Government (SUG) of the university, the Vice-Chancellor directed the SUG officials to handover all properties belonging to the Union in their possession with immediate effect.

The Students Union Government (SUG) of the University of Jos has been  dissolved. In its place, a Five-man Caretaker Committee has been constituted.

Speaking while inaugurating the Caretaker Committee, Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Seddi Sebastian Maimako gave reasons for the dissolution of the Students Union Government to include the decision of its members to convene a meeting of Students without due approval from the Directorate of Students Affairs which resulted in a protest where the Students were carrying placards against the School Administration for implementing a Federal Government directive of new School Charges for all Federal Government Universities.

The SUG officials had similarly mobilized Students to attend the Stakeholders meeting with parents uninvited and were shouting down parents during the course of the meeting.

The Vice-Chancellor adduced other reasons for the dissolution to include externalizing an internal issue affecting the University without following the acceptable laid down procedures for conflict resolution in the University, intimidating and issuing threats to law abiding Students including fresh Students who are willing to comply with the payment of the new School Charges.

The SUG officials were also accused of maligning the Principal Officers of the University including the Vice- Chancellor on various media platforms including the social media while misinforming members of the public on the action taken by the University Authorities in the process of implementing the new School Charges.

Professor Maimako explained that Management had on several occasions invited the SUG officials to dialogue on the matter of the harmonized school charges for Federal Universities but they had remained intransigent and refused to see reason.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, all the actions taken by the dissolved SUG officials clearly indicate their desire to disrupt the smooth running of the University. While announcing the dissolution, the Vice-Chancellor directed the SUG officials to handover all properties belonging to the Union in their possession with immediate effect.

Professor Maimako also announced the constitution of a Five-Man Caretaker Committee of the Students Union Government with Wuyep Gideon Nansar as Chairman, Timdi Nkat as Secretary, Yilmazaka Philip Gershinen, Idi Christopher Ishaku and Ekweozor Chukugozie Nzube as Members.

The Vice-Chancellor charged the members of the Caretaker Committee to maintain the spirit of discipline and dedication in line with the University’s motto. Responding on behalf of the other members, the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Wuyep Gideon Nansar assured that they would do their best to contribute to the peace and progress of the institution and use their wealth of experience to work with the Students, Management and Stakeholders for the benefit of the system.

Abdullahi Abdullahi 

Principal Assistant Registrar, Information and Publications