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Post Date : February 16, 2024

Desist from opposing student loan, NANS cautions ASUU

  The National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS) has called on the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) to stop its opposition to the Student Loan Programme. The NEC of the union had on Thursday said ”Nigerians should be aware that the Loan scheme is a way of starving public universities of funding and a ploy to divert public funds into private universities owned by politically exposed individuals and their friends.” Reacting to this, the President of the Senate, NANS, Dist. Sen. Akinteye Afeez Babatunde in a signed statement said ASUU were pushing forth another agenda that favours them. ”It is disheartening to witness ASUU, an organization purportedly dedicated to the welfare of students, opposing a program that could provide much-needed relief to countless individuals. This begs the question: does ASUU truly represent the interests of students, or do they have ulterior motives? ”We are dismayed by ASUU’s hypocrisy in this matter. If ASUU members were to benefit from the Student Loan Program, would they still be opposed to it? It is time for ASUU to come clean and clarify any hidden agenda they may have regarding the student loan. Students demand transparency and honesty from ASUU regarding their stance on this crucial issue,” he said. Babatunde also call of the University Union to refrain from acting as the mouthpiece of the Nigerian students ”Furthermore, ASUU’s attempts to speak on behalf of students regarding the Student Loan Program are unwarranted and unacceptable. Students are perfectly capable of voicing their own opinions and advocating for their interests. ASUU should not presume to speak for students without consulting them directly.” he said. ”Today, students across the nation are calling on ASUU to refrain from interfering in matters concerning the Student Loan Program. Contrary to ASUU’s assertions, students are not only supportive of the program but are actively advocating for its implementation. The Student Loan Program represents hope for many Nigerian students, especially those facing financial hardship. It offers an opportunity for sons and daughters of ‘nobodies’ to access higher education, thereby levelling the playing field and fostering equal opportunities for all.” ”In conclusion, students urge ASUU to cease its opposition to the Student Loan Program and to refrain from speaking on behalf of students without their consent. If ASUU has any genuine concerns or reservations about the program, they should address them openly and transparently. It is time for ASUU to prioritize students’ interests and support initiatives that will benefit the entire student community.”

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Post Date : February 16, 2024

OBITUARY: Alexei Navalny, Daring Opposition Leader Who Died Behind Bars

  Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in an Arctic prison on Friday, leveraged social media and fatigue with the Kremlin to rise to prominence. He was for years the most prolific critic of President Vladimir Putin and his policies, returning to Russia after recovering from a near-fatal poisoning attack that his supporters say was orchestrated by the Kremlin. He was immediately imprisoned on his arrival and on Friday could not be revived by medics when he lost consciousness after going for a walk, the prison service said. During his time behind bars, the 47-year-old appeared in grainy videos from makeshift court hearings, daring to slam Putin over his offensive in Ukraine. READ ALSO: Three Killed, Several Others Abducted As Bandits Raid Mosque In Katsina His message — relayed to fans through social media content — contrasted dramatically to that of Putin, a Soviet-styled, 71-year-old former KGB agent who has ruled for over 20 years. “(Russia) is floundering in a pool of either mud or blood, with broken bones, with a poor and robbed population, and around it lie tens of thousands of people killed in the most stupid and senseless war of the 21st century,” Navalny said in one statement. His criticism, which resonated with thousands of young supporters, proved a source of irritation for a Kremlin that rights groups accused of wiping out dissent by any means necessary. His death will only exacerbate these concerns. ‘I am not afraid’ In 2018, he had campaigned across the country to be president, published corruption investigations that embarrassed the Kremlin and rallied massive crowds onto Russia’s streets. His return to Russia in January 2021 despite facing jail put him on a collision course with Putin, after Navalny blamed the poisoning attack in Siberia on the Kremlin. “I’m not afraid and I call on you not to be afraid,” he said in an appeal to supporters as he landed in Moscow, moments before being detained on charges linked to an old fraud conviction. His arrest spurred some of the largest demonstrations Russia had seen in decades, and thousands were detained at rallies nationwide calling for his release. Navalny’s team countered Putin with the release of “Putin’s Palace,” an investigation into a lavish Black Sea mansion that his team claimed was gifted to Putin through corruption. The expose forced a rare denial from Putin, who quipped that, if his security services had really been behind the poisoning, they would have finished the job. While Navalny trafficked confidently in memes, Putin is known both for not using the internet and asking a teenager who wanted him to follow his YouTube channel: “What should I sign?” A similar Navalny corruption video targeting then prime minister Dmitry Medvedev spurred large demonstrations in 2017, with protesters carrying rubber ducks which became a symbol of the protests. Ahead of a presidential election in 2018, Navalny toured cities across the country to drum up support but was barred from running because of the old fraud charge. “(Putin) fears me and he fears the people I represent,” he told AFP at the time. Before that he had challenged Sergei Sobyanin to become Moscow mayor and forced a runoff. ‘Crooks and thieves’ At rallies and in courtrooms, Navalny was a convincing public speaker and rallied protesters around home-grown slogans like “the party of crooks and thieves” to slam the ruling United Russia party. But he was been tainted by an early foray into far-right nationalism, and a pro-gun video from 2007 routinely resurfaced in which he compared people from the ex-Soviet South Caucasus region to cockroaches. Navalny also remains a fringe figure for a large portion of Russian society, who back the Kremlin’s official portrayal of him as a Western stooge and convicted criminal. He had become such a thorn in the Kremlin’s side that Putin refused to pronounce his name in public. His anti-corruption group was shuttered and his top allies are either imprisoned or in exile. ‘Cannot shut my mouth’ Navalny’s team said he had been harassed in prison and repeatedly moved to a punitive solitary confinement cell. He said guards had subjected him and other inmates to “torture by Putin”, making them listen to the president’s speeches. Still Navalny was upbeat and sardonic on social media accounts curated by aides, even despite his conditions. The lawyer by training had fought for basic rights and taken prison officials to court. He had also tormented them, filing formal requests for a kimono and a balalaika — a traditional musical instrument — and to be allowed to keep a kangaroo. “You cannot shut my mouth,” he declared. AFP

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Post Date : February 16, 2024

Soludo govt continues war on media in Anambra, smashes newspapers on Friday

  For the second time in two days, officials from Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s Awka Capital Territory Development Agency (ACTDA) confiscated all newspapers from vendors in Anambra state. The Nation reported that on Thursday, February 15, the officials destroyed all the newspapers and smashed all the PoS machines belonging to the vendors, including their tables and umbrellas. The newspapers seized by the agents of the ACTDA, around 10am in Friday include The Nation, The SUN, Punch, Thisday, Vanguard and Guardian. The officials of ACTDA maintained that the state government does not want any newspaper to be sold again on the streets. It was learnt that the vendors in the state were summoned on Friday by the Department of State Service (DSS). The DSS summon may not be unconnected to find a resolution to the issue between the vendors and the agency. However, one of the government officials who spoke with The Nation said: “What they are doing is good. It is to make Anambra look good. But what the people are complaining is the crude way the enforcers are going about it. “They don’t have to burn the wares of people who want to make little money to feed their families, destroy bananas of petty traders, smash PoS of people among others.”

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Post Date : February 16, 2024

Court Orders FG To Prosecute Dele Giwa’s Killers

  An Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Friday, ordered the federal government to investigate, prosecute and punish perpetrators of the murder of the founder of Newswatch Magazine, Dele Giwa, and other journalists in the country. Giwa was killed through a letter bomb in his Lagos office on October 19, 1986. Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, also made an order directing the government to take measures to prevent attacks on journalists and other media practitioners. The applicant, the Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda, had sued the Attorney-General of Federation (AGF) as the sole respondent in the suit dated and filed on October 26, 2021. In the motion on notice marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1301/2021, the applicant sought a declaration that the killings of various journalists and media practitioners in Nigeria are a violation of their fundamental right to life. This right, according to the group, is encapsulated in section 33 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, among other reliefs. In the affidavit, the group listed some of the journalists murdered in the course of their duty as Dele Giwa, killed on October 19, 1986; and Bolade Fasisi of the National Association of Women Journalists, March 31, 1998; Others include Edward Olalekan of Daily Times, murdered on June 1, 1999; Omololu Falobi of The Punch, October 5, 2006; Godwin Agbroko of Thisday, December 22, 1999; Abayomi Ogundeji of Thisday, August 17, 2008; and Edo Sule-Ugbagwu of The Nation, April 24, 2010. Justice Ekwo, who observed that the AGF did not file any process to counter the applicant’s arguments, held that since the group’s arguments were not controverted, such arguments would be deemed true. “I have studied the response of the respondent to the averments of the applicant, and I find the said averments to be generic in nature, and they do not controvert the case of the applicant specifically. The applicant has stated names of journalists killed in Paragraph J of the affidavit in support. “It is pertinent to note that the respondent has neither denied that these killings have taken place or that these persons were not journalists or media practitioners. “The position of the law is that affidavit evidence, which is not challenged or controverted howsoever, is deemed admitted and can be relied upon by a court,” he said. He said media is a constitutional profession. Hence, journalists and media practitioners ought to be protected in the course of their duties. The judge said he found that the applicant had established its case by credible evidence and ought to be entitled to the reliefs sought. “An order is hereby made directing the federal government of Nigeria to take measures to prevent attacks on journalists and other media practitioners. “An Order is hereby made directing the federal government of Nigeria to investigate, prosecute and punish perpetrators of all attacks against journalists and other media practitioners and ensure that all victims of attacks against journalists have access to effective remedies. “An Order is hereby made directing the federal government to take measures to raise awareness and build the capacities of various stakeholders, particularly journalists and other media practitioners, policymakers, law enforcement, security, intelligence, military, as well as other officials and relevant stakeholders on the laws and standards for ensuring the safety of journalists and media practitioners. “This is the judgment of this court,” Justice Ekwo declared. (NAN)

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Post Date : February 16, 2024

Gunmen kill husband, kidnap wife in Plateau

  A middle-aged man, Sule Gwamnati, has been shot dead by gunmen who attacked his family house in the early hours of Friday in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State. It was learnt that after shooting Gwamnati, the attackers suspected to be kidnappers went away with his wife, Blessing. Sources said that Gwamnati, who was immediately rushed to a hospital in Jos, died a few hours after arrival. A relative of the wife, Luther Dafwang, confirmed the incident in a distress message he sent to members of the Assemblies of God Church in Jos on Friday. The message read, “Brethren, please we sincerely need your prayers. Last night, the family of my sister was attacked by robbers in their house at Mai Katako in Bokkos LGA. Her husband was shot and was rushed to Jos University Teaching Hospital, Lamingo. “And the robbers kidnapped his wife, my sister. And this morning (Friday), we lost him. We can’t trace her whereabouts. Please help us pray.” The Chairman of Community Peace Observers in Bokkos, Kefas Mallai, also confirmed the attack to our correspondent on Friday. Kefas said, “Early hours of today, Friday 16th February 2024, one Sule Gwamnati (native) was shot twice by some criminals who kidnapped his wife, Blessing Sule. The victim later died in JUTH after treatment started.” The chairman said that the incident had been reported to security operatives in Bokkos who assured them that investigation into the incident was ongoing. The Sector Commander of Operation Safe Haven in charge of Bokkos, Lt Col Isaac Indiorhwer, could not be reached when contacted on the incident by our correspondent on Friday. The spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, was also not available as his phone indicated that it was switched off. PUNCH Online reports that Bokkos LGA and the surrounding communities have been in the news in recent times over increased activities of criminals who have been attacking and killing people in their homes while destroying their property.

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Post Date : February 16, 2024

Three Killed, Several Others Abducted As Bandits Raid Mosque In Katsina

  Three worshippers have been killed and several others abducted after some suspected bandits in their numbers invaded a mosque in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State. Although security agencies and government officials in the state are yet to confirm the incident, residents, told Channels Television that the bandits raided the mosque on Thursday at about 8:00 pm. According to a resident who spoke under the condition of anonymity, four other worshippers were equally wounded as a result of the attack which lasted for hours. Upon their arrival on motorcycles, the hoodlums were said to have opened fire on the faithful while deeply performing the fifth daily prayer otherwise known as “Isha’i”. “The hoodlums later proceeded to the Kankara town and kidnapped a man and two other women. “They (hoodlums) also butchered another person mercilessly for refusing to go with them,” he narrated. Northwest and central Nigeria have been plagued by gangs of criminals who stage deadly raids on villages and kidnap residents for ransom. Though driven by financial gain, there are concerns among officials and analysts about their growing ties with jihadists waging a 14-year insurgency in the northeast. Militia members said they had redeployed from battling jihadists to help fight the gangs near Nigeria’s northwestern border with Niger Republic.

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Post Date : February 16, 2024

EU to invest €37m in Nigeria’s power sector -Ambassador

  The European Union (EU) says it is set to invest 37million Euros into Nigeria’s power sector. The EU Head of Mission to Nigeria, Amb. Samuela Isopi said this when she visited the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, on Friday in Abuja. She was accompanied by the new Head of Cooperation of the EU, Mr Luca Massimo and Mr Godfrey Ogbemudia, Programme Manager on Energy.   Isopi said that the money was apart from the about 200 million Euro grants invested in the sector since 2008. Speaking on the EU’s various intervention programmes in the power sector, the Envoy said that the current support would cover small hydro-power and solar for health care facilities. Other areas to be covered in the current intervention are the rural electrification with isolated and interconnected mini-grids project, circular economy. According to her, the projects will commence soon. Isopi also used the opportunity to invite the minister to an upcoming inauguration of two projects funded by the EU and implemented by United Nations Industrial Development Organisation(UNIDO) Responding, the minister, who received the ambassador in company of his Chief Technical Advisor, Mr Adedayo Olowoniyi , expressed appreciation to the EU for the support it has been giving to the sector. Adelabu said that more support was needed to address the enormous challenges in the sector. He said that the issue of liquidity was the main problem that the government is trying its best to resolve. The minister said that the market would only be sustainable and run efficiently when there is a cost reflective tariff in place. According to him, he was pleased with the EU programmes for the sector and confirmed their alignment with the ministry’s strategy. The minister promised to work with the EU on its programmes especially on small hydro and state electrification projects within the new Electricity Act.

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Post Date : February 16, 2024

FCT police arrest wanted kidnappers

  The Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the FCT Police Command has apprehended one notorious kidnapper, Saidu Abdulkadir. The Force Public Relations of the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh in a statement on Thursday, said the kidnapper was arrested following a raid on their camps bordering Nasarawa and Abuja via Kuje area council, at about midnight on Thursday. Adeh said the bandits, on sighting the operatives, opened fire and engaged the police in a gun duel, but were eventually overpowered. He added that Habu Yakubu and Isufu Abubakar, who were abducted in the Kuje Area Council, were rescued unhurt. The statement read in part, “The Police operatives of the FCT Police Command attached to the Anti-kidnapping unit, in a continued effort against criminality in the Territory, raided two (2) kidnappers’ camps bordering Nasarawa and Abuja via Kuje area council on 15/02/2024 at about 12 am, dislodged the camps and arrested one Saidu Abdulkadir ‘m’ popularly known as (Dahiru Adamu), who is the gang leader and one of the wanted suspects of the kidnapping syndicate paraded by the Police Command on 14th February 2024. “The bandits on sighting the police operatives, opened fire and engaged the Police in an intense gun duel and were eventually overpowered by the Police, as one Habu Yakubu and Isufu Abubakar, earlier abducted from Kwaita village via Pegi district of Kuje area council, were rescued unhurt and the suspect arrested. Speaking further, he said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects masterminded the kidnap and killing of one Mr Sunday Yahaya Zakwai, the District head of Ketti village. “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect masterminded the kidnap and killing of one Mr Sunday Yahaya Zakwai, the district head of Ketti village. “While efforts are still ongoing to apprehend the other wanted suspects on the run, the Commissioner of Police FCT, CP Benneth C. Igweh psc, mni, wishes to reassure criminals in FCT that there is no hiding place for them. “He equally urges residents to report suspicious activities through the following emergency lines; 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653, and 08028940883; PCB: 09022222352”. In recent times, the FCT has turned kidnappers den as they kidnap and demand ransom from their victims. Notable among their recent attacks is the killing of one Najeebah, who was abducted along with her five other sisters in Abuja. Najeebah and her sisters were abducted on January 9, alongside their father. It was gathered that the gunmen later released their father, asking him to go get N60m as ransom for the release of her daughters before Friday, January 12.

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Post Date : February 16, 2024

Ize-Iyamu withdraws from Edo APC governorship race

  Less than 24 hours before the All Progressives Congress governorship primary election in Edo State, one of the aspirants, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has quit the race. In a letter of withdrawal (which was not dated) he sent on Friday to the national chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje, and copied the acting state chairman of the party, Jarrett Tenebe, to notify the party of his decision, Ize-Iyamu said the decision was a painful one. Ize-Iyamu had been one of the top contenders before he quit the race to the surprise of many. It would have been his fourth attempt at becoming the governor of the state having served as Secretary to the State Government under Governor Lucky Igbinedion. The letter read, “Few months ago, after extensively interacting with family, friends. political associates, and supporters, I joined the 2024 Edo State gubernatorial race as a result of my passion and commitment to the cause of rescuing Edo State from its current condition of decrepitude. “I entered the contest as a progressive democrat, with an open mind to keenly contest and accept the result of a process that is fair, credible, and transparent, I| appreciate the commendable effort made by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to correct the erroneous impression maliciously created by certain persons that some aspirants including myself had been disqualified from the gubernatorial contest. “The NWC constituted the authentic screening committee and all twelve aspirants who purchased and completed the nomination forms were successfully screened and subsequently issued clearance certificate. This step was praiseworthy and helped in restoring our integrity in the eyes of the public.” He added that he had to sacrifice his ambition for the peace and unity of the party “Having being cleared to contest, I regrettably wish to announce my withdrawal from the race. Although painful, this decision has become imperative after an exhaustive consultation with my family, friends, political associates, and supporters I make this sacrifice in the interest of the peace and unity that the party desperately requires at both state and national levels, I humbly appeal to the good people of Edo State to accept my decision which is very personal and I promise to be there for them at all times. “Thankfully. I acknowledge the fatherly role of President Bola Tinubu, as well as the party’s National leadership for their fairness and commitment to the democratic process. Likewise, I remain grateful to the state’s working committee for their principled stand to allow a level playing field for all aspirants. “I am extremely appreciative to my family, friends, supporters, well-wishers, and the extraordinarily hardworking men and women of our campaign organization who were prepared to stop at nothing to see me fly the party’s flag. I salute your great works, your steadfastness, and your courage. “Finally, as a loyal party man, I wish to pledge that I and my teeming supporters shall support any candidate that emerges in the primary election held tomorrow on Saturday,” he declared.

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Post Date : February 16, 2024

Tinubu approves upgrade of 16 health facilities across six geopolitical zones

  President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate upgrade of critical health facilities across the six geo-political zones. Announcing the approval in a statement on Friday, Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, said the upgrades are in line with the administration’s vision of overhauling the health and social welfare sector for enhanced service delivery to all Nigerians. Ngelale said the federal ministry of health and social welfare in collaboration with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) will carry out the comprehensive upgrade of cancer-treatment infrastructure and other critical developments in six tertiary hospitals across the geopolitical zones. He said the federal government would also carry out a full renovation and expansion of prior investments to improve broad-based access to high-quality healthcare in the six geo-political zones. “Upgrading health infrastructure and equipment is a top priority of President Tinubu’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative,” the statement reads. He said six teaching hospitals across the geo-political zones have been marked for the establishment of oncology and nuclear medicine centres per facility. The health facilities approved for upgrading include the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, University of Nigeria (Nsukka) Teaching Hospital, Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, University of Jos Teaching Hospital, and Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Ngelale added that there will also be 10 critical healthcare service expansion projects across the fields of radiology, clinical pathology, medical and radiation oncology, and cardiac catheterisation that will be carried out in 10 hospitals across all geo-political zones. They include: north-west: Reference Hospital, Kaduna — (Radiology, clinical pathology, medical and radiation oncology); south-east: Medical Diagnostic Centre Complex, Enugu — (Radiology, clinical pathology, medical & radiation oncology); north-west: Usman Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto — (Diagnostic and intervention radiology, clinical pathology, and cardiac catheterization); and south-west: University College Hospital, Ibadan — (Diagnostic and intervention radiology, clinical pathology, and cardiac catheterization). Others are south-south: University of Uyo Teaching Hospital — (Radiology and clinical pathology); north-east: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi — (Radiology and clinical pathology); south-south: Federal Medical Centre, Asaba — (Radiology and clinical pathology); north-central: Harmony Advanced Diagnostic Centre Complex, Ilorin — (Radiology and clinical pathology); north-central: Jos University Teaching Hospital — (Radiology and clinical pathology); and north-east: Federal Medical Centre, Nguru — (Radiology and clinical pathology). The presidential aide said the projects are be delivered within 12 to 18 months, nothing that the upgrade will improve screening and diagnostics, reduce mortality rates, and improve outcomes for non-communicable diseases.

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