Socioscope News Agency

Why we seized rice consignment –Customs; Product not plastic – NAFDAC The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have cleared the air on reports indicating that plastic rice has flooded Nigerian markets. The NCS had hurriedly described the seizure it made recently via its anti-smuggling operatives of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, Lagos, as plastic rice, but, when it was subjected to laboratory scrutiny by Health Ministry officials, it proved otherwise. However, the social media had already been awash with the news that plastic rice had finally landed in the country. A statement from the Customs from a joint press briefing held yesterday in Abuja quoted the Comptroller-General of NCS, Col. Hameed Ali (retd), as saying that the consignment recently seized by his officers did not have manufacturer’s address, NAFDAC number, batch number, expiry and production dates...

Rice, wheat import gulps N1trn annually – CBN The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, has said that importation of rice and wheat gulped over N1 trillion in foreign exchange annually. Emefiele said this on Thursday in Jibia, Katsina State, at the launch of CBN Anchor Borrowers Programme and 2016/2017 Dry Season Farming. ‘’Nigeria’s import bill is exceptionally high; top four import commodities which include rice and wheat, consume over N1 trillion in foreign exchange annually,’’ he said. According to him, relying heavily on food importation fuels domestic inflation and depletes the country’s foreign reserves. The governor, represented by the Director, Development Finance, Mr Olaitan Mudassir, said food importation had negative effects on local production industries and created unemployment in the country. “Indeed, dependence, especially on commodities that have advantage, is not acceptable and sustainab...

Amnesty International condemns execution of Edo prisoners Amnesty International, AI, has condemned the execution of three death row prisoners by the Edo State government on December 23, 2016. The organisation also urged the Nigerian authorities, including state governments to return to a moratorium on executions, with a view of abolishing the death penalty. AI said in a statement on Thursday by its Country Acting Director, Makmid Kamara that executions in Edo state is a “backward step in the global trend towards abolition of the death penalty.” The statement read in part, “Amnesty International strongly condemns the executions on December 23 2016 of three death row prisoners in Benin City prison by the Edo State government and calls on authorities in Nigeria not to carry out any further executions of death row prisoners. ” We urge the Nigerian government, including all states in the federation, to return to a moratorium on executions, with a view of abolishi...

Plane Bombing Allegation: Buhari Can’t Descend To Wike’s Level Responding to Governor Wike’s allegation, Presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, simply said: “The President will not descend to Wike’s level. He is the President of Nigeria.” Similarly while the Police in the state said they were not aware of the plot, APC in the state said the governor was being hunted by his past. According to the state Police spokesman, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, the allegation had not been brought to the attention of the command. He is hunted by his past—APC On its part, APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Chris Finebone, said the governor was merely frightened by his past, saying: “The APC believes that Governor Nyesom Wike’s utterances today, (yesterday) at his party’s event in Port Harcourt remains typically symptomatic of someone caught committing a heinous crime who has become confused and decides to pour dirt on anyone in sight. ...

Jibrin Secretly Begs Dogara Over His Suspension - Daily Trust The suspended former chairman of the House of Representatives appropriation committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has “secretly begged Speaker Yakubu Dogara,” Daily Trust has gathered. It was gathered that Jibrin, who was suspended in September for one year, following his allegations of massive fraud in the House, had delegated some lawmakers close to the speaker to appeal to Dogara for forgiveness for all that he did. Jibrin had, after his sack on July 20, alleged that Dogara, his deputy, Yussuf Suleiman Lasun, Chief Whip Alhassan Ado Doguwa and Minority Leader Leo Ogor, made failed attempts to force him to insert projects worth about N40 billion for them in the 2016 budget, among other allegations. He later fled the country in November to the United Kingdom, citing threats to his life. But he returned last week and said it was at the behest of one of the anti-graft agencies for him to testify against some of the pe...

FG Begins Free Medical Services For Poor Nigerians Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has said Nigerians, living with certain medical conditions that require major surgeries but have been unable to seek healthcare services due to the cost have been directed to visit any Federal Teaching Hospital and or medical centre for free treatment. The directive was given in line with the operations of the Rapid Response Initiative, RRI, which was inaugurated earlier this year to perform not less than 10,000 free surgeries on poor Nigerians. Adewole gave the directive, yesterday, during a media interactive session at the just concluded Kuchigoro Primary Healthcare Centre, Abuja. “The only qualification you have is that you must be poor and we’ll do those surgeries that really put people in discomfort, myomectomy cleft lips, even VVF, many of these are being handled across the country in about 46 specialist centres,” he said. Conducting a tour round the Kuchigoro health...

$4.2 Billion Missing In NNPC Under Buhari – US Governance Report A new report on Thursday said despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s attempt at ensuring transparency in the oil sector, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, still withholds billions in oil revenues from the government account. The report by the Natural Resource Governance Institute, titled “NNPC still holds blank check” said that within the first six months of the Buhari administration, the NNPC withheld over $4.2 billion (about N824.7 billion) out of a total of $6.3 billion (N1.24 trillion) revenues realised from crude oil sales in the second half of 2015. The withheld revenues represented about 66 per cent of the total revenue – $1.4 billion earnings from Nigeria’s regular crude oil exports for the period; $3.4 billion from domestic crude oil sales, and $1.5 billion from oil sold from the corporation’s upstream subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Comp...

NNPC Says Airlines Can’t Pay For Aviation Fuel The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation on Thursday said the hardship in the aviation sector was not due to the scarcity of Jet-A1, but was partly because of the inability of the airlines to pay for the product. The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, stated that the alleged scarcity of Aviation Turbine Kerosene was not responsible for the hardship being experienced in the aviation sector. Baru, who spoke in Abuja, clarified that the corporation had taken steps to ensure adequate supply of the product with the importation of over 45 million litres. He said the challenge had more to do with the inability of the airlines to pay for the product upon the introduction of a cash-and-carry policy by marketers as a result of the huge amounts being owed by the carriers. Aviation fuel scarcity has been a challenge in the sector, as airlines often complain of the non-availability of the product. A statement by the corpor...

Fayose Blasts Buhari , APC And Magu On AIT Today When you see my past, you can project my future. There can be no future without the past. What is happening in Nigeria now are the same as 1983. #FayoseOnAIT May be we should even return to that past because in that past, Dollar was N200 and one bag of rice was N8,000. #FayoseOnAIT If nothing was wrong with the Old Testament, there would not have been any need for the New Testament. They promised us a new testament, let it be a new testament indeed. #FayoseOnAIT Buhari is not fighting any corruption. He is fighting his political foes. They are just trying to make all Nigerians paupers so that when they share N1,000 at the polling units, it will be like N1m. #FayoseOnAIT Magu was indicted by their own DSS and they are still saying the AGF should investigate, is AGF the police? #FayoseOnAIT After Magu has been indicted by the DSS, what are they investigating again? Are they saying DSS report is no longer credible? #FayoseOnAI...

NUPENG shuts lubricant section of oil giant, Total The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Friday shut down the lubricant section of French oil giant, Total over allegations of anti-labour practices. The South-West Chairman of NUPENG, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the clampdown was as a result of a threat by the management of Total to sack 70 workers for belonging to the union. Korodo said that members of the union were deployed at the main entrance to Total’s blending plant to disrupt activities. He alleged that the management of Total had engaged a contractor, named Jomoy Nig. Ltd., to employ casual worker for the lubricant section of Total at Kirikiri in Apapa, Lagos. “Because of the inexperience of the management team of Jomoy, they are planning to sack over 70 workers of the company because they joined the union. “The company has now directed all staff of the company to report at the off...

Lagos government approves funding for MSMEs The Lagos State Government says it has so far approved funds for 281 micro-enterprises, of which 150 have received offer letters under the pilot scheme of its Employment Trust Fund (ETF). Mr Akintunde Oyebode, the Executive Secretary of the ETF, made the remark on Friday in Lagos, at the presentation of offer letters to some of the beneficiaries. According to Oyebode, the pilot scheme of the ETF seeks to support 1,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Oyebode said the distribution of the offer letters was in pursuit of government’s overall goal to support 100,000 MSMEs and create 300,000 and 600,000 indirect jobs by 2019. He said that under the pilot scheme, beneficiaries would be given five per cent interest loans between N300, 000 and N500, 000 and are expected to repay within 12 months. “Subsequently, we will roll out the SME loan programme of up to N5 million for three years,’’ Oyebode said. He sai...

Aregbesola urges NMA to minimise strikes Rauf Aregbesola, Governor State of Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun has appealed to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to minimise the rate of industrial action by its members. Aregbesola made the appeal while receiving the national officials of the association led by its President, Dr Mike Ogirima, on Friday in Osogbo. He said in as much as medical practitioners would like to press home their demands, they were expected to hold the good health of the people in the society above all other things. “It is unfortunate that our society has deteriorated. We have lost values in virtually everything especially on the need to prioritise our well-being. “Doctors and other healthcare professionals are expected to be at the vanguards of saving of lives. “They are not expected to withdraw their services to the people not to talk of embarking on strikes. “They are expected to be more concerned about the people’s ...

Wike Accuses APC of Plotting to Bomb His Plane Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has accused the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state of plotting to bomb him when he is airborne in the state-owned airplane in a desperate bid to get rid of him and capture the state at all cost. He said APC leaders were not happy with his achievements especially with respect to the payment of workers’ salaries, those of pensioners, and embarking on infrastructure projects at a time the country is in a recession and some state governors struggling to pay workers and pensioners. He declared that nobody has the capacity to destroy what God has blessed, just as he placed a curse on those who want blood to flow in the state for their selfish interest, stating that blood would continue to flow in their families. Wike, who spoke yesterday in front of thousands of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) including ward leaders during a thanksgiving service, held at the Polo...

Lagos targets 900,000 jobs by 2019 The Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund on Friday distributed offer letters to some of the beneficiaries of the pilot scheme of the N25 billion Employment Trust Fund , with a pledge to create at least 300, 000 direct and 600, 000 indirect jobs by 2019 through the initiative. Speaking at the distribution ceremony, Executive Secretary of LSETF, Mr. Akin Oyebode said the award of the offer letters was in fulfillment of one of the cardinal promises of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration to set up a fund to drive the growth of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in recognition of their critical role as the engine of growth and leading creator of jobs in any economy. Oyebode, who said the award of the offer letters was also an eloquent testimony of the readiness of the State Government to support the thriving youths and residents of the State, said a total of 1,000 MSMEs have been earmarked to ben...

Rivers Assembly Speaker resigns For the second time in one year, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly has resigned from office. The erstwhile incumbent, Adams Dabotorudima, resigned today (Friday, December 30, 2016). It may be recalled that Dabotorudima’s predecessor in office, Mr. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, resigned on Friday, December 18, 2015, shortly after Governor Nyesom Wike presented the N307bn Appropriation Bill for 2016 before the House. Ibani was succeeded by Dabotorudima, who represented the Okrika constituency, the same Rivers East Senatorial District as Wike. And now, Dabotorudima has toed the path of his predecessor in office.

Sheriff: I’m the greatest casualty of Boko Haram Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) factional National Chairman Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has said he is the greatest casualty of Boko Harm sect. Sheriff said he lost his brothers, cousins and their relations to the sect and yet his enemies turned around to say he created Boko Haram. The former Borno State governor, who spoke at a PDP stakeholders’ meeting in Makurdi, Benue State yesterday, added that he was the happiest man because the military crushed the sect. He alleged that those who accused him have been arrested for their involvement. Sheriff hailed the military for defeating the insurgents. On the state of the party, he said: “I want to assure faithful PDP members that impunity must be put to an end and the party return to the owners. Nobody will sit in the comfort of his room and decide the fate of over 10 million members,” said Sheriff. He said there was nothing like caretaker chairman in the PDP constit...

40,000 seized bags of rice shared to IDPs camps, says Customs THE Customs has seized over 40,000 bags of rice recent time, it was learnt. Deputy Comptroller-General Mr. Umar Ilya, said the bags of rice were shared among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps. He spoke yesterday at a joint media briefing with Acting Director General of National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Mrs. Yetunde Oni on the suspected seized plastic rice. Ilya, who was responding to a question, said: “We have seized over 40,000 bags of rice since the ban on importation of rice through the border. Those are rice shared to the IDP camps after we tested and certified them suitable for consumption.” At the briefing, the two agencies put to rest the alleged report of importation of plastic rice into the country. Laboratory result released by NAFDAC showed the rice was not plastic as suspected. The country was thrown into panic early this month when a report said Customs...

Buhari signs endangered species bill into law President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday signed the Endangered Species (Control of International Trade and Traffic) Amendment Act 2016. The amendment bill was passed and forwarded to the President by the National Assembly. Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the ceremony, the Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate) to the President, Ita Enang said: “This is one of the 10 bills that were forwarded by the National Assembly to Mr. President and he has just assented to this, almost completing every action on all the bills that were forwarded to him by the National Assembly. “The intent of this amendment is to bring the penalty provisions in line with economic realities and to act as a deterrent or deter people from trafficking and trading in endangered species because endangered are preserves of the country. “It will discourage traffic and it will improve agriculture and the preservati...

Buhari’s silence on Kaduna killings unacceptable – CAN The National leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) on Friday expressed sadness over the manner the federal and state governments are handling the Southern Kaduna killings. CAN described President Muhammadu Buhari’s silence on the matter as sad and unacceptable. Briefing journalists in Abuja on the crisis in Southern Kaduna, CAN National General Secretary, Rev. Musa Asake, said although the church in Nigeria has been subjected to a “systemic genocide and persecution through the instrumentality of Boko Haram, which has killed thousands of Christians and destroyed churches and over 50,000 houses since 2009, the current unprecedented onslaught against Christians in southern Kaduna by Islamic fundamentalists disguising as Fulani herdsmen had reached an alarming stage.” The continuous killings, Asake said had shown that the Kaduna State government “lacks the will power to arrest ...

Senate To Remove Immunity For President, Governors, Deputies The Senate has commenced the process of amending section 308 of the 1999 Constitution which gives immunity to president, vice president, governors and deputy governors in the country. A bill sponsored by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (LP, Delta) on the immunity removal has been referred to the Senate Committee on Constitution amendment chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Daily Trust reports. The bill proposed the substitution of subsection 308(2) which reads “the provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to civil proceedings against a person to whom this section applies in his official capacity or to civil or criminal proceedings in which such a person is only a nominal party”, with a new section. The proposed amendment reads, “the provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to, (a) ‘civil proceedings against a person to whom this section applies in h...

Ambode Offers Amnesty to Cultists, Criminals In Lagos Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has announced the readiness of his government to offer amnesty to cultists willing to renounce their membership of cult groups and turn over a new leaf. Mr. Ambode, who stated this in Ikorodu at the ongoing One Lagos Fiesta, said his administration has perfected plans to use 2017 to rehabilitate all those involved in one form of criminality or the other and are ready to be law abiding, with the view to making them live normal lives and contribute meaningfully to the society. While noting with concern the rising spate of cultism and other crimes especially in the Ikorodu axis, the governor said though the government has capacity to deal with such crimes, amnesty is being offered to encourage those willing to turn away from their old ways and embrace new lives. “In the last few months, we have been having a lot of challenges with cultism in Ikorodu area and a lot of issues that relate...

Shekau Surfaces In New Video, Says Boko Haram Not Crushed Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has appeared in a new video to debunk Nigeria’s government claims that the group has been crushed and flushed out of its Sambisa forest stronghold. “We are safe. We have not been flushed out of anywhere. And tactics and strategies cannot reveal our location except if Allah wills by his decree,” Shekau said in the 25-minute video, flanked by armed fighters. “You should not be telling lies to the people,” he said, referring to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari who said on Christmas Eve that the extremist group had been defeated and driven away from the forest, its last known bastion. “If you indeed crushed us, how can you see me like this? How many times have you killed us in your bogus death?” he asked. It was not immediately clear where the new video was shot, but Shekau who spoke in both Hausa and Arabic said it was filmed on Christmas Day. Sh...

Expert lists causes of breast cancer A consultant pathologist at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, Delta Sta Dr. Emmanuel Egboduku has urged women to carry out regular examination of their breasts to detect any cancerous tumor. He said early detection of the disease was the key to preventing it from spreading to other parts of the body. According to him, breast cancer cannot be traced to any particular cause, the pathologist noted that alcohol, contraceptives, self medication, mutilation of the breasts, use of unknown herbal mixtures and poor hygiene could breed the disease. He spoke in Ogwashi-Uku in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State during a breast cancer awareness campaign organised by a non-governmental organisation(NGO), Dynamic Women Charity Association. President of the association, Mrs. Favour Okolobi said the aim was to support women to be self reliant in order to contribute their quota to the development of the society. She said the humanitarian...

DSS edited my phone conversation with Wike, says Fayose Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose has blamed the Department of State Services for leaking an edited copy of his telephone with the governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike to incriminate him and Wike. “If the President and his hatchet men in the DSS, EFCC and other federal government agencies do not know what to do other than to record phone conversations of their perceived political foes, they should just resign and save the country from this harrowing experience,” Fayose said in a statement through Lere Olayinka, his special assistant on public communications and new media. An online medium, Sahara Reporters, on Thursday, published an audio tape in which a person purported to be Wike confessed to how he used his position as the governor of the state to influence the outcome of the bloody December 10 Rivers rerun polls . Though the Ekiti State governor did not disclaim the le...

Timi Frank: Oyegun’s Comment on Mega Party Reckless Sec retary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Timi Frank, has described as reckless, comments credited to the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, that the party is not bothered about the proposed mega party. Oyegun, in an interview granted in Benin-City was also reported as encouraging the formation of the party to ensure a formidable opposition against the APC as a way to build democracy. Such arrogant comments, Timi said, are capable of causing anger against the president. He added that rather than making such comments, Oyegun should concentrate on addressing the grievances of party members, and not divide them further. Timi, in a statement issued yesterday, said such comments were part of what led to the loss by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). “I think as a party, we should not undermine the strength of this much talked about mega party, whether it is a rumour or not. I think we ...

Zobo’ drink effective in managing hypertension, says expert Consumption of `zobo’ drink is very effective in the management of hypertension due to its anti-hypertensive properties, says Dr Ochuko Erukainure, a nutritional biochemist. Erukainure, a senior research officer with the Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO), Oshodi, Lagos State, disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos. Zobo drink According him, `zobo’ drink also known as hibiscus drink also helps in reducing cholesterol level, high blood pressure, diabetes and constipation in the human system. “`Zobo’ drink contains between 15 per cent and 30 per cent organic acids such as: citric acid, maleic acid, and tartaric acid. “It also contains acidic polysaccharides and flavonoid glycosides, such as cyanide and delphine. “ `Zobo’ drink helps to lower blood pressure as it contains an enzyme inhibitor which blocks the production of amylase,’’ he said. According to...

Badagry to experience massive transformation in 2017 – Ambode Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on Wednesday unveiled plans by his administration to boost and scale up the tourism potentials of Badagry thereby creating jobs for the youths and the people of the ancient town. Governor Ambode, who spoke in Badagry at the on-going One Lagos Fiesta, said government has perfected plans to massively transform the town in the next eighteen months starting with the construction of 500-seater Arts Theatre and a Cinema in January 2017. Addressing the mammoth crowd that thronged Badagry Secondary School, venue of the fiesta, the Governor said government has earmarked a lot of projects for the town in the coming year, saying that his plan was for people to live, work and play in Badagry. He said: “I know that there are lots of youths in Badagry and we have decided that throughout next year, we are coming to do a lot of projects in Badagry that will bring out all the tourism...

Audio: Wike confesses to playing ignoble role in Rivers election rerun In what appeared to be a confessional, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has told Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State how he used his office to influence the election rerun in his state. As if to show utmost contempt for the Nigerian State, the duo of Fayose and Wike thrashed the Nigerian Army, describing it in crass manner. The two governors are members of the Peoples Democratic Party, on whose platform they were elected into office. No less than three people had died during the elections that were marred by violence and horrendous electoral malpractices. In a second of such recorded audios where Wike could be heard boasting about his criminal exploits during the election, the following exchange took place between him and Fayose: Wike : Ayodele my son! Fayose: You think I’m Nigerian Army member? Wike: Nigerian Army does not exist again now! Fayose: Ah, Wike, you tried! Wike: (Laughter) Ha! Ha! Ha...

Fayose’s agents behind media attacks on Adeboye – APC The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has accused Governor Ayodele Fayose of deploying his aides to unleash serial media attacks on Pastor Enoch Adeboye and blame them on APC to set Nigerians, particularly christians of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, against the party and its leaders. The party had a few days ago refuted link with a media report castigating Adeboye for praising Fayose during the visit by the man of God to the state. However, the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti in a statement on Monday by its spokesperson, Jackson Adebayo, had described the denial as “an afterthought.” The PDP claimed that Awe only recanted his statement when he saw the public outcry against his reckless statement about the man of God. But the state APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said in a statement in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday that the serial media attacks on Adeboye were orchestrated “by a ...

Fayose asks Buhari to resign, slams DSS for tapping phone The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to resign because he has failed Nigerians who voted him into power. Saying that the exchanged rate is now $1 for N500 under Buhari, Fayose lamented that there “is unprecedented hunger in the land” and that Nigerians were being killed in Southern Kaduna and other places. “It is better for the president to resign because he appears not to have capacity for positivity. If all the presidents that ruled before Buhari had behaved like he is behaving now, he himself will be in jail.” The governor said this while reacting to media report on his telephone conversation with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, that was published by Sahara Reporters. He accused the Department of State Service of recording telephone conversations of Nigerians perceived as critics of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s All Progressives Congress gove...

Shekau video mere terrorists’ propaganda – Army The Nigerian Army has described the video purportedly released by the Boko Haram showing its leader as “mere terrorists’ propaganda.” A statement by Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman in Abuja on Thursday said the attention of the Nigerian Army had been drawn to the video clip released by the group from an undisclosed location, showing its purported leader, Shekau, making spurious claims. “While effort is on going to subject the video to further forensic analysis, the Nigerian Army wishes to reiterate that it has captured and occupied the last known stronghold of the terrorists group in the Sambisa forest. “We would like to reassure the public that this video is nothing but mere terrorists propaganda aimed at creating fear in the mind of people and to remain relevant. “Therefore, there is no cause for alarm, more so as concerted effort in clearing the vestiges of Boko Haram terrorists wherever they m...

ASUU alleges N2bn fraud at University of Ilorin The Academic Staff Union of Universities has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, alleging more than N2bn fraud against the management of the University of Ilorin. The petition was jointly signed by the Ibadan Zone Chairmen of ASUU, Doctors Ade Adejumo and Deji Omole. Others are Dr. Biodun Olaniran of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology; Dr. Dauda Adeshina of Kwara State University; and Dr. Kayode Afolayan of the University of Ilorin. ASUU, in the petition, said the former Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, and the incumbent Abdulganiyu Ambali, were involved in a fraud totalling more than N2bn. ASUU described the University of Ilorin management as one of the most corrupt in any higher institution. According to the petition, the institution has been operating under the pretext of keeping stable academic calendar to silence whistle blowers while perpetrating enormous fraud. The allegati...

17 CU students get CIPM certification Seventeen 2016 graduates of Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management from Covenant University (CU), Ota, have been inducted as Associates of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) a few months after their graduation from the University. The event, which held recently at the Civic Centre in Lagos, also saw them awarded the Human Resource Practitioners License, described as a testament to the quality of education received from the programme. The CIPM has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CU that seeks to ensure that students of Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management become professionally certified on graduation. An associate of the institute, Dr. Olumuyiwa Oludayo, who is also the Director of African Leadership Development Centre and immediate past Registrar of CU, said the partnership with CIPM began in 2015. He said 21 out of 23 students passed the final exams in August. However, only 17...

Four UI students for $1m Hult Prize Four students will be representing the University of Ibadan at the Semi final of the 2017 Hult Prize challenge holding in any of the following cities: Boston, San Francisco, London, Dubai or Shanghai. The four students, Onele Peter Cole, Amolegbe Abdul Mojeed, Sadik Oluwagbenga, and Adegoke Rafiat, emerged from 20 teams that competed at different stages of the Olfloohcs-level competition, which doubles as the Quarter finals of the Hult Prize Challenge. Their team, Facts Count, pitched on deploying the force of the digital media to telling the refugee story around the world, providing specialised data services and creating a social media platform to connect refugees’ offerings to the rest of the world. The 2017 Hult Prize “President’s Challenge” is themed “Refugees – Reawakening Human Potential” and will focus on restoring the rights and dignity of people and societies who may be, or are forced into motion...

LASU honours workers at maiden award Over 40 members of staff of the Lagos State University (LASU) were honoured at the university’s maiden ‘LASU Excellence Award’ held last Thursday. The university’s auditorium, venue of the event, erupted in applause for the awardees who were described by management as ‘exceptional’. Some of the awards, which were in both senior and junior categories, included excellence in teaching, best in department/unit, best in faculties and outstanding sportsmen and women. There were also awards for those who performed exceptionally as appraised by the Quality Assurance Implementation Committee (QAIC) set up by management earlier in the year to enhance staff performance. Under this category, Mr Sheriff Kehinde Ismail of the Vice Chancellor’s office, and Dr Bosede Amoo of the Audio-visual unit were presented with N250,000 and N300,000 in addition to plaques by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Lanre Fagbohun. Former executi...

Police foil plot to bomb Third Mainland Bridge The police have foiled an attempt by a notorious Niger Delta militant group operating from the creeks of Ikorodu and Arepo on the outskirts of Lagos and Ogun states to blow up the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos. A top commander of the group, Abiodun Amos, who is also known as Senti, an Ijaw from Arogbo, Ese-Odo Local Government of Ondo State, who is also said to be the group’s explosive expert, was arrested by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT), who trailed him to a river bank at Majidun, Ikorodu, Lagos. Two AK47 rifles hidden in a “Ghana-Must-Go” bag were found with the suspect. He led the IRT operatives to a vehicle parked discreetly within Ikorodu, where a large catche of dynamite and detonators was recovered— from its boot. It was also learnt that Amos’ arrest followed intelligence generated by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), which w...

’ 40 SUVs recovered from perm sec’ The Federal Government said it has recovered 40 brand new SUVs and other vehicles from a former Permanent Secretary who single-handedly appropriated the vehicles to himself when he left office. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday in Lagos on the effectiveness of the anti-corruption strategy of the government. Mohammed said that government is being guided by a well-articulated strategy in its fight against corruption contrary to the misconception in certain circles that the government is fighting corruption without a strategy. He said the government was not just fixated on the only prosecution, but in taking preventive measures to make corruption unattractive. The minister stressed that the strict enforcement of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) has largely reduced the diversion of government funds into secret accounts. He said the TSA has also reduced the const...