Why FG wants ASUU strike to continue

President Goodluck Jonathan and ASUU Chairman, Dr. Isa Faggae
| credits: File copy

Nigerian universities have been buffeted with agonising months of strikes for over a decade and until now, the story is pretty much the same. Government is still unwilling to give the education sector a shot in the arm.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has been on strike since June 30 and has engaged in a series of dialogue with the Federal Government over 11 times, albeit, inconclusively. This underscores the lukewarm posture of government towards the striking lecturers and from ASUU’s body language and utterances, it has made it abundantly clear to anyone who cares to listen that it is ready to continue the strike even if it takes years, insisting that its decision was adequately taken in a bid to revitalise Nigerian universities.

Ethiopia confirms Oct. 13 for Nigeria match•To face Ghana ahead of clash

Ethiopia has confirmed a definite date for the first leg match against Nigeria in the final playoff leading to Brazil 2014 World Cup. The first leg of the World Cup qualifying clash will take place on Sunday, October 13 in Addis Ababa, their football association officials have confirmed.

All ties will take place between October 11 and October 15 and the Ethiopia Football Federation has only now confirmed which day the match will be staged.

“We have played our home games on Sundays and the match against Nigeria will not be an exception,” commented EFF general secretary Yigsaw Bezuayehu.

PDP crisis: Baraje, Tukur camps clash in Senate

Barely a week after a similar clash at the House of Representatives, supporters of the main Peoples Democratic Party and those of the Kawu Baraje-led faction of the party clashed again at the Senate on Wednesday.

A timely intervention by Senate President, David Mark however saved a crisis situation on the floor of the senate when members were making their contributions on a motion on the demise of late former Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu.

Trouble started when a former governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje, representing Gombe Central Senatorial district, while extolling Agagu’s virtues, described himself as a member of the New PDP with Alhaji Kawu Baraje as the National Chairman.

Ozekhome’s kidnap: SSS arrests gang leader

Mike Ozekhome

There were indications on Wednesday that a major financier of a  kidnapping ring in Edo and other surrounding states, Kelvin Oburuvbe might have been arrested by men of the Department of State Security.

It was reliably gathered that the kidnap kingpin was picked up in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, by operatives of DSS and is currently being interrogated.

There were however conflicting reports that the arrested kidnapper might be the one who recently issued a 60-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to declare amnesty for him and his gang, otherwise his group would blow up oil installations in Urobo speaking areas of the country.

Boko Haram leader, Shekau resurfaces in new video…claims responsibility for Benisheik massacre

File photo of a street in Benisheik, the Borno State community where Boko Haram killed scores of people on September 17.

A video believed to have been released by the wanted leader of  the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, also known as Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, surfaced in Maiduguri on Wednesday.

In it, a man claiming to be Shekau, debunked earlier claims by the Nigerian military that he died from gunshot wounds on August 19, 2013.

The  then JTF spokesman in Borno State,   Lt Col Sagir Musa, had in a statement said, “Intelligence report available to the JTF  Operation Restore Order revealed that  Shekau, the most dreaded and wanted terrorists’ leader may have died.

“He died of gunshots wounds received in an encounter with the JTF in one of their camps in Sambisa Forest on  June 30 , 2013. Shekau was mortally wounded in the encounter and was sneaked into Amitchide-a border community in Cameroon for treatment from which he never recovered.”

Ozekhome returns home to big celebration

Scenes at Ozekhome’s house

Human rights activist, Mike Ozekhome, who was kidnapped for two weeks, returned home on Thursday to a rousing welcome.

A cow was slaughtered to entertain people who had come to make sure that he was indeed save and sound.

The lawyer, who was kidnapped between Ehor and Ekpoma Road in Edo State and released on Wednesday, narrated his ordeal to well wishers at his home on Mike Ozekhome Lane, Igando, Lagos State.

While addressing the crowd in company with his wife, Josephine and son, Ilugbekai, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria called for a four-minute silence for the four policemen from the Ehor Police Division, who were killed while attempting to rescue him.

He said, “My ordeal began on Friday August 23, 2013. I left Benin at 2pm for my home town.

“I ran into the kidnappers some minutes past 3pm. It was my driver, Chinedu, who noticed that a vehicle had been used to block the road and he told me that the people were armed robbers. So, I told him to quickly turn, but before he could turn, a gun was already on my head. one of the men said if he moved an inch they would kill me.

“So, I told my driver to stay put. They dragged Chinedu and I out of the car, shot the tyres of the vehicle and locked him in the boot and made me lied flat on the floor of their car. I heard them say, Police! Police! Police! They also added, ‘no retreat no surrender.’

Biometric registration of vehicles ‘ll check terrorism, crimes – POLICE

ABUJA—Police authorities have explained that the new biometric registration processes of vehicles, tricycles and auto-bikes were part of new strategies to combat terrorism, prevent crimes, apprehend and prosecute offenders.

The explanation was made even as the Force disclosed that the new policy was backed by law under Section 3, Sub-Section 2 to Sub-section 6 of the Road Traffic Act, Cap 548.

File photo: Police officers

Force Public Relations officer, CSP Frank Mba, had while throwing light on the new policy, noted that it was an upgrade and modernization from the old analogue CMR to the new Digital Biometric Central Motor Registration, BCMR, system.

Mba said: “The decision informing the introduction of the BCMR comes against the backdrop of contemporary security challenges bordering on terrorism, high incidence of car theft, kidnappings and other acts of crimes and criminality in our society.

Police block Amaechi from entering Rivers Govt House

Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State complaining about the blockade of the Force Avenue, Port Harcourt by policemen ... on Thursday.
| credits: Rivers Government House.

There was a drama in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Thursday as policemen  stopped  Governor Rotimi Amaechi from gaining entrance into the Government House.

Amaechi was in company with  102 former Speakers of state Houses of Assembly when a team of policemen, allegedly drafted by the State Police Commissioner, Mr.  Joseph Mbu,   blocked  the Forces Avenue which   leads to Amaechi’s residence in the Government House.

After about 30 minutes of heated argument between Amaechi, his aides and the policemen, the governor’s convoy had to turn back and take another route.

The state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, who confirmed the incident, told The  PUNCH that even when the governor personally came down from his vehicle to introduce himself to the leader of the police team, he and his guests were still not allowed passage.

The leader of the team, according to her, said,  “ I do  not take orders from civilians.’

The incident, it was learnt, lasted for more than 30 minutes before the governor decided to take another way.

Semenitari  said, “The State Commissioner of Police ordered his men to barricade the road. Indeed, they (policemen) knew that it was the governor.

23 die as vehicles crash into collapsed bridge

| credits: File copy

Thirty-four people were killed in separate auto accidents in Katsina and Jigawa states between Monday and Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that 23 persons were feared killed in multiple crashes, when their vehicles plunged into a collapsed bridge at Yar’randa village in Charanchi Local Government Area of Katsina State.

NAN learnt that the first crash involved a bus conveying 24 passengers which plunged into the bridge few minutes after its collapse on Monday night.

Maiduguri boils again as 14 die In Boko Haram clash

Fourteen persons have been killed in Benishiek in Kaga Local Government Area of Maiduguri the Borno state capital, as residents clashed with the radical Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

According to eye witnesses, the sect members stormed the town in the midnight, taking the residents of Benishiek unawares.

The residents in turn decided to face the sect members and a shoot-out which lasted several hours ensued between the parties,leaving 11 residents dead and several others injured by the sect members.

*Boko haram

According to the witnesses, the residents nabbed three of the sect members but were later killed.

Pleading anonymity, security agent said that the residents angrily blocked the Damaturu-Maiduguri highway in protest, to request the presence of security troops in the area, to ensure the safety of their lives and property.

The protesters disrupted free flow of traffic along the busy Maiduguri-Damaturu highway for several hours.

Protest against Olu of Warri rages, Uduaghan intervenes

The Delta State Governor, Dr.  Emmanuel Uduaghan,   has appealed to thousands of Itsekiri  protesting the bid by their  monarch to jettison their  traditional beliefs  to remain calm, saying he was already meeting with stakeholders   to resolve the matter.

Uduaghan, who arrived the palace at about 3.45pm on Sunday, was met by the surging protesters, who appealed to him to mediate in the crisis.

An online news portal, THE WILL, reported that the   governor, was   allowed into  the palace without  his security aides,  came out after about 15 minutes to address the protesters.

Urging  the protesters  to exercise restraint,  he  said he had discussed with   Atunwase II, the chiefs and the youth  over the issue and expressed  gratitude to the protesters for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner.

The palace of the Olu of Warri was barricaded for the third day by the protesters who erected canopies in the front gate.

P Square, Davido others battle at Channel O awards

Davido

The likes of Davido, Kcee, P Square, Tiwa Savage and Wizkid are set to battle it out with other African artistes as the nominees for the 10th edition of Channel O Music Video Awards were revealed earlier in the week.

Last year, some Nigerians, including D’banj, won big at the award and it might not be a surprise if the artistes pull it off again this year.

Nigerian artistes got 20 nominations in different categories including Most Gifted Duo and Most Gifted Male Video category.

To celebrate a decade of recognising the best African contemporary music talent, the 10th Annual Channel O Africa Music Awards has expanded the prestigious Most Gifted Video of the Year category to 12 nominees, increasing the pressure on nominees in the most fiercely fought category at the awards.

The category again reveals the mix of newcomers and established artistes at this year’s event – a signal of the growing maturity of Africa’s music scene.

Nigeria’s Wizkid, Ice Prince and P Square made that category alongside other African artistes.

The event is scheduled to hold in South Africa on November 30.

PDP crisis: Jonathan will only accept reasonable terms –Presidency

Jonathan
| credits: File copy

The Presidency has said that though  President Goodluck Jonathan  is committed to timely resolution of the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, he will not accept unreasonable terms.

The Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, said this in an interview with one of our correspondents while explaining the President’s stand on the formation of a faction of the PDP by seven governors and some chieftains of the party at the party’s mini convention in Abuja last Saturday.

Gulak also told the aggrieved governors to concentrate on governance and stop overheating the polity.

 The presidential aide explained that Jonathan was in support of various reconciliatory efforts by the leadership of the party. He, however, said the President would only accept “reasonable terms” in the efforts to reconcile with a faction of the party called, New PDP.

Gulak said that conditions such as the governors’ call on the President to stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from probing them was ridiculous and unheard of, saying the President would not accept such.

Corporal shoots ASP dead during argument at station

Olusoji
| credits: File copy

When on April 6, 2013, Jane and Olusoji Elegbede got married in Lagos State, their joy knew no bounds.

Although Olusoji was a policeman serving in Yobe State, which is fraught with security challenges, Jane did not mind living there with him.

 Their plan was to settle down, have children and grow old together.

Unfortunately, this was not to be as Olusoji, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, was gunned down by a police corporal  in Gashua Bade Local Government, Yobe State, while on duty less than five months after their wedding.

Olusoji’s widow, who spoke while fighting back tears, told PUNCH Metro that she was still in shock over the incident.

Narrating what led to her 39-year-old husband’s killing, Jane said her husband, who was the Administration Officer at Gashua Police Division, was killed by a 53-year-old corporal, Andrew Bitus.

She said, “The station is situated in a barracks and we all live in the barracks. The corporal (Bitus), was dating an elderly woman and they had a quarrel. Bitus wanted to part ways with the woman, so he told her to refund the money he had spent on her but the woman refused.

Fashola bars Molue from Lagos Island

The Lagos State Government has barred big commercial buses, popularly called Molue, from operating on Lagos Island.

The government explained that it also did not expect the buses to ply  Third Mainland, Eko and Carter bridges, adding that operating in the Central Business District had become history for the buses.

A statement from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority on Thursday said the move was to ensure adequate monitoring of the operations of commercial vehicles and compliance with traffic rules and regulations.

The statement said the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Babatunde Edu, stated this during a stakeholders’ meeting with branch chairmen of the Lagos Urban Bus Owners Association of Nigeria, the operators of Moluebuses in the state .

ASUU strike becoming political —Suswam

BY PETER DURU

MAKURDI—Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State has said the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, is becoming a political action other than an agitation for the welfare of university lecturers.

Suswam, who spoke yesterday, when he played host to the leadership of the National Union of Benue Students, NUBES, insisted that the leadership of ASUU was not being realistic with its demands.

Gov Suswam

According to him, “ASUU has no business continuing with this strike because the Federal Government has met virtually all of their demands. There is nothing in the list of their demands that government has not touched.

The Federal government has released N100 billion to upgrade infrastructures in the universities and that money has been distributed among all the universities in the country and most of them have commenced their procurement process. While the sum of N30 billion has also been released to take care of the Earned Allowances of lecturers  in federal universities, pending the verification of the number of those that are entitled to it.”

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/asuu-strike-becoming-political-suswam/#sthash.MeFfHTEx.dpuf

Fame has favoured me in so many way – Doris Simoen

Beautiful Nollywood actress,  Doris Simeon isn’t a scandal-     prone person but the issue of separation between her and her former husband,  actor and director, Daniel Ademinokan got her name dragged around in a mesh-work of gossips and rumours that hasn’t really panned out.

She was chatted up by Juliet Ebirim at a recent event and here is the conversation that ensued. Excerpts: Tell us about yourself? My name is Doris Simeon. I’m from Edo State, Igbila to be precise. I’m from a family of five, though I am an orphan now.

What was growing up like for you?

It was really fun for me. Those days when my mum sent me on an errand and I didn’t it deliver well, she would flog me and I would wonder “Are you sure this is my mother? But now when I think back, I realise she was only trying to make me a better person.

Especially, when I do the same to my son. It dawned on me that all those scolding was out of love.  It was really fun. I grew up in a face me, I face you kind of house where you have lots of drama. When I think about it, I laugh a lot. Funny enough,  I used to tell the “Aje-butter” children that they didn’t have as much experience about life as those of us who lived in the ghettos.

*Doris

What’s your take on actresses who sleep their way through for roles?

It’s their choice, they weren’t forced into it. They wanted to, that’s why they did it, or probably because they are desperate.

Have you been sexually harassed since you started acting?

I’ve not since I started acting. I’ve had the experience of people or producers toasting me and as far as I am concerned that is normal. Any man can like any woman. It is not peculiar only to Nollywood, It is either you want it or you don’t want it.

Would you say that fame has robbed you of anything?

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