FG may slams ASUU for using UTAS as condition for ending strike

 

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has come under attack as the federal government described the condition set by the body before it can end its strike as "unreasonable."

It would be recalled that ASUU said it would end the strike action after its home-grown University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) has passed the federal government's integrity test.

Speaking in an interview, the association's national leader and president, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, gave the assurance with questions popping up on when the lecturers will resume back to classrooms.

The federal government said the demand of ASUU is ridiculous. Credit: BBC Pidgin

ASUU was expected to call off its strike and mandate lecturers to resume back to lecture rooms on Wednesday, October 21, after striking a unilateral agreement with the representatives of the federal government.

But Ogunyemi said UTAS, which is a payment system developed by ASUU in place of the controversial Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), is still going through an integrity test handled by NITDA.

Reacting to the ASUU's stance, spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, said ASUU's demand is ridiculous because varsity lecturers cannot determine how they should be paid by their employers which is the federal government.

"I don't know whether you know how many groups, organisations and associations receiving a salary from the federal account. So, if everybody is doing their own platform, imagine how many payment platforms government will have to deal with it."

Speaking during a meeting at the African Hall in the University of Ilorin, Kwara state, ASUU president Ogunyemi said the lecturers' body is being neglected by the federal government because "there were plans to make education inaccessible to the poor.

"Meanwhile, ASUU has raised an alarm over what the body termed as a deliberate attempt to strangulate public education in Nigeria.

Looting: 3 women stampeded to death as hoodlums loot Abuja COVID-19 warehouse

 

At least, three women have been reportedly trampled to death as looters massively invaded a COVID-19 warehouse in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) Abuja.

The hoodlums on Monday, October 26, invaded the warehouse in the FCT where COVID-19 palliatives were stored.

The storehouse, located in the Gwagwalada area council is said to be owned by the agricultural and rural development secretariat of the FCT administration.

Bags of rice and other grains were carted away by the thugs who climbed fences and broke the roofs of the warehouse in order to forcefully gain access.

According to an eyewitness, personnel of the Nigeria Civil Defence and Security Corps NCDSC), police and the brigade of guards of the Nigeria Army who arrived the venue were overpowered by the looters.

Three people have been trampled to death in Abuja. Credit: Premium Times.

Emerging reports have now confirmed that many people were stampeded with three people eventually giving up the ghost.

Those who suffocated were helped out of the building and revived with sachets of water.

Meanwhile, in a clear warning, President Muhammadu Buhari has issued a stern caution note to the parents and guardians of those who have been continually looting private businesses and government properties under the guise of protest.

The president, in a statement on Sunday, October 25, urged the parents to warn their wards against destruction and stealing of goods they cannot account for.

NBC sanctions AIT, Arise TV, Channels, over unverified videos

 For using unverifiable online video footages on from social media, regarded as a gross violation of broadcast code, the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has sanctioned the African Independent Television (AIT), Arise TV and Channels TV.

The decision of the NBC was announced by its acting director-general, Armstrong Idachaba, on Monday, October 26.

Idachaba said that the above-named media houses will be fined about N2 million naira for violating the commission's code of conduct.

The acting boss of the NBC said that this is the first warning, adding that the second violation will be met with a heavier punishment.

He went on to say that DAAR Communications will be fined separately for using an unverifiable news item on the fire tragedy that occurred at the National Christian Centre.

Thugs loot COVID-19 palliatives at warehouse in Abuja

 

The miscreants in Abuja defied the warning of President Muhammadu Buhari against looting public and private properties.

This is as many hoodlums on Monday, October 26, invaded a warehouse in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where COVID-19 palliatives were stored.

The storehouse located in the Gwagwalada area council is known to be owned by the agricultural and rural development secretariat of the FCT's administration.

Bags of rice and other grains were carted away by the thugs who were also joined by passersby.

Jacob Olayiwola Adeleke: LG chairman kidnapped in Oyo

 

Amid looting and widespread violence across Nigeria following the nationwide EndSARS protests, criminals on Monday, October 26, struck terror in Oyo state.

A gang of armed men of the underworld on Monday abducted the chairman of Iganna local council development area, Jacob Olayiwola Adeleke, as well as his driver, along the Okeho-Ado Awaye Road in the state.

 Adeleke was on his way to Ibadan to attend a crucial meeting when he was attacked by the abductors.

Vigilance groups in the area are combing nearby forests in search Jacob Olayiwola Adeleke. (Photo credit: The Nation)

Unconfirmed reports claim that the kidnappers have contacted the family of Adeleke, requesting a ransom of N200 million.

However, vigilance groups in the area have started combing nearby forests in search of the kidnapped chairman in order to secure his release

EndSARS: Buhari dispatches cabinet members to home states over protests

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked his ministers to relocate to their home states following the violence and looting orchestrated by the EndSARS protests across Nigeria.

Our source stated that the president's action was to douse the tension caused by the demonstrations over the activities of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The ministers according to our source were scheduled to meet with stakeholders to explain the federal government’s efforts to meet the demands of the youths.

President Muhammadu Buhari. Credit: Facebook/Femi Adesina.

Confirming the development during a courtesy call to Governor Muhammadu Badaru of Jigawa state in Dutse, the minister of water resources, Sulaiman Adamu, said the cabinet members were directed to seek the support of political, traditional, religious and community leaders against the protests.

He acknowledged that the #EndSARS protests started well and was in line with the Nigerian constitution only to be hijacked along the line by those who infringed on the rights of other citizens, killed innocent persons, looted and engaged in other criminal acts.Adamu said he was in the state to meet with leaders on “promoting tolerance, peace and stability in this critical moment and hear from them and report back to him (Buhari) immediately.”

He said:

“President Muhammad Buhari is soliciting the support of all other political leaders in the state to properly address the people of the state on the need to dispel any rumour that is tantamount to creating disunity among Nigerians and also throw the nation into crisis.”

Speaking in Akwa Ibom on a similar mission on Saturday, October 24, the minister of Niger Delta affairs, Godswill Akpabio, urged youths of the state to embrace peace, adding that President Buhari was committed to meeting their demands with regard to police reforms.

The minister said the EndSARS protest was capable of scaring away existing and expected investors with the negative economic effects on the state and the region.Akpabio said government was doing a lot in terms of job creation and development of key economic infrastructure in the state and the Niger Delta region.

He commended Governor Udom Emmanuel and other governors for setting up a judicial commission of enquiry to address the concerns of victims of SARS brutality, adding that the federal government was ready to work with governors to achieve justice for victims.

Thugs invade Dogara's house in search of COVID-19 palliatives

In total defiance of the curfew imposed by the Plateau state government, some hoodlums on Sunday, October 25, broke into the house of a former speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, in search of palliatives.

The miscreants, also invaded the warehouse of Plateau Agricultural Development Programme (PADP) where they stole fertilizer, pumping machines and other agriculture implements.

The  thugs attacked Dogara's house, attacked his brother before carting away valuables in the building and molested some other occupants.

In a similar development, some thugs smashed windows, cars and other properties in the building of Standard Newspapers located at the state capital.

Thugs invade Dogara's house in search of COVID-19 palliatives (Photo: Twitter/Yakubu Dogara)

However, a staff of the newspaper, Paul Jatau, told journalists that the swift intervention of security agents brought the situation under control.

EndSARS: 36 states sued over alleged hoarding of COVID-19 palliatives

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has accused all 36 Nigerian governors of hoarding COVID-19 palliatives while citizens in their states were crying of hunger during and after the lockdown.

Following this allegation, SERAP has sued the governors before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The human rights group called on the ICPC to carry out an investigation into the issue and publish its findings including the names of the states involved in the alleged act, PM News reports.

The petition, signed by SERAP's deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, was sent on Saturday, October 24, to the ICPC's chairman, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye.

36 states sued over alleged hoarding of COVID-19 palliatives (Photo: Reuben Abati)

Part of the petition against the states read:

“It would seem that Nigerian authorities asked people to stay at home as a protective lockdown measure but then failed to discharge a legal responsibility to timely, effectively, and transparently distribute COVID-19 palliatives to ease the hardship faced by the poorest and most vulnerable people.”

“Unless promptly investigated, the allegations of hoarding and diversion would undermine public trust in any efforts to bring the spread of the pandemic under control, exacerbate the negative impact of the crisis, and deny those most in need access to basic necessities of life.

“Tracking, monitoring and ensuring COVID-19 palliatives are timely, effectively, and efficiently distributed to those most in need would improve transparency and accountability, respect for human rights, as well as remove the possibility of political considerations or bribery in the distribution of the palliatives.”