ASUU Strike: Call Off The Strike, We Have Resolved All Issues - FG

Minister of Education Adamu Adamu

The Federal Government has called on the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) to call off the strike embarked on since November 4.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu said the federal government has released N16.8 billion to settle outstanding salary arrears of staff in the country’s tertiary institutions.

Malam Adamu Adamu disclosed this during the“Sixth Edition of the Ministerial Press Briefing’’ in Abuja, said that disbursement is ongoing through the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

According to him, the government had resolved all issues and await the academic unions to also call off their strike in the coming days, especially ASUU and ASUP.

Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has been on strike since December 12, while the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) started Nov.4

He stressed that the Federal Government has reached agreement in the following areas: Review of Polytechnic Act; government awaits the transmittal of the amended document by the National Assembly to Mr President for his assent.

He said, were a revitalisation of polytechnics and colleges of education, renegotiation of the 2010 agreements, saying that government is committed to the revitalisation of facilities in its public tertiary institutions.

The minister also said that the government had directed the Minister of Finance to source for additional funding to the tune of N30 billion for the purpose, with particular reference to polytechnics and colleges of education.

“Also for state-owned polytechnics; the National Board for Technical Education has been directed to strengthen its regulatory mechanism including developing a new template for accreditation to address observed weaknesses.

“And to ensure that proprietors of polytechnics including states and private owners meet their obligations to their staff.

“Again as a demonstration of Government’s commitment to continue dialogue with the staff unions, the ministry will provide alternative funding for the stalled renegotiations in the polytechnics sub-sector.

“The National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education have also been directed to ensure compliance with the approved schedules of meetings with their respective Unions,’’ he said.

Similarly, Adamu noted that the government team had reached an agreement with ASUU while hoping that academic activities will also resume in universities’ campuses across the country without further delay.

He, however, commended the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) for calling off its strike to allow the students in colleges of education get back to academic activities.

AAUA Graduate, Kemi Adeniran Dies While Returning From INEC Training

Kemi Adeniran, a Microbiology graduate of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), is dead.

The 2018 Batch 'C' Stream 2 corps member serving in Ibadan, Oyo State, died on Friday, in a motorcycle accident while heading home after the INEC training for 2019 general elections.

EFCC arrest 19 “Yahoo boys” in Ibadan, recovers female underwear, cars

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday morning nabbed 19 suspected internet fraudsters in Ologuneru and Akobo areas of Ibadan, Oyo State.
Tony Orilade, the commission’s acting Head, Media and Publicity made this known in Ibadan, NAN reports.
According to him, 15 of the suspects were arrested at Ologuneru area while the remaining four were nabbed at Akobo area.
”All the suspects who are between the ages of 21 and 35 were arrested at their hideout in the early hours of Friday.
”The commission got wind of their activities following series of intelligence report.
“Which alleged that they engage in various fraudulent activities ranging from obtaining money by false pretences through sending of scam emails to unsuspecting victims.

”Some are engaged in romance scam on several dating sites.
”Among the things recovered from the suspects included four exotic cars, five laptops, 20 telephones, including 10 iPhones and one small bag containing items suspected to be fetish objects.
”Others are several documents, including international passports and ATM cards.
”SIM cards, one exotic car, laptops, telephones, female under-wears and four bags of fetish objects were recovered from four of the suspects arrested for cyber crimes at Akobo area.
”The suspects are: Babatunde Afeez, Akorede Olalekan, Adeleye Damilola and Moshod Richard.
“Others are Bamidele Samson, Bamidele Philip, Tunji Sowale, Bololaji Olalekan and Abdulrauf Abiodun, Olaleye Pelumi and Anuokuwapo Olanrewaju.
”The remaining ones are: Paul Damilola, Olateye Tobi, Arewa Ibrahim, Oyesanmi Oluwaseun, Olaleye Israel, Adediran Kemisola, Omobolade Alarape and Olowolusi Oluwatomisin,” he said
He said that all the suspects would soon be arraigned in court soon.

ASUU strike: Again lecturers, FG’s meeting with union deadlocked

The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, have again failed to reach a compromise to end the ongoing strike by the university lecturers.

According to News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who addressed newsmen after the closed door meeting with the union on Friday in Abuja said the meeting was protracted.

He said, “The meeting was protracted, but the good news is that we have gotten to the end of the tunnel.

“We met them half way and we have finished the gray areas and on the issue of N50 billion, we have offered what we have.

“We do not have N50 billion and we cannot do N50 billion, but we have offered them something reasonable.

“So they have to take it back, and go and present to their members.”

Ngige, however, expressed hope that students would return to school soon, saying “We will know when they will go back by Thursday”.

Earlier, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU President said the meeting had been adjourned to Feb. 7.

“So, far on the level of progress made so far, I cannot tell you that now until I tell my members.

“It is the feedback of the last meeting we came to present to government today.

“But right now, we have a new set of information that we have to go and present to our members until we tell our members, we cannot tell you,” he said.

He added that “We are making progress and the progress we are making is for everybody’s interest and stakeholders will benefit at the end of the day.

“We will be meeting on Thursday, after which, we will address the press.

“We have trashed all areas, so the progress we have made must first be related to our members.

“So until we tell them, and they tell us what to do that, that is only when we can relate to the press. The meeting adjourned till Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the strike commenced on Nov. 5, 2018.

The lecturers are demanding for the implementation of some agreements with the Federal Government since November 2009.

NAN also reports that one of their major demands is the implementation of university revitalisation fund

Police nab Ekiti lawmaker’s killers, parade 29 suspected cultists, robbers

Ado-Ekiti—One of the six-man robbery gang arrested by the Ekiti State Police Command over the death of a member of the House of Assembly, Hon. Michael Adedeji, said they did not know he was a lawmaker.

Adedeji, a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Lawmaker that represented Ekiti southwest constituency II, was shot in the head by the robbers on August 10, 2018 along Onigaari, GRA, Ado Ekiti capital city.

Those arrested and paraded in connection with the gruesome murder of Adedeji were: Dele Obamoyegun, Idowu Sunday, Adeniyi Wumi, Leye Ojo, Akindanhunsi Damilola and Olaosebikan Babatunde.

Speaking during the parade at the Command headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, Dele Obamoyegun said “We shot him (Adedeji) after robbing him. He did not struggle with us but one of us shot him. I have to confess, we didn’t know he was a lawmaker.”

Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Asuquo Amba, disclosed that the suspects were arrested by men and officers of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, FSARS, during a stop and search operation carried out along Ado-Iworoko road.

Items recovered from them were cut-to-size guns, 17 live cartridges, 75 handsets, seven laptops, cash sum of N147,000, four stolen vehicles, one of them belonging to the late Omowaye, among others.

Police kill robbery suspect in Nasarawa state

The CP said most disturbing was that Dele’s mother, Bola Obamoyegun, was the one accepting and concealing stolen items for the aforementioned robbery gang being led by his son.

“Dele’s mother was the one concealing stolen items for them. As we speak, two of her children had been convicted for robbery and this to us was a failure of motherhood. Our parents must learn how to make their children responsible,” he said.

The CP added that the gang also killed one Kayode Omowaye when they raided OJAS Pleasure Hotels in Oye Ekiti on August 10, 2018, just as they also invaded Afe Babalola University Junior Staff Quarters and snatched a car belonging to one Mrs Bosede Ojo.

Amba disclosed that the command is synergising with the Army and “we held a meeting with hunters, members of vigilante group and Odua People’s Congress, OPC, on how to curb kidnappers in Ekiti.”

Also, Amba revealed that the new security architecture in form of effective 24 hours patrol will soon be put in place to make Ekiti unsafe for criminals.

“We are working with the Commissioners of police in Osun, Kogi, Ondo, Kwara and other border states, so that our people can live in peace.”

Source:
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/police-nab-ekiti-lawmakers-killers-parade-29-suspected-cultists-robbers/

Ondo monarch remanded for alleged involvement in armed robbery

Oba Ojagbohunmi Oluwanbe of Ayetoro Community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State was on Tuesday ordered to be remanded in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department, CID.

The monarch had earlier been arraigned before Akure Chief Magistrate Court over alleged armed robbery where the state CID prosecutor, Olatunji Kazeem told the court that he and others at large, armed with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons, conspired to rob five different people the sum of N1,593,000 million.

Ojagbohunmi was said to have committed the offences between January 11, 2018 and October 7, 2018, at Ayetoro Community.

According to the Prosecutor, the offences are contrary to and punishable under section 1(1) 2(a) and (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act, Cap R 11 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as well as section 320(1), 443(a)(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol.1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006 and section 15(2)(a) (b) of the Chief Law of Ondo State, 2006.

The CID prosecutor said, “Oluwanbe and other at large while being armed with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons did rob one Ajimijere Ayodele of his Tiger Generator valued N28,000 and cash sum of N160,000.

“Also robber one Temitope Olowodasa the sum of N270,000, one Igoli Akinlana the sum of N635,000; one Otunba Dele Kudehinbu the sum of N150,000 kept in his brief case and one Akinluwa Rachael the sum of N350,000 kept in her brief case.

“Shot one Olu Obolo in the leg and matcheted him at the rear pelvic girdle and sprayed the building of one Tobase Ayoposi with petrol, set it ablaze and destroyed the building.

“Did allow yourself to be installed as the Oba Ogeloyinbo of Ayetoro community and thereafter paraded yourself as the Oba Ogeloyinbo having not been approved by the Executive Council of Ondo State.”

Kazeem prayed the court to remand the accused monarch in the prison custody.

The presiding magistrate Olanipekun Mayomi ordered that the monarch should be remanded in CID custody till January 24, 2019, for the hearing of his bail application.

Source:
http://dailypost.ng/2019/01/15/ondo-monarch-remanded-alleged-involvement-armed-robbery/

Transfer: Unai Emery set to replace Ozil with James Rodriguez

Arsenal manager, Unai Emery, is reportedly targeting a move for Real Madrid’s James Rodriguez.

Rodriguez has spent the last 18 months on loan at Bayern Munich and his future beyond the summer is uncertain, as he has struggled to hold down a spot this season.

And Arsenal could take advantage and take over the loan deal for the remainder of the campaign, at a cost of £3million, according to the Daily Mail.

Bayern paid £11.5m for the two-year loan and have the option to buy Rodriguez for £39.5m this summer.

Emery’s interest in Rodriguez, comes amid speculations that he is willing to sanction Mesut Ozil’s exit this month.

Ozil has fallen out of favour this season under Emery and was left out of the Gunners’ squad for Saturday’s loss to West Ham.

And it is understood that the manager has lost faith in his playmaker and wants him out before the end of January.

Source:
http://dailypost.ng/2019/01/15/transfer-unai-emery-set-replace-ozil-james-rodriguez/

PDP tells new IGP, Adamu Mohammed next line of action, blasts Ibrahim Idris

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation, PPCO, on Tuesday charged the newly-appointed acting Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu on his next line of action.

PPCO told Mohammed to “immediately commence the re-engineering of the Nigeria Police to restore professionalism and adherence to rules of engagement in the Force.”

In a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, PPCO also berated the immediate past IGP, Ibrahim Idris for what he termed “shameful and partisan tenure.”

Ologbondiyan said Idris will be remembered as the “only IGP” who surrendered the responsibilities of his office to associates of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The statement reads: “This is just as the party berates the outgoing Inspector General, Ibrahim Idris, for a shameful and partisan tenure, which destroyed professionalism in the police and compromised the lives and security of Nigerians, adding that he must be held accountable for all the atrocities he committed while in office.

“Ibrahim Idris will be remembered as the only IGP in our political history, who surrendered the responsibilities of his exalted office to the whims and caprices of politicians who share courtesies with the Buhari Presidency.

“He defied the need to secure troubled areas and watched carelessly while an integral part of our nation was engulfed in bloody clashes.

“Idris will also be remembered as that Police Officer, who had a penchant for framing innocent Nigerians with ridiculous allegations. Throughout his inglorious tenure, he functioned as the commander of the militant wing of the APC, just to retain his office and remain in power.

“We, therefore, urge the new Police boss to learn a lesson from the shameful end of Idris as IGP by immediately setting up the process of re-orientating and insulating the Force from partisan politics, while subjecting it to the tenets of democracy and the rule of law.

“We urge the police chief to avoid the pitfalls of the last IGP, who has gone down in history as the most corrupt, devious and reckless police officer to hold the post of the IGP in Nigeria.

“The party further advices the new police boss to remove all templates of election rigging contained in the hand-over note that will be presented
to him by Idris Ibrahim.

“The new IGP must also urgently take steps to address the bastardization of promotion in the Police under the last IGP, where officers due for promotion were denied and only those endorsed by a cabal or who have enough money to buy their way through were promoted. This is, in addition, to immediately setting up a process that guarantee proper welfare of officers and men of the Nigeria police.

“He must note that the whole world is watching him and we urge him not to fail the nation, which he owes his allegiance.

“Now that Idris Ibrahim has gone the way of leaders disgraced out of office, the PDP counsels all enemies of democracy, including President
Buhari’s compromised relation in INEC, Mrs. Amina Zakari, to take heed of the disgrace and infamy that await them at the end of their tenures.”

Source:
http://dailypost.ng/2019/01/15/pdp-tells-new-igp-adamu-mohammed-next-line-action-blasts-ibrahim-idris/

EPL: Giggs reveals what Solskjaer said about Mourinho

Former Manchester United winger, Ryan Giggs, has revealed the criticism Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had of the team under Jose Mourinho earlier in the season.

United endured a hugely disappointing start to the 2018/2019 campaign, dropping to eighth in the Premier League and crashing out of the Carabao Cup.

The club finally decided to sack Mourinho in December and named club legend Solskjaer as his replacement on a caretaker basis.

They have won their last six games, including Sunday’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tottenham at Wembley.

Giggs says Solskjaer has helped “remind the players how good they are” and revealed the Norwegian was critical of Mourinho’s use of his full-backs before his sacking.

Asked about the changes Solskjaer has made at Old Trafford, Giggs told Premier League Productions: “Well, reminding the players how good they are.

“It’s little tweaks. It’s like you see with golfers. Just a little tweak to the game that someone else on the outside might have seen.

“Ole’s been to a few games before he took over. I was at a game next to him, and he was pointing out to me: “Look at the full-backs, they’re not high enough.”

“Things that we were used to, things that you associate with Man United teams.

“OK you score two, we’ll score three and I think he’s instilled that back into them that we need to score goals, we need to attack and if we’re all higher up the pitch then it just poses the opposition that question.

“All of a sudden teams are going from, “right it’s Man United, we’ve got a chance today” to actually, “oh yeah, we’ll be defending, we’ll be deeper”.

“With the front players that United have got, not only the starting players but the ones coming off the bench, you’ve seen [Alexis] Sanchez, you’ve seen [Romelu] Lukaku now having an impact.

“It rivals any team within the Premier League the firepower that United have got.”

Source:
http://dailypost.ng/2019/01/15/epl-giggs-reveals-solskjaer-said-mourinho/