News & Announcements

Adeyemi Babatunde, 28, was detained by Ogun State Police Command officers for allegedly defiling his five-year-old daughter.

After the victim’s mother filed a report at the divisional office of Ijebu-Mushin, the offender was apprehended.

This was revealed in a statement on Thursday by SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, the state’s police public relations officer.

According to Oyeyemi, the mother of the victim noted that her daughter had started complaining of pain whenever she needed to urinate.

According to the PPRO, the mother also bemoaned the fact that her daughter screams everytime she bathes her and touches a private area of her body.

“The victim’s mother said having noticed this, she pressurised the little girl to tell her what happened to her private part.

Oyeyemi said “It was then the victim informed her that her father laid her on the bed and inserted her manhood into her private part when the mother was not at home.

“Upon the report, the DPO Ijebu Mushin division, CSP Simire Hillary, quickly detailed his detectives to go after the suspect and he was eventually arrested.

“On interrogation, the suspect confessed to the commission of the crime but claimed not to know what comes over him as at that time.”

The PPRO said, “The Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Oladimeji, has ordered that the suspect be transferred to Anti Human Trafficking and Child Labour section of the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and prosecution.

The personal mansion of Dr. Abdulahi Ganduje, the outgoing governor of Kano state, was completely destroyed by fire on Miyangu Street in Nassarawa GRA Kano.

The State Fire Service told newsmen on Thursday that the outbreaks happened on Monday night and that they were a result of the incident.

Saminu Abdullahi, the State Fire Service’s public relations officer, revealed that when firefighters arrived at the house, the fire had already been put out.

It was reported that the fire began at a location where Ganduje raises cows, and that many animals perished in the blaze along with other multi-million naira properties that were destroyed.

According to a source, the cause of the fire is now unknown, although it is believed to have started during metal welding at the home while renovations were still being made to make it a suitable abode for the leaving governor of Kano State.

Abba Anwar, the governor’s chief press secretary, declined to respond when approached.

A few days before President Muhammadu Buhari’s term ends, the Federal government has responded to criticism on the ongoing awarding of contracts and external borrowing.

Babatunde Fashola, the minister of works and housing, announced that the Muhammadu Buhari administration would award contracts on May 28 at midnight.

Fashola made this statement in Akure, the capital of the Ondo State, as he opened the 49-kilometer, dilapidated Akure/Ado-Ekiti highway’s N 90 billion dualization project.

People are wondering why we are still granting contracts when there are only a few days left, he claims. Should we halt our current course and wait for the next administration?

“It is a juvenile conversation. They forgot, among other things, that the term of this administration ends at midnight on May 28.

“This road really represents the paradox of governance, about roads, and about public debts. This is the real story.

“The work looks easy from the outside, but one decision leads to other consequences. But we have now given you contractors who have worked with you.

“All kinds of stories have been told about me, but none of them bother me. They just dedicate me to my job and tell me to do it as best I can.

“All lies have been published that Fashola does not like Ekiti and Ondo States. That is absolute nonsense.

“There were suggestions that we should asphalt and rehabilitate the road, and I said no, that we will dualize the road and we are going to reconstruct.

“Before we could do that, we had to first do the design, which took some time. But many were ignorant about this. It is not as easy as it looks.

Fashola, who noted that infrastructure development can only be realized through borrowing or taxation, stated that NNPCL will handle the project, which will cost N90 billion, using the federal government’s tax credit program.

He claims that the project, which was given to Samchase Nigeria Ltd. and Kopeck Construction Company, will be finished in the following 24 months.

The Minister spoke about the procurement statute and requested that it be amended by the 10th National Assembly since it was impeding the development of the nation.

“There is a law passed by the National Assembly called the Procurement Act; if you don’t follow it, they will call you a thief.

“That procurement law and the processes that it prescribes are not consistent with the hurry that Nigeria is in for development. And I hope the 10th National Assembly will look at that procurement law and make adjustments. Its intention is good, but the processes slow down the country.

“They forget that you, the people, through your representatives, have passed a budget for us to implement. It is a law. The people then ask, “Why is the government borrowing?”

“The easiest thing to do in government is to say that our revenue is N10 and our work is N10, but that means that nobody should ask for a road.

“If you want development and you have chosen infrastructure—a road, school, bridge, pipeline, refinery—who is going to pay for it?” It is going to come at a cost.

“So that is why the first thing you will see when government, whether at the state, local, or federal level, responds to the needs of the people is an expenditure that exceeds the revenue; that is when you have what is called a deficit. Someone has to pay for that deficit.

“In this next dispensation, I want us to have a real conversation, not imaginary issues. Elevated and mature conversation, not juvenile conversation.

“If you don’t want to borrow and you don’t want tax, So where do you want the government to get money from, because that is how it is done everywhere in the world?

“The road will cost $90 billion. You want the road, and you will say that Buhari is borrowing too much money. This road is not funded by debt but through tax credits.

“We will be leaving the sustainable development goal because, whether we are in office or not, this road will be completed.

The Assembly of Health Care Professional Association and the Joint Health Sector Unions have instructed their members to go on an indefinite strike.

This was stated at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja by Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, National Vice President of JOHESU.

The federal health institutions’ immediate payment of the omission and shortfall in the COVID-19 hazard/inducement allowances for affected health workers as well as recognition of health workers in non-core hospital facilities in the payment of new hazard allowance. Additionally, they demand that peculiar allowances under the aforementioned law be paid to affected health workers.

The other demands include the immediate and unconditional implementation of the pharmacist consultant cadre, the unconditional payment of all unpaid salaries owed to the Federal Medical Centre in Owerri, the Jos University Teaching Hospital, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, and the members of NOFIC in Azare for the months of April and May 2018, as well as the prompt implementation of raising the retirement age for consultants in the health professions from 60 to 65 and 70 respectively.

In a letter dated May 9, 2023, the leadership of JOHESU gave the federal government a 15-day deadline over what they claimed were the government’s inconsistencies in the current negotiations to change the Consolidated Health Salary Structure for health workers on their platforms.

The 15-day deadline began on May 10, 2023, and it will end on May 24, 2023, at midnight.

Dr Obinna said, “Consequent upon the nonchalant, biased and lackadaisical attitude of the Federal Ministry of Health against JOHESU members and the resolution of the expanded National Executive Council meeting of the JOHESU held on Monday, May 8, 2023, our members in Federal Health Institutions nationwide are hereby directed to withdraw their services indefinitely commencing from 00:00 hour on Thursday, May 25, 2023.

“It becomes imperative to inform you that since the Federal Government is yet to meet these demands, our members have been directed by the JOHESU National Executive Council to proceed on an indefinite strike action upon expiration of the ultimatum by midnight of May 25, 2023.”

But he added that the union was dedicated to working with the government and other stakeholders to make the required improvements to the healthcare system in the public good.

When Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the minister of health, was reached, he asked for a text message on the subject to be forwarded to him.

As of the time this complaint was filed, he has not replied to the text message that was sent to him.

Major General Muhammadu Buhari (ret. ), the president, declared on Thursday in Abuja that he had completed his term as the country’s head of state for the previous eight years.

Therefore, he explained, it is necessary for him to hand over the reins of government to a different figurehead who would do so for the following four years.

After bestowing the national honors of Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic on Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, and Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger on Kashim Shettima, the vice president-elect, Buhari said this.

The 2023 Presidential Inauguration Ceremony’s schedule of events included the investiture of national honors, which took place at the State House Conference Center of the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday, May 29.

Additionally, he performed the Transition Document Handover and handed the President-elect the Service Baton.

“I have run a good race. I have finished my course. It is now time for another to take up the baton.

“Once again, I congratulate President-elect, Bola Tinubu and Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima on their well deserved investiture.”

President-elect Tinubu added that he is aware of the honor bestowed upon him and his vice president-elect as well as the size of the challenge that lies ahead.

Whether Buhari retires to Daura or the Niger Republic, he warned Buhari to expect “knocks on your doors.”

“I understand the honour given to me today and the magnitude of the task ahead, whether you go to Daura or Niger Republic, expect knocks on your doors,” said Tinubu.

Three important documents are included in the Transition package, according to Mr. Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Transition Council.

On Wednesday, the Indigenous People of Biafra claimed that if its imprisoned leader, Nnamdi Kanu, “falls into the hands of Nigeria, then Nigeria and her leaders will fall into the hands of Biafra.”

The pro-Biafran organization expressed its disappointment in the United Nations, European Union, African Union, and ECOWAS for remaining silent while its leader was still being held by the Federal Government for nearly two years in a statement released by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful.

Due to Kanu’s poor condition, the organization claimed the Supreme Court was biased in how it handled the issue and was working with the Federal Government to have him die in custody.

“It is also possible that the DSS has given him (Kanu) a slow-acting poison, which is why his health keeps deteriorating to eventually kill him.

“In what we consider a conspiracy to kill our leader, the Nigeria Supreme Court, the constitutional court refused to entertain an appeal from Kanu’s lawyers over his deteriorating health. Instead, the apex court gave a wicked long adjournment of four months in the case of an innocent man that appeal court Justices have discharged and acquitted.

“In all these human right and court abuses, there seems to be a conspiratory silence among international organisations and her affiliate human rights organisations.

“As the health of our leader continues to deteriorate and the Federal Government refuses to obey lawful orders and the world maintains this criminal silence, IPOB will do all within our power to ensure that our leader does not die in detention. Freedom for Kanu is the freedom of the entire black race. Kanu is not a criminal. He is not a terrorist, nor has he been associated with Nigeria treasury looting, which Nigerian politicians are known for.

“We are telling the international community and African Union in particular not to blame IPOB for whatever becomes the aftermath of Nigeria’s continuous disobedience to both local and international laws in the case of Nnamdi Kanu now.

“We want the world to understand that IPOB is peaceful but understands our right of self-defence. The gentleness of a tiger should not be taken as cowardice. Those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable. Our prayers are that the Nigerian government will do the needful on time because if our leader falls in the hands of Nigeria, then Nigeria and her leaders will fall in the hands of Biafra,” IPOB said.

Lai Mohammed, the minister of information and culture, declined to comment when one of our reporters asked him for his thoughts.

A United Kingdom-based Nigerian man, Tosin Ojutalayo, and his lover have tied the knot at Castle Bay in Hyères, France.Tosin shared photos from their wedding on his Twitter page and also revealed how they met 10 years ago.

In a tweet on April 12, he wrote, “He slid into my DMs, whilst I was in a relationship and I shut it down of course #YorubaMenDontCheat. Then two months later (now single) – I walked into a dinner party and he was there. 10 years later, we’re getting married in 2 weeks.”

A student of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State, named Samuel Adegoke, has committed suicide by drinking a chemical substance believed to be a sniper after losing his tuition fee to online gambling.

Adegoke, who was a National Diploma II student of Electrical Electronic Engineering, reportedly committed suicide on Monday, at a time he should be getting set for the first-semester examination.

A student who pleaded anonymity said he was rushed to the school clinic from where he was later referred to a specialist hospital outside the school in Ilaro before he was confirmed dead.

The polytechnic spokesman, Sola Abiala, who confirmed the sad incident on Wednesday, 24 May 2023, said the Rector was called from the school clinic that one of the students is sick.

Adegoke Samuel, ND 2 in Electrical/ Electronic Engineering was later referred to Hosanah Specialist Hospital.

Abiala said when they got there, they got the information that he used his school fees to bet and lose, just as he also used his roommate’s (money) to bet and also lost.

“We have a policy here that any student that does not pay school fees will not write the examination. He realised that he and his friend would not write the exam; that was why he committed suicide”.

According to Abiala, the student did not leave any suicide notes but the bottle of the Sniper he drank was found in his room.

“We sent for his parents and briefed them. His father told us that his late son did the same last session and he had to send money to him to pay the fees. He said if he had known about the latest one, he would have paid for it.”

The school image-maker also disclosed that the deceased student’s father refused to go home with his son’s corpse.

“When we asked the father to take possession of the corpse, he rejected it, saying he could not take his son’s body home. He asked us to bury him,” Abiala said, adding that the school paid part of the burial expenses and paid the fee for the other student whose cost was used for gambling, so as to avoid another calamity.

“We don’t want him also to commit suicide,” he added.
               

The UK government on Tuesday announced a package of measures aimed at international students, including a ban on some family members, as ministers come under growing pressure to cut immigration.

After a drop during the pandemic, net migration has been steadily on the rise and is reportedly expected to hit a record high this year.

Official figures published last November estimated net migration to June 2022 at just over 500,000.

Under the new proposals, only students on postgraduate courses designated as research programmes will be able to bring dependants to the UK while they study.

Overseas students will be prevented from switching “out of the student route into work routes” before their studies have been completed.

There will also be “improved and more enforcement activity” and a clamp down on “unscrupulous agents” using education as a cover for immigration, according to a government statement.

Some 136,000 visas were issued to the dependants of international students last year — up eight-fold from the 16,000 in 2019, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said in a written statement to parliament.

The minister — a Brexit hardliner whose rhetoric on immigration has caused controversy — said overseas students played an important part in supporting the UK economy.

But she added that it should not come at the cost of the government’s “commitment to the public to lower overall migration and ensure that migration to the UK is highly skilled and therefore provides the most benefit”.

Braverman said the proposals struck the “right balance” and would likely see net migration “fall to pre-pandemic levels in the medium term”.

Uncontrolled immigration from the European Union was one of the main battlegrounds of the Brexit referendum in 2016 which saw the UK leave the bloc.

Since 2018, the country has seen thousands of people successfully cross the English Channel in small boats to claim asylum.

More than 45,000 arrived last year, heaping political pressure on the government which promised to “take back control” of Britain’s borders.

One of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative predecessors, Boris Johnson, agreed a deal with Rwanda last year to relocate failed asylum seekers to the central African country.

But the scheme has been mired in legal battles and is yet to get underway.

The end of freedom of movement for workers within the EU due to Brexit and tighter immigration rules have also proved controversial for business.

Many sectors that previously relied heavily on EU workers, particularly agriculture and health and social care, have experienced deep skills shortages.

Influx ‘Explosion’

Immigration figures point to an “explosion” in the number of people relocating to Britain on the privilege of their relatives’ student visas, a Sun UK report pointed out Saturday.

A total of 135,788 family members reportedly tagged along as students moved into Britain for study last year — nine times more than in 2019.

“Last year, 59,053 Nigerian students brought over 60,923 relatives,” the report noted.

In its updated ‘Code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England’, the UK placed Nigeria and the other countries on its red list which was based on the World Health Organisation Workforce Support and Safeguard List, 2023.
                 

Grammy-nominated afrobeat artist, Seun Kuti has spoken up for the first time since his release from police detention.

The singer, who was detained at the State Criminal, Investigations and Intelligence Department, SCIID, Yaba, Lagos on the orders of a Yaba Chief Magistrate Court for assaulting a police officer, was granted bail on Tuesday.

Taking to his Instastory shortly after his release, Kuti thanked all those who stood by him during his ordeal.

He wrote, “I want to say a profound thanks to everyone who showed me all this love. All my friends that showed up! Thanks most especially to my beautiful wife @chefyeidekuti”.