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AAU Dismisses 5 Staff, 21 Others Undergoing Investigation Over Alleged Criminal Offenses

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Special Intervention Team calls for review of institution’s enabling laws

…begins contributory pension, health insurance, others

…we’re committed to holistic revamp of Edo’s education system, says Obaseki

The management of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State, has dismissed five staff members of the state-owned tertiary institution, with 21 others currently undergoing investigation for alleged various criminal offences.

A member of the Special Intervention Team (SIT), Mr. Austin Osakue, while submitting the progress report of the SIT to Governor Godwin Obaseki at the Government House, in Benin City, said the staff were dismissed by the Disciplinary Committee of the institution.

Osakue, who urged the State Government to constitute a Governing Council and begin the process of hiring principal officers for the institution, said the work done so far by the SIT will not be appreciated unless the institution reviews its enabling laws.

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He noted that the Institution has keyed into the directive of the Edo State Government as it has commenced the contributory pension scheme which started on August 1, 2023, adding, “All staff in the school that have seven years to leave are exempted from the scheme.”

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He further noted, “Edo Health Insurance Scheme is fully operational and running as all the premiums are paid directly to EdoHIS account to ensure accountability, transparency and sustainability. Nine hundred and ninety-eight (998) students have subscribed with over N15 million and 1,800 staff with over N31 million.

“The Institution discovered over 30 cases of AAU students living abroad for not less than two years, writing exams and graduating. The staff members and Heads of Departments involved have been handed over to DSS and ICPC for action.

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“Over 95 per cent of AAU land mass is ungoverned and the master plan tempered with, we appeal to you to collaborate with the Institution to restore the master plan.”

On his part, the Governor said his government is committed to restoring the lost glory of the Institution, preparing the tertiary institution for EdoBEST students who will be ready to gain admission into the school in about five to six years time.

Obaseki further said, “We need to clear this school due to the educational reforms we have embarked on as our EdoBEST students will be ready in about five to six years’ time for the University and can’t go into a University whose standard is below where they are coming from.

READ ALSO: AAU Ekpoma Scores 76% To TOP Corrupt – Free State-owned Universities Ranking In Nigeria

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“Few people have held the Institution to ransom; we are ready to fight and break it. If you are a lecturer and you have examined students and have results and failed to present it, you should not expect a salary because you have not completed your work and if it is based on that you want to go on strike again, we are ready for you.

“It’s a fight that is necessary to transform this Institution for the students coming. All these reforms and sustainability must be anchored on the new reformed law and we will be presenting the University’s new bill to Edo House of Assembly at the end of the month for speedy passage.’’

The governor noted that the search for members of the Governing Council will commence immediately, adding, “We will not want to bring in people into the Governing Council without the law in place.”

He stated, “The Assembly members are here to be part of this event to enable you to have background to this issue because they will still come to meet you. Political interference has brought the school to the position it is today. We are saying it’s time to change because we can’t run a University this way because of the students coming behind. We must make it a first-class university that we all will be proud of. It’s only when you have good institutions that you are sure of development.”

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JUST IN: Convicted Kidnap Kingpin Evans Re-arraigned, Opts For Plea Bargain

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Convicted billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, and his co-defendant Joseph Emeka, charged with murder and attempted kidnap have opted for plea bargain.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state lead counsel, Mr Yusuf Sule, informed the court about the plea bargain option on Thursday when the case was called for re-arraignment.

The case was called for re-arraignment before Justice Adenike Cokers of an Ikeja High Court.

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NAN reports that Evans and his co-defendant were to be re-arraigned on an amended five-count charge bordering on murder, attempt to murder, conspiracy to commit felony, wit: kidnapping and attempt to murder.

Sule informed the court that the case was for re-arraignment but he was aware the defendants have applied for plea.

The prosecutor, however, said the plea bargain terms were being considered by the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN).

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JUST IN: Collapsed Roof Injures OAU Students During Lecture

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A torrential rainfall of early Thursday morning, accompanied with a whirlwind has injured students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

The rain which started when the students were having a lecture, SER to be precise, in the Amphitheatre of the Oduduwa Hall, affected the ceiling of the Amphitheatre as it fell off and injured a few of the students.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire led other principal officers to the Medical and Health Centre of the University, and ensured that the injured students were given adequate medical attention.

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A release by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju, stated that the Vice-Chancellor also followed two other students, whose cases demanded more medical attention to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), where the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Professor John Okeniyi, physically supervised the proceedings.

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The Vice-Chancellor has, therefore, appealed for calm and urged students and staff to go about their academic and administrative activities without any form of untoward action.

Meanwhile, the management of the University, has sealed off the amphitheatre, the venue of the unfortunate incident, until further notice.

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Edo Guber: Those Leaving PDP Are Disgruntled; We Need People With Value – Campaign DG

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Matthew Iduoriyemkewen, the Director-General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council for the September 21st governorship election in Edo State says persons who defected from the party to other parties are disgruntled.

Iduoriyemkewen made this assertion on Thursday in Benin during a familiarisation visit to the leadership and members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State council, where he solicited for a partnership and cooperation from media practitioners.

According to the DG, the PDP is interested in persons of value, adding that those that are in the party are assets to the party and that many persons are still coming.

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Most of the people moving out of the PDP have become disgruntled, and they feel they must have it all. I don’t know who gave them that kind of entitlement that PDP is theirs, and it must be theirs, and that when they need anything in PDP, and they don’t get it, nobody else can get it, and that the roof must be brought down,” he added.

He continued: “I can tell you that people we have in PDP are those that are asset to the party. Those that are assets to the party, we do not allow them to leave. More so, those that we are bringing into the party are those that will add value to the party. You will start seeing them very soon.”

Iduoriyemkewen, who said Edo needs persons with value and substance, stressed that his party candidates – Asue Ighodalo and Osarodion Ogie – are the rights persons Edo needs to move to an enviable heights.

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Further speaking on activities of the campaign council, the DG said the party campaign would be issue-based, adding that how to move Edo forward is his party concern and not frivolous issues.

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He said: “Our campaign would be issue-based. The campaign would be where we met Edo people and where we intend to take them to. Our campaign is going to be a realistic one, the steps we intend to take to solve the numerous challenges facing us.

“What we are going to be telling Edo people is the process of taking them from where we met them to where we are taking them to.”

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Responding, the chairman, Edo NUJ, Comrade Festus Alenkhe, assured the DG of members of the council unbiased, apolitical stance as far as politics is concerned in the state.

The Edo NUJ chairman who said the union as a professional body frowned at fake news and unverified information, described the NUJ secretariat as a freedom ground where anyone can come to express his or mind on issues.

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