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Air Force Institute Matriculates 1,673 Students

Published

1 year ago

April 29, 2023

Editor

The Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna on Saturday, matriculated 1,673 students for its 2022/2023 academic session.

The Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, AVM Emmanuel Wonah, while addressing the matriculating students, charged them to be good ambassadors of the Institution.

Wonah commended the institute for increasing the courses available at the undergraduate level from 11 to 28.

“This is indeed very commendable,” he said, adding that as a premier hybrid institution in Nigeria, it concurrently runs both polytechnic and university systems.

“This makes you, the students, very unique in your training,” he said.

Wonah told the students that they are expected to be better than students from other contemporary universities, who, unlike them, do not have the benefit of theoretical and practical training.

He enjoined the students to remember their major reason for being in the institution, saying that it was to read, study, make good grades and be good ambassadors of their homes, school and the nation.

He urged them that while not losing sight of their academic goals, they should also have an active social life with their fellow students.

“You have sworn an oath of allegiance to remain committed and disciplined all through your period of study here.

“I, therefore, urge you all to look carefully at the contents of the oath in your spare time.

“Those words are binding, hence, you must be careful not to breach any aspect of the oath, which may lead to your suspension or expulsion.”

Wonah appreciated the AFIT commandant and the staff for their relentless effort towards providing an enabling environment for students to achieve a successful academic and career path.

Earlier, the AFIT Commandant, AVM Paul Jemitola, said this was the institution’s 6th joint matriculation ceremony for National Diploma and Degree Programmes.

Jemitola said the occasion marked the official and statutory admission of qualified and deserving students into institutions of higher learning.

According to him, AFIT occupied a very unique position in Nigeria as the only hybrid higher institution offering a blend of University, Polytechnic, and Military programmes.

The commandant said that the institution was under the supervision of NUC, NBTE and the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters.

“As we conduct your joint matriculation into the Institute today, may I remind you that you are fortunate to be in a place where emphasis is placed on both research and technical knowledge.”

He told the students to remember that certificates are awarded based on learning and character, therefore, they must find a balance between their academic, social and emotional lives in order not to lose sight of their goals.

“On our part, the Institute will continue to focus on her pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, service to society, well-being of staff and students.”

He advised the students to show respect to the staff and their fellow students in order to make their stay fruitful and productive.

“We are working tirelessly to provide more facilities to make your stay in school pleasurable.

“You are reminded that the oath you have taken today is for allegiance to the institute, obedience to the commandant, and all those in authority over you and to be of good conduct throughout your stay in the Institute.

“Be warned that a breach of the oath taken today will attract appropriate sanctions,” Jemitola said.

The commandant prayed that God Almighty would watch over all the students, and make them a source of pride to their families, states, country and humanity.

Also, the Provost of the Institute, Prof. Mohammed Dauda, said that AFIT was established for the purpose of generating, disseminating and applying knowledge through conduct of research, training and result-oriented utilisation of innovative research findings.

He added that these enhanced roles and objectives conferred considerable potential on AFIT to contribute strategically towards technological development of the Nigerian Air Force specifically and the country in general.
NAN

News

Anambra: Three Ex-police Officers Bag Life Imprisonment For Murder

Published

6 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

An Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha has convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment three former Police officers for killing a 42-year-old man, identified as Chukwunonso Uchenwoke, from Mbosi in the Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.

The accused persons were said to have killed the man while effecting his arrest over an alleged assault and malicious damage.

The offences were said to have been committed on May 14, 2016, at No. 13 Ibe Street, East Niger Layout, Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state and the Onitsha Judicial Division.

After the incident, the ex-police officers, whose names were given as Juliet Ekwueme, Ugochukwu Obiakor and Raphael Chike, were said to be dismissed from the Nigerian Police Force.

The court, presided over by Justice A.O. Okuma, on Wednesday, held that the prosecution counsel proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and found the accused persons guilty of conspiracy and murder charges preferred against them, which are contrary to Sections 495(a) and 274(I) of the Criminal Code Cap 36 Volume II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991, as amended.

The three of them were all convicted and sentenced to seven years of imprisonment for conspiracy and life imprisonment for manslaughter.

Trulaw Chambers, through her principal counsel, C.J. Okeke, prosecuted the case with the fiat of the Anambra State Attorney General.

Reacting to the judgement, the prosecutor, Okeke, described it as yet another victory and a succinct reminder that justice is still tenable with the right legal representatives.

The counsel to the first defendant, G.A. Oluwatuase, said he would appeal the judgment for his client; the counsel to the second defendant, C.E. Ezenwa, and the counsel to the third defendant, C.J. Agbata, said they need a copy of the judgement to determine their next line of action.

News

Three Killed In Abuja Community Clash

Published

6 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

Three persons, including two women and a young boy, have reportedly been killed in a clash between local scavengers, otherwise referred to as baban bola, and residents of the Byazhin community, in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the FCT.

An eyewitness, who identified herself as Jessica Adam, told our correspondent that a baban bola attempted to steal a woman’s pot of soup, but was overpowered and beaten up after the woman alerted neighbours and passers-by.

The embittered baban bola then went away and mobilised hoodlums who returned at about 8pm wielding weapons including machetes, clubs, and stones and began attacking residents at random, eventually killing the woman whose pot of soup was earlier stolen.

In the attack, two others, a woman and a young boy, reported to be passers-by who unfortunately ran into the middle of the crisis, were also killed, they were, however, yet to be identified.

“They killed two people yesterday. The community has been in chaos since yesterday. The crisis continued till this morning when they killed somebody again. So far, three persons have been killed and many injured. The Police intervened and restored normalcy, but no arrest was made. The Police have intensified their patrol in the Byazhin area of Kubwa to prevent them from regrouping,” Ms Adams narrated.

A resident in the community, who spoke with The PUNCH on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the death of the three persons but said he had no clue as to what may have started the clash.

“Yes, the riot started yesterday. And by this morning, we learnt that three persons have been killed. It happened in Byazhin around that Millionaire’s Quarters, behind that Living Faith Church. That place is usually dangerous, because it is quite lonely, and you cannot pass through there alone, especially in the evening,” he said.

As of the time of filing this report, The PUNCH gathered that schools and shops in the area have been closed down, as parents scampered to pick up kids from their classrooms, and shops refused to open as of Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, proved abortive, as her number was repeatedly unreachable.

News

24 Injured In Kano Mosque Explosion

Published

6 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

No fewer than 24 persons were critically injured on Wednesday following an early morning mosque explosion at Gadan Village, Gezawa local government area of Kano State

The Public Relations Officer of the Kano Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday.

“Today, 15/05/2024 at about 0520hrs, reports were received that, there was an explosion at a Mosque in Gadan Village, Gezawa LGA, Kano State during “Subhi Prayer” and that some people got injured.

“On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, immediately deployed the command’s combined teams consisting of experts in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Chemical Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) led by CSP Haruna Isma’il and other Crime-Scene Policemen led by Divisional Police Officer, Gezawa Division, CSP Haruna Iliya.

“The scene was cordoned-off and twenty-four victims including 20 male adults and 4 male children were removed and rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital Kano where they are currently receiving treatment,” he said.

According to him, forensic analysis at the preliminary stage revealed a suspected petrol explosion, of which a full investigation is ongoing.

He said that the principal suspect had been identified and arrested adding that the suspect is now with the Police.

“The suspect is Shafi’u Abubakar aged 38 years who said his action was purely in hostility following prolonged family disagreement over sharing of inheritance of which those that he alleged to have cheated on him were in the mosque at that moment and he did that for his voice to be heard,” Haruna said.

While the suspect is currently in police custody, he noted that a detailed investigation is ongoing and will be made public in due course.