Metro

ASUU Strike: Varsity Students Protest, Barricade Roads In Benin

Published

2 years ago

May 4, 2022

Barely 79 days after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embar on industrial action, students from the university of Benin (UNIBEN), Ambrose Alli University, (AAU) Ekpoma, Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, all in Edo State, Wednesday, barricaded the ever busy Ring Road, Benin City, to protest the prolong strike.

Addressing newsmen at the rally, the Students Union President, UNIBEN, Comrade Foster Amadin said the strike has made them stayed in their various institutions of learning more than necessary.

“The truth is, we are not for ASUU neither are we fighting against anybody, all we know and all we want is going back to our classes.

“You know as it stands now, we have been stagnated in our academy, we have been at home for 71 days and nobody is saying anything about it.

“The government is going about their electoral processes while the even ASUU are going about their individual businesses but forgetting that we are the young Nigerians, we are students and we want to graduate”, he said.

Amadin said their parents might not be wealthy enough to have sent them to school abroad just like some senators and house of representatives members do but that they are glad that they are peace loving Nigerians who want to go back to their classes respectively to learn and graduate at the nick of time.

Also speaking, the National Vice President, Special Duty of National Association of Nigerians Students (NASS), Comrade Thomas Ikine, said it is shameful that students are at home due to ASUU strike while those who are to front the course of the students and the ASUU are busy purchasing forms for millions of naira yet they are saying they have no funds to meet the ASUU’s demands.

“The educational sector of this country is faulty. Our leaders have bastardized it. And as it is, Nigerian students are at home and yet they are busy purchasing forms for over a hundred million naira to an amount that a president of other countries constitutionally cannot even earn throughout his own tenure.

“That is an insult to us. Imagine the Minister of Education for state coming out boldly to purchase a form of hundred million whereas he has been quite and voiceless ever since ASUU went on strike.

“Now, we are hearing from him and he is lashing out at ASUU whereas all this while we have not heard from him”, he said.

Ikine said the students will not leave the streets pending when the government listen to the cry of the students.

“So as it is, we are calling on Muhammadu Buhari who from all ramifications he has failed Nigerians.

“So we are calling on the federal government to do the needful. We are here, this is called “Unistreet”.

“Few months ago we admitted new students and today, we are here to start receiving lectures.

“This is our first day. So all the courses we are taking here is introductory.

“And as it is, we are here and we are not leaving here. Today is just the beginning.

“More of our colleagues who are not here will be here to join us as from tomorrow. If they want us to leave the street, they know what to do”, he said.

Metro

22-year-old Man Arrested With Arms, POS Machine In Edo

Published

16 hours ago

April 16, 2024

Editor

Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested a 22-year-old man, Francis Okoye Obinna, for possession of arms and ammunition.

Spokesperson of the command, Chidi Nwabuzor, who made this known in a statement on Monday, April 15, 2024, said the suspect was arrested along the Benin-Lagos expressway during a stop and search operation.

According to the PPRO, a POS machine, a Brownie Pistol, and 9 rounds of 6mm ammunition were found in his possession.

“This young man Francis Okoye Obinna ‘m’ age 22 years old, boarded a bus from Lagos heading to Anambra State was intercepted by operatives of the Edo State Command while on purposeful stop and search along Benin-Lagos expressway on 07/04/2024,” the statement read.

“During the search, the following exhibits were found in his possession; a Brownie Pistol with breach No. PZ1833, 9 rounds of 6mm ammunition and a POS Machine

“In his confessional statement, he said it was one man called Emma in Lagos that gave him the gun to use it to threaten one Mr. Paul Okoye who he alleged to have killed his father with a charm I Anambra State

“Furtherance to their investigation, the operatives of the Command embarked on investigation activities to Lago to ascertain the truth about his statement. On getting to Lagos, it was discovered that the suspect was telling lies about his confessional statement

“Investigation continues to know how he came about the gun and the POS, what he used it for,” the statement reads.

Metro

Man Jailed 27 Years For Stealing N2.3m In Ekiti

Published

19 hours ago

April 15, 2024

Editor

An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division has sentenced a 22-year-old man, Dipo Femi, to 27 years imprisonment for conspiracy, burglary and stealing.

The sentences which will run concurrently from the day of arrest included seven years each for three charges (21 years) and three years each for two charges (six years).

Femi was arraigned on July 19, 2022, on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, burglary and other offences, contrary to Sections 421, 324 and 302 of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, 2021.

According to the charge, Femi and others, now at large, on March 14, 2022, at 5:30 a.m., at Oke Ureje, Polytechnic Road, Ado Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, did conspire and break into the shops of Victor Mark, Clement Moses and Samuel Lucky and stole various items.

Items stolen during the burglary, according to the charge, included “men’s and ladies’ wears, jewellery, footwear, cash sum of N200,000, perfumes, body spray, fez caps among others valued at N2.150m”.

The prosecutor, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, called four witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statements, and bond to produce as exhibits while the defendant spoke in his defence through his counsel, Chris Omokhafe, and he called no witnesses.

In the judgment, Justice Blessing Ajileye said, “I will not hesitate to hold that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt the basic elements of stealing against the defendant and I so hold.

“In counts 1, 2 and 4, (conspiracy and burglary) the defendant is convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment each and in counts 3 and 5, the defendant is sentenced to three years imprisonment each, time of the imprisonment are to run concurrently from the date of arrest,” the judge pronounced.

Metro

Imo Police Nab Notorious Kidnap Kingpin, Recover Snatched Vehicle

Published

22 hours ago

April 15, 2024

Editor

Operatives of the Imo State Police Command Anti Kidnapping Unit led have apprehended a notorious kidnap kingpin, 40-year-old Aralu Chukwudi Charis of Nnewi North LGA of Anambra State.

A statement released by the command’s spokesperson, ASP Henry Okoye, says the arrest was made following credible intelligence and a well-coordinated operation that led the operatives to the criminal hideout of the suspect at Mgbidi in Oru East LGA of Imo State on April 13 where he was ambushed and eventually arrested.

He stated that the suspect masterminded several kidnapping and armed robbery operations in Imo State.

“On searching his hideout, one Ash Coloured Toyota Camry, 2005 model, with reg no; MUS 509 DS Lagos, reportedly snatched was recovered. In the course of investigation, he confessed that he is the gang leader of a deadly criminal syndicate terrorizing the people of Imo State and provided crucial information that will assist the determined operatives in the arrest of his syndicate at large.’‘ the statement reads in part

The police added that the suspect will be arraigned in court upon completion of a comprehensive investigation.

The statement added that the state Commissioner of Police Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, therefore reiterated the Command’s commitment to continually clamp down on unrepentant criminal syndicate perpetrating insecurity in the State.

He noted that CP advised the residents of Imo State, particularly the youths to eschew crime, warning that perpetrators will always be exposed and in most cases, end up in tragedy.