Metro

JUST IN: ASUU Stages Peaceful Protest In Bauchi, Demands Exception From IPPIS

Published

2 days ago

June 28, 2024

Editor

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi state chapter has staged a peaceful protest to press home its demands and urged the Federal Government to fulfill its promise to remove its members from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

Comrade Ibrahim Inuwa, the Chairman of the union made the call on Thursday, at the end of the peaceful protest.

He also urged the federal government to implement the re-negotiations of 2009 agreements reached with the national ASUU to prevent the resumption of the suspended industrial action.

The ASUU members who walked from their Secretariat in the Yelwa campus of the University to the main gate, called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure the signing and implementation of the Prof. Nimi Briggs Committee’s agreement on the renegotiation of salaries of academic staff of Federal Universities.

The members, through their Chairperson, expressed their grievances by carrying placards with different inscriptions, calling the attention of relevant authorities to their plights such as ‘Remove ASUU from IPPIS, Release our withheld salaries, Implement ASUU FG agreements, We are not Casual Workers’ among many others.

Inuwa, who stated that the non implementation of the agreement has the implications of denying Academics a wage that is consistent with the current economic reality, also lamented that for 15 years now, ASUU members have remained on the same salary system while all efforts for renegotiation have failed thereby making them to remain stagnant on the same spot.

“Following the federal government and ASUU in the 2009 agreement, it was provided that the agreement would be reviewed every 3 years. However, the Union has been without a renegotiated agreement for the past 15 years.

“Consequently, after so much effort and pressure on the government, a renegotiation committee was set-up under the Chairmanship of Wale Babalakin in 2017. This committee failed to ensure the conclusion of its assignment within the agreed time frame.

“Two other committees headed by Prof. Munzali Jibrin and Late Emeritus Prof. Nimi Briggs negotiated and produced draft agreements but the process was truncated at the point of finalizing the reviewed agreement and from 2021 till date, the document has remained in a draft form.

ASUU has over the years remained concerned over the need for successive governments to give the deserved attention to the development and provision of quality education to the Nigerian citizens.

“This position of the Union is consistent with section 18(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. This section states that the government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities to the citizens at all levels.

“The provision of access to quality education not only basic education, but including tertiary education is a matter of national interest and patriotism.

“This is because no nation is able to develop to its full potential where its citizens are poorly educated and their access to education is limited and obstructed by the lackadaisical attitude of the political class,” he said.

He called on the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, attend to their demands so as not to resolve embarking on an industrial action which the union had been avoiding over the years.

Metro

Two Suspects Excrete 150 Wraps Of Cocaine At Lagos Airport

Published

58 mins ago

June 30, 2024

Editor

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced on Sunday that its operatives have arrested two passengers traveling to Doha on a Qatar Airways flight at the screening point of Terminal 2 of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, after they tested positive for ingestion of illicit substances on Friday, June 21.

According to the agency spokesman, Femi Babafemi, “The suspects, Aikhomoun Daniel (alias Oladapo Olanrewaju) and Ayigoro Waheed Omobolaji, were taken into observatory custody. Daniel excreted a total of 90 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.022 kg in six excretions, while Ayigoro discharged 60 wraps of the same Class A substance with a total weight of 662 grams in five egestions.”

Further investigation revealed that Aikhomoun Daniel had stolen the identity of his late uncle, who was once based in Germany, to obtain a Schengen visa for free access to Europe. His real name is Oladapo Olanrewaju.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives intercepted 6,125 cartons of codeine syrup containing 1,050,000 bottles of the opioid, worth over N7.35 billion in street value, at the Port Harcourt Ports complex, Onne, Rivers State.

The seizure, made from six containers on Saturday, June 29, was the third such operation in the past four weeks following credible intelligence and diligent tracking of the consignments from their port of departure by a special operations unit of NDLEA.

In Abuja, NDLEA operatives disrupted a drug party dubbed “Go Hard or Go Home. Pick Your Poison,” arresting 60 suspects (25 males and 35 females) at an apartment in Sun City estate, Federal Capital Territory. The raid followed credible intelligence about the party organized by Stanley Ikechukwu, who was arrested at the venue. Six suspects were found with different quantities of ecstasy and cannabis.

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (retired), directed that 20 of the suspects who tested negative for drugs be released unconditionally. Thirty-three others who tested positive for illicit drugs were to be released on bail and report to the FCT Command of the Agency on Monday to begin treatment and counseling.

Additionally, about 40.32 kg of Loud, an imported strong strain of cannabis, was recovered from a black Toyota Tacoma truck along Lekki-Ikoyi road when the driver abandoned the vehicle after noticing NDLEA operatives were on his trail.

Furthermore, four suspects—Endurance Okon, 24; Joseph Michael, 23; Ovoco Bright, 43; and Goday Abanum, 23—were arrested in a deep forest in Ugun, Igueben LGA, Edo State on Saturday, June 29, when NDLEA operatives raided and destroyed 18,632.22 kilograms of cannabis on 7.452888 hectares of farmland.

Across the country, NDLEA commands and formations continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities. These include WADA enlightenment lectures for students and staff of First Technical University, Ibadan, Oyo State; students of Government Day Secondary School, Yola, Adamawa; students and teachers of Ezeike High School, Nibo, Anambra; members of Mount Zion Anglican Church, Igoba, Akure, Ondo State; and WADA advocacy visits to the palace of the Oba of Yoruba in Kano, Dr. Murtala Alimi Otitese.

Commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Port Harcourt Ports, Lagos, and Edo Commands for their arrests, seizures, and dexterity, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (retired), warned drug cartels that no matter the ingenuity of their modes of trafficking, the dedicated workforce of the Agency, in collaboration with other stakeholders and partners, will always be steps ahead to expose them and thwart their tricks. He urged the officers and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency.

Metro

JUST IN: Bandits Strike Abuja Town, Kill One, Kidnap Four

Published

1 hour ago

June 30, 2024

Editor

A band of terrorists on Sunday morning invaded the Guto area of Bwari Area Council in the nation’s capital, Abuja, reportedly killing one person and abducting four others.

Sources told Vanguard that the attack which began around 12:30am around the fringes of Guto and Piyawe communities, soon got into Tudun-Fulani and Sabon Gari areas, both in the Council.

The armed men, numbering over 30 were said to have divided themselves into two groups and attacked the communities from various angles, having entered Piwaye through the swamps.

They were consequently said to have killed a woman, Madam Alice, who was in her mid 40s and then kidnapped a man.

Alice was said to have gone to the area to visit her sick mother who was being taken care of by her brother when she was killed.

Two victims were allegedly abducted from their homes in Guto, while another person was kidnapped from Tudun-Fulani, which is less than a kilometre from the council Secretariat.

A resident who preferred anonymity, said the attackers operated from 12:30am to 2:30am with no challenge from security agencies.

He said; “What happened last night was very unfortunate. We couldn’t sleep from 12:30am when they stated till almost three o’clock. Initially we thought it was the vigilance teams who were shooting, but when it became persistent, we knew these people were back again.

“We have had peace for sometime now but unfortunately they have resumed and this time with full force because it was two groups that entered Bwari that night. One was in Guto while the other group was in Piyawe. It was obvious those ones came prepared, because the sounds we heard through the night, suggested they came with sophisticated weapons.”

Another resident of Tudun-Fulani who would not like to be mentioned, alleged that the police failed to show even when frantic calls where made to the divisional headquarters in Bwari.

“We felt so helpless because the kidnappers operated for over an hour, but there was no police or army to challenge them. I called my neighbour when the shooting started and he said he had already called the police. We waited for them to show up for 20 minutes and when we didn’t hear sounds of sirens, we called again but they kept telling us they were on their way. We never saw them until the kidnappers left on their own.”

Metro

Two Die As Police Engage Kidnappers In A’Ibom Gun Duel

Published

2 hours ago

June 30, 2024

Editor

Two out of six armed men who kidnapped an old man, (name withheld) in Akwa Ibom State have died during a gun battle with police operatives in the State.

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Timfon John, who disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday explained that the command has intensified the hunt for four other fleeing suspected members of the Kidnap gang.

ASP John noted that the abducted victim (name undisclosed) was reached at Afaha Nsit in Nsit Ibom Local government area, where his abductors had abandoned him.

Her words, “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has rescued a kidnap victim (name withheld) who was kidnapped by about six armed men. On receipt of the report, the Command Tactical teams swiftly responded and went after the kidnappers.

“In an ensued gun battle, two of the kidnappers were fatally injured. They were taken to a hospital where they were confirmed dead while others escaped with the victim.

“However, at about 2000hrs on the same day following a hot chase of the kidnappers, the abducted victim was abandoned at Afaha Nsit in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area where he was rescued by the Police and taken to the Police Clinic for medical attention.

“One tricycle, one Mitsubishi Hilux vehicle, mobile phones, expanded cartridges and other items suspected to be charms were recovered.

“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police Akwa Ibom State Police Command, CP Waheed Ayilara has reaffirmed the Command’s unwavering Commitment and dedication to making Akwa Ibom uncomfortable for criminals.

“The CP thanked the good people of Akwa Ibom State for their support to the Police. He urged them to always report any suspicious acts or movement to the Police and other security agencies.”