Metro

No ID Cards, No Exams, OAU Students Ground Campus In Protest

Published

6 months ago

May 26, 2025

Some students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Monday held a peaceful protest at the main entrance to the institution over the non-issuance of identity cards to them by the management.

During the demonstrations, the protesters prevented commercial vehicles from entering the university campus, leading to traffic gridlock on Ife/Ede road.

Also, many commuters travelling along the busy Ife/Ede road when the protest was ongoing had a hectic time moving through the gridlock.

Many people having businesses on campus also had difficulty going into the institution’s premises, with the students checking all the vehicles allowed in to ensure that commercial buses did not access the premises.

Though the students did not grant an interview when approached by journalists during the protest, an open letter to OAU management, signed by the President of Greet Ife Students’ Union, Isaac Omoboriowo, and two other officials of the union, revealed the reason behind the protest.

The leadership of the body declared that the students would not sit for the second-semester examinations until their identity cards were produced and distributed.

“This is not a new issue; it is one we have persistently raised before the beginning of the first semester of this academic session. From then until now, the ninth week of the second semester, the Students’ Union has consistently engaged the university management on the failure to produce and distribute identity cards to students.

“This prolonged failure has created deep and far-reaching consequences: many students have been stopped and harassed by police and military personnel, unable to identify themselves as students because the institution has not issued ID cards. Students applying for scholarships, grants, or jobs have lost chances due to the absence of verifiable student identification,” the open letter read in parts.

Listing other negative implications of not having their ID cards, the students’ body said graduating students preparing for the NYSC are also facing uncertainty, as there was no official ID from the school.

The letter further read, “Exams are approaching, and the same students who paid for ID cards still don’t have them. Therefore, we make this clear declaration: If the university fails to issue ID cards to all students before the commencement of examinations, students will not sit for any examination.

“This is not a threat; it is a legitimate demand. It is a stand against administrative negligence. It is a call for dignity and accountability. We hereby urge the university management to immediately finalise and distribute ID cards to all students across faculties, and we will not go into the examination halls without our rightful identification as students of this great university.”

Responding, the management, in a statement signed by the Dean, Division of Student Affairs, Prof. J. Odedire, assured of the commitment of the Prof Simeone Bamire administration in ensuring that the students enjoy a conducive environment on campus.

Odedire also said during a meeting he held with the leadership of the Students’ Union, he explained the reason for the delay in the production of the ID cards.

“This unintended delay, which is attributable to the logistics of the incorporation of the smart features embedded in the I.D. card, has been addressed by the company charged with the production. The university authority is giving priority attention to ensuring that the first batch of the I.D. card is delivered latest by Wednesday (28/05/2025).

“The importance of a means of identification cannot be overemphasised, and the university administration will do all within her powers to ensure that our students’ right is not tampered with in any way,” Odedire said.
(PUNCH)

Metro

Sokoto Police Arrest Suspected Cultists, Uncover WhatsApp Recruitment Channel

Published

11 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

The Sokoto State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of the notorious “Sai Malam” cult group, believed to be behind rising criminal activities in parts of the state.

The suspects, including the alleged gang leader Usman Shu’aibu, were apprehended on Friday during an intelligence-led operation executed by the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, the suspects confessed to being initiated into the group through a private WhatsApp platform called Red Chamber.

The police noted that further investigation discovered the social media channel was created to recruit unsuspecting youths into criminal activities.

These, according to the statement, include ritual practices, the pursuit of supposed demonic powers, acts of homosexuality, and violent thuggery.

The police warned parents to closely monitor their children’s online activities closely, noting that criminal groups are increasingly exploiting digital platforms to lure vulnerable youths.

Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Musa, said the arrests respond directly to public concerns about the group’s operations, adding that efforts are ongoing to track other fleeing members.

He assured residents of the command’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven policing and safeguarding lives and property across the state.

In other news, two persons suspected to be hoodlums have been arrested by the operatives of the Ondo State Police Command for allegedly stabbing a police officer to death in Akure, the state capital.

The suspects, identified as Shina Jacob, 25, and Felix Olalekan, 32, allegedly attacked the police inspector during an altercation at Oke-Arata within Arakale axis.

The killing of the police officer came a few days after a personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was stabbed to death by a mentally unstable man in Oba-Ile area of Akure.

According to sources, after the inspector, who was recently transferred from the Anti-Cultism Unit to B-Division, was stabbed, the area was thrown into a state of panic as residents and traders hurriedly fled.

While confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Olayinka Ayanlade, disclosed that the officer was rushed to the hospital after he was stabbed but gave up the ghost while receiving treatment.

“An altercation ensued between the officer and some recalcitrant individuals, during which the officer was tragically stabbed. This unfortunate event triggered an immediate and coordinated police response.

“Acting swiftly, the Commissioner of Police deployed a team of operatives to the scene, resulting in the arrest of two suspects directly connected to the incident. They include Shina Jacob ‘m’ aged 25 years and Felix Olalekan ‘m’ aged 32 years.

“The injured officer was also rescued and rushed to the hospital; however, despite all efforts, the police inspector sadly passed away while receiving treatment. The follow-up operation conducted last night formed part of the Command’s sustained and strategic efforts to rid the state of violent criminal elements and prevent further breaches of public safety,” Ayanlade stated.”

Metro

Army, Air Force Crush ISWAP Fighters After Failed Chibok Attack

Published

15 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

Troops of the 28 Task Force Brigade, Sector 4 Operation Hadin Kai, on Saturday stopped a major attack by ISWAP/Boko Haram fighters in Chibok, Borno State, before the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) moved in with airstrikes that killed many of the fleeing terrorists.

The report was contained in a post shared on X by security analyst Zagazola Makama.

According to the update, more than 300 terrorists launched a coordinated assault on Chibok around 3:00 a.m., attempting to break through military defensive positions.

Soldiers responded immediately, engaging the attackers in a fierce gunfight that lasted about two hours.

A security source quoted in the post said the troops acted swiftly and professionally.

“There was no casualty on our side, and no equipment was affected,” the source said.

As the terrorists began to retreat toward the Timbuktu Triangle, ground troops called for air support.

NAF combat aircraft were deployed to the route used by the fleeing fighters.

The airstrikes, guided by intelligence from the troops on the ground, hit several clusters of terrorists trying to escape.

Multiple waves of strikes were carried out, with both manned aircraft and an unmanned aerial platform targeting groups of fighters dispersing into the forest.

According to Makama, the combined efforts of the Army and the Air Force dealt heavy blows to the attackers, preventing them from regrouping after the failed offensive.

Metro

Tanker Crash Kills Three, Fire Razes Shops In Kano

Published

15 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

Three people died on Friday after a petrol tanker crashed and caught fire in Kura Local Government Area of Kano State, while a separate blaze destroyed shops at Hamisu Plaza along Maiduguri Road.

The incidents were detailed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Fire Service, ACFO Saminu Yusif Abdullahi.

According to the statement, the first accident occurred around 1:30 p.m. when the agency received a call from retired Civil Defence officer Danlami Muhammad.

He reported that a tanker had fallen at the Kura market junction along Zaria Road.

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“Firefighters rushed from the headquarters to the scene and found a petrol tanker with the registration number NGZ 250 XA carrying about 30,000 litres of fuel. The tanker had overturned, caught fire and struck a cyclist who was on the road.

“The incident affected four people. Three of the victims were found unconscious and were later confirmed dead, while the cyclist managed to escape alive,” the Fire Service said.

Firefighters, working with the police and the Federal Road Safety Corps, brought the situation under control.

The victims were handed over to ASP Ahmad Lawan of the Kura Police Division.

Two fire trucks, one from the headquarters and another from the Kura station responded to the call. The cause of the crash is still being investigated.

The second incident happened around 2:45 p.m. after the control room received a distress call from Fire Assistant III Ahmad Gwangwazo, reporting a fire at Hamisu Plaza in Taruni LGA.

On arrival, firefighters found a two-storey commercial building measuring about 200 by 200 feet with flames coming from the upper floor.

“The fire affected three shops, while two others were saved,” the statement said.

The team was able to prevent the fire from spreading to the remaining shops on the first floor and the entire ground floor.

A fire truck stationed at the ongoing trade fair also joined the operation. The cause of this fire is also under investigation.

The Director of the Kano State Fire Service, Alhaji Sani Anas, urged residents to be extra careful, especially during the harmattan season.

“He is appealing to the general public to handle fire with care to avoid disasters.

“He further urged motorists to drive calmly and follow traffic rules to prevent accidents that may lead to loss of life or property,” the statement added.