Metro

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

Published

3 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

Vigilantes Beat, Strip Female Corps Member In Anambra

Published

14 hours ago

August 19, 2025

Editor

A viral video has shown the moment armed men believed to be operatives of Operation Udo Ga-Achi — also known as the Agunechemba Vigilante Group — stormed a corps members’ lodge in Anambra State and assaulted a female corps member identified as Jennifer Edema Elohor and some of her colleagues.

The video, which was shared by the Haven 360 Foundation on Facebook on Monday, showed the victim, Elohor being beaten and stripped naked, by men wielding guns.

The foundation said the victims were brutalised and subjected to humiliating and sexually degrading threats.
It noted that the vigilante accused the corps members of being ‘yahoo people’ and still descended on them despite producing their NYSC identity cards.

The foundation wrote in part, “We strongly condemn the brutal assault and violation of rights of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members by operatives of Operation Udo Ga-Achi or ‘Agunechemba Vigilante Group’ in Anambra State.

“On July 23, 2025, these state actors stormed the corpers lodge, accusing the members of being ‘Yahoo people’, despite their prompt production of NYSC identification cards and uniforms.

“The assault was particularly egregious in the case of Jennifer Edema Elohor, who was beaten, stripped naked, and left exposed and covered in blood.

“The victims were subjected to unsavoury, horrible, sexually degrading words and actions, including threats of sexual violation.”

Metro

Bandits Kill 13 Worshipers In Katsina Mosque

Published

16 hours ago

August 19, 2025

Editor

Katsina State government has mobilised more security forces following the tragic attack by bandits killing 13 worshipers in a mosque at a wee hour on Tuesday at the Malumfashi Local Government Area of the state.

The Punch learnt that the bandits who were on a reprisal attack shot at the worshippers at Unguwan Mantau community, leaving 13 dead.

The State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu, told journalists on Tuesday that the state government announced immediate security reinforcements and support measures following a tragic incident.

According to him, “The incident occurred when criminal elements launched a reprisal attack on the community. The Muslim members of the community were praying in the mosque during the Fajr prayer when the criminal element started shooting sporadically in the mosque.

“The attack was in retaliation for the community’s successful defence efforts two days earlier. The people of Unguwan Mantau decided to lay an ambush against the bandits and killed many of them. They rescued victims taken from Ruwan Sanyi village and seized 3 motorcycles and 2 AK-47s.

“The security agencies are now on the ground in Unguwan Muntau to restore normalcy.

“Air component commander of the Forward Operating Base, Nigerian Army, and Nigerian Police Force have already deployed to clear those bandits because during the rainy season, bandits hide under the crops to perpetrate their evil acts. We are working towards bringing the bandits to book.

“As government, we salute the gallantry and disposition of the people of Unguwar Mantau, and we are committed to fighting these bandits and ensuring safety across our communities.

“The State Government extends heartfelt condolences to the families affected and reaffirms its unwavering support for community-based security initiatives while working to eliminate criminal elements from the region.”

Metro

Court Orders Divorce-seeking Woman To Pay Her Husband N120,000

Published

2 days ago

August 17, 2025

Editor

A Shari’a court sitting at Magajin Gari, Kaduna State, has ordered a businessman, Malam Baballe Ibrahim, to allow his ex-wife, Hauwa’u to move her belongings out of his house.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the judge, Malam Kabir Muhammad, gave the order after dissolving the one-year-old marriage between Ibrahim and Hauwa’u by way of khul’i (redemption).

This means that the wife must refund the dowry paid by Ibrahim before the wedding to redeem herself from the marriage.

The judge ordered Hauwa’u to return the N100,000 dowry to Ibrahim and another N20,000 given as “Kudin Gaisuwa” (money given to her parents during the introduction).

Ibrahim had refused to grant Hauwa’u divorce.

He also locked her out and demanded that she should pay him everything he had spent on her when he started courting her and during the one-year marriage.

“I took care of her and provided everything she needed during our marriage.

“I bought skin and hair care products, clothing and make ups for her,” he said.