A group of final year Engineering students of the University of Benin, on Friday set the school on alert as they spray money all over the campus.
CAMPUS GIST gathered that the Engineering boys came prepared in exotic cars to display their wealth in celebration of their final week.
Fellow students could be seen scrambling frantically to catch a portion of the raining money, in a video shot by our correspondent.
A student was said to have fainted at the sight of the raining monies. She was later rushed to the school's health centre for treatment.
The University of Benin is currently in her second semester preparing for exams, while students of the Law faculty have already graduated.
Just three days ago, final year students of UNIBEN Accounting department recreated the famous Spanish movie series La Casa De Papel "Money heist''.
The students took the costume day of their final year week up to a whole new level as they wore costumes depicting the characters in the movies, wowing their colleagues.
Secretary of the Edo State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), Engr. Lawrence Okah, has been suspended from office.
He was suspended on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019 at the state secretariat of the party located in Airport road area of the state, Igbere TV reports.
Although, his suspension was carried out by the State Chairman, Anselm Ojezua and members of the State Working Committee, Igbere TV, however, learnt from credible source that it was orchestrated by the Governor, Godwin Obaseki.
Ojezua is a well known supporter of the state Governor, who has never hidden his stand since the crisis rocking the Edo state APC started.
Okah on the other hand, is a supporter of the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole. He fell out of favour with Obaseki during the 2019 general elections in the state.
He was accused of working against the Governor's choice of candidates, while standing firm with the choice of the “Abuja politicians” during the party's primaries.
Okah is said to have also refused to pledge allegiance to the Governor, denying him a second term endorsement using the state APC.
Governor Obaseki had accused Okah of belonging to Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), a dissenting group within the APC fighting the Governor’s second term agenda.
Both Oshiomhole and Obaseki have been at loggerhead since the controversial Edo Assembly inauguration, with the latter accusing the former of scheming to deny him second term ticket - a claim he has since denied.
When contacted, the embattled secretary confirmed his suspension to Igbere TV, but said the state chairman, going by the party's Constitution, had no power to suspend him.
In a subsequent statement made available to Igbere TV on Friday, Okah maintained his earlier position, saying he remains the secretary of the Edo state APC.
“My purported suspension as Secretary of APC in Edo State is illegal and cannot stand”, he said.
“Governor Godwin Obaseki and Anslem Ojezua lack the powers to suspend me. All they have done so far regarding the party is illegal and cannot stand.
“I remain the secretary of the party while Comrade Adams Oshiomhole remains the leader of the party in Edo State”, Okah maintained.
This is not the first time the governor will be sacking Edo APC members. In September, Obaseki sacked over 260 appointees in an exercise aimed at weeding out non-loyalists out of his government ahead next year’s governorship election.
About four council chairmen, Eghe Ogbemudia (Egor) Hon Patrick Aguinede, (Esan-West) Alhaji Yakson Musa (Etsako-West) and Alhaji Aremiyau Momoh (Etsako-East), were in October, equally suspended from government.
Just this week, Governor Obaseki ordered the sack of all political appointees in the eighteen local government councils of the state, even as rumours are rife that the wave of sack and suspension may hit more political heavyweights.
Those affected lately were Secretaries to the eighteen Council Chairmen, Supervisory Councillors, Special Advisers, Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants and Personal Assistants.
It's about time Governor Obaseki tamed some of these urchins, especially Tony Kabaka.
Kabaka is the only man who thinks he is bigger than the governor but not bigger than the Oba. I wonder what gives him the balls.
He should ask Osakpanwam Eriyo (aka Nomoreloss) and Emir Sansusi how powerful power is. Because it is like he does not know that just one decree from the governor can have him and the Oba begging for alms at Ramat Park.
May our ancestors forgive you!
He should try it, just a sneeze from the Oba will do... The rest will be history!
Management of the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, has suspended some students over alleged involvement in a peaceful demonstration.
Those affected are the Mayors and Mayoress of halls of residence, including that of Hall 5 and Keystone hostels. All the three persons are undergraduate students.
CAMPUS GIST reliably gathered that the said protest was led by postgraduate students in first semester. The school is currently in second semester.
The protesters were said to have demonstrated to the official residence of the vice-chancellor, otherwise known as VC lodge, in protest against non-availability of power.
It was gathered that the hostels lacked electricity and water for over three days during exam period, forcing the students to take to protests.
Their suspension was announced by the university Registrar, Mrs O. A. Oshodin, in a private letter exclusively obtained by CAMPUS GIST on Friday.
“You will recall your alleged involvement in a case of unlawful protest and at an unholy hour”, she said in the letter obtained by our UNIBEN correspondent.
“The Vice Chancellor, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 17 (b), (c), and (d) of Edict No. 3 of 1975, and as amended by Decree No. 20 of 1975, has directed that you be suspended from all academic activities forthwith until you before the Security Department for clearance.
“Accordingly, you are hereby suspended from your Faculty and the University until get clearance from the Security Department”, added Mrs Oshodin.
Efforts to reach the Registrar for comment proved abortive, even as calls placed to the known phone lines of the university spokesman, Michael Osasuyi, went unanswered.
But an official of the school who would not like to be mentioned, said the university took the decision because the VC was disturbed from sleep at such “ungodly hour.”
On why the affected persons were suspended even when they are not directly involved, the official said the suspended persons were expected to have managed the situation.
“They failed in their duties as halls’ mayors and mayoress, respectively”, he said, adding, “they are expected to handle any of such cases from escalating especially at such ungodly hour.”
One of the affected persons who craved anonymity, told CAMPUS GIST that he was shocked to hear about his suspension from his hostel porter.
“The protest was led by postgraduate students [last semester] because they had no light in their hostels for over three days”, he said.
“Nobody even heard about it except for members of the Committee on Hostel Matters. Even myself, I wasn't aware not until my attention was drawn after the protest had begun.
“It was a peaceful demonstration, though the protest was taken to the VC’s lodge which is a normal thing in the university. Sadly, management accused us of spearheading the protest”, said the hall mayor.
This is not the first time UNIBEN will be suspending her students over demonstrations. In February, 2018 four union members were expelled from the school over a protest against an increment in tuition fee.
The expelled students were accused of staging a students’ demonstration on November 24, 2017, an action the university authorities described as intended to disrupt the institution’s 47th Founders’ Day Lecture and the 43rd Convocation Ceremony.
Those suspended include the then Student Union president, Osemudiamen Elvis; PRO, Ehiabhi Goodnews; Secretary-General, Justus Aidenagbon; Director of Socials, Innocent Ehiozua, and a renowned activist, Benjamin Majekodunmi, alias Sankara.
They were later recalled to the school following the intervention of external forces, including the university chancellor and Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
There are indications that the Federal Government and Organised Labour have reached a final agreement over the implementation of the lingering N30,000 new national minimum wage structure for workers in the country.
This comes as the Trade Union Congress (TUC) early Friday morning, thanked the federal government delegation led by Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige and Acting Head of Civil Service, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, for their efforts.
The statement obtained by Igbere TV signed by the TUC Chairman, Quadri Olaleye, and Secretary, Musa-Lawal Ozigi, partially indicates that the organized labour have subsequently put on hold the proposed industrial action.
According to the statement, both the FG and labour agreed to a template on the consequential adjustments for the N30,000 minimum wage Thursday night with different percentages for each grade level from grade level 07-09.
According to the new template, workers on grade level 07 was agreed at 23.2 per cent; grade level 08 at 20 per cent; grade level 09 at 19 per cent; from grade level 10 – 14 at 16 per cent and from grade level 15 – 17 at 14 per cent.
Full Statement,
MINIMUM WAGE: IT WAS A WIN WIN SITUATION
THE Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, has commended the Federal Government and organised labour for their patience while the National Minimum Wage negotiations lasted. The leadership of the Labour Centre added that although it was a rough road but they are happy that an agreement has finally been signed.
In a press statement, President of the Congress, Comrade Quadri Olaleye, FCIA and Secretary General, Comrade (Barr.) Musa-Lawal Ozigi, mni, said it was not an easy journey but it is now over, adding that government's team should be appreciated for their wisdom and sincerity.
"We commend the Head of Service of the federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan and her team for their sincerity. Though they argued that government cannot afford to meet our earlier demand of N30, 000 minimum wage across board because of the economic situation in the country, but we made them understand that some people cannot be more Nigerian than others. If we are tightening our belts, government should also do so."
By the agreement reached, the core civil servants:- GL 7 (23.2%), GL 8 -(20%), GL 9 - (19%), GL 10-14 – (16%) and GL 15-17 (14%).
Others, GL -7 (23.2%) like above; 8-14 shall earn (16%) and 15-17 (10.5).
As an organization and a major stakeholder in the Nigerian project we believe that the parties have done well. We shifted grounds and that is why we were able to resolve things without major injuries. It is a win win situation.
The TUC boss said he is particularly happy with the agreement because it has addressed some salary discrepancies and overlapping that the workers have agitated so much about. "This is a unique agreement and we promise to build on that by God's grace," he added.
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, approved the sum of N10 billion as an intervention fund for the upgrade of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, in Enugu State.
The President made the development known in a tweet sighted by Igbere TV on his official Twitter handle, @MBuhari.
“I have approved the sum of N10billion for an Intervention fund for the upgrade of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu. I have the assurance of the Minister of Aviation that the work will be done speedily and to the highest standards”, he said.
“Even as we have many items competing for our limited resources, we will continue to prioritize infrastructure investments in every part of the country. It is our responsibility to ensure Nigeria’s infrastructure is fixed; we will keep doing this,” Buhari tweeted.
The Enugu International Airport has been shut down for the past few months now for upgrade of its runway, and has remained shut since then forcing travellers to make use of alternatives like the Imo State Airport.
Government had equally downgraded the Airport from International Airport to a local one, arguing that it lacked the required facilities of a standard International Airport.
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has confirmed the appointment of Mr. Julius Osemen Anelu as the state’s Accountant General, Igbere TV reports.
Anelu had been working in acting capacity as the Accountant General since his appointment was announced in June this year.
In a statement obtained by Igbere TV, the state head of service, Isaac Ehiozuwa said the governor has approved the appointment, which takes immediate effect.
Ehiozuwa explained that the appointment is in line with the state government’s drive to reposition the civil service for efficient service delivery.
Born in 1971, Anelu joined the civil service in 1991 and rose through the ranks through diligence and hard work.
Until his appointment, he was the Director, Finance and Accounts, Directorate of Government House and Protocol.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting; a Master of Business Administration (MBA); Master of Science (MSc), in Accounting and Masters in Human Resource Management, all from the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Benin City, Edo State.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN); Fellow, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN); Associate Member, Institute of Finance and Control of Nigeria (IFCN), among others.
A House of Representatives member, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, yesterday, visited the Amankalu community in Alayi on a fact gathering mission organized by Hon. Emma Eke, the Director-General, Benjamin Kalu Foundation, to inspect the massive landslide which recently occurred in the area.
Igbere TV reports that that the landslide destroyed peoples’ houses, graves, walls, trees, etc.
The landslide which measured about 4 kilometres, spanned across 4 villages with a gradient depth of over 100 feet, effectively cutting them off from the local stream, their only source of water for drinking, cooking and other activities. Cracks could already be seen on the houses of indigenes as the landslide dangerously lurked a mere 20 feet away from the nearest residential settlement and was fast approaching.
Speaking with Igbere TV after he donated undisclosed amount of money to those affected by the ugly incident, Ben Kalu said “when my people are people, everybody in Nigeria is affected”.
He made it crystal clear that he had already alerted various agencies in the country to bring relief materials to the victims.
He further urged the people to keep believing in the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration and the leadership of the 9th National Assembly which he is a member of.
“The next step is to engage the relevant stakeholders in regards to managing issues of this nature”, he said.
“Ordinarily, science taught us that when this kind of trouble wants to happen, it could be either by using the typography area of the place, the geology of the place or the morphology of the place.
“Sometimes, it could also be the hydrology of the place or human activity or the combination of all these factors.
“It is difficult for us at this point to establish exactly what was the cause of this tremo that took away big trees, 4-5 kilometres of land with the depth of 100 ft that has cracked buildings, graves. The inhabitants of this place can no longer sleep peacefully at night. They are afraid of waking up in the morning and seeing their houses swallowed.
“We need to engage the stakeholders to properly analyse what actually cause this problem to prevent reoccurrence.
“I’m happy that we didn’t lose any life but we cannot wait until people start dying before the response team will start putting the necessary things that are expected to be in place.
“That’s why l left what I was doing in the National Assembly and came down here to see my people who elected me. The Abia State government cannot manage the level of the devastation I saw here today”, Ben Kalu said.
He added that there should be a strong agency to handle the damages caused by the landslide, insisting that the state cannot do it alone.
He, however, noted that the disaster will be handled by Federal Government agencies such as NEMA, Ecological Funds, Ministry of Environment and other agencies.
“I have come to access it myself and for the purpose of relaying it to the various stakeholders when I return to Abuja” Kalu said.
He also promised to present the situation before the floor of the House of Representatives as a matter of urgent public importance.
“If it involves raising a motion on the floor of the National Assembly, I will gladly do so…because the lives of these ones are very important to me.”
Hon Benjamin Kalu further revealed that the situation would be given urgent attention and wide publicity.
Speaking on the number of communities affected, Rep Kalu placed the number at four.
“…And we are talking about the population of 20,000 people. We cannot afford to allow any life to be affected. 20,000 lives are at risk as we speak now.
“Some of them are no longer sleeping here. Most of them have relocated to Ugwueke, Item, Igbere.
“We cannot allow the whole land to be eaten up by this tremo because a stitch in time saves nine”, Kalu added.
On his part, Aman Kalu, President-General of the affected community, while speaking with Igbere TV, described Hon Benjamin Kalu as a kind man.
He thanked him for coming to their rescue all the way from Abuja and pleaded with him to provide portable water supply for the community.
Aman Kalu expressed faith in the ability of the honourable member to ensure that the problem of the community were addressed in a timely manner.
Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, member representing Bende North State Constituency in Abia State House of Assembly also appreciated Benjamin Kalu for coming.
He revealed that they are not going to rest until everything was put in place and victims compensated.
The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari against pursuing a third term agenda in 2023.
The party was reacting to 2023 campaigns for the president in the media, and a statement credited to the Buhari presidency on Tuesday, October 1.
But President Buhari had on Tuesday in a statement obtained by Igbere TV said he will not, under any circumstance, seek a third term in office.
A statement issued by his spokesman, Garba Shehu obtained by Igbere TV said "Buhari will not be a candidate" in the 2023 presidential election upon the completion of his second term.
Reacting in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyban, the PDP, however, described any of such move as “a dangerous underhand politics capable of derailing our democracy and destabilizing our nation.”
He berated the statements by the Presidency “as unhealthy ploy to introduce a repugnant issue into official discourse in a bid to give it a life and achieve its fruition in the political arena.”
“The PDP says it is preposterous for the Presidency cabal and the APC to think that Nigerians cannot see through their shenanigan to import and elevate what they labeled as rumor and internet-based gossip, into official national discourse”, he said.
“Our party notes that Nigerians will not be surprised when, after the statements by the Presidency and APC, new groups surface to orchestrate more forceful agitations in the public space for the alteration of the 1999 Constitution to achieve an ignoble aim”, Ologbondiyban added.
The PDP cautioned the Presidency and the APC to note that “Nigerians are already aware of individuals and political interests in the Presidency cabal in addition to known APC agents who are behind the street demonstrations for a third term for President Buhari.”
“The party invites Nigerians to note how, having been busted, the presidency cabal and the APC are now groping for ways to cover their trails by making frivolous allegations which directly point back to them”, the statement said.
The party therefore urged President Muhammadu Buhari to personally speak out and immediately call his supporters to order “as Nigerians will never allow anybody, no matter how highly placed, to alter any part of our constitution to serve a selfish interest.”
“The PDP insists that this has become imperative in view of the series of constitutional violations and provocative undermining of our laws by the APC and power mongers in the Buhari Presidency”, the statement added.
Three persons were on Thurs. Sept. 26, found guilty of criminal impersonation by the Federal High Court, Ibadan, and sentenced to prison terms, Igbere TV reports.
According to a statement by the EFCC on Friday, the trio – Augustine Ekeson, Obinna Ureahi Ifeanyi and Osho Olalekan Micheal – were convicted in cases filed against them by the Commission.
Justice Patricia Ajoku, after considering the facts of an amended one-count charge against Obinna and Ifeanyi, pronounced them guilty and sentenced them to two years imprisonment each.
The duo had earlier been arraigned on a three-count charge based on the allegations raised against them in a petitioned received from one Mobolade Dele Akinbuluma, a Doctoral student of the University of Ibadan.
Akinbuluma alleged that the accused hacked into her email account to misrepresent themselves as staff of a Kenyan university where she was to undertake a study as part of her doctorate programme.
She was, in the process, defrauded of N875,490 (Eight hundred and seventy five thousand four hundred and ninety Naira).
The duo pleaded not-guilty to the charge, but later approached the EFCC for a plea bargain.
Following an agreement on the terms of the plea bargain, they were re-arraigned on Thursday on a one-count amended charge.
The latest charge reads: “That you Augustine Ekeson M and Obinna Ureahl Ifeanyi on or about the 3rd of December 2015 at Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did conspire amongst yourself to commit felony to wit: fraudulently impersonated one Mrs. Lillian Igweta, a secretary to Professor Torto with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(4) of the same Act."
They pleaded guilty to the charge, prompting a prayer by the EFCC counsel, Ifeanyi Agwu, for their conviction.
The presiding judge accordingly sentenced them to two years imprisonment each.
Meanwhile, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, equally of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, also jailed Osho on Thursday for an internet-related offence.
Osho was found guilty of falsely representing himself to be an American citizen named Jack, using same to defraud one Maria.
He was sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to make restitution of $200 (two hundred United States Dollars) to his victim. The jail term takes effect from April 3, 2019, day he was arrested.
Igbere TV gathers that he is also to forfeit to the Federal Government of Nigeria items recovered from him in the course of investigation.
Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court, Calabar, has sentenced six Facebook hackers to one year imprisonment each, with an option of fine of N500,000.
Igbere TV gathers the names of the convicts as Lawrence Nnamdi-Mba Ebesike, Prince E. Udeh, Chijioke Victor, Promise Odimba, Ugbor Ifeanyi and Prince Anthony.
According to a statement by the EFCC on Friday, they were arraigned on on separate one-count charge bordering on impersonation and fraud, before the court and they all pleaded "guilty".
In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Usman Shehu, informed the court of the plea bargain agreements entered and executed by the prosecution and the defence.
The matter was thereafter adjourned to September 26, 2019, for conviction and sentence while the convicts were remanded in Afokang prison, Calabar.
Delivering judgement on Thursday, Justice Amobeda convicted all the defendants and sentenced each to one year imprisonment, with the option of N500,000 fine. He ordered that the convict "shall forfeit all the items recovered during arrest."
The items are; 6 laptops, 12 sophisticated mobile phones, 1 International Passport, 4 Airtel Sim Packs, 3 MTN Sim Packs, 2 Glo Sim Packs,1 Smile Router and 2 Modems.
The convicts ran into troubles on September 2, 2019, when operatives of Uyo Zonal Office of the EFCC arrested them in a two bedroom apartment, located on 54 Church Road, off Calabar Itu Express Way, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, following an intelligence report on their nefarious activities in the town.
During interrogation, the suspects said the apartment which served as their home and office, was rented by the kingpin, Ebesike, for the purpose of training facebook hackers.
Confessing to the crime, Ebesike who claimed to be a musician with the stage name 'Lawre Blue', gave a detailed account of how they carried out their operations on Facebook.
"I am into internet fraud. Part of how I operate is, I edit Facebook accounts, go to google and search for pictures of United State military personnel. I download some of these pictures and put them on the newly created Facebook accounts. After doing that, I target foreigners, mostly old white women who are in need of men. I stay online all day trying to befriend them. After convincing them, I will make them apply for my leave so that I can see them", Ebesike confessed.
…as Corporation, Nigeria Agip Exploration Firm Up ABO OMLs Head of Terms Agreement
To expeditiously grow the Federal Government’s revenue and in turn boost the nation’s reserve base, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and Oando, have executed a novation agreement for Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 60,61, 62 and 63.
The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, speaking on the significance of the novation agreement at the NNPC Towers, Wednesday in Abuja, said the agreement marked a significant milestone, with the promise to bring about an amicable end to all litigations, and arbitrations that have over the years inhibited the growth of those assets.
A release by NNPC Agt. Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Samson Makoji, said Mallam Kyari explained that the agreement signified the transfer of NNPC interest in those assets to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) which would open up the company to contributing to cash calls and further progress the growth of the partnership.
“The Federation divested its interest in the NNPC, NAOC joint ventures and that means we have transferred those interest to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) in order to grow NPDC, to become a medium size Upstream company that the federation and the NNPC would be proud of,” Mallam Kyari informed.
He added that the novation agreement offered NNPC partners the comfort that the NPDC would deliver on its responsibilities, stressing that the agreement would open a new chapter of business for NPDC and the entire partnership and create a new frontier for revenues for the companies as well as the nation at large.
Mallam Kyari said the agreement would create more activities in the Upstream, in addition to the concomitant employment opportunities therefrom for the people, saying the partnership held a lot of promise for all. He said: “This is the beginning of greater things to come in the Oil and Gas Industry. We are ready to make sure that NPDC delivers on her mandate of exploration as this is a milestone in our quest to grow reserves”.
Similarly, the NNPC and the Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited (NAE) signed the Abo OML 125 Head of Terms Agreement which marks a significant advancement towards resolving issues which have lingered in most deep offshore Production Sharing Contracts.
With the development, the parties can now look forward to the renewal of OML 125 and further investment in exploring and developing Abo field resources. In his response, the Managing Director of NAOC, Lorenzo Fiorillo, said they were glad to partner with the NNPC in its drive to increase crude oil production in Nigeria.
“ENI through its Affiliate NAOC, is on record as the first company to produce from the deep offshore in Nigeria”.
Samson Makoji Acting Group General Manager Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Abuja.
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, met with HE Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of Portugal at the ongoing UNGA in New York.
Both leaders had a bilateral talk, on the sidelines of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA74) in the United States.
Buhari’s Personal Assistant on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, disclosed this in a tweet sighted by Igbere TV on his Twitter handle, Wednesday night.
According to him, the former Prime Minister of Australia, Hon Kevin Rudd, was also in attendance at the bilateral meeting.
“Today, on the sidelines of the #UNGA, President @MBuhari had a bilateral meeting with President of Portugal H.E. Mr Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and former Prime Minister of Australia Hon. Kevin Rudd and Chief Operating Officer Sanitation and Water for All Joost Kooijmans”, he wrote.
Education › Re: UNIBEN Students Celebrate Final Year Week In Style (Video) by BleedingPen(op): 10:16am On Oct 19, 2019
