The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Aturu to FG: Implement pact with ASUU

    Aturu to FG: Implement pact with ASUU

    Lagos lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, has said that the only way to rescue higher education in Nigeria is for the Federal Government to begin the immediate implementation of the pact it voluntarily reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

    He said that unless the agreement is respected, higher education is doomed in Nigeria.

    Aturu made the declaration in a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday titled: “Implementation of FGN-ASUU agreement-the only way to save higher education in Nigeria.”

    “We may have to return to the suggestion made by Prof. Wole Soyinka many years ago that we should close down all the universities and declare a state of emergency.

    “When the sage first made that suggestion it looked unrealistic and alarmist. Now, it is clear that we are pretending to have higher education.

    “What takes place in our dilapidated universities is little better than kindergarten education, if we must be honest with ourselves,” he noted.

    Aturu remarked that it was unacceptable that government should attempt to bully ASUU to accept its offers.

    He observed that the expenditure profile of the government and politicians does not show that government is unable to meet the financial requirements of the agreement.

    He pointed out that in a country where politicians buy private jets at will and send their children to private primary schools overseas, only the politicians would believe the lie that government cannot afford to fund higher education in the manner requested by ASUU-FG agreement.

     

  • Nigeria, Switzerland partner drug trafficking, illegal migration

    The Swiss government is partnering with Nigeria to tackle illegal migration, human and drug trafficking, the Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Hans-Rudolf Hodel, has said.

    Hodel told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja that the partnership was in furtherance of the bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and Switzerland.

    He said the partnership would help address the root causes of migration from Nigeria and attract investment to development projects in the country.

    The Swiss ambassador further said that the partnership allowed Nigerian migrants to return home in a manner that would enable persons without criminal records to establish businesses and reintegrate into the Nigerian society.

    “The migration partnership between Switzerland and Nigeria aims at strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to tackle illegal migration and human trafficking.

    “Another important aspect is that the partnership allows Nigerian migrants to come back to Nigeria through a smooth process; voluntarily returnees to Nigeria receive a small amount of money to return.

    “And they use it to re-establish themselves, reintegrate into society of Nigeria, re integrate into business and professional life. “

     

  • 2face initiates N6m peace awards

    2face initiates N6m peace awards

    A Nigerian Pop Star, 2face Idibia, is introducing the “2face Peace Awards” to promote peace and support young Nigerians involved in peace projects in their communities.

    Idibia told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that six winners would be selected for the awards.

    According to him, the six categories are Women-led Peace Building, Youth Peace Building, and Peace building in the environment (for those having conflicts over resources).

    Others award categories are Projects on urban violence and community peace building, the use of technology or Social Media for peace building and Mediation directed at reducing violence against women and girls.

    The pop star said that N1million would be presented to each winner, along with opportunities to attend key global peace summits and exchange programmes in 2014.

    Idibia said that almost a quarter of the world lived in areas affected by military or civil conflicts.

    He, however, noted that there were young people who were busy building bridges across communities.

    “These young people are mostly unnoticed but you will find them working hard in various places, educating people and helping to manage conflicts and promoting peace.

    “They have become community leaders in peace building, reconciliation and post -conflict reconstruction, thereby establishing themselves as the next generation of leaders.

    “As we march towards Nigeria’s centenary celebrations in 2014, more than anything else, we choose to celebrate these young unsung heroes, who are active in their communities, promoting peace.

    “We want to celebrate them through the ‘2face Peace Awards’’, ‘’ Idibia told NAN.

     

  • Stowaway boy transferred to Edo

    Daniel Ohikhena, the 13- year old kid who flew to Lagos in the tyre compartment of an Arik airplane has been released from the custody of the Directorate of Security Services.

    He was released on Tuesday morning to officials of the Edo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

    His mother, Evelyn, was at the office of the DSS where she saw her son briefly and was informed on the processes her son would go through.

    It was learnt that DSS explained to the mother why Daniel was detained.

    The mother was later asked to go to the ministry for further briefing.

    Evelyn said she has been inundated with phone calls since her son embarked on the journey.

    It was gathered that the state government planned to send Daniel to a correctional facility.

    Head of Social Welfare department, Imuetiyan Avielele, said they would carry out further interrogation of Daniel.

    She was still at the ministry as at press time.

     

  • Bus crushes woman to death in Lagos

    Bus crushes woman to death in Lagos

    A young woman was on Tuesday crushed to death by a commercial bus in Charity area of Oshodi, Lagos.

    The incident occurred at about 9.00am near a block industry along the very busy Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

    The deceased, who was on her way to work, had crossed the expressway before she was hit from behind by a white-coloured civilian bus coming from Mile 2.

    The remains of the lady is still lying on the around on the asphalt road  at the time of filing in this report with visibly shaken sympathizers milling around it.

    The incident, according to eyewitnesses, brings to fore the need for government to enforce the use of pedestrian bridges on the expressway.

    According to them, the accident would have been averted if the lady had made use of the pedestrian bridge sited few metres away from where she was knocked down.

     

     

     

  • Army probes killing of 26 vigilantes in Borno

    Army probes killing of 26 vigilantes in Borno

    The Nigerian Army on Tuesday declared that it has commenced investigations into the killing of some members of a youths’ vigilance group called “Civilian JTF” by suspected Boko Haram militants in Monguno, Borno.

    The spokesman of the Joint Task Force (JTF) on Operation Restore Order, Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri that the army was disturbed about the situation.

    “The military high command is aware of the killing and it is disturbing, the Nigerian Army Brigade in Monguno has been mandated to carry out investigations into the matter,” Musa said.

    He blamed the problem on the group which embarked on a trip without military backing.

    “We have always made it clear to the vigilantes that they should not operate on their own but should always seek for military backing.

    “They are just supporting the security agencies with information; the real battle should be left in the hands of security agents.

    “We will continue to appeal to them not to conduct any operation without armed military escort,” Musa said.

    NAN reports that 26 civilians were killed in Monguno, headquarters of Monguno Local Government Area while in search of Boko Haram militants.

     

  • Joel Obi vows to revive career at Parma

    Joel Obi vows to revive career at Parma

    Joel Obi said he hopes to use his loan move to Parma to relaunch his once promising career and make a return to the Super Eagles.

    Obi, whose career has been hampered by recurring injuries, said he hopes to get more playing time and do well with Parma.

    “Moving to Parma is a good move for me. This will give me chance to play regular football. They actually wanted a permanent deal, but we settled for a loan deal,” MTNFootball.com quoted the Super Eagles midfielder as saying in a chat with Brila FM.

    “I will prove my worth and use my move to Parma to get back to the Eagles. I have not played for a year due to the injury. I am happy with the deal.”

    The left-sided midfielder last featured for Nigeria in November 2011, same year he made his debut against Sierra Leone in Lagos.

    He has not enjoyed regular first-team football action since his return from a long injury lay off.

    He joined Inter Milan in 2010 and has played 38 matches with a goal credited to him.

     

  • More than 2m have fled Syria – UN

    More than 2m have fled Syria – UN

    More than two million Syrians are now refugees, with the total going up by a million in six months, the United Nations High Commission for Refugee says.

    According to UNHCR, at least 700,000 have fled to Lebanon, and more Syrians are now displaced than any other nationality.

    France and the United States are continuing to push for military action over alleged chemical weapons use by Syrian forces.

    There are suggestions that President Barack Obama may be planning much wider action than the limited strikes that have been publicly proposed, BBC reports.

    The reports emerged as senior U.S politicians were set to speak before a congressional committee, to rally support for intervention.

    The UNHCR said in a statement on Tuesday: “Syria is haemorrhaging women, children and men who cross borders often with little more than the clothes on their backs.”

    Around half of those forced to leave are children, UN agencies estimate, with about three-quarters of them under 11.

    Just 118,000 refugee children have been able to continue in some sort of education, and only one-fifth have received some sort of counselling, with agencies warning of a “lost generation” of child refugees ill-equipped to help rebuild Syria in the future.

    Lebanon has received the highest number of refugees, even though it is the smallest of Syria’s neighbours and one of the least able to cope.

    There is now thought to be one Syrian refugee in Lebanon to roughly every six Lebanese. Jordan and Turkey have taken in the second and third highest numbers respectively.

     

     

  • Gunmen invade Kaduna village again, kill 10

    Gunmen again struck at Addu village in Attakar chiefdom of Kaura local government area of Kaduna State, killing 10 persons, including two families in an early morning attack.

    The police in Kaduna had however confirmed the arrest of some of those suspected to have carried out that attack and are currently undergoing interrogation.

    Spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Aminu Lawan, who confirmed the incident, said some suspects have been arrested and being interrogated by the police.

    This is the third time villages in Attakar Chiefdom have been attacked by unknown gunmen this year.

    Sources in the area told The Nation that a couple and their two children were killed during the attack, while another man and his wife were killed with their children narrowly escaping death.

    The source said the gunmen stormed the village through forest in the early hours of the morning while the unsuspecting villagers were still sleeping, shooting indiscriminately while others used knives and swords to slaughter those they were able to capture.

    National President of Attakar Students Association, Raphael Soja, said, “For now we have retrieved eight dead bodies and still looking for the remaining two people missing. Corpses we have here is of a couple and their two children wiped out. And another couple was killed but their children were lucky, then other little children and women. Four persons have been rushed to Kafanchan General Hospital for medical attention.”

    However, in a letter to Governor Mukthar Ramala Yero, the Center for Development and Rights Advocacy (CEDRA), condemned the killings, accusing both the government and security agencies of complacency in the handling of security situation in Southern Kaduna.

     

  • My son has caused me trauma – stowaway boy’s mum

    Mother of Daniel Ohikhena, Evelyn, on Monday said her son’s misadventure has caused her “serious psychological trauma.”

    She said she was yet to know the whereabouts of her son.

    Her son, Daniel flew to Lagos in the tyre compartment of an Arik flight thinking he was heading to the United States.

    Daniel was caught in Lagos and is still in the custody of the Directorate of State Security Services.

    Evelyn who spoke in a petition written by her Counsel, Olayiwola Afolabi to the DSS called for the immediate release of her son from custody.

    She said he was a juvenile in the eye of the law, adding that his continued detention would hinder the formalization of the scholarship awarded to him by a foundation.