The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Students

  • Alleged cultism: Three caught initiating 35 students

    The Edo State Police Command  has arrested three suspects for allegedly initiating 35 students of various tertiary institutions into cultism.

    The suspects were reportedly arrested at Ogbese Forest in Ovia Northeast Local Government Area.

    The police gave the names of the suspects as: Kingsley Nwachukwu, Amoo Oboba and Innocent Essien.

    Fifteen of the students were said to be from the same institution.

    The suspects were allegedly  moving from one state to another to initiate students into cultism.

    Policemen were said to have caught them during the initiation ceremony, following a tip-off.

    The suspects allegedly attempted to flee the scene on sighting the police.

    Edo police spokesman Stephen Onwochei, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said a locally made revolver and three live cartridges were recovered from a car belonging to the suspects.

    Onwochei said the police would investigate cult-related activities and robbery because of the high rate of armed robbery in the area.

    He said the suspects would be charged to court.

  • Publisher urges students to promote free press

    If media practitioners are protected from censorship and victimisation, the nation’s quest to become a major economic hub would be achieved, Mr Ndama Abubakar, a publisher, has said.

    He said there was a linkage between free press and socio-economic growth attained by the developed nations, noting that journalists could only contribute their quota to societal development if they were allowed to discharge their responsibilities with limited restrictions and in accordance to the development media theory as propounded by Dennis McQuail.

    Abubakar, who is the Managing Director of Niger Printing and Publishing Company Limited, spoke at the internship orientation for Mass Communication students of Fati Lami Abubakar College for Legal and General Studies (FLACLGS) in Minna, Niger State.

    He said gone were the days when Nigerian journalists discharged their duty without interference from any quarter, noting that media practitioners gallantly played twin roles of being the society’s watchdog and keeping the masses abreast of the goings-on in the country. Today’s journalism practice, he said, leaves much to be desired.

    While bemoaning the decadence in the profession, Abubakar said many journalists now collect bribe brazenly to slant their stories according to the dictate of their paymaster. In the process, he said, they undermine the ethics of the profession and distort information being passed to the public.

    According to Abubakar, journalists who make effort to get useful information are assaulted despite the existence of Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

    He advised the students to be focused, while urging them to use print and social media to advocate for press freedom through articles, features and open letters.

     

  • Lawmaker bemoans students’ involvement in crime

    The member representing Ogoja Constituency in the Cross River State House of Assembly, Hon. Peter Odey, has urged students in his constituency to shun cultism and other vices. He stressed that such vices could ruin their future.

    He bemoaned increasing involvement of students in crimes, urging attitudinal change among the youth.

    Odey, who spoke during a visit by members of Ogoja Students’ Union to his office in Calabar, maintained that it was high time the youth made a re-think and engage in activities that would impact on the society positively.

    He advised the students to take their academic pursuits seriously, insisting that they must read and strive to be better citizens. This, he said, will enable them contribute their quota to the development of Ogoja community.

    The lawmaker promised to do his best to reduce the challenges facing the union, promising to donate buses to ease the students’ movement to and from school.

    Earlier, leader of the delegation, Justin Elefa, said students would adhere to the advice by the lawmaker, urging the lawmaker to partner with students on the constituency programmes.

     

     

     

  • Edo: Police arrest 35 students during cult initiation

    Edo: Police arrest 35 students during cult initiation

    Three persons have been arrested for allegedly initiating 35 students of various tertiary institutions in Edo State into cultism.

    They were arrested at Ogbese forest in Ovia North East Local Government.

    Names of the suspects were given as Kingsley Nwachukwu, Amoo Oboba and Innocent Essien.

    It was learnt that 15 of the students were from a particular tertiary institution in the state.

    The suspects were said to have specialized to moving from state to state to initiate students into cultism.

    Policemen were said to have swooped on them during the initiation ceremony following a tip-off.

    The three suspects were nabbed while attempting to escape the scene.

    Edo police spokesman, DSP Stephen Onwochei, said a locally made revolver pistol and three live cartridges were recovered from a car belonging to the suspects.

    DSP Onwochei said the police would investigate cult related activities and armed robbery because of the high rate of armed robbery in the area.

    He said the suspects would soon be charged to court.

  • Ambode, Jakande to students: future in your hands

    Ambode, Jakande to students: future in your hands

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and the state’s first Executive Governor Alhaji Lateef Jakande have challenged secondary school leavers to aim for the best in their academic pursuit.

    The duo enjoined them to stay focused and not be distracted.

    They spoke during the presentation of 250 Free GCE forms to indigent students of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area at the council secretariat, Ilupeju, Lagos.

    Jakande expressed happiness that the free education introduced during his regime is gaining more acceptability.

    “We never believe that the policy (free education) could go far but we that God that what we started then is being embrace by the populace,” he said.

    He hailed the council’s Executive Secretary Rasaq Ajala for investing in the youths.

    Ambode who was represented by Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary Mrs Olabisi Ariyo said the exercise was borne out of the realisation of the importance of education in the development of the people.

    “Since education has been identified as the greatest weapon against poverty, we must do everything within our means to ensure that no child is denied access to education on the basis of his or her socio-economic background,” he said.

    The governor assured Lagosians of his administration’s commitment to providing qualitative education at all levels.

    “It is therefore necessary to appeal to parents to secure the future of their children and themselves by not engaging them in street trading during school hours. This is against the provisions of the Child Rights Law of Lagos State.

    “To the beneficiaries of these Free GCE forms, I enjoin you all to show appreciation by performing well in your examinations through hard work. This is the only way you can make the council and your parents proud,” he said.

    Ajala said the gesture was an evidence that the council is progressing.

    He said: “We are very much conversant with the maxim that education is the best legacy you can bequeath to a soul but the factors militating against it left much to be desired. One major hindrance why many of our youths have unfulfilled dream is because of their inability to meet up with the financial demands of their academic. In this wise, we decided to assist these youths to realise their potentials. We believed so much in the power of knowledge. Education liberates the mind, inspires confidence and gives the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the society.”

    He said the council went through a painstaking process before embarking on the gesture, appealing to the beneficiaries to see it as a golden opportunity to pursue their life time dream.

    “My esteemed students, you must take your academics serious so that you can use it as a tool to free yourself from the shackles of poverty, ignorance, disease and all sorts of vicious vices. You must also inculcate excellent moral such that your immediate community can vouch for you. Do not be swayed by unproductive activities that neither add value nor bring progress to you. The future is yours; therefore I implore you to make maximum use of any worthy opportunity that comes your way. You must see yourself as good ambassadors of this council. We want that stereotyped mindset to change. We want Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye to be projected positively in the committee of Local Councils through your academic achievement and impeccable character,” he said.

  • Students protest in Ibadan as colleague is injured in accident

    Students protest in Ibadan as colleague is injured in accident

    Hundreds of students of Federal College of Agriculture and Federal College of Animal Health, Ibadan for the second day yesterday, stormed major streets and roads at Moore Plantation/ Odo-Ona area in the Oyo State capital.

    They were protesting severe injuries inflicted on their colleague, who was knocked down by a motorist.

    The  student was injured in the road mishap, which occurred at about 4p.m on Wednesday.

    The protest, which entered its second day yesterday, saw many residents and motorists fleeing the area for fear of being attack.

    But some motorists became victims of the students’ wrath as their vehicles’ windscreens were damaged.

    The students set burn fires on the busy Ibadan-Abeokuta Expressway, after blocking the road with heavy objects, leading to gridlock for more than one hour.

    The accident victim, Aminu Bola, who is a 200-Level National Diploma (ND) student of Agric Technology of the Federal College of Agriculture, is receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of Molly Hospital, Ibadan.

    Anti-riot policemen were deployed to different locations where the protest took place.

    A few police vans accompanied the students as they carried out their actions through the city.

    It was gathered that the students were angered yesterday’s morning, when they learnt that a middle-aged man was also injured by another vehicle on Wednesday’s night at the same spot, “where the student was knocked down”.

    The identity of the second accident victim was not known as at yesterday. But some residents claimed that he died before getting to the hospital.

    The students, who displayed placards with various inscriptions, berated government for alleged neglect and lack of concern for the welfare of the citizens.

    They wondered how long it would take to provide the needed facilities and “bumps to prevent incessant accidents on roads”.

    The protesting students made a procession through Moore Plantation, Odo-Ona, Iyaganku, Dugbe, Mokola and Government Secretariat Complex in Agodi, where they sought for the audience with Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

    But he was not available to receive the protesting students.

    The students’ leaders said the victim needed N3 million for urgent surgical operation to save his life at the hospital.

    Their spokesman, Raji Muritala, who threatened that the students would be forced to block the expressway, if nothing is done to save Aminu’s life,  said:  “We need N3 million for urgent surgical operation. We need the assistance of the government”.

  • Students protest plot to downgrade Alvan Ikoku Varsity

    Students and management of the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri, are protesting the Federal Government’s purported plan to return the university to its former status of a college of education.

    The protest caused a gridlock on the Owerri-Orlu road as commuters were stranded for hours.

    The protesters displayed placards, which read: “We want our university Mr. President”; university yes, college of education, no”; Mr. President, don’t take away our university”. They promised to resist the plot.

    Addressing reporters, Academic Staff of Union of Universities (ASUU) Chairman Comrade Ukachi Wachukwu advised President Buhari to shun what she described as the ‘self-seeking suggestion’ by any group of people to reverse the newly upgraded university to its former status.

    Wachukwu assured Buhari of the university’s resolve to live up to its challenge of providing qualitative education.

    “We cannot afford to lose the ground already gained. The plot is from a self-seeking group of people and should Mr. President reverse the present status of the institution, we will fall back to the union instrument to handle the issue,” Wachukwu said.

    President of the Student’s Union Government (SUG) Comrade Solomon Okafor expressed displeasure at “the purported plot to tamper with the university’s status”.

    He pleaded with Mr. President ‘to jettison the idea and work with the document handed over to him’.

    The SUG president said any attempt to tamper with the present status would amount to impartiality.

    “What would be our fate and that of students of the Southeast if President Buhari would reverse the institution to a College of Education,” Okafor said.

  • AOCOED workers, students protest alleged neglect

    •Workers allege doctoring of provost’s re-appointment letter

    Workers and students of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin, Lagos State,yesterday blocked both ends of the Mile 2/Badagry Expressway in a protest to draw government’s attention to the plight of the institution.

    The workers and students were protesting against the failure to increase the college monthly subvention since 2010 and renewal  of appointment of the provost, Mr Wasiu Bashorun Olalekan, among others.

    As early as 7am , the highways were blocked with a bus belonging to the Student Union Government of the college.Motorists and passengers went through horrendous moments as they were stuck on the highways for hours.

    However, The Nation learnt that the protest may not be unconnected to the alleged doctoring of the letter of appointment of AOCOED provost for a second term in office, a development that has created a crisis of interest in the institution.

    Impeccable sources told The Nation that Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode has approved the re-appointment of the provosts of the state owned colleges of education- AOCOED and the Michael Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCPED) Epe. However, while MOCPED has received its letter, AOCOED is still waiting to be officially communicated.

    Meanwhile, new twist emerged that certain elements in government in connivance with the college’s Chairman of the Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education of Nigeria (SSUCOED) Wumi Ombugadu, are considering doctoring the letter to reverse Bashorun approval in favour of another professor of Education at the Lagos State University, who is being favoured to succeed Bashorun.

    Speaking with The Nation yesterday, Ombugadu said: “I do not have any relationship with any top shot in government. As a union leader, I met the Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule during the college convocation two weeks ago. We briefly spoke and I booked an appointment with her on Tuesday (August 4) alongside three other unions.

    “During the meeting, the deputy governor emphasised on due process on selection of a new provost in which the current provost also benefitted from.”

  • Kwara Poly suspends students for alleged crimes

    Authorities of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin have suspended four students for alleged involvement in criminal activities.

    The Principal Assistant Registrar (Academic), Mr. Ahmed Yahaya, said in a statement that the suspension followed a report received from Oke-Oyi Divisional Police Headquarters.

    One of the students, with registration number ND/12/PA/PT/610, was arrested for alleged unlawful possession of two live cartridges. Two others with registration numbers ND/13/COM/FT/394 and ND/14/COM/FT/843 were nabbed by the police for alleged membership of an unlawful society.

    The statement said a female student among the suspended students, with registration number ND13/PS/FT/903, was accused of unlawful possession of knife and charm.

    It said the suspension was in line with the polytechnic’s practice to suspend any student under investigation, pending the outcome of the investigation by the police.

  • Ex-ICPC chair Ayoola, Falana advise students

    Former  Independent Corrupt Practices Chairman, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola (rtd)  and Lagos lawyer and human right activist, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), have urged pupils to be diligent in their studies.

    The duo said diligence is the secret of success and evidence of hard work.

    They spoke at the 13th valedictory and prize giving-day of Crown Heights College, Ojoo, Ibadan.

    They noted that the pupils were fortunate because there were research facilities for them, which was not available during their time.

    Justice Ayoola, who is a retired Supreme Court Justice, recalled when he was punished for putting on a pair of shoes that was not allowed to school. He added that these days, pupils could wear various shoes to school, not only because their parents could afford them but because they want the best for them.

    He, therefore, urged pupils to reciprocate their parents’ gesture by being diligent with their studies.

    “Over 65 years ago, I was also graduating like you, but I never knew what future holds. Thank God it led me to a great destination. I remember as I did not know where to start, some of you here are also doubtful of the future, but let me tell you, all of you are going to bring blessing to your family, your school, your state, Nigeria, Africa continent and the whole world in general.

    “When we were in secondary school,” Justice Ayoola continued, “we were not allowed to put on shoes and some of our parents could not afford them, but your case is not like that. The only time we wore shoes was during festive periods. Today, you can wear shoes to school because your parents go extra miles to care for you and you have to pay them back by giving your best at school. Your parents have invested on you and you have to pay them  back by studying hard.

    “You need courage, integrity, commitment and diligence to be great. Despite my ordeal 10 years ago, the same person that goes to school bare footed, was able to brief the security council of the United Nations because he was diligent. I want you all to learn from this,” he noted.

    Also, Falana advised the graduating pupils not to misuse their freedom.

    Falana, who spoke on the need for students to be good ambassadors of their alma-mater,  advised parents not to force any course of study on their children.

    The lawyer admonished parents to avoid taking their children to what he called ‘miracle centres’ for fraudulent examinations, saying such students might not be able to defend their results when they get to higher institutions.

    “My first advice for you is never abuse your freedom. As you are going out here, you may think you are free when you get to university, but you still have a long way to go. I want you parents to monitor them. And to you students, don’t rely on your parents wealth, but rather strive to become a great individual in life,” he said.

    “Don’t take you children to miracle centre as some people do because it will backfire in future. Finally, don’t join any association without the consent of your parents,” he concluded.