The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Union leader

  • Kogi: Labour suspend talks with govt over killing of union leader

    Kogi: Labour suspend talks with govt over killing of union leader

    The Chairman of the Non Academic Staff Union of Secondary School, Science and Technology Education Board (STEB) branch in Kogi State, Mallam Abdulmumini Yakubu has been murdered by unknown gunmen.

     

    Following the development, the organized  labour in the state on Thursday suspended ongoing negotiation with government.

     

    The negotiation which took off on Wednesday was to explore ways of resolving knotty issues on the salary crisis in the state.

     

    The late Yahubu, who doubled as a community leader was reportedly murdered at Ozuwaya, in Okene Local Government Area, alongside one Mallam Ibrahim Otaru, who was on a visit.

     

    Sources close to the family said he was killed by heavily armed gunmen, while performing ablution preparatory to observing his prayer.

     

    The killers numbering about five were said to have alighted from a Toyota Sienna vehicle and opened fire on their victims.

     

    The gunshots were said to have scared those around running for safety, upon which the unidentified gunmen ensured that Yakubu was dead before they zoomed off.

     

    “Mallam Abdulmumin Yakub was killed at Ozuwaya in front of his house by unknown gunmen. He was shot on the head together with one other person.

     

    “It’s a shame that our society has turned into blood society… by taking innocent lives, whether for personal, worldly or whichever reasons,” said a source.

     

    Until his death, Yakubu was a staff of Kogi State Science Teachers Board Lokoja, Kogi State, NASU Chairman and Ozuwaya Community chairman.

     

    In a related development, unknown gunmen on Tuesday night killed a 55 year old man, identified as Abdulganiu Aduki.

     

    His five year-old daughter and the wife sustaines injury in the incident at Nagazi in Adavi LGA.

     

    It was gathered that the incident took place at Inori Street of Nagazi, around 7.30pm on Tuesday.

    The gunmen were saidcto have stormed the house, shot him dead while his daughter and wife sustained varying degree of injury during the attack.

     

    The gunmen were said to have left thereafter without taking anything away from the house.

     

    The administrator of Adavi LG, Mallam Abu Enesi Ajoge was said to have rushed the woman and her daughter to the hospital for medical attention.

     

    The deceased, it was gathered worked as a carpenter at Inoziomi area of Adavi local government.

     

    “The killers came on Tuesday evening, shot him and injured his daughter and his wife. The attackers were not robbers; they went to the man directly. I was told that they did not take away any property”, said a resident of the area.

     

    Policemen from the Adavi division later came to the area to take photographs and evacuate the body.

     

    The Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. William Ayah confirmed the incident.

     

    According to him, the police will “surely get the killers of Abdulganiu”.

     

    Ayah, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), added: “There was a report that the man was dead and was in a pool of blood and his daughter and wife were confirmed seriously injured.

     

    “His wife and daughter were also seriously injured and they have been taken to a hospital for treatment.

     

  • Union leader dies in road accident

    Senate President of the Ebonyi State University (EBSU) Students’ Union Government (SUG) is dead. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the late David Sunday Nwizi was knocked down from his motorcycle on Monday at Pastoral Junction on Enugu-Ebonyi Highway as he travelled to Isieke town from Abakaliki, the state capital. He died on the spot.

    The accident threw members of the union and students into mourning. His colleagues described him as a “fine comrade”, saying his death was “tragic loss” to the union and the school.

    Obinna Nwuguru, a member of the SUG, said David’s death had left permanent vacuum in the union, saying he was not sure how members would get over the shock when the school resumes after Yuletide.

    He said: “I am deeply sad about this unfortunate incident. Our Senate President’s death is a big loss and I cannot say how members would receive the news when we reconvene in January. I am sure no member would be happy about this, because he was the best we have had.”

    A Sociology and Anthropology student, who gave his name as Joseph, relived his last moment with the late student. He said: “The late David saw me on road moment before his death. I was waiting for a cab. He stopped and offered to give me a lift. When I came down, he bade me farewell, telling me there will be a next time.

    “Sadly, there will be no next time. I still remember how we used to struggle for egusi soup at our New York Hostel. I love you brother. Your memories will remain evergreen in our hearts.”

  • Thugs attack union leader

    Thugs attack union leader

    A peace meeting called by Benue State University (BSU) Students Union Government (SUG) President Nathan Tavishima ended in chaos as he was beaten up by thugs. JOSHUA OBELLE (300-Level Mass Communication) reports.

    What was supposed to be a peaceful meeting among students of the Benue State University (BSU) in Makurdi on Wednesday, last week ended in a fracas. The Students Union Government (SUG) President Nathan Tavishima, who convened the meeting, was beaten up by some youths, who he referred to as thugs.

    What led to the attack on the union leader could not be confirmed, but CAMPUSLIFE gathered that it might not be unconnected with the ongoing strike by the local chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which has been on strike in the past four months.

    It was learnt that the union leader called  the meeting to mobilise students to reach out to their striking teachers to softpeddle But a few minutes into the meeting, some ‘thugs’, who are allegedly working for a political party in the state, arrived in a vehicle to disrupt the meeting.

    Some of witnesses, who spoke to our correspondent, said the incident happened at 8am, while Nathan was addressing the students. A witness said Nathan was speaking on the union’s plan to meet and pleading with their teachers to suspend their action for students to return to school, when the ‘thugs’ pounced on him.

    Some of the ‘thugs’ are identified as a BSU graduate of Political Science and a student of Department of Education, who is also executive of Community of Tiv Students (CTS).

    Nathan said he wrote to security agencies in the state and the campus about the meeting, stressing that it was not convened as a protest. He said: “As I addressed the students, some group of people I believe are thugs, disrupted the meeting and started shouting on me. Before I could explain what the meeting was about, they had started beating me. Some slapped and pushed me on the ground.”

    In the ensuing melee, CAMPUSLIFE gathered that students at the meeting felt embarrassed by the attack on their president. Tempers rose as the students challenged the intruders, leaving a tension-soaked atmosphere on the campus. But, it was gathered that Nathan pleaded with the angry students not to fight to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

    The school security officers arrived at the scene to chase away the intruders, but the meeting was immediately cancelled.

    At student of Mass Communication, Mary Anyogo, described the incident as shocking, saying the intruders’ conduct showed they were sent by unnamed persons in the state to disrupt the meeting.

    Anthony Akor, a student of Public Administration, said the attack on the union president was barbaric. “I am not happy by the incident but students should remain law-abiding no matter the level of provocation. We should hope that ASUU and government would reach a compromise, so that we can resume on time,” he said.

    Nathan said he had lodged some complaints at the Department of State Service (DSS), police, and the school security office for investigation. The union leader urged Governor Samuel Ortom to look into the matter, because the assailants dropped his name during the attack.

    The campus was shut by the lecturers on March 9 over the non-payment of their salaries by former Governor Gabriel Suswam.

    Governor Ortom made a plea to staff and students to be patient as he is exploring ways to resolve the matter.

  • Don’t scrap Need funds, union leader urges Buhari

    University of Lagos (UNILAG) Students’ Union Government (SUG)  President Abiodun Martins has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari not to stop the N1.3 trillion Needs Assessment funds to public universites.

    Abiodun made the plea at a press conference organised by the union at its Parliament Building in UNILAG, last week.

    He said there was need for the Buhari administration to consolidate on the gains recorded in higher education by Goodluck Jonathan administration and entrenched the successes for revitalisation of education through the implementation of the Need Assessment funding.

    He urged the government to release the fund to insulate higher institutions from the effect of economy decline. A strict adhere to the 26 per cent of national budget, he said, will be good to save education from collapse.

    Martins said this was the only way universities could become stable and contribute positively to the economic recovery of the nation.

    He reminded the president of his campaign promises to the youth, urging him to fulfil them. He said: “President Buhari promised increment in the allowance of Corps members and monthly stipend for unemployed graduates. We want to use this occasion to remind him of the promises.”

    The union leader stressed that, the fight against corruption must be carried out effectively to guide against wasteful spending of resources by a few privileged individuals.

    He added: “The president must always be prepared to clean the Augean Stable. We believe he is fully aware of the need to rescue the nation from the brink. The Buhari administration should ensure that people with corruption charges dangling on their necks are not appointed under any guise, because this would be rejected by students. We believe appointing such people would dent the image of our dear country, especially in this era of change.”

  • Union leader under fire

    Union leader under fire

    Does the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Adekunle Ajasin University in Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State support the management’s decision to fine students for late registration? The union president is under fire for his alleged role in the controversial decision. RICHARD ADURA-ILESANMI (400-Level Mass Communication) reports.

    President of the Students’ Union Government of the Adekunle Ajasin University in Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, Olukayode Ogunade has come under severe attack by students for consenting to the fines imposed by the management on late registration.

    Last week, Olukayode was alleged to have graciously signed a document to support the management to introduce N3,000 penalty on late payment of fee and N2,000 on late course registration. Rather than oppose the move, students alleged that their union president stood on the side of the management.

    Apart from economic situation, which many students claimed prevented them from paying their fees on time, there was also a complaint about the shutdown of the registration portal by the institution’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) unit.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that some students paid the fee after resumption but they could not access the portal to continue the registration. Those who gained access to the portal had their courses and departments changed; this development hindered many of them from proceeding with registration.

    For instance, a 400-Level Mass Communication student, who did not mention his name, said the computer changed his department to History Education on the portal.

    Despite these challenges, the management gave May 9 deadline to students to complete their registration on the portal. But the problem persisted, leaving many students  unable to register before the closing date.

    But, the union president is, allegedly, in support of the late registration penalty imposed by the school.

    This is generating a widespread condemnation from students and other students’ leaders, who see OIukayode’s action as going against the interest of all students.

    A former SUS presidential aspirant, Tosin Okunbo, said the action was against the oath sworn by the Olukayode to protect the interest of students.

    He said: “If the story is true, I totally condemn it because it is a breach of oath the union president took to always protect students’ interest. Life is more than the four walls of the university. Some of these students will be the people to testify about our conduct when we graduate from the school.”

    A member of Student Representatives’ Council (SRC) representing Arts Education, Samson Ayodele, chided the union president for “conspiracy against students”.

    He said: “I am not surprised. I had thought the last administration would be worst SUG we would ever have; I did not know the worst would come. Olukayode was said to be candidate of the management and today, if he has been acting true to type.”

    The union’s ex-General Secretary, Olasunkanmi Castro, described president’s action as a betrayal of trust.

    “I will say everyone in the union has betrayed the students’ trust. It is not about today, but tomorrow. You can make the entire world as gain but you can never rest,” he said.

    The union president denied backing the penalty, saying he never signed any document to justify the management’s action.

    His Media and Publicity Director, Yomi Ayeleso, said: “It is irritating that some students, who are supposed to be agents of truth and honesty have resorted to peddle despicable rumours that Olukayode met with Deputy Vice-Chancellor to sign an agreement with the management on late registration fines. I want to confirm that, on no time or period that the Students’ Union President signed any agreement with the management on the said issue.”

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that there may have been division in the union, with Olukayode leading a faction, while another faction is being led by the Vice President.

    The union president dismissed the speculation of disunity among members, saying the executive had been united.

    The state co-ordinator of the Educational Rights Campaign (ERC), Timileyin Ogundare, said it was meaningless whether the union president supported the penalty or not. “The most important thing is that the late penalty fee imposed by the management stood. And that is what should concern all of us. In this trying moment, it is instructive the union has maintained silence and it could be that they are fighting against the policy on students’ behalf.”

    He advised the union president to call a congress if he deems that the issue is beyond his power to handle.

    He added: “The union leadership should have followed the SUG constitution by calling the congress to table the matter before students to take position. They should have followed it by applying Section 78 of the constitution, where procedures for agitation are listed.”

  • Union leader killed at home

    Union leader killed at home

    OYINGBO, Lagos Mainland, erupted in violence on Tuesday night, following the killing of a National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) leader, Babajide Dosunmu, by unknown people, in his home.

    NURTW members, Traders and passersby ran helter-skelter as factional NURTW members clashed, accusing one another of the killing.

    Dosunmu, popularly known as Madus was killed in his Queen Street, Alagomeji home.

    Madus, was said to have told his wife some weeks ago that two NURTW members hadthreatened to kill him.

    The men were arrested by the police, but released after Madus was prevailed upon to withdraw his complaint.

    Many were injured before the police restored normalcy yesterday.

    Oyingbo market was a shadow of itself. Shops were locked; commercial bus operators ran skeletal service. People milled, discussing the incident.

    Police vans were stationed in the market.

    At the Denton Police Station, an officer said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) was not around. He directed our reporter to a senior officer.

    “That is the officer that you will meet; he will tell you what happened,” he said.

    The officer was seen rushing out to see the visiting Area Commander.

    “You can wait for him,” said the officer.

    On his returned, he said he knew nothing about of the incident.

    “I don’t know what happen,” the officer said.

    Some of the traders told The Nation that Madus was killed in his house.

    “He wasn’t killed inside this market. They attacked and killed him near his residence on his way home. The crisis then spilled over to this place,” the trader said.

    Another trader told The Nation that the late Madus was their leader.

    “Traders decided to make him a leader due to his kind nature. He has done a lot for both commercial bus drivers and traders. He was a nice man, helping people to secure jobs,” the trader said.

    To the widow, the incident is still like a dream.

    In the midst of sympathisers in their sitting room, Mrs Dosunmu said: “I don’t know what to say… somebody came to call me last night that some people are fighting my husband downstairs. I quickly followed him; by the time we reached the compound, we saw him in a pool of his own blood, lifeless. We quickly rushed him down to a hospital at Railway Station; it was there the doctor confirmed that he was dead. We thought of taking him to the mortuary but because we have decided to bury him today, we brought his remains home and this morning we buried him. We just returned home not quite long,” she said.

    Mrs Dosunmu said her husband’s remains were interred at his house in Ikorodu, Lagos.

  • Anambra varsity swears in union leader

    Anambra varsity swears in union leader

    Management of the Anambra State University (ANSU) in Uli, has sworn in Ifenna Onyenweze, a 300-Level Biochemistry student, as president of the institution’s Students’ Union Government (SUG).

    The event took place at the varsity’s Senate Chamber.

    The inauguration was delayed due to a petition filed by one of the candidates that vied for the post, Aspire Ugochukwu, a 400-Level Chemical Engineering student, who challenged Ifenna’s victory.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Fidelis Okafor, urged the union leaders to be selfless and handle their various offices with responsibility.

    Ifenna promised to pursue transformation programmes, saying he had already ordered reduction of transport fare from Uli campus to Onitsha.

    Students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, expressed joy, urging their leaders to work in students’ interest.

  • Union leader injured in road crash

    Union leader injured in road crash

    THE president of the Students’ Union Govrenment (SUG) of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Bassey Eka, has been injured in a road accident on Akamkpa-Ikom Highway.

    The accident, according to an eyewitness, occurred at about 1:30pm on Valentine’s Day. There were four others in the vehicle.

    The vehicle was damaged beyond repair, while Eka sustained a head injury.

    When CAMPUSLIFE visited the hospital where Eka was receiving treatment, he thanked God for saving his life. He also thanked the management and students for their prayers.

    Eka told our reporter he was attendimng a wedding at Obubra when the accident occurred.

     

  • Union leader gets award

    Union leader gets award

    The Federal Polytechnic, Offa (Offa Poly) Students’ Union President,Hameed Omuiyadun, has been honoured as the best Students Union president by the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS).

    The event took place at the Stella Hall of the institution.

    The Rector, Dr Mufutau Olatinwo, represented by Deputy Rector (Academics) Mr Biaminu Saliu, described the recognition as timely.

    He said: ‘’Hameed is the 15th Students Union president in this school and the management has been drawn to his charismatic leadership since he assumed office. During the mayhem between Offa and Erinle, he ensured the safety of the students and protected them from attacks. During the last strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), he used his constructive approach to address issues despite the obstacles he encountered.’’

    The president dedicated the award to the students of the institution. “At the end of the day, it is not the size of the project that determines the acceptance and success, but the support of the people involved. I am happy for this award and I pledge to continue to work hard for the good of students,” he stated.

    The event witnessed various activities such as launch of the union’s incentive, drama presentation, music and dance competitions. After the event, the students proceeded to the Aluta Ground for a party organised by the Students Union Government of the institution.

    The event was attended by Deputy Rector (Administration) Dr Ayo Olaosebikan; Deputy Registrar, Mr Amoko Bankole; Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, (ASUP, Offa Poly chapter), Taju Kamarudeen and representatives of National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS).