Tag: Nigeria - Page 26 - African News Today

Why We Negotiate With Kidnappers, Bandits To Free Hostages – IGP

10Nov

By Mary UgwuanyiNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Security, Terrorism

Why We Negotiate With Kidnappers, Bandits To Free Hostages – IGP

Usman Alkali Baba, the Inspector General of Police, has explained by security operatives sometimes go into negotiation with non-state actors in order to secure the safe release of hostages. He explained that it would be risky to apply extreme force in a bid to free hostages abducted by armed terrorists. Alkali Baba disclosed this when he appeared at the weekly briefings coordinated by the Presidential Media Team in Abuja on Thursday. The Police Chief stated this against the backdrop of more than 80 Chibok girls still in the captivity of Boko Haram, including 29 students of FGC Birni Yauri who remain in captivity several years after their kidnap. He said, “You see, the issue of kidnapping is an issue that borders almost all the security agents, including the military, it is...

Court To Decide ASUU’s With Withdrawn Salaries – FG

7Nov

By Mary UgwuanyiNo Comments

Education, News, Nigeria

Court To Decide ASUU’s With Withdrawn Salaries – FG

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has said that only the National Industrial Court, NIC, can direct the Federal Government on whether or not to pay the withdrawn salaries of lecturers. Ngige disclosed this in Abuja on Sunday, noting that government was anticipating the NIC verdict of NIC on if the withheld eight-month salaries of the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, should be paid or not. However, the human rights activist and counsel to ASUU, Femi Falana, SAN, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to order the payment of arrears to the university teachers who spent eight months on strike. Reacting to the development, Ngige said: “The matter is in court. We are waiting for the court to call us back. It is part of the substantive issu...

UNICEF Condemns Abduction Of 21 Schoolchildren In Katsina

5Nov

By Mary UgwuanyiNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Security, Terrorism

UNICEF Condemns Abduction Of 21 Schoolchildren In Katsina

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has kicked against the abduction of 21 children abducted by terrorists in the Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State and asked for their immediate release. UNICEF in a statement issued by its representative in Nigeria, Ms Cristian Munduate, in Katsina on Friday described the development as an irony whereby those who ought to protect and care for children have instead become their abductors. The statement read, “UNICEF is concerned about the report of the abduction of no fewer than 21 children at a farm in Mairuwa community, Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, North-West Nigeria.” “Confirmed reports indicate the 21 children – 17 girls and four boys – aged between 15 and 18, were abducted last Sunday at about 12:30...

UNIJOS ASUU Issues Order To Lecturers Amid Payment Of Half Salary

5Nov

By Mary UgwuanyiNo Comments

Education, News, Nigeria

UNIJOS ASUU Issues Order To Lecturers Amid Payment Of Half Salary

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, University of Jos chapter, has directed its members to halt teaching indefinitely, pending the payment of withheld salaries by the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration. This was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the branch chairman, Prof. Lazarus Maigoro. Recall that the federal government had on Thursday paid half salaries to university teachers after they suspended their strike on 14th October. The statement read in part, “One of the issues agreed at the meeting was that 50 percent of the backlog of eight months arrears of our withheld salaries would be paid to our members immediately but as of the time of writing this press release, only 17 days prorated October salary was paid to our members by the office...

Ohanaeze Reacts To Kidnappings In Enugu, Indicts Army, Police

29Oct

By Mary UgwuanyiNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Security

Ohanaeze Reacts To Kidnappings In Enugu, Indicts Army, Police

Apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has demanded an elaborate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the spate of abduction incidents along the Enugu-Ugwuogo Nike-Nsukka road by gunmen. Several commuters had been abducted while plying the road, some of whom are students of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, UNN, and high-profile dignitaries in the State. There have been speculations that the perpetrators are aided by insiders among security agencies. Reacting to the development, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide said information gotten from one of the victims suggests that there is a chain of communication between the gunmen and the security personnel stationed at checkpoints on the road. Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the National President of t...

Why FG Is Yet To Release Nnamdi Kanu Despite Court Order – Malami

28Oct

By Mary UgwuanyiNo Comments

Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Why FG Is Yet To Release Nnamdi Kanu Despite Court Order – Malami

Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation, has stated that the Federal Government is not convinced to free the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, despite a court judgment that acquitted and discharged him. Malami in an interview with Vanguard on Thursday said that Kanu’s rendition from Kenya cannot be used as the only yardstick to clear him of other crimes he has allegedly committed. According to the Justice Minister, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration was yet to free Kanu on account of four other offences which reportedly took place before the rendition matter for which the IPOB leader was discharged of. He said, “To release or not to release Nnamdi Kanu is a function of law and the rule of law for that matter. In arri...

How INEC Officials Tried To Enrol Fake Voters 40 Times – Yakubu

27Oct

By Mary UgwuanyiNo Comments

Elections, News, Nigeria

How INEC Officials Tried To Enrol Fake Voters 40 Times – Yakubu

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has stated that about 23 of its personnel tried to register some fake voters 40 times. INEC National Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this yesterday during the third quarterly meeting with political parties in Abuja. The electoral body also stated that at least 93.5 million Nigerians are eligible to vote in the 2023 general election, adding that 12.29 million Nigerians successfully completed their registrations as new voters in the just concluded Continuous Voter Registration CVR. INEC noted that not less than 2.78 million were identified and removed from the database as ineligible registrants through Automated Biometric Identification System, ABIS. Yakubu said 23 of the commission’s registration officers have b...

Canada, Australia Warn Citizens Over Likely Terror Attack In Abuja

27Oct

By Mary UgwuanyiNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Terrorism

Canada, Australia Warn Citizens Over Likely Terror Attack In Abuja

Australian and Canadian authorities have warned their citizens to be on high security alert while traveling to and moving around Nigeria. This followed a similar alarm by the US and UK, warning of a likely terrorist attack in Abuja. The US followed up the warning by directing an evacuation of its citizens and embassy staff in Nigeria. The Australian government in its advisory asked her citizens to reassess the need to embark on a travel to Nigeria. The Australian government named Abuja and areas surrounding it as places prone to attack by terrorists and kidnapping. It stated, “The potential for terrorism, kidnapping, crime, and civil unrest remains high throughout Nigeria. If, despite our advice, you undertake travel within Nigeria, research routes and get profes...

26Oct

By Mary UgwuanyiNo Comments

Education, News, Nigeria

Fire Guts WAEC National Office

The West African Examination Council, WAEC, Yaba, National Office, Lagos has been engulfed by fire in the early hours of Wednesday. According to a Lagos radio station, Bond FM, firefighters from the University of Lagos, UNILAG, and Yaba College of Technology, YABATECH, were already at the scene of the incident, making effort to put off the fire as of the time of this report. See Also: WAEC Releases 2022 WASSCE Results, Records 76.36% Pass A staff of the Council believed to be stuck in between some floors was sighted by an eyewitness trying to jump through the window of the 12-floor gigantic building in an attempt to evade suffocation. Officials of the Council were unreachable for further clarification at the point of filing this report. Details later… Source: Daily...

26Oct

By Mary UgwuanyiNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Petroleum

Why Petrol Queues Have Returned – FG

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, yesterday confirmed the existence of commercial stocks across the country, despite motorists queuing up for petrol in some cities. Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer, NMDPRA, while stating this, asked Nigerians to desist from panic-buying of petrol. Ahmed said he was optimistic that the queues being experienced would soon disappear as the marketers and NNPC have confirmed that there are adequate stocks to sustain the public. The NMDPRA boss said, “I spoke with the MOMAN’S Executive Secretary this morning and he told me they have sufficient stock. I have directed them to start evacuating the product immediately to filling stations. “NNPC has also confirmed sufficiency and they have commenced ev...