He was arrested in connection with the extortion of 1672 pilgrims by the Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board when they forced pilgrims to pay a higher amount for animal sacrifices called Hadaya.

Mr. Tajudeen Anifowose, a staff of the Lagos State Pilgrims Welfare Board, has been arrested.

He was nabbed by the Nigerian police operatives from Zone 2, Lagos, over the extortion of N46million from 2022 Hajj pilgrims.

Anifowose was picked up by men of the police force after several failed attempts.

He was arrested in connection with the extortion of 1672 pilgrims by the Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board when they forced pilgrims to pay a higher amount for animal sacrifices called Hadaya.

The pilgrims were expected to pay for an animal sacrifice.

SaharaReporters had reported that 555 Saudi Riyards was collected from each of the 1672 Pilgrims for rams but the board employed the service of a Saudi Arabia collaborator who was given 300 Saudi Riyards leaving a huge sum of N46million.

SaharaReporters gathered that in a bid to democratise the extortion, the Lagos Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board shared the extorted sum among its members.

A top source who was aware of the sharing confirmed to SaharaReporters that while sub-committee members got $100, committee members got $200.

“To prevent staff and members of the pilgrims board from further spilling the beans, the Chairman of the board decided to share the proceed of crimes, totaling about N46million with unsuspecting members of the board and staff. Each member of the 36 membered sub-committee was given $100.

“Each of the board members, 6 of them, got $200 each, while some of the regular staff of the board got between 100 and 200 Riyads,” the source said.

Confirming the arrest to SaharaReporters, a top source said Anifowose allegedly defrauded about 17 intending pilgrims of over N26million.

"Anifowose was also fingered in several sharp and corrupt practices in the management of the pilgrimage services, defrauded over 17 intending pilgrims of over #26 million.

"He used his closeness to the Executive Secretary to exploit the obvious closeness to deceive his victims. Those intending pilgrims ended up in a scam and refused pilgrimage services of the board.

"The intending pilgrims reported their predicament to the board which forced Mr. Anifowose to elope. All attempts by the pilgrims to recover their monies or getting their application processed failed and they all failed to perform the hajj," the source told SaharaReporters.

The victims subsequently reported their cases to Zone2 of the Police, which invited the Board’s Executive Secretary for questioning last Tuesday.

The Executive Secretary was allowed to go after his statement was obtained but the police flagged Anifowose's bank account.

"Unknown to Mr. Anifowose, the police had put a red alert on his account before his last attempt to make withdrawal from the account at a new generation back.

"He was subsequently, arrested by the bank security and the police from Zone 2 called in to take possession," the source added.

The officers are detained pending an internal investigation in six local government areas of the state where they serve.

In what will come across as a rather startling development, as many as 100 firearms have allegedly gone missing from the custody of the Bauchi State Police Command of the Nigeria Police Force.

The officers suspected to be guilty of this are being detained on the order of the Commissioner of Police, Umar Mamman Sanda, WikkiTimes reports

The officers are detained pending an internal investigation in six local government areas of the state where they serve.

An inside source revealed that the commissioner of police advised that the command should not release a press statement about the issue.

This comes amidst claims by the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed who pointed fingers at traditional chiefs and security operatives for being complicit in the increasing attacks on the state.

According to the governor, the attacks would not have happened without the collaboration of those he mentioned.

Governor Bala had said this when he visited Duguri hometown in Alkaleri local council to sympathise with the victims of banditry and their families.

“I am from here,” the governor attested. “I am having sleepless nights because my people are having problems. This is where I was born and bred to become what I am today. It is unacceptable to me to be governor and my people are being killed.”

On July 31, marauding bandits killed Alh Katu Mai Dukkuna, a 75-year-old cattle breeder in Shaffa village of Duguri District in Alkaleri LGA and kidnapped his three grandchildren.

This was after several people were killed and some abducted in Toro, Alkaleri, Tafawa Balewa and several other communities across the state.

An enquiry sent to the commissioner of police yesterday was not responded to.

When contacted for the second time, he told WikkiTimes reporter not to bother him by the weekend. He advised him to contact Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, the Bauchi State police spokesman.

This was after the spokesman was contacted for over 12 hours without responding.

When contacted for the second time, Wakil, claimed he did not receive the enquiry sent to him yesterday. At press time, he has not responded to another message sent to him.

President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed that the review of the Orosanye White Paper Report is almost complete.
 
He said on completion, the FG will implement its general recommendation.
 
Buhari who revealed that the review is about to be completed said its implementation would bring some fundamental changes to the structure of the Civil Service.
 
According to a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari said this when he received the Central Working Committee of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria at the State House, Abuja.
 
The statement is titled ‘Oronsaye report will lead to fundamental changes in our civil service, president Buhari assures.’
 
Submitted in 2011, the Oronsaye report has been a subject of controversy as it proposes, among other things, the merging and outright scrapping of over 263 government agencies.
 
It also proposed that the law establishing the National Salaries and Wages Commission be repealed and its functions taken over by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Responsibility Commission. This, it said, would save the government N2bn.
 
While noting that public service, as the engine room of government, should attract the “best and brightest’’ the President said, “I have directed that the Orosanye White Paper Report be subjected to immediate review to enable the Government take the most appropriate decision on its general recommendation.
 
“I am aware that the review is about to be completed. While some may complain about the length of time it has taken thus far, the outcome of the various review teams would lead to some fundamental changes in the structure of our Civil Service and as such it must be subjected to rigorous review and scrutiny before presentation and implementation.”
 
He explained that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation will submit the harmonized white paper once it has been concluded.
 
The President noted that his regime remains focused on strengthening the service and ensuring it helps the government fulfill its objectives. He also appreciated civil servants for their role in realizing targets of the FG.
 
Responding to the committee’s request for the review of civil servants’ salaries, the President said while such a review is urgently needed due to global inflation, the FG is working within tight revenue constraints caused by the diversion of resources to urgent security threats nationwide.
 
“I wish to urge you to appreciate the revenue constraints being presently faced by the Government which is caused mainly by the activities of unscrupulous citizens through the theft of our crude oil, a major contributor to our revenue base.
 
“This is compounded by the global economic downturn as a result of the on-going Russian–Ukrainian war, which has led to price increases not just in the costs of goods and services globally, but also in the transportation of these goods and services across the globe.
 
“You are also aware of the enormous burden placed on our finances by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, let me note the significant investment we have had to make in security over the last seven years, which means other sectors of the economy have not been able to receive as much funding as we would have liked. Only when our country is secured, that we are able to proceed and take on other aspects of our economic challenges,’’ Buhari explained.
 
The President also told the ASCSN that its request for restoration of the payment of gratuity to public service employees was one of the landmark provisions addressed in the 2004 Pension Reform Act.
 
“Therefore, implementing your request for the payment of a bulk sum of gratuity to retired civil servants would negate the intent and provisions of the Act.
 
“It should be acknowledged that a change in the implementation of the Act would require an amendment by the National Assembly. But more importantly, the Pension Reform Act is a better designed and robust system that allows for safety of pensioners funds and its payment,” he said.
 
On the harmonization of salary in the Public Service, Buhari said a Committee was set up for that purpose, under the Minister of Finance which was still working.
 
Buhari said the Head of Service of the Federation had been directed to liaise with other relevant government agencies to see how the 2023 budget estimates can accommodate an increase in the budget of the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board.
 
Further, he explained that investment in security assets had been at a huge cost, after several decades of negligence.
 
Buhari also expressed “unshaken” confidence in the Nigerian Armed forces saying “Recent reports have shown the message is now being heard and the dividends of our seven years of investments are now maturing.
 
“I implore our forces to continue with the current effort and determination until we rid our land of these miscreants.”
 
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, said members of ASCSN had been supportive in actualizing programmes and policies of the administration, describing the leadership as mostly public servants that were vast in civil service procedure, “so when you negotiate with them it is easy and when you make the right point they know.’’
 
In his remarks earlier, the President of ASCSN, Dr Tommy Okon, noted that the regime had been “worker-friendly’’ with the implementation of far-reaching reforms.
 
He called for an increase in salaries of civil servants, following increasing cost of living, restoring full payment of gratuity at retirement, harmonization of public service salaries and allowances, and an increase in the budget of the National Housing Fund.

Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello has lashed out at the representatives of the Federal Government negotiating with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
 
The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, are the representatives of the government negotiating with ASUU.
 
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, on Friday, Bello said the ministers are being insensitive with their utterances and not representing President Muhammadu Buhari well.
 
The governor stated that President Buhari cares so much about education and the education sector, saying that the Nigerian leader will not allow the education system to collapse under his watch.
 
Governor Bello said those who the president directed to handle the protracted ASUU strike are embarrassing him, He, however, President Buhari to ensure that the prolonged strike is addressed.
 
He said: “I don’t think they [ministers] are representing Mr President well. This is a man that cares so much about education, and even children during that lockdown were being fed at home.
 
“Those who Mr President entrusted to handle this protracted issue are not doing justice to it.”
 
Speaking further, Bello said the money spent on the COVID-19 response could have been used to resolve the lingering ASUU strike.
 
The governor stated that the funds spent on nose masks and hand sanitisers over COVID in the country could have been used to settle the striking lecturers.
 
“Like I used to say; I’ll return to the days when I was a loner, I think I’m still a loner on the issue of no COVID-19. The trillions spent buying nose masks and hand sanitisers… a lot could have solved this ASUU issue, but that’s that,” he said.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has mocked the All Progressives Congress and other parties in the state, saying the Peoples Democratic Party has no other party opposing it in the state.
 
The Governor spoke on Thursday at the flag-off of the 11th flyover project at the Rumuola- Ikwerre Road-Rumuokwuta Roundabout in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
 
He had invited a former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke to handle the commissioning.
 
The governor stated that all the political parties in the state have collapsed into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their leaders are joining the party in droves.
 
Wike claimed that the politicians are joining the PDP because they are happy with the ongoing infrastructural development by his administration.
 
He asserted that the ongoing collapse of the membership strength of other political parties in the state is definitely an electoral advantage for the PDP.
 
He said: “We have collapsed every other party. Every day people from All Progressives Congress (APC) are joining our party. We are here doing that and some people are in Abuja; ask them how many persons have they brought to the party.

“It’s not to say I’m supporting our candidate. How many people have you brought to help your candidate. We are here everyday bringing people to join our party and you are there following your candidate from Abuja to Adamawa. Is it there you’ll win the votes? Come back home.”
 
Wike stressed that Rivers state is too strategic politically to be ignored by any serious-minded politician who wants to win an election.
 
He said: “This Local Government alone, Obio Akpor, where I come from, we registered not less than 600 thousand voters. This local government beats two States in their electoral strength.

“So, we are not a state that you can take for granted, not to talk about the Local Government where I come from.

“I believe that they must know us here because we have what it takes to deliver. They must come and know us. I’m not going to find anybody. You must come here. You can’t take 600 and something thousand votes away from my local government. You can’t take 3.2million votes from my State just like that.”
 

The Ogun state Police Command has alerted residents of a yet-to-be-identified serial killer who is on the prowl in Remo axis of the state.

A statement released by SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, spokesperson of the state police command, says the modus operandi of the serial killer is to pretend as a commercial motorcyclist popularly known as "okada" and pick his targeted victim as a passenger.

''Such victim who are mainly women will be taken to an isolated area, r#ped and brutally murdered in cold blood.

While the Command is doing everything possible to apprehend the hoodlum, it is necessary to alert the public to be on their guard and be wary of any okada man with whom they want to embark on a journey, most especially in the night'' the statement read.

Abimbola said that for safety reasons, passengers are advised to demand the phone number of the okada rider who wants to carry them in the night.

''They should also make a call to such number to ascertain its authenticity.

This will give security agencies a lead in their investigation in the event of any untowards development.''the statement read.

Oyeyemi added that the state Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Bankole, has assured the public that everything possible will be done to fish out the serial killer within the shortest possible period.

He urged the public to cooperate with the police by giving adequate and useful information that can assist in this onerous task.

Obi who is a former Anambra state governor had a two-hour closed-door meeting with Governor Soludo.

Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi has paid a visit to the Governor of Anambra state, Charles Soludo.
 
The meeting took place today August 19.
 
Obi who is a former Anambra state governor and Gov Soludo had a two-hour closed-door meeting at the State Governor’s Lodge in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area.
 
See more photos below:

The Federal Government has asked Google to remove four loan apps from its platform.
 
The loan apps are: Maxi Credit, Here4U, ChaCha, and SoftPay.
 
FG made the request through the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
 
The government said the 4 loan apps are being used for unethical practices from the Play Store.
 
The Commission says its investigations revealed that the listed apps are owned by other popular apps that are under investigation for unethical practices and breach of consumer privacy.
 
Specifically, it mentioned Soko Loan as the company behind several other apps being used to circumvent the efforts of the Commission.
 
Last year August, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) fined Soko Lending Company Limited (Soko Loans) the sum of N10 million for privacy invasion. Soko loan app was subsequently removed from the app store following the request of the FCCPC.
 
Giving an update on the Commission’s enforcement operation carried out on Thursday, August 18, 2022, the Executive Vice Chairman of the FCCPC, Mr. Babatunde Irukera, said: “The information available to the Commission demonstrates that Soko Lending appears to be the most consequential digital money lender with multiple apps and brand names covering a significant share of the digital/online lending market, and one of the most prolific actors in violating consumer privacy, fair lending terms, and ethical loan repayment t/recovery practices.”

“Prior to today’s operation, the Commission had previously, on March 11. 2022 carried out a similar enforcement action with respect to multiple lenders, which action and continuing investigation have reduced previously high and escalating unethical, obnoxious, and unscrupulously exploitative practices in the industry. However. some of the lenders who have been subject of investigation have devised methods to leverage technology and other financial services alternatives to circumvent account freezing and app suspension Orders. With the operations today, the Commission expects an appreciable additional reduction in these unacceptable practices,” he added.

“The Commission has also today entered further orders that will disable or diminish violators’ ability to devise circumvention efforts or alternative mechanisms to circumvent the objective of the investigation and protection of citizens. Particularly, the Commission has entered further Orders to Google Play Store to draw down the following apps which were discovered to be created and operating as a circumvention of existing investigative interventions; Maxi Credit, Here4U, ChaCha, and SoftPay.

“The commission has ordered all operating payment systems including Fluttewvave, Opay, Paystack and Monify to immediately cease and desist providing payment or transaction services to lenders under investigation or not otherwise operating with applicable regulatory approvals. The Commission has also ordered telecommunication/ technology companies (including Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)) to cease and desist providing server/hosting, or other key services such as connectivity to disclosed or known lenders who are targets/subjects of investigation or otherwise operating without regulatory approval,” he said.
 
Irukera added that for apps not on the Play Store, the Commission would continue to trace what platforms they are hosted on in order to disable them. He also urged members of the public to provide it with any information they have in that regard.

A Federal High Court has given an update concerning the certificate forgery suit brought against the All Progressives Congress (APC), Presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
 
The court in Abuja on Thursday asked the Action Alliance Party to present its witnesses in court on October 12.
 
Action Alliance Party in the suit, is seeking disqualification of Bola Tinubu from the 2023 election on alleged certificate Forgery.
 
Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued the order on Thursday when he fixed October 12 new date to enable parties in the suit complete filing of their processes and exchange same as required by law before the adjourned date.
 
Tinubu who is the major defendant in the alleged certificate forgery suit has however, engaged the services of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Babatunde Ogala to enable him fortify his defense.
 
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel to Action Alliance which instituted the suit, Mr Ukpai Ukairo, informed the court that he just received the notice of preliminary objection from Tinubu asking the court not to entertain the case against him on various grounds.
 
Amongst the grounds, Tinubu claimed that the foundation for the certificate forgery suit against him was rooted in the 1999 electoral forms he submitted to the then electoral body.
 
He also claimed that the report of the Lagos State House of Assembly which probed him on the alleged certificate forgery is the main foundation of the fresh suit and hence, has become statute barred.
 
However, counsel to the Action Alliance, Ukairo informed the court that the claims of the former Lagos State Governor especially on the statute barred position would be adequately addressed in the subsequent proceedings.
 
Ukairo told the Judge that Tinubu’s claims made orally by his counsel had to be made formally and served on him to enable him respond appropriately.
 
While the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC which is the 1sr defendant in the suit, sought for time to respond to the suit, the APC was not represented in court despite proof of service of the suit on it.
 
The Judge accordingly adjourned the matter till October 2, for parties to put their houses in order for proper hearing of the alleged certificate forgery suit.
 
Action Alliance (AA) had on June 21, asked the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from including the name of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the ballot of the 2023 presidential election.
 
The party in the Writ of Summon marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/954/2022, predicated its request on the claim that both the APC and its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu are not qualified to participate in the 2023 presidential election on alleged forgery committed by Tinubu in 1999.
 
The suit filed on behalf of the plaintiff by its lawyer, Mr Upkai Ukairo, claimed that Tinubu forged his university of Chicago certificate he submitted in 1999 in aid of his qualification for the 1999 governorship election in Lagos State, which was won by Tinubu.
 
The suit, dated and filed on June 21, has the Independent National Electoral Commission, All Progressives Congress and Senator Bola Tinubu as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively.

According to a report by The PUNCH, the National Association of Nigerian Students on Thursday has made new revelations.

The body said it would commence consultations to sue the Federal Government and the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, over the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, The PUNCH reports.

The association made this known in a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja. The minister had during a press briefing encouraged students affected by the strike to sue ASUU.

But the NANS President, Sunday Ashefon, said, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the Minister of Education Malam Adamu Adamu where he suggested that Nigerian students affected by ASUU strike must sue ASUU for liabilities suffered as a result of the strike.

“Perhaps the only thing Malam Adamu Adamu has gotten right since he became a Minister is the fact that Nigerian students needed to be compensated for their wasted time, opportunities and resources. However, the Minister is clever by half by suggesting ASUU should be held liable for the liabilities. ASUU is neither the proprietor of our tertiary institutions nor the beneficiary of the exorbitant fees we pay across our tertiary institutions in Nigeria. It is an abuse of intellect to suggest that students should sue employees for protesting bad working conditions and not the employer who is the proprietor of our schools and the beneficiary of the exorbitant school fees we pay.

“Since Nigerian students do not think like the Minister, since we can separate what is right from wrong, we will yield the advise of the Minister by exploring legal windows for compensation of our students for numerous liabilities suffered as a result of the incessant and prolonged ASUU strike. While our losses in terms of lost opportunities as a result of time wasted might not be quantifiable, our losses as regards private hostel accommodations payments, research work losses, foreign admission losses, and extra year resulting to miss of NYSC service opportunities are liabilities that can be quantified and liabilities accounted.

“We have therefore decided to take the advise of the Minister and seek legal redress for the liabilities suffered. We will therefore consult with our legal advisers to see what options are available for us to explore legally against the Federal Government, Minister of Education”.

The student body, however, called on ASUU to place the interest of the students above other interests.

“We also call on ASUU to be considerate and put students’ interests into their consideration. ASUU trying to hold the nation into ransom is unpatriotic and self-serving.

“We, therefore, advise state government whose tertiary institutions are on strike should take every reasonable measure to ensure resumption of academic activities as the current strike should never have affected state universities. We will support state government in any measure they deem fit to compel striking state university lecturers to resume work”.

Adamu said the same faith ticket is a strategy the APC think can work in the country.

Sen Abdullahi Adamu, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said that the controversial Muslim/Muslim ticket fielded by his party in the 2023 presidential elections is the best thing for Nigeria.

Adamu who spoke to BBC Hausa, said same faith ticket is a strategy they think can work in the country.

He Said;

“You see, with the situation we are in the country, you can’t convince everybody. It’s democracy, everyone has his right but for us, same faith ticket is the best thing for Nigeria presently.

“But we will not relent, we will work to ensure we convince Nigerians to fully support this Tinubu/Shettima ticket, every party has its strategy and this is our strategy that we think can best work for us.”

Commenting on economic challenges facing the country, Adamu said;

“Yes, there’s insecurity in the country and every country faces its own kind of insecurity. The media don’t publicise government efforts adequately.”

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has tackled those condemning him because all the flyovers built by his administration are in Ikwerre land.
 
The governor said they should all go and die.
 
He was speaking in Port Harcourt on Thursday during the flag-off of the 11th flyover to be constructed by his administration.
 
He explained that his action was based on expectations that there may be a population explosion in Port Harcourt in the next 3 to 4 years.
 
He maintained that it would be regrettable not to begin to solve the traffic situation that may emanate from the increase in population in the coming years.
 
He said, “You can see the landscape from Eleme junction to the Government House, 6 flyovers there. As you are going up, you’re coming down.

“Some people say all these flyovers are in Ikwerre land, what’s my business? If you don’t like the place, you can go ahead and die. There’s nothing I can do about it.

“If you project what will happen in this State in the next three to four years and you don’t try to solve the problem of traffic now, you will regret it.

“The population explosion and traffic congestion will be something else.

“So it is better to solve it now than waiting till that time.”

In a chat, Nana informed the sisters about the high taste of the restaurants where the reservation was booked while being particular about Cuppy’s dress code.

Billionaire daughter and disc jockey, Florence Otedola aka Cuppy has taken to social media to call out her mother for mocking her fashion sense.

Dj Cuppy’s mother, Nana Otedola, had invited the disc jockey alongside her sister, Temi Otedola to a lunch date.

In a chat, Nana informed the sisters about the high taste of the restaurants where the reservation was booked while being particular about Cuppy’s dress code.

“Please come photo ready! @Cuppy, it’s a bit upscale; so some dress code might be expected (no shade intended),” Nana wrote.

Taking to Instagram to call out her mother for subtly shading her fashion sense, Dj Cuppy wrote, “I’m sorry mum; I’m calling you out.”

Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education, said lecturers would not be paid for the six months they are absent from work.

The Federal Government has boasted that its no work, no pay strategy will deter unions from going on strike.
 
This as the government threatened that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, who are currently on strike, will not receive salary.
 
Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education, said lecturers would not be paid for the six months they are absent from work.
 
He disclosed that the measure would serve as a penalty over the “behaviour of ASUU.”
 
Addressing State House Correspondents in Abuja yesterday, the Minister said lecturers would think twice before they join strike.
 
According to Adamu: “I think the stand that the government has taken now, not to pay, I think that’s the only thing in the hand of the government to ensure that there’s penalty for some behaviour like this.

“I believe teachers will think twice before they join strike if they know that at the end, they are not going to be paid.

“The government is not acting arbitrarily. There is a law and I believe this is going to be a strong element to deter many from going on strike.”

She disclosed her decision to quit Nollywood during a recent interview after being asked if she has completely retired from acting or planned to return after her run in politics.

Popular actress cum politician, Tonto Dikeh has disclosed that she has no plans of returning to Nollywood after the governorship election in Rivers State.

The actress who is the African Democratic Congress (ADC) deputy governorship candidate for Rivers State, disclosed her decision to quit Nollywood during a recent interview with BBC News Pidgin after being asked if she has completely retired from acting or planned to return after her run in politics.

She said: “I no really dey film like that again, you know e don tey I don dey screen. No be say I don do like two films in 10 years you no go tell me say I dey industry anymore. always appreciate that it was the industry that my path started from, that my shine started from, it is something that I respect, but it’s not something that has been in my life. So even after the election no be something I go still go back to.”

Commending her colleagues Funke Akindele and Banky W for their participation in politics, Tonto added: “it’s not easy for them being where they are and putting yourself out there to effect change because criticisms and so many things are involved. I believe in Funke, I believe in Banky. These two people… I can hold to something and say I believe that these people have a vision for the people.”

The union stated this on Thursday while reacting to the statement by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has said it will not bulge.
 
According to ASUU, the Federal Government is confused about how the university system works.
 
The union further stated that it is not bothered by FG's decision to invoke the ‘no-work, no-pay’ policy.
 
The union stated this on Thursday while reacting to the statement by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, that the withheld salaries of the lecturers would not be paid to serve as a deterrent to any worker planning to go on strike in the future.
 
The union, which spoke through the Lagos Zonal Chairman, Dr Adelaja Odukoya, said the claim that the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, UTAS, developed by the union to replace the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS, did not pass integrity test, was far from the truth.
 
Odukoya, a member of the National Executive Council of ASUU, said: “If they have not paid us for six months and we did not die, we cannot die now.

“But they must be told that they are going to pay us our salaries, that is sure. The job of a lecturer involves teaching, research and community development and if we are not in class now, we are doing those other things.

“As for the IPPIS, why are they contradicting themselves on this issue. They themselves said and agreed that UTAS, when it was subjected to integrity test, performed much better than their IPPIS.

“It is the fraud being perpetrated through the IPPIS that is making those benefiting from it to go on sticking to it.

“They are saying that we had no reason to go on strike, if there was no reason, why are they proposing a new salary structure?

“They have set up a lot of committees with nothing to show for it. In May 2021, they set up a committee to work on our demands, nothing came out of it till we started strike in February this year.

“When we started strike, they gave another committee three months to do some things, yet nothing concrete came out.

“They are ignorant of how things work in the university system,” he said.

Chief Magistrate, Patricia Adetuyibi, who did not take the plea of the defendants due to lack of jurisdiction, ordered their remand at Abolongo Correctional Facility in Oyo Town.

A family court in Iyaganku, Ibadan has remanded two men, James Thomas, 35, and Segun Adesina, 61, on Thursday for the alleged defilement of a 14-year-old girl.

Chief Magistrate, Patricia Adetuyibi, who did not take the plea of the defendants due to lack of jurisdiction, ordered their remand at Abolongo Correctional Facility in Oyo Town, NAN reports.

She directed that the case file be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Oyo State Ministry of Justice for advice.

Adetuyibi adjourned the matter until Oct. 20 for mention.

The Prosecution Counsel, Insp. Folake Ewe told the court that Thomas between January and July at Oke-Ola in the Ejioku area of Ibadan allegedly had unlawful s3xual intercourse with the girl.

Ewe said the defendant allegedly committed the offence without her consent.

She said Adesina, sometime in 2021 at the same address, also allegedly had unlawful s3xual intercourse with the victim without her consent.

Ewe said the offences contravened Section 34 of the Oyo State Child Rights Law 2006.

 
The National Association of Nigerian Students has revealed plan to sue the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu after he asked the students to sue  the Academic Staff Union of Universities over the lingering strike.
 
Speaking on Thursday, NANS President Sunday Ashefon said it would commence consultations to sue the Federal Government and the minister.
 
The association made this known in a statement made available to reporters in Abuja. The minister had during a press briefing encouraged students affected by the strike to sue ASUU.
 
But the NANS President, Sunday Ashefon, said, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the Minister of Education Malam Adamu Adamu where he suggested that Nigerian students affected by ASUU strike must sue ASUU for liabilities suffered as a result of the strike.

“Perhaps the only thing Malam Adamu Adamu has gotten right since he became a Minister is the fact that Nigerian students needed to be compensated for their wasted time, opportunities and resources. However, the Minister is clever by half by suggesting ASUU should be held liable for the liabilities. ASUU is neither the proprietor of our tertiary institutions nor the beneficiary of the exorbitant fees we pay across our tertiary institutions in Nigeria. It is an abuse of intellect to suggest that students should sue employees for protesting bad working conditions and not the employer who is the proprietor of our schools and the beneficiary of the exorbitant school fees we pay.

“Since Nigerian students do not think like the Minister, since we can separate what is right from wrong, we will yield the advise of the Minister by exploring legal windows for compensation of our students for numerous liabilities suffered as a result of the incessant and prolonged ASUU strike. While our losses in terms of lost opportunities as a result of time wasted might not be quantifiable, our losses as regards private hostel accommodations payments, research work losses, foreign admission losses, and extra year resulting to miss of NYSC service opportunities are liabilities that can be quantified and liabilities accounted.

“We have therefore decided to take the advise of the Minister and seek legal redress for the liabilities suffered. We will therefore consult with our legal advisers to see what options are available for us to explore legally against the Federal Government, Minister of Education”.

The student body, however, called on ASUU to place the interest of the students above other interests.

“We also call on ASUU to be considerate and put students’ interests into their consideration. ASUU trying to hold the nation into ransom is unpatriotic and self-serving.

“We, therefore, advise state government whose tertiary institutions are on strike should take every reasonable measure to ensure resumption of academic activities as the current strike should never have affected state universities. We will support state government in any measure they deem fit to compel striking state university lecturers to resume work”.

An APC Chieftain and former minister of Aviation,  Femi Fani-Kayode, has reacted to the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Fani-Kayode said a demon and devil has entered into the PDP.

He spoke against the backdrop of a remark by PDP chieftain, Bode George, that a devil may have infiltrated the ranks of the opposition party.

George was reacting to the impasse between Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Urging them to “cool down,” the PDP chieftain said it appears “some kind of devil” has entered the party.

Reacting, Fani-Kayode stressed that Wike and Southerners were cheated in PDP.

Speaking on Channels Television, Fani-Kayode said: “The PDP is the party playing with demons today, at the height of their effrontery, they cheated Wike and all the Southerners, they are still saying nothing will change; that the party chairman will not step down.

“So, what will they do if they come into power? I think that Bode George is right that a demon and devil have entered into the PDP, but where I disagree with him is that the devil and demon will never leave the PDP.

“The devil and demon have a grip on PDP and I can assure you of this that when we begin campaigns, we will expose them further.”

The actress and entrepreneur expressed joy over what the first lady of Ogun State, Bamidele Abiodun did for her.

Nollywood actress, Toyin Abraham has been left grateful after the first lady of Ogun State, Bamidele Abiodun extended a kind gesture towards her.
 
Abraham, overjoyed by the selfless act penned an appreciation post thanking the first lady for allowing her tour the state.
 
Sharing a photo of her at Oluomo Rock, Toyin revealed that she is anticipating December 23rd.
 
It is not clear if the tour is being sponsored by the state government, reason why she wrote the appreciation post.
 
“Huge thanks to her Excellency @bamideleabiodunofficial and commissioner for culture and tourism @hontoyintaiwo 23rd of December on my mind”.