News
UNN Matriculates 10,000 Students
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, on Saturday matriculated 10,000 students under tight security.
Security was beefed up to prevent non teaching staff from stopping the ceremony.
The non-teaching staff are at the moment on national strike and they had threatened to block the university main gate to stop matriculating students, parents, friends and well wishers from entering.
Mr Paul Arua, the leader of non-teaching staff in UNN, said since non-teaching staff were on strike the matriculation should not hold.
“It is the responsibility of non teaching staff to organise matriculation and since we are on strike the matriculation should not hold,” he said.
NAN gathered that the timely intervention of policemen, operatives of the Department of State Services and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps thwarted the blockade by the union members.
The Civil Defence members led by Nsukka area commander, Mr Steve Yabanet, and Nsukka Police Urban DPO were able to prevent the protesting non teaching staff from blocking the first gate. Their effort allowed for free flow of human and vehicular traffic to the university.
In his address during the 44th matriculation, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Benjamin Ozumba, urged the newly admitted students to take their studies seriously as UNN is known for academic excellence and has zero tolerance for deviant behaviour.
“The University of Nigeria Nsukka has avalanche of rules and regulations which are applied with strictness without favouring anybody.
“You are advised to avoid deviant behaviour because its consequences are not palatable in UNN.
“Shun cultism, indecent dressing and exam malpractice else you be expelled,” he said.
Ozumba advised the new student to seek advice from their deans, HOD, academic advisers and administrative staff whenever they have any academic problem.
“The university operates a course system which comprises required, ancillary, and general studies courses. These are clearly designated in all departments.
“The administration has put appropriate machinery to welcome new students and help them settle down.
“The University organised orientation for you to enable you to know more about the university as well as know the dos and don’ts,” he said.
The VC commended the new students and their parents for choosing UNN as the university to pursue their chosen courses and promised them that the university would give them the best.
“By choosing UNN, you have made a wise choice. What the institution expects from you, to achieve success, is to fear God in all you do as well as hard work and discipline,” he said.
About 10,000 students participated in the matriculation ceremony.
Freshmen Igwenagu Chisom of the department of Veterinary Medicine and Anabe Chidimma of the department of Radiography in separate interviews with NAN, vowed to make first class on graduation to make their parents happy. (NAN)
News
EFCC: New Documents Extracted Shows Yahaya Bello Allegedly Paid School Fees To The Tune Of $845,852,84 For His Family Members
Still on the EFCC trailing on Ex Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Documents serving as exhibits have shown how he allegedly paid school fees in advance for his family members already in the school and even those to be enrolled in future with hundreds of thousands of dollars withdrawn from the state coffers.
A letter from the American International School of Abuja to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has shown the school admitting that Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, paid $845,852,84 into their bank account since September 2021 as advance school fees for 4 family members from the present class until they graduate.
Payment was also made for any future student to be enrolled by the family.
The document alleges that the payment was made by Mr. Ali Bello, alleged to be the eldest son of Yahaya Bello.
In the document, the school stated that they have deducted the fees for the educational service already rendered to the Bello children in the institution and what is left is $760, 910, which would be refunded to an account provided by the EFCC as the commission continues investigation into alleged money laundering levelled against Yahaya Bello.
The school also added that from the Bello family kids, “no further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition until they graduate from ASIA.”
News
Niger State Prisoners Run From Facility After Rainstorm Brings Down Part Of Fencing
Many prisoners serving time at the Suleja Correctional Centre, located in Suleja Local Government of Niger state, fled the facility after a rainstorm brought down a part of the inner fencing.
This incident happened as a result of the heavy rainfall which fell on Wednesday night. This led to a cell being torn down, providing incarcerated individuals with a chance at freedom.
Reporters gathered that security forces fired many shots in the air, attempting to scare the inmates out of hiding.
While the State Comptroller of Prisons declined to speak to the press, it has been noted that security has been beefed up on the Minna-Suleja and Suleja-Kaduna roads, including the Madalla axis to Abuja road, which is a likely escape route out of the state for the inmates.
News
EFCC: Former Governor Of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello Fails To Show Up In Court, Says He Is Scared Of Arrest
The embattled immediate past Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, says he would have appeared at the Federal High Court in Abuja to answer to the 19-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, but is afraid he would be arrested.
Though Bello was absent for his arraignment today April 23, His team of lawyers addressed the court on his behalf.
A member of his legal team, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, had this to say on his behalf;
“The defendant wants to come to court but he is afraid that there is an order of arrest hanging on his head,” Adedipe, SAN, submitted.
Adesipe then appealed to the court to set aside the exparte order of arrest it earlier issued against the former governor. The lawyer contended that as at the time the order of arrest was made, the charge had not been served on his client as required by the law.
He argued that it was only at the resumed proceedings on Tuesday that the court okayed substituted service of the charge on the defendant, through his lawyer.
“As at the time the warrant was issued, the order for substituted service had not been made. That order was just made this morning. A warrant of arrest should not be hanging on his neck when we leave this court,” counsel to the defendant added.
According to him, the Federal Government did not consult the 36 States of the federation before it enacted the EFCC Act through the National Assembly. He argued that section 12 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, required the various Houses of Assembly of states to ratify the Act before it could become operative.
“This is a very serious matter that borders on the constitution and the tenets of federalism. It has to be resolved because as it stands, the EFCC is an illegal organization,” Bello’s lawyer added
However, EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, urged the court to refuse the application, insisting that the warrant of arrest should not be set aside until the defendant makes himself available for his trial.
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