Another disheartening incident surfaced the internet on Wednesday, 3rd July 2024, whereby some alleged cult members assassinated a final- year history and diplomatic studies student at the Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ijebu- Ode, Ogun State, on campus. Reporters learnt about the victim, Olaoye Fabiyi, from a student who claimed under confidentiality that some men appeared out of nowhere and dragged him out of the test room while he was finishing his final papers.>>>CONTINUE FULL READING HERE
According to reports, the armed men carried him to a corner where they struck him in the head with a brick and fired shots. When contacted, the credible source informed the reporters that before fleeing the scene, the attackers checked to make sure he was lifeless. Speaking further, the source went on to say that, ” they (History and Diplomatic Studies students) were having their final paper today when some boys suspected to be cultists stormed the examination venue and dragged him out. They kicked him, shot at him, and hit him with a brick on the head” . ” It was when they realised he was lifeless that they left before the school security men came to pick him up to the school clinic, where he was confirmed dead” , he added.On the other hand, the president of the students union at the institution, Bethel Olorunfunmi, acknowledged the ugly occurrence in a press release on Wednesday and stated that medical personnel’ s attempts to save the victim’ s life were unsuccessful. Olorunfunmi then said that, ” it is with a heavy heart that we inform you of a tragic incident that occurred today. A fellow student was attacked on the school premises and, despite the best efforts of medical staff at the general hospital, he sadly passed away. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the family and friends of the student during this difficult time” .
” In the light of this event, we are implementing strict security measures to ensure the safety of all students. Effective immediately, a mandatory curfew is in place, requiring all students to remain indoors starting at 10pm tonight (Wednesday)” . ” Please understand that this measure is being taken with your safety as our utmost priority. We are working closely with university authorities and law enforcement agencies, who are conducting a thorough investigation and enhancing security across the campus” , he noted. Meanwhile, via a telephone call with one of the journalists on Wednesday, Oladimeji Uthman, the National Clerk of the National Association of Nigeria Students, corroborated the occurrence, saying that the NANS leadership is keeping an eye on the situation, he continued. He said, ” So saddening and disheartening. A final- year student writing his final paper. As leaders, we are on top of the situation” . When the reporter called Ayotunde Odubela, the university’ s public relations officer, on Wednesday, she stated she was unaware of what had happened, claiming that, ” I am not aware of the incident” . Notwithstanding, Omolola Odutola, the public relations officer (PPRO) for the state police, acknowledged the murder to one of the journalists, disclosing that the command had started looking into the matter and had raided suspected cultists’ hiding places nearby. She continued by saying that every attempt was being made to capture each individual in the gang accountable for the occurrence. ” Our officers immediately moved to the scene of the incident. All possible hideouts of the suspects were combed and raided by our detectives, including those from other divisions in the area. Every effort is being made to ensure that all the perpetrators are apprehended” , Odutola clarified.
The Nigerian Senate on Thursday passed into law a Bill seeking the establishment of the North Central Development Commission, NCDC. The Bill was sponsored by Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro. The NCDC Bill which was laid for first reading on 5th October, 2023, went through second reading on 21st February, 2024 and got the nod on the Senate after nine months including, its public hearing.The passage at the plenary which was presided by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio followed the committee’s report which noted that the Bill was in the interest of the zone and Nigeria as a whole.
Abba had earlier argued on the general principles of the bill, saying: “The Commission, when established, would be saddled with the responsibility of receiving and managing funds from the Federal Government and donors for the resettlement, rehabilitation, integration and reconstruction of roads and among others.”The passage of the bill followed adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Special Duties submitted during plenary. The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary congratulated Moro and all those who contributed to the success of the Bill. He expressed optimism that President Tinubu would assent to the bill for the overall development of North Central Nigeria, which comprises Kogi, Niger, Benue, Kwara, Plateau, Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Ebonyi State government has approved the appointment of 25 permanent secretaries to fill existing vacancies in the state civil service. This is contained in a press statement made available to journalists by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude okpor on Thursday. He said that the development followed a request made by the Head of Service, Mrs Rita Okoro to fill in the vacancies. Okpor further revealed that the State Executive Council has received an interim progress report on the foreign scholarship scheme from the Commissioner for Education, Professor Omari Omaka.“Consequently, the state government however, charged secretary to the state government, prof.Grace Umezurike and state scholarship board to interface with the embassies of the targeted countries with a view to expedite action by putting all machineries in place in readiness for the next academic session,” Okpor said. He disclosed that the State Government has set aside Wednesday for learning of local dialects and directed the Ministry of Education to ensure to compliance with the directive in both private and public schools in Ebonyi State.
Parts of the statement read, “Following the request by the head of service to fill in existing vacancies for the positions of permanent secretaries in the state civil service, the Council approved the appointment of twenty five (25) permanent secretaries and directed the Head of service to commence the process of achieving same with special emphasis on state character system.“Arising from the memo presented to the Council by the commissioner for culture and Tourism wherein he expressed concern that our local dialects are unconsciously going into extinction, the state executive council approved that Wednesdays put aside for learning and speaking of local dialect in schools.”
A bill seeking to establish a Police Pension Board passed second reading at the Senate on Thursday. Sponsor of the bill, Senator Binos Dauda Yaroe representing Adamawa South, in his lead debate said men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force have been disadvantaged in payment of their pensions under the contributory pension scheme, managed by the Pension Commission, PENCOM. He explained the importance of making the Police’s pension arrangement to be at par with other frontline security agencies like the Army, Navy, Air Force, Department of State Security Service, DSS, Defence Intelligence Agency, DIA and the National Intelligence Agency, NIA.The lawmaker said: “A cursory look at the difference between the pension and gratuity benefits of the Nigeria Police and her counterpart in the Military shows that the benefit of a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, under the current pension scheme is N2.5million, while the equivalents of DSP in the Army, Captain, Navy Lieutenant, Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, and DSS Captain, are paid N12.8million.
” He contended that the Nigerian Police Force is receiving equivalent of 19.5 per cent pension benefit of their colleagues in the sister agencies, adding that the proposed establishment of the Board would bridge gaps and encourage Police retirees who did so much to keep the nation in unity.“The inclusion and continuous stay of the NPF in PENCOM has placed them on the wrong end of post service emolument life despite being saddled with the responsibility of not only protecting the lives and property of the citizenry but also detecting , preventing and investigating crimes as well as prosecuting offences,” he said.“The bill is very important. The Police is our number one law enforcement entity and so, we need to do all that is required to take care of them in respect of their pension. “They lay down their lives while we are asleep; they are awake to protect us and our properties, so we need to do our best in terms of their pension.”>>>CONTINUE FULL READING HERE
