The Director-General of NYSC, Shuaibu Ibrahim stated these during the 2022 Batch ‘A’ Pre-Orientation Workshop in Abuja.
Ibrahim said, “When the NYSC Trust Fund becomes operational, the number of corps entrepreneurs will increase drastically, and they will in turn help to provide jobs for millions of other youths of the country. This will equally help reduce the issue of security challenges faced in the country.
“I, therefore, appeal to all friends of the scheme, including influential public figures, civil society organizations, students’ bodies, members of the academia and media practitioners, to send memoranda to the House Committee on Youth and Sports as well as make physical appearance at the public hearing to drum support for the establishment of the Trust Fund.”
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, made this known in a statement while announcing the arrest of Kyari and four other police officers fingered by the NDLEA in drug-related crimes.
Reacting in a statement also on Monday through the Force Spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, the IGP said incontrovertible evidence indicted Kyari in the drug crimes.
It partly read, “The Nigeria Police Force has arrested DCP Abba Kyari and four other police officers for their involvement in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy, discreditable, unethical, and unprofessional conduct, official corruption and tampering with exhibits in a case of illicit drug trafficking involving a perpetual transnational drug cartel.
“The arrest of the officers was sequel to pieces of information received from the leadership of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on 10th February 2022.
The statement also added, “In so doing, the Inspector General of Police has also formally requested that the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency should ensure the identification, arrest, and investigation of the Agency’s officers who have also been found to be colluding with the international drug cartel involved in this case towards advancing the anti-narcotics agenda of the federal government.
The PUNCH had reported that Kyari was indicted in 2021 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States for his alleged role in a $1m scam allegedly perpetrated by alleged international Internet fraudster Ramon Abbas, aka, Hushpuppi and five others.
The National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS) President, Asefon Sunday, in a statement, expressed “great disappointment” at the “comprehensive and total” four-week strike declared by ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke.
In the statement titled, ‘ASUU Warning Strike: A Reckless Irresponsibility’, signed by the NANS President, Asefon said, “We have received the news of the decision of ASUU to embark on a month warning strike with great disappointment. We have thought ASUU and FG represented by top executives would allow reason to prevail, reached compromise, act responsibly in the interest of the education sector and indeed Nigeria, to do all that is required to responsibly avert this avoidable strike.
“We are appalled by the impunity, recklessness, and irresponsibility the managers of this negotiation from both sides of the table has managed the fragile situation allowing it to degenerate to the level of industrial action. We are therefore compelled to believe that negotiators from both sides acted so irresponsibly because of their apathy of the interest and welfare of the major stakeholder of the sector(students) during the negotiations.
“We are equally disappointed at the government for not doing everything possible to avert this embarrassment. We are also disappointed with the ASUU for reaching this conclusion irrespective of the implications to the students, academic calendar, research they claim to love, national security, and sanity. The Government and ASUU by this action sent a direct message to Nigerian students to also take positions comfortable for our side of the table irrespective of the implications. Let me say equivocally that we will respond in clear language, the language the oppressors understand.
“I passionately appeal to all students leaders, NANS structures, and organs across the nation to mobilize to our national non-elective congress on the 17th of February where far-reaching decisions shall be made on our collective response to this blatant lack of patriotism, human feelings, and feelings for the collective future of education in Nigeria.
“Our decisions shall be decisive, collective, and irreversible until the strike is called off. We shall fight this impunity and recklessness without any consideration other than an immediate end to this strike.
“We, therefore, inform the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, to expect us in our numbers, and ASUU should be ready to return to the table to end this avoidable, reckless and repugnant strike. Let me assure the Minister of Labour that our protest in his office today is introductory and child play in what is yet to come. We are resolute more than before to ensure we hold government, especially the ministry of labour responsible for these incessant strike actions.
“Further negotiations should as a matter of urgency have students representative as part of the parties to allow balance in decisions that are capable of impairing the lives of students and derailing their progress. The contentions and issues are triangular and must be treated so, going forward.”
The strike was declared at a press conference addressed by the President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke.
He said the strike, which takes effect from Monday, February 14, 2022, would last for an initial period of four weeks.
According to him, the union tried to avoid the strike but the Federal Government was unresponsive to the union’s demands.
The ASUU chairman also said ASUU NEC faulted the creation of new universities.
He said, “NEC resolved to embark on the four-week roll-over total and comprehensive strike as the government has failed to implement the Memorandum of Action it signed with the ASUU in December 2020.
“We invite all lovers of education to join our struggle for a greater Nigeria. Nigerian politicians keep proliferating educational institutions without prioritising education.
“ASUU will not relent in its historic responsibility of advocating an improved university system.
“This is because it holds the key to our collective prosperity and better future for our children and our children’s children; so, let us work together to fix it.”
Osodeke asked the Federal Government to caution the Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, over the unpaid Earned Academic Allowances of its members in the university.
“We have an agreed template with the Federal Government but the VC refused to pay. Failure to pay using that template is a misappropriation. He should be cautioned,” the ASUU president said.
Suspended Head of Intelligence Response Team and Deputy Police Commissioner, Abba Kyari was arrested hours after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency declared him wanted over alleged drug links.
The suspended DCP is also under investigation after the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States of America indicted him in the case of fraud involving Instagram celebrity, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi.
A senior police officer at the Force headquarters told our correspondent that Kyari was handcuffed and arrested like any other suspect.
“He has been arrested. He was handcuffed and will be handed over to the appropriate agency. He was not given any preferential treatment,” the police officer said.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Force, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, also confirmed Kyari’s arrest.
He, however, did not give details, saying that a press release would be issued soon.
When asked to confirm Kyari’s arrest, Adejobi replied, “Yes and four others. A statement will be issued soon.”
Suspended Head of Intelligence Response Team and Deputy Police Commissioner, Abba Kyari was arrested hours after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency declared him wanted over alleged drug links.
The suspended DCP is also under investigation after the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States of America indicted him in the case of fraud involving Instagram celebrity, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi.
A senior police officer at the Force headquarters told our correspondent that Kyari was handcuffed and arrested like any other suspect.
“He has been arrested. He was handcuffed and will be handed over to the appropriate agency. He was not given any preferential treatment,” the police officer said.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Force, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, also confirmed Kyari’s arrest.
He, however, did not give details, saying that a press release would be issued soon.
When asked to confirm Kyari’s arrest, Adejobi replied, “Yes and four others. A statement will be issued soon.”
The Police Service Commission has given the police two weeks to conclude investigation on the case involving the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.
According to a statement signed by the Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, the commission also directed that the investigation should be carried out by a different panel.
The commission took the decision at the continuation of its 14th plenary meeting, which ended in Abuja, on February 11, 2022, chaired by retired Inspector-General of Police and Chairman of the Commission, Alhaji Musiliu Smith.
Kyari, until his suspension by the commission, was the officer-in-charge of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team.
The Supreme Court, on Friday, declared that the Executive Order 10 on the funding of State Judiciary and Legislature, was unlawful and unconstitutional.
The majority of a 7-member panel of the court agreed that the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), exceeded his constitutional powers in issuing the EO 10.
The EO 10 issued by the president was then voided, and set aside by six out of the seven members of the panel.
The court also dismissed the N66 billion suit filed by state governors against the Federal Government.
In a statement, The Federal Government through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, said the supplier had been identified and appropriate sanction would apply.
“Limited quantity of Premium Motor Spirit, commonly known as Petrol, with methanol quantities above Nigeria’s specification was discovered in the supply chain.
“Methanol is a regular additive in Petrol and usually blended in an acceptable quantity.
“To ensure vehicular and equipment safety, the limited quantity of the impacted product has been isolated and withdrawn from the market, including the loaded trucks in transit.
“Our technical team in conjunction with NNPC Ltd and other industry stakeholders will continue to monitor and ensure quality petroleum products are adequately supplied and distributed nationwide.
“The source supplier has been identified and further commercial and appropriate actions shall be taken by the Authority and NNPC Ltd.
“NNPC Ltd and all Oil Marketing Companies have been directed to sustain sufficient distribution of Petrol in all retail outlets nationwide.
“Meanwhile, NNPC has intensified efforts at increasing the supply of Petrol into the market in order to bridge any unforeseen supply gap.”
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board decision came barely 24 hours after the board confirmed that it would not reschedule its registration process following the suspension of the verification portal of the National Identity Number due to hitches.
The board, in a statement, claimed that the postponement for the exercise which was initially scheduled to commence on February 12 was due to “fine-tuning”.
The statement by the board’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, partly read, “The process, which will be concluded within the one-week extension period, is also aimed at accommodating feedback from candidates and other stakeholders alike.”
“Further to the above, the new and improved procedures for the 2022 UTME Registration would be made available on the Board’s website, its weekly bulletin as well as other media outlets on Monday, 14th February, 2022.
“The candidates, are by this notice, urged to follow keenly the procedures for registration as would be announced by the Board,” the statement added.
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