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FG Will Look Into ASUU’s Grievances, Strike Threat – Ngige

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On Wednesday, Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labor and Employment, indicated that the Federal Government would investigate the threat posed by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

The majority of the union’s objections, according to the minister, were lodged with the ministries of Education, Communications, and Digital Economy.

ASUU had threatened to go on an indefinite strike multiple times in the past, citing the Federal Government’s inability to honor some of the agreements it had signed with it.

ASUU went on a nine-month strike in 2020, which ended in December of that year.

In 2021, the union issued fresh threats and gave the Federal Government a three-week ultimatum to address its grievances. The union later shelved the move following the payment of N22.1bn earned allowances and the release of the N30bn revitalisation fund to the universities.

Some members of the Nigeria Inter-religious Council, led by the co-chairmen, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar III, and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Dr Samson Ayokunle, visited the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), over the failure to implement the Memorandum of Understanding the government signed with ASUU in 2009 and other agreements.

At the meeting, Buhari said the government remained committed to fulfilling the promises made to the union.

Despite this, ASUU issued directives to its chapters and encouraged members to continue mobilising for the impending strike.

Ngige, however, told one of our correspondents, “The truth is that ASUU’s grievances are with the NUC, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy. The issues are the deployment of their UTAS and the White Paper report on the universities.

“You know that we at the Ministry of Labour are not their employer; the Education ministry is their employer. Our job here is to act as reconciliatory officers.

“The President has mandated his Chief of Staff and the Minister of Education as well as the Ministry of Labour to step in, but my job is to step in as the reconciliatory officer if both sides refuse to settle their grievances. We will surely look into the matter.”

‘FG deliberately destroying educational system’

The Federal University of Technology, Owerri, chapter of the union, on Wednesday, accused the Federal Government of deliberately destroying the country’s educational system.

The union said at a press conference on the campus that the Federal Government was forcing it to shut down all public universities nationwide.

The Chairman, ASUU FUTO, Chinedu Ihejirika, said the Federal Government had consistently failed to honour the Memoranda of Understanding and Memoranda of Action it signed with the union since 2009.

FG, a serial defaulter in honouring pacts, says MOUAU ASUU chair

The Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State chapter of ASUU says the Federal Government is a deliberate serial defaulter in terms of honouring agreements.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting of the chapter in Umuahia, on Tuesday, the Chairman, Prof Chike Ugwuene, listed various unresolved grievances the union had with the government, which he noted arose from a 13-year-old ago.

“The Federal Government is a deliberate serial defaulter in terms of honouring its agreements; it is in arrears of several billions of naira in terms of the Nation Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy, NEEDS Assessment funds and the earned academic allowances,” he stated.

The Chairman, ASUU, Owerri Zone, Prof Uzo Onyebinama, and a former Investment Secretary of the union, Charles Ononuju, were at the conference.

Govt has pushed us to the precipice – UNIUYO lecturers

The Chairperson of ASSUU in the University of Uyo, Dr Happiness Uduk, has castigated the Federal Government for being adamant about the plights of lecturers.

According to her, the government has remained insensitive, insincere and dubious following its failure to honour the agreement it reached with the union in December 2020.

Members of the union had earlier attended an enlarged meeting with other bodies such as the None Academic Staff Union and Senior Staff Union of Universities, where they hinted at the plan to embark on another round of indefinite.

They also staged a road walk around the campus of the institution to sensitise the public to the impending strike.

Addressing a press conference, Uduk lamented that the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had pushed the union to the point that it had no other option but to embark on an indefinite strike.

Taraba varsity lecturers protest poor welfare

Barely a week after Governor Darius Ishaku commended members of staff of the Taraba State University for their hard work, which made the institution to be ranked 17th in the country, the lecturers, on Wednesday, staged a protest against what they called poor welfare.

The lecturers, under the auspices of ASUU, rose from their congress and staged a peaceful protest around the university’s campus and demanded improved welfare.

The Chairman of the union in the university, Dr Samuel Shiikaa, told journalists during the protest that the members were tired of signing memoranda of understanding with the state government, which would not be implemented.

He said, “Since 2009, we have been signing memoranda of understanding with the state government, but the government will always not honour its own side.

“Our members are tired of the memos and want the government to honour its agreement to pay pension and ensure the timely promotion of our members.”

Meanwhile, the Federal University, Wukari, branch of the union resolved to go by the resolution that would be reached by the national secretariat of ASUU regarding the planned strike.

This resolution was reached at the congress of the union held on the campus of the institution.

Addressing journalists shortly after the congress, the branch Chairman, Joseph Ikwebe, said the institution declared Wednesday a lecture-free day in order to enlighten students and parents about the plights of ASUU members.

The management of the University of Ilorin shifted all examinations scheduled for Wednesday to Saturday following a work-free day declared by the local branch of ASUU.

The union, in a statement jointly signed by Prof Moyosore Ajao and Dr A. G. Olatunji, Chairman and Secretary of the UNILORIN branch of the union, respectively, after a congress held on Tuesday said it members would observe a work-free day on Wednesday, during which members would attend to no official duty.

BIG STORY

Appeal Court Nullifies Rape Conviction Of Lagos Doctor Femi Olaleye

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The Lagos appeal court has overturned the “rape” conviction of Femi Olaleye, managing director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation. On Friday, the appellate court ruled that the lower court “erred” in its judgment.

Olaleye was arraigned in November 2022 on a two-count charge of “defilement of a child” and “sexual assault by penetration.”

He was convicted in October 2023 and sentenced to life imprisonment for “rape.”

However, the appeal court held that the lower court relied on “tainted” and “unreliable” evidence.

THE VERDICT

The three-member panel of the appeal court are Jimi Olukayode Bada, Mohammad Sirajo, and Folasade Ojo.

Bada read the lead judgment which was adopted by the two other justices.

The appeal court held that the lower court erred based on the “tainted” and “unreliable” evidence of Oluremi, the defendant’s wife, and the alleged survivor.

The appeal court stated that Oluremi’s conduct showed that she was motivated by greed and the desire to take over the appellant’s assets upon his incarceration.

The appellate court described Olaleye’s wife as a “tainted witness”.

The court also ruled that the lower court relied on the “hearsay evidence” of the other witnesses on the age of the alleged survivor.

The appellate court held that since none of the witnesses witnessed the birth of the alleged survivor, it was wrong for the lower court to rely on their testimonies.

The court ruled that the prosecution’s case that the alleged survivor was a 16-year-old child was bereft of evidence.

The court described the testimonies of the child forensic specialist, that of a medical doctor from the Mirabel Centre, and the investigating officer’s, as “worthless”.

The appellate court said the trial judge “interfered” in the proceedings by bridging the “yawning gaps” in the prosecution’s case.

The court held that the prosecution failed to present material witnesses such as two family members who witnessed Olaleye’s alleged confession.

The court said a trial within trial ought to have been conducted to ascertain the voluntariness of the appellant’s confessional statements while in police custody.

The court of appeal resolved all five issues in favour of the appellant.

The appeal court thereafter discharged and acquitted Olaleye.

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BIG STORY

US-Based Nigerian May Get 20-Year Jail Term Over Money Laundry

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A United States-based Nigerian, Samson Omoniyi, who was arrested alongside eight others for alleged money laundering and fraud, may be sentenced to 20 years in prison if found guilty by US authorities.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the Office of Public Affairs of the US Department of Justice late Wednesday.

The statement noted that Omoniyi, alongside his accomplices, was indicted on Tuesday on allegations of conspiracy to engage in money laundering following their arrest across three jurisdictions in the US.

It further indicated that the defendants, who remain innocent until proven guilty by the court, operated a money laundering organisation to launder proceeds from fraud amounting to millions of US dollars, allegedly obtained from defrauding multiple citizens.

The statement read, “An indictment was unsealed yesterday (Tuesday) in Nashville, Tennessee. It charges nine members of a multi-state money laundering organisation with laundering millions of dollars derived from internet fraud, including business email compromise schemes. The nine defendants were arrested in a coordinated takedown across three jurisdictions.

“According to court documents, Samson A. Omoniyi, 43, of Houston; Misha L. Cooper, 50, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee; Robert A. Cooper, 66, of Murfreesboro; Carlesha L. Perry, 36, of Houston; Whitney D. Bardley, 30, of Florissant, Missouri; Lauren O. Guidry, 32, of Houston; Caira Y. Osby, 44, of Houston; Dazai S. Harris, 34, of Murfreesboro; and Edward D. Peebles, 35, of Murfreesboro, were charged with conspiracy to engage in money laundering.

“As alleged in the indictment, the defendants were members of a long-running money laundering organisation operating since approximately November 2016 in and around Tennessee, Texas, and across the country.”

The statement further stressed that the defendants used the structured organisation as a guise to launder the proceeds of their fraud and to enrich members of the syndicate.

“The conspirators allegedly structured the organisation so that recruiters or ‘herders’ recruited and directed participants or ‘money mules’ to launder money obtained from Internet frauds that targeted businesses and individuals in the United States and abroad.

“The defendants allegedly used sham and front companies to conceal the fraud proceeds and enrich the conspiracy members. The conspiracy allegedly agreed to launder more than $20 million in fraud proceeds,” it stated.

According to the statement, each of the defendants could be sentenced to 20 years in prison under the US Sentencing Guidelines as the maximum penalty for their offence.

“The defendants each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” the statement concluded.

Earlier reports had it that two Nigerians, Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, were sentenced by a US federal jury to 30 years combined jail time for defrauding some US citizens of $3,500,000.

According to the US Justice Department, the duo had deceived their victims by telling them that they had received substantial inheritances that required some money to claim.

The duo was said to have requested their victims send money with a promise to refund them once the inheritances were claimed.

It was also noted that the duo carried out romance scams by establishing romantic relationships with their victims and demanding that they send money after building trust with them.

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BIG STORY

Australia Bans Social Media Use For Children Under-16

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Australia’s parliament on Thursday passed a world-first law banning social media for children under 16, putting tech companies on notice to tighten security before a cut-off date that’s yet to be set.

The ban came following the passage of a groundbreaking law in parliament.

The new law was drafted in response to what the Labor Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, described as a “clear, causal link between the rise of social media and the harm [to] the mental health of young Australians.”

“We want our kids to have a childhood and parents to know we have their backs,” Albanese told reporters afterwards.

The new law, passed by the Senate with 34 votes to 19, prohibits platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, X, and Reddit from allowing users under 16.

Companies found in violation could face fines of up to AU$50 million (US$32 million). YouTube has been excluded from the ban due to its educational content.

While the law has been hailed by some as a bold move to protect children, it has drawn criticism from academics, advocacy groups, and tech experts.

Concerns have been raised that the legislation could drive teenagers to unsafe spaces like the dark web or lead to increased isolation.

Questions about enforcement have also surfaced, with critics warning that rushed implementation could create privacy risks if companies require extensive personal data for age verification.

Amnesty International has recommended that the bill be reconsidered, arguing “ban that isolates young people will not meet the government’s objective of improving young people’s lives.”

The bill received over 15,000 public submissions in a single day, many opposing the measure, after tech billionaire Elon Musk drew attention to the proposal on X.

The law will take effect in 12 months, allowing time for the government to trial age-verification technologies.

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