The Academic Staff Union of Universities has joined the ongoing strike by the organised labour comprising Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress.

This is coming after the Federal Government failed to meet the unions’ minimum wage demand.

In a statement addressed to the branch chairpersons and zonal coordinators of ASUU on Monday, the association’s President, Emmanuel Osodeke, directed lecturers in universities across the country to join the strike as an affiliate of the congress.

The statement read, “The NLC has declared an indefinite strike action beginning from Monday, 3rd June, 2024, as a result of the failure of Government to conclude the renegotiation of minimum wage for Nigerian workers and reversal of hike in electricity tariff.

“Our branches are hereby enjoined to join in the strike action as an affiliate member of Congress.

“Consequently, branch chairpersons are to mobilise all members to participate in the strike action. Yours in the struggle.”

More to come…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on Monday, declared that Heritage Bank’s licence would be immediately revoked, citing the bank’s “inability to improve its financial performance, a condition which constitutes a threat to financial stability”.

This was said in a statement that the apex bank’s spokesperson, Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali, signed.

According to the CBN, the decision to close the bank was made in compliance with its mandate to support a stable financial system in Nigeria and with the strength of its regulatory authority.

The statement said: “This action has become necessary due to the bank’s breach of Section 12 (1) of BOFIA, 2020.

“The Board and Management of the bank have not been able to improve the bank’s financial performance, a situation which constitutes a threat to financial

This follows a period during which the CBN engaged with the bank and prescribed various supervisory steps intended to stem the decline. “Regrettably, the bank has continued to suffer and has no reasonable prospects of recovery, thereby making the revocation of the license the next necessary step.

“Consequently, the CBN has taken this action to strengthen public confidence in the banking system and ensure that the soundness of our financial system is not impaired.

“The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) is hereby appointed as the Liquidator of the bank in accordance with Section 12 (2) of BOFIA, 2020.

“We wish to assure the public that the Nigerian financial system remains on a solid footing. The action we are taking today reflects our continued commitment to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and soundness of our financial system.”

A 70-year-old grandfather was apprehended by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) agents in Nasarawa State with 57.2 kg of cannabis. Additionally, over N2.1 billion worth of codeine-based syrup and the synthetic cannabis strain Loud were seized at the Port Harcourt seaports and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

Two individuals in Ekiti State were also taken into custody by anti-drug agents with 426 kg of cannabis.

The events were revealed on Sunday in a statement endorsed by Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy. Additionally, the FCT, Katsina, and Nasarawa states saw additional arrests made by the anti-narcotics agency.

The statement read, “Large consignments of codeine-based syrup and Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis worth over N2.1bn in street value have been intercepted at the Port Harcourt seaports, Onne and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

“At the Lagos airport, the NDLEA officers with the cooperation of other security agencies on Friday, May 31, 2024, intercepted a large consignment of Loud, packed in eight suitcases, containing 320 parcels with a total weight of 164.50kg of the strong psychoactive substance coming from Canada on a KLM flight via Amsterdam, Netherlands.

“The consignment estimated to be worth N960m which was brought in by a passenger, Ughenu Nnaife Francis, was discovered at the E-arrival hall of the airport by personnel of the NDLEA, customs and others during a joint search operation by the security operatives while the suspect was attempting to smuggle the suitcases out of the hall.”

According to the statement, the suspect arrested at the Lagos airport claimed he was recruited to transport drugs from Canada to Nigeria for a fee of N6m.

The suspect said he was a resident of Germany but travelled to Toronto to collect the drugs and was caught with a large consignment of Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain, worth N960m.

Meanwhile, the NDLEA operatives at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex seized a container from India containing 1,750 cartons of codeine, weighing 26,250kg and valued at N1.225bn. The container, marked TEMU 6807401, was destined for Enugu and was discovered during a joint examination by the NDLEA, customs, and other security agencies.

The operatives also arrested a 25-year-old woman, Blessing Thomas, in Abuja on May 31, after finding 1kg of methamphetamine in her possession. She was travelling by bus from Lagos to Yola, Adamawa State when she was caught along the Kwali-Gwagwalada Expressway.

The statement added, “In the same vein, operatives in Nasarawa State on Wednesday, May 29, nabbed a 70-year-old grandfather, Muhammadu Ibrahim, with 57.2kg cannabis in Lafia, the state capital.

“Two suspects: Suleiman Kazeem, 35, and Sunday Gbenga, 20, were arrested when the NDLEA officers raided Ara forest, Ara-Ekiti in Ekiti State where they recovered 426 kilograms of cannabis sativa already processed and packed in big sacks, while they destroyed over 4,000kg of same substance on 1.66 hectares of farmland on Thursday, May 30.

“In Katsina State, 76 blocks of cannabis weighing 42kg were seized from a Nigerien, Suleman Audu, 29, when he was arrested by the NDLEA officers along Zaria-Malumfashi Road on Wednesday, May 29.”