Medical Director of Abia State Polytechnic kidnapped

The Medical Director of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Dr. Eze Nwokocha, has been kidnapped by unknown gunmen.

Nwokocha was allegedly whisked away by unknown gunmen at about 7pm on Sunday evening around Allwell Crescent near the Aba Fire Service station.

Punch quoted a source as saying that the medical doctor was returning to his house after attending a meeting in his hometown in the city, when gunmen accosted him and whisked him away in another vehicle.

It was gathered that the suspects demanded for about N50m ransom, but the men of the Abia State Police Command and other security agencies in the state have intensified efforts to rescue him.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ogbonnaya Nta, said the incident had yet to be reported to the police.

FUNAAB starts pre-admission screening

Regular activities have fully picked up at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), with the announcement of the Pre-Admission Screening Exercise for prospective students for the 2016/2017 academic session.

A statement by the university stated that candidates are expected to register online (http://admission.unaab.edu.ng) ahead of the screening scheduled to hold July 25-27.

The statement also noted that the issues that caused a strike by some of the unions in the institution are being resolved with the management of the institution paying productivity bonus to workers as well as advertising vacant positions.

Universities can screen, say Vice Chancellors

The Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU) has chided the Minister of Education Mallam Adamu Adamu for not consulting widely with stakeholders before banning the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Its Secretary-General, Prof Michael Faborode, said the minister’s pronouncement did not take away a university’s right to select its students as the law empowers its Senate to screen applicants before admission.

Faborode was the guest speaker at the 11th convocation lecture of Covenant University (CU) Ota, Ogun State.  He spoke on: “Benchmarking the quality and relevance of Higher Education for National Development” at the CU chapel last Thursday.

He said: “AVCNU does not feel that we should make a public pronouncement (on the minister’s directive). Remember, when the minister made that, he also said there would be clarification on how the screening would be done.

“But for us, the issue is very clear. Remember, Post-UTME came out of necessity because at the time, the level of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exam was seriously questioned. It is true that things have improved to some extent; but I feel it (minister’s decision) should have been more consultative and we would have conducted studies to verify the present situation like we did when we started post-UTME.

“But why we feel there was no need for outcry is that the fundamental right of universities to conduct screening cannot be taken away. The Senate of every university must screen whoever comes into the university and must guarantee the quality of certificate they are awarding. These are fundamental tasks that still remain and have not been threatened.”

Speaking on how universities in Africa can up their ranking globally, Faborode, a former vice-chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife (OAU), urged them to collaborate.

“The time has come for African universities to create global academy of commons – a global community of scholars, who although responsive to the local and national needs of our society, nevertheless transcend national polities to practise a ‘science’ that produces collective knowledge for the human community.

“Such a system would allow our universities to develop to imbibe the corpus of scientific knowledge, apply it to our context, re-imagine and innovate it, and contribute it back to the global economy. It will also allow us to produce graduates who are simultaneously African; citizens of both nation and the world.”

Faborode who also lamented that underfunding has been a major factor for stunted growth of universities in Africa, called authorities to up their investment at the tertiary level.

“To bridge the knowledge gap and close the global development, Nigeria especially, must increase the level of their investment in funding higher education, as well as embrace bold initiative for diversified funding by other stakeholders.

“One of such is to mobilise resources from the private financial sector with government collateral support and loans. A necessary corollary is the adequate provision of scholarship and bursaries to brilliant and indigent students to remove inequity. The universities too need to accentuate their internal revenue generation through entrepreneurial and commercial engagement, applied research output, endowment and philanthropy etc.”

Nigerian migrant beaten to death in racist attack in Italy

A Nigerian migrant was beaten to death in a racist attack by a right-wing football fan in a central Italian town, officials said Wednesday.

Emmanuel Chidi, 36, was walking with his girlfriend in the heart of the small town of Paolo Calcinora on Tuesday, when they had racial abuse heaped on them by the supporter of a local football club, the Agi news agency reported.

That led to an altercation and Chidi was brutally beaten on the head until he fell to the ground. He never recovered consciousness and died in hospital on Wednesday.

"As mayor of a town that is welcoming and open to integration, I feel I'm living in a nightmare," the town's mayor said.

Chidi had been living in the area for
eight months and was lodged in a shelter run by Catholic charity Caritas.

His girlfriend had lost her baby after a perilous Mediterranean crossing.

Hundreds of migrants arrive daily in Italy. The Italian interior ministry said last week that a total of 70,930 people landed between January and June -- almost exactly the same number as the same period in 2015 and only slightly higher than in 2014.
The full-year total of migrant arrivals for 2015 was 153,000

Corper buried in Akwa Ibom weeks to passing out

The remains of Ngozi Onyekwere, 26, a National Youth Service Corps member at the Akwa Ibom State Government House, Uyo, have been buried at her home town in Nnarambia, Ahiara, in the Ahiazu Local Government Area of Imo State.

Onyekwere, an Accounting graduate from the University of Port Harcourt, who was to pass out from the national scheme in August 2016, died in a road accident at Uyo on June 23, 2016.

The victim was returning from her workplace at the government house when the crash occurred.

During a requiem mass at Saint Brigid’s Catholic Church, Nnarambia, Rev. Father Boniface Nwaigwe urged the congregation to always help humanity, especially those in need.

Nwaigwe, a professor and lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, University of Port Harcourt, regretted that people who witnessed the accident did not assist the victim by taking her to a hospital.

The cleric said rather than take the victim to the hospital, those who witnessed the accident were busy snapping the pictures of the accident and posting them on social media.

FG, VCs peg post-UTME screening fee at N2,500

The Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders in the tertiary education sub-sector have agreed to peg the fee for the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination screening at N2,500.

This was contained in a statement by the Secretary-General, Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Prof. Michael Faborode, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Faborode said the agreement was reached after a meeting of officials of the ministry, federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

“From the statement made by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, at the meeting, there is no objection to screening by universities as long as it is not another CBT.”

“She agreed that universities should advertise and the maximum fee that should be charged for the screening should be N2,500 – bank charges inclusive,” he stated.

According to the statement, the association will formally convey its stance to the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.

Poly undergraduate flees after killing landlord

An Abia State Polytechnic student, identified only as Abel, has killed the landlord of one of the students’ lodges in the Immaculate area of Aba, Abia State.

It was learnt that Abel, a final year student of the Department of Architecture, allegedly stabbed the victim in the stomach during a disagreement at the lodge.

Our correspondent was told that the landlord had ordered that no female visitor was allowed to spend the night in the lodge.

The suspect was alleged to have breached the rule and was challenged by the landlord, which led to a fight between them.

In the ensuing scuffle, the suspect was alleged to have grabbed a knife and stabbed the victim in the stomach, before taking to his heels.

The landlord reportedly died on the spot.

His remains were recovered by the police and deposited in a mortuary.

A student of the institution, who identified herself only as Beatrice, explained that the caretaker of the lodge was the first to notice the breach of the rule, adding that he informed the landlord.

She said the landlord barged into the room and met Abel and his girlfriend naked, which caused the fight.

 She said, “The incident happened around 9pm on June 29. The deceased had made a rule that no student living in the lodge should bring a lady to pass the night there. He also made it a rule that every visitor, be it male or female, must leave before night falls.

“However, the suspect brought home a female guest in the evening and both of them went inside his room. The caretaker of the lodge saw them and waited for them to come out, but they didn’t. He then put a call through to the landlord, who hurriedly went to the building around 9pm.

“On arrival, the landlord barged into the student’s room where he met both the lady and the student naked. Instead of excusing himself, he attacked the student with punches. The lady quickly grabbed a wrapper and ran out of the room into another student’s room in the lodge.

“As the confrontation continued, the student stabbed the landlord with a knife, put on his boxers and fled that night, leaving the landlord dead in his room.”

It was learnt that the incident threw the community into confusion as the matter was reported at a police station in the area.

The police were said to have launched a manhunt for the suspect with his picture posted at strategic areas in the school.

When contacted, the Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, Nta Ogbonnaya, confirmed the murder, but said he could not tell what transpired between the suspect and the deceased.

He said the case file had been transferred to the State Department of Criminal Investigations, adding that the police would get the fugitive.

He said, “Yes, there is a case of murder involving a student of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, who stabbed his landlord in the stomach. I cannot, however, tell what happened between them. I also don’t know the name of the landlord and the suspect. As I speak with you, the case file has been transferred to the SDCI and we are working with the school authorities to get the details of the suspect.

“I, however, want to advise him that he should submit himself to the police voluntarily. I assure that wherever he decides to go, we will get him and he will face justice.”

Efforts to reach the school authorities were abortive as the official telephone line on the school’s website was switched off.

A text message sent to the line had also yet to be replied to as of the time of filing this report.

Photo: Three dead as 40 feet contains falls on bus, okada riders in Lagos

Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), says it received a distress call via the CRM on Wednesday regarding an accident at Alakija area in Lagos.

Investigation conducted by the agency’s Emergency Response Team at the scene of the incident revealed that a 40ft container with reg number KRD 526 XP lost its brake and rammed into a commercial mini bus with reg number EPE 972 XH, as well as okada riders at the bus stop.

LASEMA officials at Cappa in conjunction with the Lagos state fire service, the Nigeria police force, Lastma officials, FRSC, LASAMBUS and officials of CCECC Construction Company were involved in the recovery operation.

LASEMA spokesman, Kehinde Adebayo, in a statement sent to DAILY POST said the commercial mini-van and seven commercial motorcycles (Okada) were badly damaged as a result of the accident.

“Five persons were involved in the accident comprising 3 dead (all male, adult) while 2 persons sustained severe injuries and have been taken to the hospital for treatment.

“The PHCN in Alakija was alerted to switch off the power supply in order to prevent any form of electrocution as it also damaged some PHCN pole, the agency’s heavy duty equipment (Goliath) and other heavy duty equipment from CCECC Construction Company were used for the recovery process.”

General Manager of LASEMA Mr. Michael Akindele advised trailers owners and drivers to ensure proper checks and roadwardness on their trucks and also drive within the approved speed limits.

He advised okada riders to adhere to the Traffic law of the State in order to avoid loss of lives and properties, adding that the Police would conduct further investigation into the incident.

ASUU faults JAMB on new admission guidelines

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan chapter, has lashed out at the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for acting beyond its powers by releasing admission guidelines for Nigerian universities.

The union said it is the mandate of the Senate of Nigerian universities to regulate admission modalities and determine what best suits each institution.

The ASUU Chairman at the institution, Dr. Deji Omole, stated this while reacting to the 2016 admission guidelines recently released by JAMB.

He said both the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, and JAMB Registrar, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, are confused and inconsistent by first going against collection of administrative charges under Post-UTME by universities, but now preaching payment of screening fees in “its illegal guidelines which is designed to favour the children of the rich against the poor.”

Omole said Adamu and Ojerinde are unaware of happenings in Nigeria universities, adding that the newly released point – based scoring system is not new as it was innovated and used at the University of Ibadan for five years and abandoned.

He stressed that the institution has moved beyond such model of admitting students.

He said, “JAMB is acting beyond its mandate which is to conduct and release results. The Senate of universities has the right to determine the model or guideline to adopt to admit their students from the pool of candidates sent to it by JAMB.

“Each university has standards which are not subjected to the whims and caprices of any government appointee. JAMB does not have the powers to tell universities how to conduct their screening. It is a way to cover up their inadequacies because JAMB’s credibility as an examination body is yearly being queried.

“JAMB and its handlers are confused. Last year, they arbitrarily placed students in private universities to satisfy the needs of their cronies. These were mainly children of the poor who had not chosen those institutions. In the just concluded JAMB examinations, they awarded candidates with extra 40 marks without any justification.

“Now, those with two sittings results will be shortchanged and those awaiting results will be disadvantaged. There will be rise in result racketeering at WAEC again as people will be purchasing grade ‘A’ since that is what will guarantee admission.

“More miracle examination centers will spring up and JAMB and the minister would have succeeded in entrenching corruption and further kill university education in Nigeria. ASUU stands by university autonomy. JAMB cannot determine admission guidelines for universities, rather JAMB must be overhauled to make their results believable and trusted.”

Company driver dies after NDLEA torture in Kogi

A company driver, Moruf Haruna, has died after he was allegedly kicked in the stomach by an officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in the Abaji area of Kogi State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that 40-year-old Haruna, who worked for Vintage Transport and Logistics, was allegedly manhandled by the officer when an NDLEA team stopped his vehicle for a search in the Abaji area.

Our correspondent gathered that Haruna, a father of five children, and another company driver, identified only as Fatai, had left the Ojota area of Lagos State on Friday, in two separate trucks.

The drivers were said to be conveying food products to Jos, Plateau State, and Abuja, respectively.

PUNCH Metro learnt that on Saturday, at about 5am, Haruna was stopped around Abaji, about 30 kilometres from the Federal Capital Territory by the NDLEA officers.

The officers were said to have ordered Haruna to produce his papers, which he did, and afterwards asked him to open the truck for a search.

Our correspondent gathered that Haruna was allegedly reluctant, during which one of the NDLEA officers, whose name had yet to be ascertained, kicked him in the stomach.

He reportedly fell and became unconscious.

PUNCH Metro was told that the NDLEA officers took him to a hospital in Abuja for medical treatment but he died on Monday, a few hours after he was discharged.

Haruna’s ‘motor boy’, identified only as Matthew, told our correspondent that there were seven NDLEA officers at the checkpoint, adding that the NDLEA officer that kicked his boss also stamped his legs on Haruna’s stomach.

He said, “We were going to Jos around 5am on Saturday. The NDLEA officers were seven and their leader held a gun. Others held clubs. One of them stopped our truck and we tried to park by the roadside. While doing that, he hurled insults at us.

“When my boss (Haruna) came down, the officer first beat him with a club. My boss told him there was no reason for the abuse as we were carrying lawful goods. The officer got angry and kicked him in the stomach.

“He fell and the officer ‘marched’ on his stomach. It was when they noticed he was not moving that they decided to rush him to a hospital.

“He died in Jos on Monday around 4am. I am still at the hospital as an autopsy will be conducted on him.”

The Managing Director, Vintage Transport and Logistics, Lekan Akinkiitan, said Haruna had worked with the company for 10 years before the tragedy.

He said, “Two of our drivers left on that Friday. Haruna was to deliver goods at Jos, while Fatai was heading for Abuja; but the two men left together. We transport United African Company products. The waybill and other documents were intact. Neither of the drivers carried unlawful goods.

“When he got to the Abaji area, about 30 kilometers from Abuja, he was stopped and tortured by the NDLEA officials. When he passed out, the officials rushed him to a hospital in Abuja.

“In fairness, the NDLEA paid his medical bills and he was discharged on Monday. But when he got to Jos, his health failed again and he died.

“Haruna was not an irresponsible driver. He had worked for the company for about 10 years. He had a dependant father, mother, wife and five children. I am shocked how he passed away suddenly after the NDLEA’s torture.”

The NDLEA spokesperson, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said Haruna sustained injuries during the search – when he tried to resist the officers from doing their lawful duties.

Ofoyeju added that after first-aid treatment was given to the driver, he was discharged and the agency had not been briefed that he had died.

He said, “The driver initially refused to stop. When he did, the officers demanded to search his vehicle but he refused.

“He resisted them from doing their lawful duty. In the process, he had an injury. As a responsible organisation, we decided to take him for treatment.

“We have not been briefed that he is dead. We will have to confirm that. The agency is going to investigate the cause of his death because we respect citizens, as we are an agency paid by taxpayers’ money.”