Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has called on the authorities of federal universities across the country to suspend the increase in fees which the schools recently implemented.

In a statement issued by Tayo Soyemi on behalf of Falana and Falana Chambers on Thursday, the lawyer called on the schools to suspend the increase especially because of the financial effect that the recent fuel subsidy removal has had on Nigerians.

The statement read in part, “Since the federal government has not lifted the 1975 policy which abolished the payment of tuition fees in federal tertiary institutions, the federal universities lack the power to impose astronomical tuition fees on students.”

“The payment of school fees in junior secondary schools is illegal as Section 2 of the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act and Section 15 of the Child’s Rights Act have imposed a legal obligation on the federal and state governments to provide free, compulsory and universal basic education for every child from primary to junior secondary level.

“We have noted that the governments have not taken cognizance of the plight of physically challenged people in the implementation of the new education policy. It is pertinent to point out that it is illegal to collect school fees from physically challenged students.”

Federal Universities across the country have already increased their fees for new and returning students, some of them by as much as 400%, which has led to a public outcry among Nigerians. Members of the House Of Reps had moved against the strike, urging the FG to suspend the fee increments.

The effort yielded no positive result, however, as the fee hikes have already been implemented by respective universities.

Mohammed Bello el-Rufai, the son of the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, and some children of former governors have been appointed as the Chairpersons of various standing committees of the House of Representatives.

Naija News reports that some of the children of former governors are first-timers in the lower chamber

Recall that the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, announced the constitution of 134 standing committees in the Green Chamber during the plenary session on Thursday.

A critical look at the list released by the Speaker shows that five children of former governors are among the lawmakers named to chair the various committees.

– Suenu Ibori (PDP) — Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC) Committee

– Mohammed Bello el-Rufai (APC) — Banking Regulation Committee

– Adegboyega Adefarati (APC) — Labour, Employment and Productivity Committee

– Olamiju Akala (APC) — Youth in Parliament Committee

– Olumide Osoba (APC) — Justice Committee

Below are the names of the children of former governors.

Mohammed Bello- El-Rufai – son of former Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

Suenu Ibori – daughter of former governor of Delta State, James Ibori.

Adegboyega Adefarati – son of the late former governor of Ondo state, Adebayo Adefarati.

Olamiju Akala – son of the late former governor of Oyo state, Adebayo Akala.

Olumide Osoba – son of the former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba.

MaxAir Limited has said that its aircraft has been trapped in the Niger Republic in the wake of the unrest in the country.

The situation follows the military coup which took place on Wednesday ousting democratically elected President, Mohamed Bazoum.

Since the military coup, the country has witnessed severe unrest. The Nigerian airline said its aircraft has been temporarily trapped in Niamey.

MaxAir revealed that the incident occurred while dropping the last group of Niger pilgrims

MaxAir said, “One of our aircraft has been temporarily trapped in Niamey, Niger, after successfully dropping off the last group of Niger pilgrims. The safety of our crew and staff on board is assured, and we are actively seeking approval to depart as soon as possible.

“The situation is a result of ongoing unrest in the country. Our management team is in constant communication with local authorities and is working diligently to resolve the matter promptly.

“We extend our gratitude for the patience and understanding of our passengers and their families during this time. Updates will be provided regularly as the situation progresses.”

The airline said it prioritizes safety and remains committed to the well-being of its passengers and crew.

The General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has threatened to repatriate former security guards popularly known as Happie Boys back to Nigeria.

Naija News reports that the controversial clergyman made this known during a church service as he expressed displeasure over the boys’ entitlement attitude towards Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere.

Recall that the Rivers State-based pastor clashed with Happie Boys over their scholarship in Cyprus, with the latter accusing Apostle Chinyere of abandoning them.

However, Chinyere said he stopped sending them money because of the increase in Naira to the dollar rate.

Reacting to this, Suleman, during the church sermon, said such a level of entitlement stops philanthropists from helping other people.

According to him, he was almost moved to call Chinyere to take action against the boys after watching a video of them talking down on him.

Suleman added that he would bring the former security guards back to Nigeria if they make any attempt to respond to his criticism against them.

He said, “I read about the story of some boys who a man of God carried to Cyprus, Happie Boys or what do they call themselves, I also saw them doing a video against the pastor, your father and mother that gave birth to you didn’t carry you to abroad, a man of God out of the love of God carried you abroad and the man said, I don’t have money again because you are not the only one I am sponsoring, but they had the problem of entitlement.

“Sometimes I wonder about the generation that we are in, a generation that kills those that they love, people who open their hearts to help others are being stabbed. If this generation doesn’t take time, very soon, there will be no good man.

“I was also moved to calling Apostle Chinyere to do something, but I just held back my mind because I know Cyprus very well and know how to bring them back, and I am not joking. If they are watching me and I hear a word from them, I will bring them back. The worst thing that can happen to any good man is to help a bad person.”

Nigerian-born British heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua is convinced he will win his rematch with Dillian Whyte on August 12.

When questioned about their previous fight in 2015, which Joshua won by seventh-round knockout, the two-time world heavyweight champion recalled Whyte’s strong left hook.

AJ admitted that he missed the hook because he was too concentrated on assaulting Whyte to notice the counter. The thundering left hook stunned him to his core, leaving him with a memory that continues to motivate him to this day.

At the same time, Joshua understands the significance of the upcoming bout for his career, having lost two straight fights against Oleksandr Usyk before returning with a win over Jermaine Franklin in April.

Joshua’s supporters are anticipating this vital fight with bated breath, hoping that a winning performance will rekindle his old tenacity. Also, there is a strong notion that Joshua’s victory may pave the way for a blockbuster clash with Deontay Wilder.

The boxing world is anticipating Joshua and Whyte’s epic rematch, aptly billed ‘History of Violence,’ as two titans collide once more at the O2 Arena in what promises to be a thrilling clash.

Ahead of the clash, Anthony Joshua told DAZN that victory is certain for him. “It’s a huge night for my career. I’m gonna be victorious, 100 percent. That’s my goal, that’s my plan. And yeah, that’s my motivation. So yeah, I’m looking forward to it. Respect to the team. May the best man win,” Joshua said.

No fewer than seven women will be in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu as ministers, according to a list of 28 nominees for ministerial positions sent to Senate on Thursday.

The president of the senate Godswill Akpabio on Thursday unveiled the ministerial nominees and females represents 25 per cent of the total names submitted.

Women who made the list are Hannatu Musawa, Betta Chimaobim Edu, Nkiru Onyejiocha, Doris Anite Uzoka, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, Stella Okotete, and Imaan Suleiman Ibrahim.

President Tinubu said more ministerial nominees would be sent to the Senate, suggesting that more women could be added to the list.

Zainab Jaji, a public affairs commentator said she was impressed by the number and quality of women that would be in the cabinet.

“Glad to see many women on the team, because it will bring diversity and show progressive nature of Nigeria,” she said.

Below are the profiles of the six female minister designates:

Hannatu Musawa

Hannatu Musawa was born on 20 September 1973 amd hails from Katsina State.

She is a Nigerian lawyer, a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and a solicitor in England & Wales, UK.

She was the Deputy Spokesperson and the Deputy Director Public Affairs of the All progressives congress (APC).

Betta Chimaobim Edu

37-year-old Betta Chimaobim Edu is from Cross River State and was born on 27 October 1986.

Edu holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree from the University of Calabar, she is a Harvard certified, Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health, United Kingdom.

She was the former Cross River State commissioner for health from 2019 until her resignation in 2022. She is the incumbent APC National Women Leader.

Nkiru Onyejeocha

Nkiru Onyejiocha hails from Abia State and was born on 23 November 1969.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and a Master’s degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Imo State University.

From 2002 to 2003, she was the Commissioner for Resource Management and Manpower Development in Abia State and was the transition Executive Chairman of the Umunneochi Local Government Area of the state

In 2007, she was first elected a member of the House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but later defected to APC.

In 2011, she was appointed chairman House Committee on Aviation

In 2013, Onyejiocha called for a holistic investigation and prosecution of officials who were involved in compromising aviation safety rules that led to the crash of a passenger plane– Dana Air Flight 992

Also In 2019, Onyejiocha ran for the speaker of the 9th House of Reps after she was re-elected to the House for a fourth term.

Doris Anite Uzoka

Doris Anite Uzoka is from Imo State, born on 13 December 1967.

She is a medical doctor and a chartered financial analyst. She was a former General Manager of Zenith Bank Plc and the incumbent Imo State Commissioner for Finance and Coordination of Economy.

Uju Kennedy Ohanenye

Uju Kennedy Ohanenye hails from Anambra State and was born on 23 December 1973

The 50 years old is a lawyer by training, and a businesswoman with stakes in real estate and education. .

Uju was the only female APC presidential aspirant in the 2023 presidential election.

She is married.

Stella Okotete

Stella Okotete is from Delta state, and was born on 4 January 1988

She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies from Benson Idahosa University, Benin City.

Okotete is currently the Executive Director, Business Development of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM).

Before her appointment into NEXIM, she was a focal person for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Delta State between 2011 and 2015.

She is an honorary senior member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

Imaan Ibrahim

Imaan Suleiman Ibrahim was born on April 1980 and hails from Keffi Nasarawa State.

Her father was S.K Danladi, an Abuja-based engineer and developer

Ibrahim graduated with a bachelor degree in sociology from the University of Abuja. At the age of 21, she received two master’s degrees, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Master of Arts (MA) from Webster University.

She was the Diirector General of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), from 1 December 2020 till 27 May 2021.

And when former President Muhammadu Buhari announced a swap, she was redeployed as the honorable Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons.

No fewer than 1,200 Nigerian youths died last year in the Mediterranean Sea and deserts while attempting to enter Europe in search of greener pastures.

This was revealed by the acting Comptroller General of the NIS, Wuraola Adepoju, at the headquarters of the service.

Adepoju, at a meeting on the dangers of irregular migration in Abuja, said the “Japa Syndrome” amongst Nigerian youths was becoming worrisome and alarming as more young persons were being deceived daily to embark on irregular migration. 

Speaking at the commencement of the two-day sensitisation programme, which included road shows, street campaigns, distribution of pamphlets and visitations to Utako Motor Park, Wuse Market and Government Secondary School in Garki, Abuja, Adepoju said all hands should be on deck to arrest the trend, stressing that the NIS under her watch would not allow the problem to escalate. 

The NIS boss expressed sadness that Nigeria was losing her productive population to irregular migration. 

She said the sensitisation programme, which was organised by the Directorate of Migration in the NIS, was in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the service, holding from August 1 to 8, 2023.

Adepoju said the service found it imperative to encourage Nigerians, who desired to travel outside the country, to approach the NIS for advice, collection of passport, documents and visas, warning that passing through irregular routes has dangerous consequences. 

The Head of the Directorate of Migration and Deputy Comptroller-General of NIS, Kemi Nandap, explained that to curtail the global menace, the NIS was working with security agencies, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Nigeria Diaspora Commission, Justice Department and some international agencies.

[EagleOnline]

EXACTLY 70 years separate the July 26, 1953 suicidal attack on Moncada Barracks by Cuban youths who wanted to remove the military from power, and this Wednesday’s coup in Niger Republic which removed elected President Mohamed Bazoum and restored military rule. The coup plotters, styling themselves as the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Country, said in a speech by Air Force Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane that their treasonable move “is as a result of the continuing degradation of the security situation, the bad economic and social governance”.

 Indeed, Niger, like many other African countries, is a paradox. It is one of the poorest countries in the world with 41 per cent of its 20 million people living on less than a dollar. It depends a lot on aid. Nigeria under former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022 provided it with N1.4 billion worth of vehicles to run government and also took loans to build railway from Nigeria into Maradi in Niger Republic. Yet, it is rich in minerals such as oil, silver, salt gold, gypsum,coal, tin, iron ore, phosphates and uranium. Indeed, it has the fifth largest uranium deposits in the world. Its primary problem, like that of many African countries is that its wealth is controlled by foreign companies and countries.

Although bodies like the United Nations, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, and countries such as Nigeria, Benin, the United States of America and France have condemned the coup, the plotters are consolidating. In any case, who knows the backers of the coup? In the case of Cuba, six years after their first attempt, the youths led by colourful historical figures like Fidel Castro, Camilo Cienfuegos, Haydee Santamaria and Ernesto Che Guevera not only removed the military from power, but also disbanded it. In its place, flowered a new military loyal to the Cuban people. Since then, nobody has dared to organise a military coup in that country.

In contrast, within two decades of saying farewell to coups in Africa, they have simply multiplied. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi who styles himself a Field Marshall, executed a brutal coup on July 3, 2013, murdered scores of Egyptians, allowed elected President Mohammed Morsi to die in prison due to lack of medical care and turned the country into a huge prison where the rule of law is not respected. Tragically, Sisi who also became Chairman of the African Union, is the toast of so-called advanced countries.

In Sudan, the military led by General Fattah al-Burhan in April 2019, imposed itself on a popular uprising. It then aligned itself with the rogue elements of the murderous Sudanese Arab Janjaweed militia, now renamed the Rapid Support Forces, to soak the country in the blood of its patriots. On April 15, 2023 the Sudanese military and the Janjaweed turned their weapons on each other, drenching the entire country in blood. Within three months of this senseless conflict, the Sudanese coup plotters have killed over 2,000, displaced 2.2 million people from their homes, forced about 550,000 into exile and with some 25 million people in desperate need of basic needs like food.

There have also been coups in Mali and Burkina Faso while there have been strenuous efforts not to classify the April 20, 2021 coup in Chad by General Mahamat Deby, as a coup. There is also the Ivorien President Alassane Ouattara imposing himself in October 2020 on the country through an unconstitutional third term and declaring himself re-elected with 95.31 per cent of the votes. What is this if not a coup? Coups succeed in Africa mainly because the people are alienated from the state and their leaders who are guarded by Praetorian guards. So all that is required, is for these guards to conspire, arrest the President, and a coup is on. That was what happened to Guinean President Alpha Conde in 2020 after he imposed himself for a third term. That is what happened this week to President Bazoum whose presidential guards put him under arrest.

In all these, the populace who are continuously pushed into extreme poverty by the programmes and policies of the government in power, hardly see the need to sacrifice their lives in defence of such governments. This is in contrast with the situation in Cuba since 1959 where anybody that dares to organise a coup, knows it has the populace to contend with as there would be massive resistance in the streets. I had concluded that a military coup is virtually impossible in Cuba when I visited the island as a young journalist in 1986. The first morning I went out in the streets, I came across columns of people in army uniform cleaning the gutters and emptying drains. I asked my Cuban friend who these people were and he confirmed they were serving soldiers. Later, I came across building sites and the builders were soldiers.

I asked my friend why soldiers were so deployed, and he answered that since the country was not at war, what else would the soldiers be doing? How will they earn their pay? I reflected that back home in Nigeria, the soldiers simply report at their offices, do some parade and go home. In the evenings when I went out, the Cuban government had bands in the streets with free beer and the people dancing. There were soldiers drenched in sweat drinking and dancing with no difference whatsoever from the rest of the populace, who back in Nigeria, are called ‘bloody civilians’.

I discovered that military service for Cubans from age 18 was routine, especially after high school or tertiary training. Even now, under its National Defence Act No. 75, Cubans routinely go for two-three year military training. So in a country where virtually every adult you meet has military training, which soldiers would be crazy enough to want to carry out a coup? This is beside the fact that unlike nearly all the armies in Africa, the Cuban army is pro-people and not neo-colonial. There is also the fact that the loyalty of the Cuban military to the elected government of the country, can be taken for granted.

This Wednesday evening, the Cuban Charge D’ Affairs, Pavel Bauza on behalf of new Ambassador Miriam Morales Palmero, filled in guests on the effects of the July 26 uprising and how Cubans despite over six decades of US sanctions and blockade, have built a country that cares for all its citizens. A country that provides one of the best healthcare systems in the world for all its citizens; in which the right to work and education are guaranteed and literacy is almost 100 per cent. As he spoke, I reflected that the antidote against coups, is the people.

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang has approved the appointment of former Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi as his Honorary Adviser on Sports.

Mikel’s appointment was contained in a statement issued by the Governor’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere.

The 36-year-old was born in Jos, the capital of Plateau State.

The former Chelsea star started his career at local club, Plateau United, before moving to Norwegian outfit, Lyn Oslo at the age of 17 in 2004.

Mikel had an illustrious career winning multiple titles with Chelsea, including the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.

The former midfielder represented Nigeria for 14 years, winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Mikel represented Nigeria 91 times and scored six goals.

He quit the round leather game in 2022.

Following Super Falcons’ remarkable 3-2 win against Australia at the ongoing 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup on Thursday, here is highlights key talking from the game.

Randy Waldrum displayed his ruthlessness again.

The American showed bravery in his starting line-up by naming captain Onome Ebi on the bench in Super Falcons’ opener against Canada. Instead, he paired young defender, Oluwatosin Demehin with Osinachi Ohale in central defence.

The 66-year-old also started a green horn, Deborah Abiodun in defensive midfield against the Olympic champions.

Against Australia on Thursday, Waldrum was also brave enough to name experienced winger, Francisca Ordega who under-performed against the Canadians among the substitutes. He also stuck with Demehin in central defence.

Toni Payne is ‘madam’ versatile

The Sevilla of Spain star is no doubt a blessing to the team due to her versatility. Payne was deployed at right-back at the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Against Canada last week Friday, head coach, Randy Waldrum pushed her to the right-wing and she was excellent all through the game.

She put up a sublime display in central midfield against Australia at the Lang Park, Brisbane on Thursday afternoon.

Chiamaka Nnadozie proves her class again

The talented goalkeeper kept the Super Falcons in the mix with a number of vital saves early in the game. She was unlucky not to keep out Emily van Egmond’s opener for Australia late in the first half.

The Paris FC goalie has been an ever reliable star for the Super Falcons.

Osinachi Ohale catches the eye

The 31-year-old won the Player of the Match award. The experienced centre-back like in the previous game organised the defence with dexterity.

She made two tackles, four clearances and scored once.

Ifeoma Onumonu struggles again

The Gotham FC forward once again failed to impress in the green and white colour of Nigeria. Onumonu got the nod to lead the Super Falcons attack in place of Asisat Oshoala but was anonymous in the 63 minutes she spent on the pitch.