FEATURES
An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court yesterday sentenced an Islamic cleric, Alani Rafiu, to life imprisonment for defiling a 14-year-old year girl (name withheld).
In his judgement, Justice Rahman Oshodi held that the prosecution proved each of the ingredients of defilement against Rafiu.
Oshodi said that the gravity of the convict’s offence could not be overstated as he betrayed the trust placed on him as a religious instructor and family friend.
He said the convict’s conduct represented a profound violation of secular and religious principles. According to him, the evidence before the court reveals a calculated pattern of predatory behaviour.
The court held that the convict deliberately isolated the victim, exploited her vulnerability and bought her silence with money. The judge said: “You betrayed the trust placed in you as a religious instructor and family friend.
“Instead of nurturing and protecting a vulnerable 14-yearold child entrusted in your spiritual care, you repeatedly sexually abused her in a place of worship.
“The physical and psychological trauma inflicted on this young girl is immeasurable. “At an age when she should be focused on her education and development, she was subjected to experiences that no child should endure.”
The winner of Miss Universe Nigeria 2024, Chidimma Adetshina, has been ranked 2nd in the world’s Miss Universe 2024 pre-arrival hot picks.
This was revealed in a viral pre-arrival poll announced on Tuesday, November 5.
The 23-year-old beauty queen was ranked ahead of the 73rd edition of the global Miss Universe pageant scheduled to hold on Saturday, November 16, 2024.
It would be recalled that Chidimma arrived in Mexico, October 2024, to compete for the crown.
However, news of Adetshina’s position has thrilled Nigerians, who believe she has a strong chance to win the contest.
Nigerian rapper, Eva Alordiah has disclosed that many married women are not sexually satisfied by their husbands.
Her revelation comes following a leaked tape scandal involving Equatorial Guinea’s Finance Chief, Baltasar Ebang Engonga with various women, including many married women.
Reacting to this, Eva emphasized that many women endure significant sexual dissatisfaction, which may drive some to infidelity.
Eva stressed that most men do not recognize or address this issue, further exacerbating the situation.
She said: “So when are we going to finally talk about the fact that so many women are facing brutal S3xual dissatisfaction in their marriages, and most men do not even care to learn why or how to help?
“A well-loved and deeply f3cked woman is a happy woman who will not stray”.
Eva’s comment has, however, led to series of remarks on social media, with one fan arguing that cheating is a matter of personal character, independent of sexual satisfaction.
The fan tweeted: “This is like saying a well f3cked man will never cheat on his woman.
“A cheat is a cheat. If you like f3ck every day for 5 hours. They will still find a way to cheat”.
In response, Eva acknowledged that cheating can indeed stem from individual traits, stressing that women and men typically cheat for different reasons.
She wrote: “A cheat is a cheat. This is true. Womën and men cheat for completely different reasons, do you know that?”
The Sokoto State Government has issued a warning regarding the rise of a new terrorist faction in the region, identified as LAKURAWAS.
The State Deputy Governor Idris Gobir revealed this during a meeting with participants from Course 33 of the National Defence College, Abuja, who were on a study tour in Sokoto.
Naija News reports that Gobir explained that the group operates with a religious ideology and is equipped with advanced weaponry.
“Our assessment shows that LAKURAWAS is active in about five local government areas across the state,” he noted.
Gobir expressed concern over this development, especially as the state is already grappling with widespread banditry.
“The threat is expanding,” he said, adding that security agencies are working diligently to counter this new danger.
The Deputy Governor highlighted the state’s ongoing collaboration with federal security forces to safeguard lives and properties.
He emphasized various measures the state government has implemented to address these security challenges and hoped that insights from the National Defence College study tour would help authorities understand the evolving threats and devise effective strategies for securing peace.
Air Vice Marshal Titus Zuwahu Dauda, leader of the visiting delegation, provided background on the college, which was founded in 1992 as Nigeria’s premier military institution.
He explained that the college trains officers from the military, police, and strategic agencies, preparing them for high-level responsibilities. So far, 2,982 participants have graduated, including representatives from 30 African and Asian nations.
At the tour’s conclusion, Dauda stated, the team would present an oral and written report on their observations and recommendations for improving security in the state.
[NaijaNews]
Danielle Trenney, a 39-year-old project manager from western Pennsylvania, is so anxious about Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election that she decided to put up a Christmas tree early this year to distract her family.
Trenney said she knew of other families doing the same in Bellevue, a Pittsburgh suburb and an electoral hotbed prized by Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, rivals in a race that analysts say will go down to the wire.
Bunecke, 68, a retired graphic designer who plans to vote for Trump. Bunecke is so sick of the anger, the constant calls from pollsters and the campaign ads bombarding her in the battleground state of Pennsylvania that she would instead tune out completely.
In recent days, Reuters correspondents spoke to more than 50 voters across the seven competitive states that will determine the next president. They encountered an electorate on edge: worried about how the country would look should their preferred candidate lose, worried the other side would make trouble, and worried the political divide would only grow deeper.
Some turn to religion, others to yoga, swimming or lifting weights. Some follow the news closely, while others have shut off their TVs and smartphones to lose themselves in books or take long walks outdoors.
“I wish my smartphone were smart enough to know I’ve already voted,” said Lynn Nicholson, 72, a Harris voter in Marietta, Georgia, who has found refuge from the deluge of campaign ads through walking, gardening and photography. “It’s overwhelming.”
Todd Harrison, 49, of Canton, Georgia, a pest control specialist leaning toward Trump, said he has stopped watching sports on TV because of the barrage of political ads.
“The closer I get to the election, the madder I get,” Harrison said.
Many voters worried about what could happen after the election, especially if Trump lost. They fear a wave of lawsuits and court hearings, demonstrations, and even violence.
Trump claims the only way Democrats can win is by cheating. Harris has said she is ready to confront Trump if he prematurely declares victory.
Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, a 57-year-old Harris supporter in Detroit, said she is concerned about what Trump’s incendiary rhetoric could provoke.
“It’s like he’s igniting a base of violence in advance,” she said. “It’s scary.”
However, Lillian Hall, a 68-year-old former teacher and retail store owner from Hendersonville, North Carolina, and a Trump supporter, said she was scared there would be rioting if Harris lost.
“I think there’ll be anger like we’ve not seen yet if Trump wins,” Hall said.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last month found widespread worries that the U.S. could see a repeat of the unrest that followed Trump’s 2020 election defeat when the then-president’s false claim that his loss was the result of fraud prompted hundreds of followers to storm the U.S. Capitol.
Some 74% of registered voters who responded to the Oct. 16-21 survey said they were concerned extremists would commit acts of violence if they were unhappy with the election results. Democrats were most likely to think that: 90% agreed, compared with 64% of Republicans and 77% of independents.
A few voters said in interviews they were trying to channel their anxieties by helping to get out the vote for their candidate.
Shirley Easton, an 85-year-old Tucson, Arizona, resident who described her mental state as “scared out of my mind,” said she had been mailing postcards to persuade people to vote for Harris.
Easton said she feared for the future of her seven granddaughters after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 reversed its landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that legalised abortion nationwide.
“For my grandchildren, I’m terrified,” she said.
Lisa Fields, 60, a marketing professional, was so concerned that she travelled from her Manhattan home on Saturday to knock on doors for Trump in Delaware County, a critical suburb of Philadelphia.
She hopes Trump will bring peace to the Middle East and the country will become more unified regardless of who wins.
“We need to come together for the greater good. And I’ll focus on that the day after because while I disagree with people voting the other way, they’re entitled to, and that’s the beauty of America,” Fields said.
Other voters said they were trying to disengage from the election as much as possible.
Jean Thomson, 63, an executive coach in Marietta, Georgia, who voted for Harris, said the dozens of political flyers that arrive in the mail go straight into her trash.
“I don’t even look at them,” she said, adding she was meditating and spending more time in nature to cope with her stress. Only some people were headed to the woods.
When the results start rolling in on Tuesday, “I will be watching with my Xanax and my bottle of Sauvignon Blanc,” said Gillian Marshall, a 55-year-old Lyft driver in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Marshall, a Democrat who said she voted for Harris, echoed a sentiment nearly universal across political divides: “I just want this nightmare to be over.”
Source: Reuters
Housing deficit is causing untold hardship on the people of Kogi State amid the present economic hardship in the country, DAILY POST reports.
Kogi, which shares boundaries with about 10 states in the country, is hosting the popular River Niger and River Benue.
The strategic location of the state has made people settle down quickly since it was created in 1991 under the then Military regime of General Ibrahim Badamisi Babangida.
The issues of housing before now were a little bit fair for both the indigenes and civil servants working with the Federal and the State governments.
Unfortunately, it is now a nightmare for people who do not have their own house to get accommodation.
Some governors built houses for civil servants to ameliorate their sufferings.
Recall that during the then military administration of Colonel Paul Omeruo, (9th December 1993 – August 22 1996), he built Adankolo Estate, Colonel Augustine Aniebo, (August 1998 – May 1999) built what is now known as Aniebo Quarters, which is housing more than 300 Civil Servants both serving and retired in Kogi State.
Additionally, during the Civilian regime of Late Prince Abubakar Audu, (May 29th 1999 – May 29 2003) workers heaved a sign of relief concerning accommodation problem as his administration built first and second 200 housing units, Lokongoma Phase one, and two, Workers village, legislative quarters, while Ibrahim Idris, (May 29 2003 – 6th February, 2008) built 500 housing units and Captain Idris Ichalla Wada built flood estate for people affected by the 2012 flood in Kogi State.
The immediate past administration did not build housing estate for workers.
DAILY POST observed recently that a single room that used to be N40,000 depending on the area now goes for N80,000 to N100,000.
Also, one room and parlour self contain that is usually given out by landlords for N120,000 to N150,000 is now going for N350,000 to N450,000.
House rent for two and three bedroom flat is above N600,000 which is out of the reach of civil servants and other low income earners in the State.
Residents Lament
Some residents, including civil servants, disclosed that the skyrocketing rent, if not checked immediately by the State Government, could lead many residents into depression.
Abdullahi Umar, a resident of Adankolo said, “it is alarming the way landlords are increasing the prices of house rent.
“In Nigeria today, we are faced with hardship, many of us can’t send our children to school again. Now, house rent has hit the roof. Who did we offend in this country?
“Kogi State is even worse because the landlords don’t have pity on Kogites that are managing to earn a living.
“Imagine that I was paying N35,000 for one room, but I woke up one morning and my landlord said the house rent has increased to N90,000 without doing any renovations.
“This is the height of wickedness. We barely feed two times in a day and we are still battling with rent wahala. This must stop”.
Another resident, who identified herself as Hajia Mulikat Adomu, averred that the government should come up with a policy that would checkmate the excesses of landlords in the state.
According to her, some landlords were deliberately frustrating and inflicting pains on their tenants.
“Just because we don’t have any option, they keep treating us like rags.
“Government should please come to our aid. I believe when the government builds housing estate for residents and civil servants at a subsidized rate, it will ameliorate the sufferings of the masses and stop the consistent exploitation of the people by landlords,” she opined.
Landlords prefer renting houses to Yahoo Boys – Estate Manager cries out
Mr Peter Suleiman, Chief Executive Officer, Good Trust Estate Management Limited, says many landlords in Lokoja, the Kogi State Capital, now prefer to rent their houses to suspected advance fee fraudsters (Yahoo Boys), as tenants.
This, according to him, is because the yahoo boys can afford such exorbitant rent at the detriment of tenants running legitimate and genuine businesses.
In a chat with journalists recently, the estate expert, who appealed to the state government to urgently check the excesses of the landlords, noted that their action meant exploitation of genuine potential tenants.
Suleiman argued that the unhealthy development encouraged crime in the state.
He also expressed concern that as the landlords charged exorbitant rent, they failed to add value to their houses to make such structures conducive for the tenants.
He said: “It is quite unfortunate that landlords in Lokoja and its environs prefer to give their houses to yahoo boys instead of law abiding citizens.
“Just recently, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, apprehended some yahoo boys in Lokoja.
“Since they now know that staying in a hotel will expose their nefarious activities, they now prefer renting houses.
“When they approach these landlords, they can pay a higher amount.
“If you approach these landlords for house, they will open up to you that if you are not a yahoo boy, they won’t give you their house, because they are not sure if you can pay the next rent. Also, they will insist that you pay for two years.
“The essence of them insisting on Yahoo boys is that they know these guys will not complete their duration before exiting.
“What is now the hope of the common man who is doing genuine business? This is promoting cyber fraud.
“Everybody cannot do cyber fraud or yahoo yahoo as they all call it.
“The Kogi State Government should as a matter of urgency, come up with a policy to checkmate the excesses of these house owners in Lokoja, and other parts of Kogi State.
“This is necessary before all our children see advance fee fraud as the best line of making money,” he said.
Suleiman also lamented the prevalence of fake house agents operating in the state.
“These fake house agents masquerading around are the people deceiving the landlords by bringing Yahoo boys who will pay heavily for house rent.
“Kogi State is a civil service state and does not deserve this level of exploitation amid this harsh economy.
“Recently, I was managing one house, the landlord called me that he has jerked up his rent from N150, 000 to N600,000.
“I now asked, what are the modalities for this sudden increase when there is no renovation in the house?
“He told me openly that in the compound next to him, an agent brought some boys that paid N700,000 for house rent, and that do I expect him to still retain the old price?
“This is barbaric, satanic and should be stopped.
“If not urgently addressed, Kogi State will be snowballing into a hub of cyber fraud simply because of the mindset of these landlords who want to amass quick wealth for themselves without considering the implications,” he said.
Meanwhile, Suleiman has proposed 1000 housing units for civil servants in Kogi State.
In a statement sent to DAILY POST on Monday, he noted that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo will be writing his name in gold when he builds the housing estate for civil servants to address the issues of housing deficit.
The Estate developer said “Things are very hard as we speak. Nigerians generally finds it difficult to feed themselves daily, aside paying exorbitant house rent.
“This 1000 proposed house units will cushion the suffering of civil servants in term of accommodation.
“It will save them from the consistent exploitations of landlords.”
Kogi govt. warns landlords against patronizing Yahoo Boys
Meanwhile, the Kogi State government has cautioned landlords in the state against renting their houses to internet fraudsters, popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys.
The State Security Adviser, Navy Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd), gave the warning during an interactive session with journalists in Lokoja.
He warned landlords that their houses risked demolition if they continued to give the apartments to Yahoo Boys.
According to him, “Security agencies will soon go after houses and hotels used by Yahoo Boys.
“Appropriate sanctions will be handed to affected landlords and hospitality facilities”.
He revealed that the government, in partnership with security agencies, had identified houses built with proceeds of criminal activities and those housing men of the underworld, insisting that such houses would soon be demolished.
Omodara urged residents to assist government and security agencies with necessary information to arrest internet fraudsters in the state.
[DailyPost]
Scores of terrorists roaming the area where Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line is located have been killed by the troops of the Nigerian Air Force who were deployed to provide cover for electricity workers repairing the line.
It was learnt that the terrorists, who were planning to wreck more havocs on the critical facilities and possibly kill the electricity workers were neutralised on Friday when the fighter jets of the force rained airstrikes on them.
Daily Trust had reported how 17 Northern States were thrown into darkness for more than one week following destruction of electricity towers, a major conduit supplying electricity to the North the area by the adversaries.
But President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed the National Security Adviser, Minister of Defence and the Service Chiefs to order troops to provide cover for electricity workers to enable them to carry out necessary repairs on the damaged infrastructure.
Giving an update Monday night, the spokesman of NAF, Olusola Akinboyewa disclosed that the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions carried out by the service confirmed the presence of terrorist fighters in the area.
Akinboyewa, an Air Commodore, explained that they were converging to disrupt the repair of the transmission line, adding that the terrorists were subsequently engaged and several of them were killed in the process.
[DailyTrust]
The Federal Ministry of Works has directed Julius Berger, the contractor handling Section One rehabilitation of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway, to evacuate the project site.
This followed a 14-day final termination notice issued to the company on Monday, dismissing any possibility of further negotiations.
The ministry said the termination was based on non-compliance with the reviewed cost, scope, and terms, stoppage of work, and refusal to remobilise to the site, as directed.
It noted that negotiations had been ongoing for several months without any significant progress.
A statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mohammed Ahmed, disclosed this information on Monday in Abuja, stressing that the decision was reached during a management meeting of the ministry at its headquarters.
Recall that the works ministry had in the last 13 months been in constant talks with the company, in order to reach an amiable position on the said alignment but to no avail.
The latest development follows an earlier threat by the minister to revoke the contract that was awarded to the company in 2018 when former President Muhammadu Buhari was in power.
While the Kaduna-Zaria section has been completed and the Zaria-Kano section is almost done, the Abuja-Kaduna section has recorded 27 per cent progress in six years.
At an event penultimate week, Umahi accused Julius Berger of playing politics with the highway to make the current administration look bad.
Despite these efforts, an agreement was not reached between both parties, with the construction company not attending the scheduled meeting on Monday.
The statement read in part, “Based on non-compliance with the reviewed cost, scope, and terms, stoppage of work and refusal to remobilise to the site, as directed, the Federal Ministry of Works has issued a 14-day Notice of Termination to Messrs Julius Berger Plc for the Rehabilitation of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway in FCT, Kaduna and Kano States, Contract No.6350, Section I (Abuja-Kaduna), today, November 4, 2024.
“Nigerians may wish to know that the Contract for the Rehabilitation of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway, which was divided into three Sections was awarded to the company on December 20, 2017, and flagged off by the former Minister of Power, Works, and Housing, Babatunde Fashola at an initial sum of N155.75bn on June 18, 2018. Sections II (Kaduna – Zaria) and III (Zaria – Kano) were partially completed and handed over during the twilight of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Since then it has been one variation and augmentation or the other and finally, the present Minister of Works directed the redesigning and re-scoping of the Section I of the contract. The alignment was divided into two with one phase redesigned to be on continuously reinforced concrete pavement, while the remaining with asphaltic pavement.
“Approval for Section I, Phase 1 for a length of 38km on the concrete pavement was given to Messrs Dangote Industries (Nig.) Ltd, while the remaining 127km remained with the substantive contractor. Phase 1 was flagged off on October 17, 2024, with a 14-month completion period.”
Mohammed further explained that a request to rescope the project was approved by the Federal Executive Council but the contract’s terms were not agreed upon by the contractor.
He added, “Due to the stalemate of the contract and, most importantly, the desire of President Bola Tinubu, as encapsulated in the Renewed Hope Agenda infrastructure initiative, to see to the completion of this laudable project, also to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians plying the road, the ministry re-scoped it and got the approval of the Federal Executive Council.
“The award for the Re-scoping and Downward Review of Contract for the Rehabilitation of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway in FCT, Kaduna and Kano States, Contract No.6350, Section I (Abuja-Kaduna) in favour of Messrs Julius Berger Plc from the sum of N797.26bn to N740.79bn was granted by FEC on September 23, 2024, and conveyed to the company on October 3, 2024.”
With the latest development, this means the Works Minister, David Umahi has revoked 11 contracts in 16 months.
[Punch]
Emeritus Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has asked politicians and traditional rulers in the country to lead with the fear of Almighty God.
Cardinal Onaiyekan gave the charge in his homily at a mass in the chapel of the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, Delta State in commemoration of Saint Charles Borromeo, the Italian Cardinal often described as the “loving reformer.”
He said leaders in various positions of authority should be conscious that the Almighty God gave them such leadership responsibilities, adding that they should lead in accordance with the will of God.
At the service were His Royal Majesty Emmanuel Sidedo, Abe 1, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, his chiefs and others.
Onaiyekan said he was elated that the monarch and several others in his kingdom were Christians.
He said: “Saint Charles Borromeo lived during the time of the Protestant Reformation, and had a hand in the reform of the whole church during the final years of the Council of Trent.
“Although he belonged to the Milanese nobility and was related to the powerful Medici family, Charles desired to devote himself to the Church. In 1559, when his uncle, Cardinal de Medici was elected Pope Pius IV, he made Charles cardinal-deacon and administrator of the Archdiocese of Milan.
“At the time Charles was still a layman and a young student. Because of his intellectual qualities, Charles was entrusted with several important offices connected with the Vatican, and later appointed secretary of state with responsibility for the papal states. The untimely death of his elder brother brought Charles to a definite decision to be ordained a priest, despite his relatives’ insistence. Soon after being ordained a priest at age 25, Borromeo was consecrated bishop of Milan.
“Charles took the initiative in giving a good example. He allotted most of his income to charity, forbade himself all luxury, and imposed severe penances upon himself. He sacrificed wealth, high honors, esteem, and influence to become poor.
“During the plague and famine of 1576, Borromeo tried to feed 60,000 to 70,000 people daily. To do this, he borrowed large sums of money that required years to repay. Whereas the civil authorities fled at the height of the plague, he stayed in the city, where he ministered to the sick and the dying, helping those in want.
“Work and the heavy burdens of his high office began to affect Archbishop Borromeo’s health, leading to his death at the age of 46.”
[Vanguard]
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Equatorial Guinea govt official arrested over 400 Sex Tapes With IGP, Ministers, Others’ Wives
AFOLABI
The Director General, National Financial Investigation Agency in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga, has been arrested for allegedly recording over 400 sextapes of the wives of notable people in the country.
The scandal emerged in the course of a fraud investigation against the 54-year-old Economist which resulted in the search of his house and office on impromptu notice by ANIF officials who came across several CDs that later revealed his sexcapades with different married women.
The videos reportedly include encounters with high-profile individuals, such as his brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of the President of Equatorial Guinea, the Director General of Police’s wife, and about 20 of the country’s ministers’ wives, among others.
The footage, discovered in his personal office, was said to have been recorded with consent and has since been leaked online, causing a media uproar.
In a report by a local media platform, Ahora EG, since last October, Engonga has been involved in a sexual scandal unprecedented in the history of Equatorial Guinea.
The former ANIF DG better known as “Bello” had sexual relations with several women, some of them married, and filmed these intimate encounters.
The report read, “The most striking thing is that some scenes took place in his work office, including moments in which he is seen sleeping with a woman next to the National Flag. Based on this sexual scandal, the Executive has stated that the measure is a direct response to the acts that have affected the image of the country.
“With these new measures, the Government hopes to establish a clear precedent on the expected conduct of public officials in order to create a more respectful work environment in the public and private administration of Equatorial Guinea. For days now, erotic videos have been circulating on social media featuring Baltasar EBANG ENGONGA, better known as “Bello”, who is currently the Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF) and is currently imprisoned for alleged corruption issues.
“Baltasar EBANG ENGONGA is said to have filmed these scenes with the consent of the women themselves, which exonerates him from a possible crime of violation of integrity. In the videos, he is seen having unprotected sex with several women, including those married to powerful and well-known people in the country, but also with the most “diva and influential” single women in Equatorial Guinea. Some scenes take place in hotel rooms, houses, even in the protagonist’s office at the Ministry of Finance,” it added.
However, speaking on the viral sextapes, the Attorney General of the country, Nzang Nguema, has stressed that, although the images suggest that the women involved were not forced to participate, the law does not consider consensual sexual relations to be a crime, unless coercion or violence is proven. This highlights the importance of victims reporting situations of sexual abuse or assault.
Nguema also emphasised that the risk is not only for the women involved but also for their partners and the wider community, adding, “The possibility of a contagious disease being spread through these sexual interactions makes the situation even more critical.
He further pointed out that the onus is on victims to come forward in cases of rape or assault, highlighting the need for an environment where people feel safe and supported to report such incidents.
Reacting to the development on Monday, Equatorial Guinea has decided to take action by immediately suspending all officials who have had sexual relations in the offices of the country’s ministries.
The government claimed that the decision was part of its “zero tolerance” policy towards behaviour that compromises the integrity of the public service.
The Vice President of the Republic, Nguema Mangue, has pointed out that these behaviours constitute a flagrant violation of the Code of Conduct and the Public Ethics Law.
In his publication on X, he emphasized that “ethics and respect are fundamental in our Administration,” and that irresponsible attitudes that put citizen trust at risk will not be allowed.
The United Kingdom is set to see its first increase in university tuition fees in eight years, according to a report by The Telegraph on Monday.
The move, expected to come into “effect from September 2025, will impact current A-level students applying for university entry.”
The administration under Prime Minister Keir Starmer is poised to approve this increase, which will be announced by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.
This adjustment will align tuition fees with the Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation.
Tuition fees have been frozen at £9,250 since 2017, the agency reported.
While it remains uncertain which specific inflation figures the Labour government will use, matching the current rate of 2.7% would see fees rise to approximately £9,500 next year.
Past reports have indicated that fees could increase to £10,500 over the next five years.
However, The Telegraph notes that ministers are cautious about committing to further increases beyond the next academic year as they deliberate on a comprehensive reform of the system.
The anticipated fee increase is a response to mounting financial challenges within universities.
Currently, 40 per cent of English universities anticipate running a deficit this year.
The Coalition government last raised tuition fees in 2012, tripling them to £9,000, and subsequently increasing them to £9,250 in 2017. Despite significant inflation since then, fees have remained static.
The Russell Group of leading universities has argued that the current tuition cap results in a financial loss of approximately £4,000 per domestic student.
Additionally, university finances have been strained due to a notable decrease in international student numbers following the Conservative Party’s restrictions on dependent visas.
Home Office data highlighted “a 16 per cent drop in visa applications between July and September compared to the same period in 2023.”
Since international students often pay three to four times the tuition of domestic students, their reduced numbers have eliminated a vital source of income for universities, intensifying the call for immediate action.
Financial Times on Monday also reported that the Director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, Nick Hillman, said universities “need a fee rise that is significantly above inflation even to stand still”, adding the sector faces £400 million of extra costs as a result of increases in employers’ national insurance contributions.
“If the announcement is a rise of just 2 to 3 per cent, the worries about financial instability will continue,” he said.
“We also need to know what extra support there will be for students in maintenance support, as they are hurting just as much as institutions.”
Maintenance grants
Insiders have indicated that there was hope for a minor tuition fee increase announcement in the latest budget, underscoring the urgency of the financial situation.
However, Chancellor Rachel Reeves refrained from introducing “new higher education funding during her first budget.”
Reports suggest that significant pressure would accompany any fee increase to also reinstate maintenance grants, a move that could come at a substantial cost to the Treasury.
According to The Telegraph, Labour’s analysis indicated that reinstating maintenance grants at a raised rate of £4,009 could cost as much as £2.3 billion annually.
Announcing the tuition fee increase outside of a major fiscal event could allow the government more time to finalise its broader university funding reform.
Ms Phillipson is expected to position the inflation-linked fee rise as a “first step” toward overhauling the current system, potentially reopening discussions about reintroducing maintenance grants, which were eliminated by the Cameron administration in 2016.
The government is also reportedly considering changes to the tuition fee repayment model due to concerns that growing student debt disproportionately affects graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Ministers have been in discussions with senior university officials over the past few months in response to urgent calls for support.
Chief Executive of Universities UK (UUK), Vivienne Stern, emphasised the need for immediate government action. “Just get on and index-link the fee— this cannot be allowed to continue,” Stern said in an interview with The Telegraph in September, describing it as a “necessary” measure.
She added, “That’s the bare minimum — you know, you can’t go on like this.”
According to UUK’s analysis, had university teaching investments kept pace with inflation, current funding per student would be in the range of £12,000 to £13,000.
As of now, the Department for Education has yet to issue a formal response.
Controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, has confirmed his “temporary” departure from Nigeria, citing the need to attend to his “sanity and health.”
“Yes, I’m here to confirm I’m out of Nigeria temporarily. I need to attend to my sanity and my health,” he wrote in a post on Instagram on Monday.
The crossdresser also expressed disappointment over travel disruptions he had experienced, attributing it to frustrations from local security agencies.
Hence, he called on KLM, the airline involved, to refund two unused tickets, which he said cost N9.8m each.
He added, “Few Nigerian security agencies tried everything to frustrate me, but naaa, I gat God.”
“Imagine buying a business class ticket three times; only one was successful. KLM, I hope you guys refund me the two I didn’t use. I know it’s not your fault, but it’s fine.
“Each business class cost me 9.800,000. I only successfully flew yesterday, 3/11/2024.”
In his post, Bobrisky addressed potential critics, saying, “Before you come to my page to type nonsense, check your account balance if you can afford three business seats, not to talk of buying it three times. Well, I’m not in Nigeria, so your comment means nothing.”
Bobrisky had earlier announced his departure from Nigeria on Monday morning, a few days after he was released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Recall that the embattled cross-dresser was stopped and removed from an Amsterdam-bound KLM flight at Murtala Muhammed International Airport while attempting to travel to London on Thursday night.
He alleged that he sustained injuries during the incident.
Following the altercation, he was taken to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, where he was reportedly questioned regarding claims that he had bribed the officials with N15 million to drop money laundering charges against him.
He was later released on bail after he reportedly denied bribing the EFCC in his confessional statement.
