The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has expressed his concern about the growing prevalence of ethnic and religious prejudices in Nigerian universities, especially in the northern region of the country.

Speaking during an interview with Arise TV on Thursday, Kukah alleged that most universities in the North have refused to allow the Christian community to establish worship centres on the school premises. 

Bishop Kukah also criticized the diminishing diversity and merit-based practices in academic institutions in the region. 

He said: “A mosque was constructed at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I delivered a convocation lecture in Calabar three weeks ago. After my lecture, the Chief Imam of the University came to congratulate me.

“But as I speak to you, Usman Dan Fodio, who is over 40 years old, Bayero University, and other universities in Northern Nigeria have decided to close their doors to the possibility of churches being built in the universities across this country.

“All this fanaticism we are seeing is expressed in public life. If students in the university or at the point of their growing up are not allowed to integrate and interrelate, and if churches or mosques cannot be built across this country, then there is a problem.”

The Catholic Bishop emphasized that diversity and meritocracy in Nigerian universities are on the decline, with ethnic and religious factors taking on a more prominent role.

“There was a time when Ahmadu Bello University had lecturers from different parts of the world. Now, look at what has happened to our universities across Nigeria. Our universities have become just mere incubators of ethnic jingoism.

“So, I do not know which funded Federal University that you will name that has a Vice Chancellor that is not a local boy.

“So the universities themselves have become playgrounds for the ambitions of the local elite. The question is, why should a place of worship be a problem for a university? Whether it is for the Muslim students in Calabar or the Christian students in Sokoto. 

“I approached the Minister of Education about this. I have a letter from the Nigerian University Commission. The universities in northern Nigeria have refused to implement this recommendation,” Bishop Kukah said.

A Federal High Court, Abuja, has dismissed a suit seeking to reverse the appointment of Hannatu Musawa as Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy by President Bola Tinubu.

Justice James Omotosho, in a judgment, held that the plaintiffs lacked locus standi (legal right) to institute the suit.

Justice Omotosho also held that even where the plaintiffs were vested with the legal right to file the matter, the suit, itself, lacked merit.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had, on July 27, 2023, transmitted Musawa’s name, among names of minister-designates, to the Senate for confirmation.

Musawa, a lawyer and immediate-past Presidential Adviser on Culture and Entertainment Economy, was screened by the Senate on Aug.1, 2023, and was sworn in as minister on Aug. 21, 2023.

At the time, the minister who hails from Katsina State was appointed, she was alleged to be a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member.

Against this backdrop, the Incorporated Trustees of Concerned Nigeria, Chief Dr Patrick Eholor and Thomas Marcus, who were 1st to 3rd plaintiffs respectively, filed the suit before Justice Omotosho.

In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1198/23 filed Aug. 30, 2023, the plaintiffs sued President Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Musawa as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.

They prayed the court to determine whether by provisions of Section 2(1) and (3) of the NYSC Act and Section 4(9) of the NYSC Bye-Laws (Revised 2011), Musawa, who was a corps member at the time, was not prohibited from becoming a federal minister.

They also urged the court to determine “whether by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), whether the same qualification of a member of House of Representatives is not also the same qualification for the appointment of 3rd defendant (Musawa) as a minister and whether the same qualification is not mandatory for her to be a federal minister of Nigeria.”

Upon favourable resolution of the questions, the plaintiffs sought an order nullifying the initial recommendation, resolution to be a minister, appointment and swearing in of Musawa as a minister.

They sought an order setting aside the swearing-in of the minister.

They equally sought an order of mandatory injunction setting aside all official actions as may be carried out by her acting in any official capacity from the commencement of and swearing in of the minister to the final conclusion of the suit.

They also prayed the court to make an order for payment of general damages in the sum of N100 million against all the defendants.

In their affidavit, they argued that Musawa was mistakenly screened by the Senate and appointed as a minister to supervise the Ministry of Culture.

But the 1st and 2nd defendants in a joint preliminary objection dated and filed Feb 15, sought a dismissal of the suit for want of jurisdiction.

They argued that her appointment was done in line with extant laws as she was duly nominated, screened by the Senate and appointed by the president.

According to them, there is no law that hinders the 1st defendant from appointing a person still serving as an NYSC member as a minister.

They further argued that the only qualification is the same as a person contesting for the post of a member of the House of Representatives.

They submitted that the NYSC certificate or completion of NYSC is not amongst the basic requirements for appointment as a minister, urging the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that the plaintiffs are incompetent to institute this suit.

On her part, Musawa, through her lawyer, argued that the 1st plaintiff was a non-existent entity and thus, not a juristic person to institute the action.

Also, she argued that none of the plaintiffs had shown how they had suffered special injury to the exclusion of all Nigerians to qualify them to maintain the suit.

In the judgment delivered on Tuesday by Justice Omotosho and the certified true copy of it sighted on Thursday, the judge agreed that for a person to be qualified for appointment as a minister, he must fulfil the conditions in Section 147 (5) of the 1999 Constitution.

According to him, Section 147 (5) says no person shall be appointed as a minister of the Government of the Federation unless he is qualified for election as a member of the House of Representatives.

“It is clear from the above that the qualification for being a member of the House of Representatives will guide the qualification for being a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

The judge said that based on Section 65, and subject to Section 66, a person shall be qualified for election as a member of the House of Representatives if he is a citizen of Nigeria and has attained the age of 30 years.

He said it equally provided that a person shall be qualified for election under Subsection (1) of this section if he has been educated up to at least school certificate level or its equivalent; and he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that party.

“The constitution has made it crystal clear the qualifications and grounds for disqualification as a minister and being a serving corp member is not one of such grounds.

“As a matter of fact, a person to be appointed as a minister only needs to show that he has been educated up to secondary school level.

“Thus the National Youth Service Corps Certificate which can only be attained by graduates who have completed the scheme is a surplusage to the basic requirements to be a minister.

“I therefore hold that there is nothing stopping the 1st defendant (Tinubu) from appointing the 3rd defendant (Musawa) as a minister as she is eminently qualified to be so appointed.

“In final analysis, the plaintiffs lack locus standi to institute this action.

“Even where they are vested with locus standi, the suit lacks merit — same is hereby dismissed,” Justice Omotosho declared.

The toxicology tests to determine the cause of death of the popular Nigerian music star, Ilerioluwa Aloba, known professionally as Mohbad, have been completed, with results now forwarded to the Lagos State police.

The tests, conducted in the United States, aim to provide clarity on the circumstances surrounding the singer’s untimely demise.

The recent completion of this test marks a significant advancement in the investigation.

An official from the Lagos State government, preferring to remain anonymous due to restrictions on public communications about the case, informed Punch that the toxicology results were received by the state’s DNA and Forensic Centre last week.

The results were then transmitted to the police earlier this week to assist with further investigations.

The source said, “The toxicology test is ready and given to the police. We projected 10 weeks from the outset but it came in before then. It was received by the DNA and Forensic Centre last week and has been sent to the police.”

A source in the Lagos State Police Command who also spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not permitted to speak to the press confirmed the receipt of the result.

The source said, “The toxicology report is with us. It arrived on Monday but it is medical jargon for us. We don’t understand what it is. So it has been sent to the pathologist that carried out the autopsy to analyse and interpret it.”

The Director of Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, Richard Somiari, on March 20, said that the toxicology result would be ready in the next three to four weeks.

Somiari, while testifying during a coroner’s inquest into the death of the singer, said, “We expected to get the first set of autopsy results in three to four weeks and re-confirm to authenticate the cause of the death.”

He said, “We searched for multiple possibilities, to check if poison was involved in the death of Mohbad since no actual cause was mentioned.”

The forensic expert assured the public of adequate security and monitoring of samples for the autopsy.

He said, “We have a place where items are stored for safety and security of results. There is a procedure for monitoring samples moved abroad.”

Mohbad died at the age of 27, on September 12, 2023, with circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversies on social media.

Air Peace, a leading Nigerian airline, is set to expand its international flight operations by adding a new route from Abuja to London, according to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.

Speaking on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” program on Thursday, Keyamo announced that he has approved the new route, signaling a significant step for the local aviation sector.

The move was part of a reciprocal action against the previously lopsided Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, aimed at enhancing fairness in international air travel between the two nations.

The entry of Air Peace into this market has been met with positive responses from industry observers and has spurred competition among international carriers.

Previously, international flight tickets on the Lagos-London route reached highs of N3.5 million.

However, with Air Peace setting the return economy class ticket price at N1.2 million, major foreign airlines such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Qatar Airways have been compelled to reduce their prices to remain competitive.

The addition of the Abuja-London route is expected to offer more options for travelers, contribute to reducing airfare costs, and stimulate further growth in Nigeria’s aviation sector.

The UK government has announced a 48% increase in the minimum salary requirement for foreign nationals arriving on a Skilled Worker visa, including Nigerian immigrants.

The Home Secretary, James Cleverly, announced on behalf of the UK government that the minimum salary requirement for immigrants has increased from £26,200 to £38,700.

In line with the information updated on April 4, 2024, UK businesses are now obligated to provide substantially higher salaries to overseas workers entering the country on Skilled Worker visas.

Cleverly said: “It’s time to turn off the taps and end the flow of cheap workers from abroad. 

“Mass migration is unsustainable, and it’s simply not fair. It undercuts the wages of hard-working people who are just trying to make ends meet. 

“We are refocusing our immigration system to prioritise the brightest and best who have the skills our economy needs, while reducing overall numbers.

“I promised the British people an immigration system that serves their interests, and to bring numbers down – these tough measures deliver on that commitment. Employers must also play their part and put British workers first.”

The UK has listed the criteria for the various categories of jobs under the skilled work visa scheme.

For salary requirements, it reads: “You’ll usually need to be paid the ‘standard’ salary rate of at least £38,700 per year, or the ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher.

“Your salary is £39,000 per year, but the annual going rate for the job you’ll be doing is £45,000. You do not meet the usual salary requirements for this visa.

“Each occupation code has its own annual going rate. Check the going rate for your job in the going rates table.”

The statement outlined that different salary rules apply to healthcare or education jobs, which are based on national pay scales. 

However, for those not in these fields, eligibility for the visa may still be possible if the salary is at least £30,960 per year.

Below are some of the jobs and their corresponding codes listed under the skilled work visa:

1111 Chief executives and senior officials

1121 Production managers and directors in manufacturing

1122 Production managers and directors in construction

1123 Production managers and directors in mining and energy

1131 Financial managers and directors

1132 Marketing, sales and advertising directors

1133 Public relations and communications directors

1134 Purchasing managers and directors

1135 Charitable organisation managers and directors

1136 Human resource managers and directors

1137 Information technology directors

1139 Functional managers and directors not elsewhere classified

1140 Directors in logistics, warehousing and transport

1150 Managers and directors in retail and wholesale

You can view more job listings and their corresponding codes by clicking on the link.

The Federal Government has commenced the upgrade of 50 selected senior secondary schools across the country.

The Executive Secretary of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSCE), Dr. Iyela Ajayi, stated this in Nasarawa State when he paid a courtesy visit to the state’s Commissioner of Education, Dr. John Mamman.

The Executive Secretary in a statement signed by NSSCE’s Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Fatima Ahmed Bappare, also disclosed that Government College, Nasarawa, was among the selected schools for the upgrade.

He further added that President Bola Tinubu has placed high priority on the development of the education sector as evident in the budget allocation to the sector in the 2024 appropriation Act.

“Upgrade of the 50 selected senior secondary schools across the nation, which was captured in the 2024 budget, is a clear testimony of this administration’s commitment to the development of Senior Secondary Education in the country,” he said.

He further called for cooperation between the Nasarawa State Ministry of Education and the consultant that will be on site for a smooth take off during the upgrade.

Responding, the Permanent Secretary, Nasarawa State Ministry of Education, Mal. Mohammed Sani Bala who represented the Commissioner of Education, expressed appreciation for selecting the state amongst the pullout states, and promised to give every necessary support needed for the success of the upgrade.

He also assured NSSEC of composition of Nasarawa State Senior Secondary Education Board by the state House of Assembly.

Also speaking, the Principal of the College, Mal. Gambo Suleiman, expressed confidence that the upgrades would be a success.

He further listed other areas in the college that needed intervention, like the school perimeter fence, E-library and conventional library, multi-purpose hall, students’ hostels, classrooms and staff quarters for teachers.

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has appointed the Nigerian Chess Master cum Guinness World Record contester for the longest Chess Marathon in history, Tunde Onakoya, as the Sports Ambassador of the State.

Gov Abiodun made this known on Thursday when Onakoya visited his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

The governor likened the travails of the Chess Master to those of millions of youths in Nigeria who are struggling to make something of their lives, stating that his achievements in the face of difficulties are a testimony that life does not recognize where one comes from, place of birth, or parent’s status in society.

Abiodun also announced the commencement of the State Chess Competition, which will be held in all parts of the state in honour of Onakoya.

He said, “I can see why you continue to be inspiration to many young people across the length and breath of this country. You have gone further by establishing a foundation called the ‘Chess in Slums Africa’ because you are determined to tell your story and encourage other children and get them out of the slums and give them hope and future.

“Today, we will be officially appointing you as our State Sports Ambassador. Coincidentally, Ogun State will be hosting the National Sports Festival in the next nine months or thereabouts and we are boasting that we are set to host the best National Sports Festival that has never been held in the history of this country and coincidentally, chess is one of the games that will feature in that event.

“I have decided that because of you and in your honour, we will begin an Ogun State Chess Competition across the length and breath of the state. Since you are now officially our Sports Ambassador and our Chess Ambassador, we will leave it to you to design that competition from the local government all the way to the state level.

“But we as your state, we will have a sponsor in the Tunde Onakoya Prize, for the winner of that competition.” 

The Nigerian naira took a steep dive on Thursday afternoon, hitting N1,450 per dollar in the parallel market, marking an 8.28% decline or a N120 difference from the earlier rate of N1,330 reported yesterday morning.

Data sourced from currency traders confirmed this downward trend, indicating the currency’s ongoing volatility.

According to Bureau De Change (BDC) operators, the purchase rate stood at N1,350, with an approximate selling rate of N1,450, providing traders with a N100 profit margin. This fluctuation in the parallel market has raised concerns among economic stakeholders, prompting closer scrutiny of the factors driving this sharp depreciation.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been proactive in addressing foreign exchange challenges, notably by increasing dollar supplies through BDCs. This strategic move aims to alleviate pressure on the foreign exchange market and curb imported inflation, which has been a persistent concern for policymakers.

Recent initiatives by the CBN include lowering the foreign exchange rate for dollar distributions to BDCs. On April 23rd, the bank offered $10,000 at N1,021 per dollar, significantly lower than the official rate reported by FMDQ, signalling efforts to enhance liquidity in the unofficial market.

Moreover, the CBN’s intervention in clearing over $136 million in airlines’ outstanding obligations has boosted confidence in the forex market. These measures have contributed to the naira’s gradual recovery, as evidenced by its improvement from N1,617 per dollar in early March to N1,072 per dollar on April 17th.

However, the official market also witnessed a depreciation, with the naira dropping to N1,309.88 against the dollar by the end of Thursday’s trading, a 0.10% decline from the previous rate of N1,308.52 recorded on Wednesday. This mixed performance underscores the complex dynamics influencing Nigeria’s currency market.

Additional insights reveal that the naira experienced similar depreciations against other major currencies. Against the British pound, it weakened by 7.06%, settling at N1,700 compared to the morning rate of N1,580. Similarly, the naira depreciated by 8% against the euro, closing at N1,500 per euro, down from N1,380 earlier in the day.

Forex trading volumes also saw a notable surge, increasing by 15.40% to $245.58 million, surpassing the previous record of $212.8 million reported by NAFEM. However, concerns persist regarding the downward trend in reserves, which saw an 18-day decline followed by a marginal recovery of 0.018% on Tuesday, reaching $32.112 billion from $32.109 billion reported on March 22nd.

A 2023 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Nigeria by the U.S. Department of State has said the 2023 elections were marred by violence, vote-buying, voter suppression and intimidation among other challenges.

The report seen by Naija News on Thursday also stated that there were reports of campaigning at polling stations, lack of ballot secrecy and various irregularities during the country’s 2023 elections.

The report read, “Many independent observers assessed the results of the presidential, legislative, and state-level elections during the year reflected the will of voters, despite reports of voter suppression and vote buying, campaigning at polling stations, lack of ballot secrecy, violence, and intimidation.”

The report cited an incident which occurred during the March 18 state election in Lagos, stating, “During the March 18 state election in Lagos, All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters reportedly intimidated and suppressed voters in Igbo-dominated areas, which Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, won in the February 25 national election.

“Viral videos on social media showed APC supporters in Ojo threatening to attack ethnic Igbo voters presumed to be pro-Obi. In Eti-Osa, APC supporters also attacked journalists and, in some cases, shut down voting and prevented non-Yoruba voters from accessing polls. They similarly destroyed property and physically blocked voters in Amuwo-Odofin.

“According to videos posted on social media, police officers were present but failed to respond to attacks. There was no evidence that alleged perpetrators were arrested or prosecuted.”

The report also highlighted the persistent underrepresentation of women and marginalized groups in Nigerian politics.

It stated that religious, cultural, and economic barriers were contributing factors for the underrepresentation.

It added: “The national average of women’s political participation in Nigeria was 6.7 per cent in elected and appointed positions.”

The report further noted that media outlets often stereotyped women politicians and, in some cases, refused to cover their campaigns allegedly on the orders of opposition officials and candidates.

 

 

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“Media outlets stereotyped women politicians as “promiscuous” or “cunning” and in some cases refused to cover their campaigns allegedly on the orders of opposition officials and candidates,” it added.

There are indications that the detained Binance Holdings Limited executive, Tigran Gambaryan, is attempting to escape from Kuje Correctional Facility.

Punch revealed how Mr Gambaryan who is currently remanded in Kuje Correctional Facility, applied for a new United States of America passport, under the pretence that his seized passport was missing.

Impeccable anti-graft sources privy to the development but not authorised to speak, confirmed the report on Wednesday.

Following the development, the EFCC has urged the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to disregard Gambaryan’s bail application, while noting that the Armenian-American could flee from Nigeria like his Kenyan-British colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla who fled to Kenya.

A source, who is privy to the investigations said, “The second Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan, who is currently remanded in Kuje prison, has planned to escape from the facility. He applied to the US embassy in Abuja to issue him a new Visa while lying that he lost his passport which was seized by the EFCC.”

Another source, who insisted on anonymity, noted that “Gambaryan could have escaped from Kuje if not for the fact that the US embassy flagged his request for a new passport. Fortunately, the US embassy immediately reached out to the EFFC, and the embassy was informed that he’s a criminal suspect whose case is currently in court for alleged money laundering – concealing the source of the $35,400, 000 generated as revenue by Binance in Nigeria knowing that the funds constituted proceeds of unlawful activity.”