Author: Safiu Kehinde
Safiu Kehinde is a Graduate of Mass Communications. He is passionate about accurate reporting and interested in investigating socio-political issues.
Halimah Olamide The Federal Government has stated that only eight universities have been accredited to award degrees to Nigerians in Togo and Benin Republic. The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, disclosed this on Sunday. Recall that Mamman, disclosed last Friday that over 22,500 Nigerians obtained fake degree certificates from the two countries, and such certificates are considered invalid. The minister said the revelation was part of a report submitted to the Federal Executive Council by a committee with a mandate to probe degree certificate racketeering by foreign and local universities in Nigeria. He added that the development follows the undercover…
Safiu Kehinde In the wake of recent arrest of investigative journalist, Juwon Soyinka, Amnesty International has expressed concern over the increase in journalists’ arrest by security operatives in Nigeria. The Humanitarian group raised this concern in a post on their official X handle yesterday. Accodring to the post, other jornalists who have faced similar ordeal before Juwon’s arrest include Segun Olatunji, Madu, Onuorah, and Daniel Ojukwu. Amnesty International described the ordeal as ‘intimidaton of journalists and bloggers’ which they labelled as frightening sign of Nigerian government’s intense effort in silencing the fourth estate of realm. The post read, “#Journalists are…
Safiu Kehinde Amnesty International has called for the release of Students Union Leader, Abdullahi Yunusa, held in detention by the Department of State Service (DSS) in alleged connection to the #EndBadGovernance Protest in Kaduna. The Humanitarian group made this known in a statement on their official X handle as they condemned the unlawful detention of Yunusa, who was reportedly place in DSS’ custody since 2nd of August 2024. Decsribing the detention as ‘travesty against Abdullahi Yunusa’, Amnesty International called for the release of the SUG leader and other unlawfully detained protesters. The statement read in part;” Amnesty International is deeply…
Safiu Kehinde A Socio-political Pressure group, Tracka Nigeria, has called on the Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate Katsina state governor, Dikko Radda, and lawmaker, Usman Banye, over alleged presentation of Federal Government’s funded fertilizers as Donations. Tracka, a subsidiary of BudgIT, made this call in a post on its official X handle earlier today. As contained in the post, Dikko and Banye had allegedly branded and distributed 3500 bags of public-funded fertilizer to party loyalists as donation. The group said the donated fertilizer was part of…
Agency Report The Cross River Government has confirmed one case of Mpox in Okoshe community in Obudu Local Government Area. The confirmation is coming a few days after the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC) reported a case in the state. The Mpox case was initially denied by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk. However, Ayuk, while addressing newsmen in Calabar on Sunday, said that the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja confirmed the presence of Mpox in one patient in Obudu. He explained that the ministry of health was alerted to a possible case of Mpox or chickenpox…
By Halimah Olamide “As a result, the government continues to drift away from fiscal responsibility by borrowing more than it earns, resulting in a deficit of N13.50tn.” Budgit concluded. Nigerian civic organization, BudgIT has accused the Federal government of drifting away from its fiscal responsibility. This was contained in its latest released report on Monday via X. Budgit noted that the 2023 Fiscal Accounts Report of the Accountant General of the Federation, Nigeria’s Federal Government made a revenue of N5.99tn, spent N19.50tn, and recorded a deficit of N13.50tn, which represents 225% of the total revenue. Furthering the breakdown, BudgIT stated…
Agency Report Israel has said it carried out a wave of pre-emptive strikes across southern Lebanon to thwart a large-scale rocket and drone attack by Hezbollah. Jets destroyed thousands of the Iran-backed armed group’s rocket launchers on Sunday morning, Israel’s military said. Hezbollah and its Amal allies said three fighters had been killed. Hezbollah said it had still managed to fire 320 rockets and drones at Israel in retaliation for the assassination of a senior commander. According to Israel’s military, one Israeli navy soldier was killed. The US says it is working to avoid any further escalation after 10 months…
Safiu Kehinde The Minister for Education, Tahir Mamman, has reaffirmed 18 years eligibility requirement for the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination starting from 2025. Mamman declared this at an interview session broadcasted yesterday. Speaking on the minimum age for candidates applying for admission, the education minister harped on the need for candidates to fulfill the standard system for basic education before being legible to apply for JAMB. “For the avoidance of doubt, this is not a new policy. This is a policy that has been there for a long time. Basically, if you compute the number of years…
Agency Report The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has said that a notorious kidnap kingpin was killed, and two abductors were arrested during an operation to rescue the 20 abducted medical students. Speaking while handing over the students to their Vice Chancellors in Abuja on Sunday, Egbetokun added that the arrested suspects were in custody. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the 20 medical students were on Aug. 15 abducted in Benue while on transit to Enugu by the criminal gang. Egbetokun said the students, five other passengers and two other victims who were already in the captivity…
Safiu Kehinde The National Assembly South East caucus has urged tertiary institutions in the zone against self-marginalization and comply with the verification request of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) for disbursement of loan to students. This was disclosed in a statement issued by the caucus leaders, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe and Rep. Igariwey Iduma Enwo in Abuja yesterday. The caucus charged tertiary institutions within the South East region to do needful necessary to be part of the beneficiaries of the NELFUND Scheme. According to the statement, the verification would allow students from institutions in the South East zone to benefit…