Category: General News

The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has directed all federal tertiary institutions that have been granted waivers to recruit staff to publicly advertise the available vacancies in at least one national daily newspaper, on their respective websites, and in other relevant academic and professional journals.

 

This directive aims to ensure a transparent, open, and competitive recruitment process that offers equal opportunity to all eligible Nigerians.

This follows the waivers granted to Federal Tertiary Institutions based on submissions made by these institutions concerning their manpower requirements, in line with the Ministry’s commitment to enhancing the capacity of our higher education institutions.

 

In addition, all federal tertiary institutions are reminded to submit their recruitment needs to the ministry for review by the Committee on Waiver and Recruitment.

 

A statement to this effect by the Director of Press and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade, said the ,”The Ministry has put in place adequate mechanisms to ensure compliance and will not hesitate to apply sanctions against any institution that fails to adhere to this directive.”

The Federal Ministry of Education remains firmly dedicated to promoting integrity and fairness in all matters related to the Nigerian higher education system,” the statement added.

 

Flowerbudnews

Members of the Islamic Movement, also known as the Shi’ites, have vowed to hold President Bola Tinubu responsible over the alleged killing of 27 of their members who were on peaceful protest to demand for the freedom of Palestine.

Shaikh Sidi Munir Mainasara, stated this in a statement on Tuesday on behalf of the Islamic group in Abuja.

Mainasara also raised alarm over allegations that members of the Free Palestine protesters who were arrested and detained since March 28, 2025, are dying in the FCT police custody.

“Amidst news that broke on Sunday, 6 April, 2025, from mainstream and social media that the security agents are planning to attack us in Abuja, we recently received shocking news that the free Palestine protesters that have been detained by the FCT Police Command since 28 March, 2025, are dying in police custody.

“Those that recently passed away include Shaheed Huzaifa Muhammad, Tudun Iya, Katsina State, who attained martyrdom on Monday, 7 April, 2025, around 6pm in SARS Abattoir, Guzape, Abuja,” he alleged.

According to him, it would be recalled that on Friday, 28 March 2025, around 2pm, the Guards Brigade unprovokedly attacked the 2025 Abuja International Quds Day held at Usman Bin Affan Mosque along Aminu Kano Crescent, Abuja, and during the attack, the Army killed 26 protesters and arrested 274, including 60 minors.

“This also includes 11 patients who are still being detained despite their critical health conditions.

“And up to this moment, the Army and the police refused to release both the detained protesters and the corpses of those killed by the Army.

“It is pertinent to state that, the crime of both the protesters killed by the Guards Brigade and those being detained by the FCT Police is participation in the 2025 Abuja International Quds Day and demonstrating their support for the freedom of Palestine.

“International Quds Day was initiated by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979. Quds Day is a Global Day of Solidarity with Palestinians, observed peacefully in over 80 countries.

“The Islamic movement under the leadership of His Eminence Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky has been observing Quds Day for more than four decades.

“This year alone, Quds Day was observed in more than 17 states of Nigeria, including cities like Lagos, Kano, and Sokoto, without any report of provocations.

“Demonstrating solidarity to the people of Palestine is not strange ideology to the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

“While speaking with Al-Jazeera in Doha, Qatar, in March 2025, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tugar, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated that “Israel must stop its war on Gaza, and the world needs to drop its double standards over the killings in the besieged enclave.”

“But surprisingly, in March 2025, Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, directed the security agents to attack free Palestine protesters in Abuja.

“In view of the foregoing, we are going to hold Bola Ahmed Tinubu responsible for the killing of 27 free Palestine protesters and vow to pray against all those that ordered/executed the killing and arrest of participants of the 2025 Abuja International Quds Day,” he said.

Mainasara, who condemned the act describing it as “devilish crime against humanity,” he said: “we vow to challenge all the human rights abuses meted out on the free Palestine protesters in court.”

 

 

The Federal High Court in Abuja has cautioned Mr Gimba Ya’u, former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO), Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), against frivolous adjournment in the 65 million-dollar fraud trial.

Justice James Omotosho gave the warming following an oral application seeking for an adjournment by Benjamin Ogar, the lawyer who appeared for Ya’u on Wednesday,
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/333/24 against Ya’u and four others.

The others include Bola Ogunsola, Tarry Rufus, Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited and T-Brend Fortunes Limited as 2nd to 5th defendants respectively.

While Ogunsola is a former FMBN director, Rufus is the T-Brend Fortunes Ltd’s MD.
They were alleged to have diverted $65,000,000 US dollars allocated for the construction of 962 residential units at the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy City in Kubwa, Abuja.

The defendants were arraigned on Nov. 25, 2024, on five counts but pleaded not guilty to the charge.

After the plea of the defendants, they were admitted to a N100 million bail each with two sureties in like sum.

Following their not guilty plea, the judge adjourned the matter until Feb. 6 for trial.
However, on the last adjourned date, the matter could not go on due to an application for adjournment to enable the defence study the documents served on them by the prosecution.

When the case was called on Wednesday, the ICPC’s lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, told the court that he was ready to proceed with the trial with five witnesses lined up to testify in the matter.

However, Ogar, who represented Ya’u, told the court that the 1st defendant (Ya’u) was not ready to go on with the case because the lead counsel, Tawo Tawo, SAN, had written to the court seeking an adjournment.

Ogar said Tawo was not disposed to be in court for the matter because he lost a nephew, who was like a son to him and as such, cannot be in court for the proceedings.

He said the lead counsel preferred to handle the proceedings personally.
Akponimisingha confirmed receiving a call from the senior lawyer for the 1st defendant on Tuesday, informing him of the demise of his nephew and that a letter seeking for an adjournment would be filed.
He, however, said that he had not been served with the letter.
The prosecutor said he would not oppose the request for adjournment since it had to do with death.
Justice Omotosho, in his response, expressed his condolences to Tawo over the demise.
The judge, however, cautioned the defence counsel against causing undue delay of the proceedings through request for adjournment.
He observed that the case was adjourned at the last sitting at the instance of the lawyer to Ya’u.
The judge queried Ogar, who held the brief of Tawo, why he was not familiar with the case he had come to defend.
He advised junior lawyers to always be prepared and be familiar with the cases they are following their seniors to do in court.
“All the junior counsel coming to this court must be prepared and have knowledge of the case they are accompanying their senior lawyers to handle,” he said.
Justice Omotosho, who emphasised the importance of junior lawyers having the full knowledge of cases, said their contribution might be the saving grace.
The judge consequently adjourned the matter until May 7, May 9 and May 12 for hearing.
The ICPC, in the charge, alleged that the defendants contravened the Public Enterprises Regulatory Commission Act and Section 19 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The commission accused Ya’u of making payment to Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited of the sum of N3,785,000,000.00 out of the total contract sum of $65,000,000, for the development of 962 units of Residential Housing in Kubwa, Abuja named, “Goodluck Jonathan Legacy City” contrary to accepted practice.
The charge stated that Ya’u and Ogunsola, in their roles as CEO and executive director of the bank in August 2012, had secured a loan of N14 billion from Ecobank Nigeria Plc on behalf of the bank.
ICPC further alleged that Yau, as the then CEO of FMBN, awarded the $65 million contract despite knowing that the company lacked the capacity to carry out the contract.
It added that the project, however, remains incomplete, “as of today thereby amounting to economic adversity for the bank and in violation of Section 68(1) of the Public Enterprise Regulatory Commission Act, CAP P39, Laws of the Federation, 2004.”
The other defendants were accused of giving and receiving $3,550,000.00 of the contract sum in cash in contravention of the Money Laundering Act.
Rufus, Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited and T-Brend Fortunes Limited were accused of directly converting the sum of N991,399,255 into $3,550,000.00 and handing over the same to one Jason Rosamond (now at large) in cash, contrary to Section 18(2) (b) and punishable under Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

By Flowerbud News

The Director General (D-G) of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Omolola Oloworaran, says the N5.51 trillion pension investment will boost the country’s real sector development.

This is contained in a statement issued by the management of the commission in Abuja on Tuesday.

The investments, she said, span infrastructure, private equity vehicles, real estate, and subnational infrastructure initiatives, among others.

Oloworaran made this disclosure during a meeting with a delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

She said that the meeting was on matters relating to the pension industry and broader financial sector developments.

Oloworaran said that pension fund investments in the real sector of the economy are indicative of the industry’s vital role in providing funding for key economic growth and development in the country.

She said that the industry Net Asset Value (NAV) increased by 22.65 per cent from N18.36 trillion as at December 2023 to N22.51 trillion as of December 2024.

The D-G said that the growth was attributable to additional contributions received and investment income.

Oloworaran decried the limited availability of investable instruments that meet the minimum requirements for pension funds’ investments in the country currently.

She said that only 86 investable instruments, constituting part of the pension broad index, met the minimum quality requirement for pension fund investments that are liquid and have the required free float.

According to her, this is in spite of the numerous provisions made in the Investment regulation to foster increased eligible investment outlets.

Oloworaran said that going forward, PenCom would continue to collaborate with capital market operators to broaden the spectrum of eligible financial instruments for pension fund investments.

She said that the initiative aimed to diversify portfolios and enhance real returns, adding that the Commission would promote increased pension fund investment in alternative asset classes.

The D-G said that these efforts were to strengthen the overall investment portfolio and reinforce the long-term growth and sustainability of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

She said that PenCom presented key developments within the pension industry, focusing on investment strategies, asset quality concerns, financing for growth, and regulatory challenges.

Oloworaran reiterated the Commission’s commitment to fostering the development of diverse asset classes and securities eligible for pension fund investments.

She said this would involves collaboration with entities like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Debt Management Office (DMO) and the Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp).

The IMF delegation was led by Mr Jose Luna, Senior Financial Sector Expert.

Luna expressed satisfaction with PenCom’s ongoing efforts to diversify pension fund investments.

He commended PenCom’s regulation and supervision of the pension industry in the country as well as its efforts in driving positive momentum and ensuring long-term sustainability.

NAN

 

 

… curfew now 7pm to 7am daily

… expresses happiness on the gradual return to peace in the 3 communities

…24-hour security surveillance by joint tax force to continue unabated

… directs the 100 member committee to expidite action on their assignments

 

By Iyiola Olalere

Oshogbo (Flowerbudnews):  As peace  gradually  return to the three warring communities of Ilobu- Ifon- Erin Osun in both Irepodun and Ifon-Orolu local governments, Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has directed that the hitherto 17 hours curfew imposed by his administration in the three warring communities be relaxed to 12 hours.

The relaxation of the curfew is sequel to the different security reports reaching the governor that the much expected ceasefire is taking the centre stage on a daily basis, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, the State’s Commissioner
Information and Public Enlightenment announced in a statement on Tuesday in Oshogbo..

Accordingly, the Governor has directed that the curfew should, beginning from today, Tuesday (08/4/2025) commence from 7pm to 7am on a daily basis until further notice.

The Hon. Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi quoted Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke as saying ;

“Now that peace is gaining the centre stage on a daily basis, it gladdens my heart, as the Governor and Chief Security Officer of Osun State to announce the relaxation of the curfew earlier imposed on Ifon-Ilobu- Erin Osun communities from 17 hours to 12 hours daily with effect from today.

“As a Governor, I am again reaffirming my commitment to do everything morally and officially possible at my executive disposal to bring the communal fracas in the three communities to an amicable end.

“So far, I am equally happy to say that the traditional rulers of the three communities and their subjects have been living up to the desired expectations in ensuring gradual return to peace. This is good and heart warming. I urge them to keep the tempo high in this regard

“In the same vein, the new trend in the time frame of the curfew, will also allow our children who want to write WAEC, NECO and JAMB Examinations to be able to do so without any form of hindrance, as we cannot allow their future to be mortgaged .

“However, I am still directing that the joint security team comprising the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps should continue to maintain their usual 24-hour surveillance to ensure zero tolerance on any act of lawlessness.

“This is not without reiterating the need for all stakeholders to cooperate by embracing the much sought peace in the three communities as anybody/group/ community caught or found wanting in fomenting or aiding the crisis in one way or the other will be made to face the music in line with the dictates of the law of Nigeria .

“I am seizing this opportunity to, once again, remind and direct the 100 member crisis resolution committee on Ifon, Ilobu and Erin Osun communal mayhem set up by this administration in the wake of the crisis few months ago to expedite their assignments so as to find a lasting solution to the problem. My administration and the entire people of Osun state will not settle for less from your committee in giving us a leeway towards ensuring a lasting resolution to the age long communal disputes.

“I urge all sons and daughters of the three communities at home and in diaspora to cooperate with me and my administration to bring this crisis to an end once and for all.

“It is only in an atmosphere of peace and unity that the much sought growth and development can be achieved in the three communities of Ifon, Ilobu and Erin Osun as well as the entire state .” Said Governor Adeleke in the statement.