2013 varsity ranking not from us–NUC

Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie
| credits:

The National Universities Commission has dissociated itself from a purported 2013 ranking of Nigerian universities making rounds on the Internet.

Some faceless scammers had released the 2013 result of the supposedly NUC ranking of universities and uploaded same on the internet.

But the NUC, in a statement, said the list did not emanate from the supervisory agency of the nation’s university system.

The commission, therefore, dissociated itself from the ranking.

The statement reads, “The attention of the NUC has been drawn to some purported lists, making the rounds on the internet, of the ‘Top 100’ and ‘Top 50’ universities in Nigeria, which were alleged to be the outcome of a non-existing ‘annual university rankings’ by the National University Commission (sic).

“It has to be stated, unequivocally, that the lists did not emanate from the NUC. The Commission therefore totally dissociates itself from them.”

The NUC restated that its mandate includes approval of courses and programmes; determination and maintenance of Minimum Academic Standards; monitoring of universities; accreditation of academic programmes and institutions; as well as provision of guidelines and processing of applications for the establishment of private universities.

The NUC added that the first ranking of Nigerian universities done by the agency in 2002 was based on the performance of the universities’ academic programmes in the 1999 and 2000 accreditation exercises.

The 2004 ranking, it stated, was based on percentage of academic programmes of the university with full accreditation status; compliance with carrying capacity; proportion of the academic staff of the university at professorial level; foreign content in workforce and students; and faculty members with outstanding academic achievements.

It stated that the NUC also looked at research output; student completion rate; Ph.D graduate output for the year; stability of university calendar; and student-to-computer ratio.

The results of the exercise, the NUC added, were duly published and that the same would be done for future exercises.

The commission added that though it had started the accreditation of universities since 1990, it considered the institutional accreditation in May 2006 to complement programme accreditation.

“Following wide consultations, the instruments for this exercise were designed and pilot-tested in six universities in 2010. The instruments were fine-tuned, based on the findings of the pilot exercise and NUC was ready for the full-blown institutional accreditation, which took off on 27 November, 2011.

“A total of 26 universities were selected, based on the fact that at least 70 per cent of all their programmes had full accreditation.”

The above, the NUC stated,  “is the build-up to the next ranking exercise by the NUC, which outcome will be made public.

“Stakeholders in the university education sub-sector and the general public are therefore advised to ignore the spurious lists of ‘Top 100” and ‘Top 50” universities being peddled by those who appear bent on causing disaffection in the Nigerian University System,” the statement added.

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Van Persie frustrates Arsenal

Van Persie
| credits: File copy

Robin van Persie scored on his return to Arsenal as newly-crowned Premier League champions Manchester United drew 1-1 at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

On his first appearance back at his former home since last summer’s £24m move to Old Trafford, the Dutchman converted a penalty late in the first half to cancel out Theo Walcott’s early opener.

Arsenal had given United a guard of honour before kick-off after Sir Alex Ferguson’s team won the league on Monday and the gesture passed without any controversy despite all the pre-match speculation.

But that Van Persie was the man to equalise only added to the frustration of Arsenal’s fans, who had booed their former hero throughout and ended the game aware they had missed a chance to open daylight over derby rivals Tottenham in the battle for the top four.

Inevitably, with just two minutes on the clock, Van Persie was involved in the opening goal but it was not in the manner the 29-year-old would have hoped as he unwittingly helped his former club take the lead.

Slipping when attempting a cross-field pass on the halfway line, Van Persie gave Arsenal the ball before Tomas Rosicky was able to play in Walcott, who was allowed to finish despite appearing to be marginally offside when one-on-one with David de Gea.

Meanwhile, Reading and Queens Park Rangers were relegated to the Championship after a scrappy goalless draw between the Premier League’s bottom two clubs.

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Manipulating judiciary will lead to chaos – Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka

NOBEL laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has urged politicians to desist from manipulating the judiciary to prevent a state of anarchy in the country.

Soyinka explained that though the judiciary was making headway in reforms, there was still the need to tackle some dark areas in the sector.

The literary giant, who spoke with reporters on Monday in Port Harcourt, pointed out that such dark areas had created the political crisis rocking the state.

Soyinka was in the state to mark the emergence of Port Harcourt as the 2014 World Book Capital.

Decrying pettiness in governance, the Nobel laureate urged politicians and those in authority to pay attention always to issues that affect the people instead of focusing on inconsequential things.

He said, “The judiciary right now, while it is trying to reform itself, we recognise that there are still some dark areas, such areas appear to have created the political crisis in the state.

“I think pettiness at any level is unbecoming of any democratic situation. That is all I want to say about that. I see that I cannot escape all what is going on. I have also put some questions myself, I mean, obviously, I am a citizen of this nation. So, I am affected personally by what is happening at the opposite end of the nation.

“I am very much concerned about the imbroglio in which the state (Rivers State) appears to be involved at the moment and my main comment is for heaven’s sake, whatever happens internally between parties and so on, please do not debase and do not manipulate the judiciary.

“That is my appeal to governance at all levels. Please do not manipulate the judiciary because when you do, you have chaos, you have total anarchy, you reduce the nation to a space of complete breakdown of law and order, which is what this nation had better avoid.”

Soyinka, however, congratulated the government and people of the state on the emergence of Port Harcourt as the World Book Capital.

He expressed the need to use knowledge to fight the forces of retrogression, violent negativist as represented by members of the Boko Haram sect.

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Nigeria passing through a trying moment – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan

| credits: dailypost.com.ng

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday took a look at the various security challenges facing the country and returned a verdict: Nigeria is passing  through  a trying moment.

“This is quite a trying moment for this country in terms of security. A number of our police officers have lost their lives while serving their fatherland. We have challenges from the South to the North and  from the East to the West. We sleep but some people will keep awake and these are the security personnel,” he said.

Jonathan spoke at the grand finale of the 2013 Police Week Celebrations   at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

The event, which featured a ceremonial parade by policemen and the inauguration of police equipment, including seven helicopters, 10 Armoured Personnel Carriers and 275 patrol vans,   was attended by top government officials and security experts.

The President, who called for a minute silence in honour of security agents who have lost their lives in the process of securing the people, regretted that no part of the country was spared in the security challenges.

While condoling with the families of security personnel who died in the various attacks Jonathan assured them that the Federal Government would never abandon them.

He said in his quest to tackle the security challenges  headlong, his vision was to ensure that all the 36 state police commands and that of  the Federal Capital Territory  had    helicopters  for effective aerial surveillance.

Jonathan said, “The police must be well equipped and kitted to protect us while on land, water and air. You can see the helicopters that will be  inaugurated  and my commitment is that every state command must have  a helicopter.

“That was why we set up a special fund because the idea that armed robbers will take over a state and be operating for   hours without any  challenge must be a thing of the past. That is why we must invest in air power for the Nigeria police.”

He promised that his administration would create a more friendly police force that would be united with the  community through a shared sense of responsibility and partnership.

This, the President  said, was possible if all  stakeholders such as   the government,  the citizens, the police leadership, officers and men  worked together for a common purpose.

Jonathan asked  all policemen to rise to the current reality and challenges facing the nation.

While admitting that policing  was a challenging task, he said every policeman and woman must change with the time, adding that that was the minimum standard expected of them by Nigerians.

The President also warned policemen to always be mindful of the rights of innocent Nigerians while carrying out their assignments.

He said, “I also charge the police, while doing their work to be mindful of the rights of the ordinary citizens because rights are very sensitive. While policing us, you must know that the   rights  of the citizens of this country must be protected. In that regard, we expect maximum discipline from officers and men of the Nigeria Police.”

Jonathan said his presence at the ceremony was in furtherance of his administration’s determination to reposition the nation’s security   structure for a more effective policing.

He said, “The police have a daunting task of enforcing the laws, keeping the peace and protecting lives and property  which are exceedingly vital for societal well-being and development.

“It is therefore why every nation expects so much from its police. For the police to be effective, government must also provide the police what they require to work, tools must be provided.

“That is one of the reasons we are here  to inaugurate some of the items and we will continue to do more. We are today going to inaugurate some helicopters and vehicles for the use of the police.

“I expect that these facilities will enhance police capability in prevention of crimes. They shall be instruments of justice and protection  of  all men and women. As they use the equipment, one thing I will urge the police to do is to  maintain them. As a nation, we are not good at  maintaining what we have.”

The President also made a case for training and re-training in the police force.

“We must emphasise the need to train. For you to remain gallant and functional in whatever you do and especially in security tactics, training is paramount. “ he added.

Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, said with the resuscitation of the Police Week which was last celebrated in 1976, he was passing a clear message to criminals   that the wind of change was now blowing through the police.

Abubakar said  the new police force would display “team spirit, loyalty, zeal, courage, civility and renewed commitment” towards confronting criminals.

He said, “My sense of pride stems from the fact that with the blessing of the Almighty God and support of my lieutenants, it is under my stewardship as the Inspector-General of Police that the concept of Nigeria Police Week which was last celebrated in 1976, was reintroduced.

“For over 37 years, a veritable instrument and opportunity to strengthen the bond between the police and the public was kept on hold, while the gap between the police and the community kept widening.

“Mistrust grew and the public and the police started reacting based on mutual suspicion. All because, the opportunity for social interaction, the Police Week Celebrations provided was allowed to fizzle away.”

He recalled with nostalgia the times when police stations were opened for members of the public to walk in and interact with their policemen and officers; when police commanders and smartly dressed policewomen would proudly interact with the youth community and security stakeholders in the society; and when the expertise of the Force would be showcased in form of demonstrations by versatile police motorcycle riders among others.

He said with the Monday event, the Force leadership was giving practical meaning to its firm determination to restore the lost glory of the Force and re-enact those practices which bind the citizens to their police and elicit fond memories of the force.

Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade, who described the ceremony as another first in the present administration’s transformation agenda, said the event provided another opportunity for the police to reconnect with the people in tackling security challenges.

Olubolade urged the police to reciprocate the good gesture of government in providing the equipment by working hard to tackle the insecurity in the land.

About 17 policemen were honoured at the ceremony with two of them receiving post-humus awards.

The recipients were rewarded for various activities, including counter-insurgency efforts, investigation of high profile murder cases and commanding ceremonial parades.

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Man jailed 45 years for stealing Aregbesola’s phone

Ighodalo

| credits: File copy

For stealing a N50,000 Sony Ericsson phone belonging to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, a 31-year-old Kelvin Ighodalo has been sentenced to 45-year imprisonment by an Osogbo High Court.

Ighodalo stole the phone from the pocket of Aregbesola on November 27, 2010, when the governor was being inaugurated at Government Technical College, Osogbo.

Justice Oyejide Falola, who heard the case, found Ighodalo guilty on six counts, which included conspiracy, stealing and fraud.

He was sentenced to 10-year imprisonment for the first three counts and five years for each of the last three which included impersonation, obtaining property by falsehood and collusion.

Falola, who ruled that Ighodalo deserved the jail term, held that the convict used the phone to obtain N500, 000 from the Owa of Ilesa, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, while he obtained N200, 000 from Mr Shengen Rahman, an associate of the governor.

The jail term, which Falola pronounced will run concurrently, means that Ighodalo will spend the next 10 years behind bars.

Assistant principal state counsel, Mr Biodun Badiora, told the court that the convict had served six-year imprisonment in Ikoyi prison custody in connection with a murder case in 2005.

Counsel to Ighodalo, Mr. Ameachi Ngwu, prayed the court to commit him to community service, stressing that the convict should not be incarcerated but rather be placed where people could see him as a convict.

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Homosexual stabs partner to death, police arrest neighbours

The apartment where Ohamara was stabbed.
| credits: Eniola Akinkuotu

The Lagos State Police Command has started investigation into the murder of a banker, Adindu Ohamara, who was stabbed to death by his suspected homosexual lover in Akoka, Bariga Local Council Development Area  of Lagos State.

It was gathered that Ohamara lived in a three-bedroom flat with his elder sister, Flora and one Collins, an undergraduate of the University of Lagos.

According to residents, the banker  was stabbed repeatedly at his residence located at 26 Obayan Street.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Ohamara, who was believed to be a homosexual, was fond of bringing different men, who were also believed to be into same sex relationship, to his home.

It was learnt that trouble started  when he (Ohamara) decided to get married due to pressure from his family.

A resident, who craved anonymity, said after the banker  had his wedding introduction, a man, believed to be  also  a gay came to fight him.

He said, “A few weeks ago, Ohamara did his wedding introduction and shortly after that, one man came to the compound to fight him.There was a lot of noise over the issue and even neighbours had to come to settle the matter.

“The unidentified man complained that he had been jilted and threatened to deal with Ohamara before he left in anger.”

Our correspondent learnt that on April 9, 2013,  the banker returned home with a  man, who   allegedly stabbed  him at midnight  and left.

According to police sources, hours before the incident, Collins went to Oharama’s room where he met the stranger sitting on Oharama’s bed, discussing with him.

A domestic worker in  the house, who craved anonymity, said he saw the suspect fleeing with a laptop at midnight.

He said, “It was a Friday evening. Ohamara came home with the man and they went inside. I went to sleep but at midnight, I saw the man carrying a laptop and then he opened the gate and left. He did not run so I was not suspicious.

“Around 4am, Collins and Flora started shouting for help. A neighbour came to help them and they took him  into his Toyota Camry   and drove to a hospital.”

It was learnt that Ohamara was taken to Jonken Hospital from where he was referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital Idi Araba where he was confirmed dead.

The matter, it was learnt, was reported at the  Sabo Police Division but was later referred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.

Our correspondent, who visited the house on Monday, learnt that the police later arrested all the adult occupants of the building, including the security guard identified only as Kazeem.

The policemen allegedly demanded N350,000 from each of the detained persons before they could be  released.

The landlord of the property, Yemi Oketola, said the deceased had issued him two post-dated cheques as payment for his rent.

Oketola  on  hearing of the arrest  of his other tenants,  visited the SCID and appealed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Damilola Adegbuyi, for their   release.

He said, “I do not live in the house but immediately I got wind of the incident, I went to the SCID and I met with the DCP in charge. I complained that a neighbour, who took Ohamara to the hospital  ,was  arrested. The DCP promised that my tenants would be released.

“When I went to see the Investigating Police Officer, he informed me that the cost of bailing each person was N350, 000. I called the DCP and he was very angry when he heard about the demand. He said he would make sure that the tenants were released.”

When contacted on the telephone, the spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the murder.

Braide however said she could not confirm if the deceased was a homosexual or not.

She said, “According to information I got at the SCID Homicide unit, there are only two suspects in custody, the deceased’s sister (Flora) and the UNILAG student (Collins). I am not aware of any other arrests.

“Also, I am not aware of any N350, 000 bail because bail is free. Investigations are ongoing and we will get to the bottom of it.”

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BIG ACHIEVEMENT: Fashola Build First Suspension Bridge In Nigeria?

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde has finished building the first suspension bridge in Nigeria. The 1.358km bridge, which will link Ikoyi (Alexander Street) to Lekki (Admiralty Way), cost about N29 billion to build and a toll will be collected to recoup the investment. The link bridge was built by Julius Berger.

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UNCOVERED: The List Of Boko Haram Sponsors?

The Federal Government has released a white paper on the report.

A federal government White Paper on Boko Haram- the government’s first official report on the sect since it began a deadly uprising in 2009- has indicted “prominent” Borno state politicians as the group’s founders, with a directive they be brought to justice-a decision left unimplemented nearly two years after.

The report, published in government’s official gazette since 2011, says Boko Haram evolved from private militias run by key politicians from the northeast state, who sought to outflank opponents ahead of 2003 elections.

For several months or maybe years ahead of the polls, the groups, under titles as ECOMOG, Yan Kalare in Gombe, and Sara Suka in Bauchi, amassed huge cache of weapons made available by the political leaders in a broad effort that stretched to adjoining Yobe, Gombe and Bauchi states, the report states.

After the elections, the youth, still armed, but discarded by their sponsors-a well-known electioneering habit for most Nigerian politicians- became easy preys for a radical brand of Islam preached at the time by Mohammed Yusuf, the sect’s leader.

The findings fairly agreed with popular version of how the deadly sect, responsible for thousands of deaths, rose to a notorious prominence.

As government’s official position, delivered between August and September 2011, the investigative panel headed by Usman Galtimari, a former ambassador, proposed that security agencies be mandated to “beam their search light on some politicians who sponsored, funded and used the militia groups that later metamorphosed into Boko Haram and bring them to justice.”

The recommendation was approved by the government as stated in the White Paper exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES. The White Paper committee was chaired by the Interior minister, Abba Mora.

“Government accepts this recommendation, and directs the National Security Adviser to coordinate the investigation of the kingpins and sponsors to unravel the individuals and groups that are involved,” the report says.

But nearly two years on, amid escalating violence waged by the sect, no political leader from the state has faced sanctions as recommended.

Prominent politicians

Despite its vague reference to “prominent politicians” as the sponsors and originators in the state as of 2003, security officials say the recommended “searchlight” stated in the White Paper, would have been on the state’s former governor, Ali Modu Sherriff, as well as state and federal lawmakers, if the government had chosen to act.

The arrest and prosecution of Mr. Sheriff, now a Senator, alleged by Borno residents and officials as the founder and sponsor of ECOMOG for his 2003 gubernatorial election, has also been a major demand of the Boko Haram in earlier statements when the group still seemed willing for an amnesty.

What would seem a partial effort at executing the decision is the court charge against Mohammed Ali Ndume, a House of Representative member in 2003 and now a senator. Mr. Ndume is accused of having operational links with members of the sect, allegedly established through telephone contacts.

Mr. Ndume, himself a member of the government committee that investigated the insurgency, has denied the charge, in a running legal battle that has already spanned more than a year.

Similar decisions adopted in the report, including a commitment to authorize military investigation into alleged atrocities committed by government troops in Borno state, have also yet to be implemented, security sources informed about the progress, say.

While the government adopted nearly all of 109 recommendations outlined in the report, it flatly rejected proposals to compensate victims of Boko Haram attacks, offering instead to “assist” them.

It also turned down a suggestion to have the sect’s detainees transferred from Abuja cells to Borno state as a prelude to possible talks in 2011. The government said while it agreed to possible dialogue with the group, its approach would be from “a position of strength” whereby security forces will continue to take charge, trying to root out elements of the sect.

How Boko Haram grew

But despite the government’s eventual decision and an apparent dismal implementation of the recommendations, the report chronicled how a little-known group, which appeared harmless at start, metamorphosed into a world class, modern day terror organization years after.

The report says if the sect’s leader, Mohammed Yusuf’s rapid momentum at first, could have been reversed early enough, Nigerian courts did not help by discharging Mr. Yusuf repeatedly on initial state charges of disrupting the peace.

Mr. Yusuf was charged more than once in Abuja, and was repeatedly he was acquitted. On each occasion, the report states, he returned to a hero’s welcome in Borno state, projecting an air of invincibility and drawing even more members who relished his legal exploits, to his fold.

“The discharge of Mohammed Yusuf on two occasions by an Abuja court made a hero out of him, as the reception accorded him upon his return to Maiduguri, attracted a mammoth crowd that temporarily undermined state authority, and served as an avenue for him to attract additional membership into the sect,” the report says.

Again, the report says, while Yusuf continued with his fundamentalist sermons that electrified his followers, the government only attempted a forcible crackdown; without seeking to comprehend, and contradict the group’s belligerent ideology.

The report briefly accused the late President Umaru Yar’Adua for failing to institute proper investigation into the extrajudicial killing of Mr. Yusuf by the police, a fatal twist, which the report acknowledges, became the turning point for increased attacks that have failed to abate since 2009.

Source: Premium Times

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