The deceased, whom source learnt is from Cross River State, was recently promoted to Deputy Manager in the company and was due to retire from service next year before he met his death.
It was learnt that the deceased and his wife had been having issues with the paternity of their children after the deceased suspected the wife was having an extra-marital affair with the pastor.
The deceased was said to have visited home to complain to both his family and that of his wife, after suspecting that the current pregnancy the wife is carrying was not from him.
Consequently, the families resolved that a DNA test be conducted after giving birth to the child.
Source learnt that it was this arrangement that infuriated the wife and which led her into allegedly plotting the murder her husband with her lover pastor.
On Friday October 22, 2013, the deceased came home after work when the suspected killers came. After allegedly committing the dastardly act, they took the mutilated body into one of his old cars and drove to Sapele Road.
The car, with the body of the NPDC Manager in it, was set ablaze.
On Monday October 25, the wife was said to have gone to the deceased's office to report that her husband was missing.
But apparently after visiting the husband's office, she went straight to the bank and withdrew N4 milion from his account.
The woman also went to the police to report the incident.
However, staff of NDDC were informed that people observed a burnt car somewhere along Sapele Road. They rushed to the scene and found it was the late Nsongbunyo's car.
They went back to the deceased's wife to inform her of the situation but found her sitting comfortably at home watching television.
That was when the police started suspecting her.
However, detectives intensified search for the deceased car which was given to him by the company, following his promotion.
The car was tracked to a compound at Ekenwan road, Benin City.
Source learnt that a lady was accosted by detectives in the compound and she confessed that the car was packed by a pastor that lived in the compound.
When the pastor came out, detectives observed burns in his left hand and face. The pastor disclosed that one of his daughters in the church sowed a seed with the car.
The duo were arrested immediately and are currently being investigated by detectives at the Police Command in Edo State.
He noted that Nigerians from all works of life including students, workers and musicians like late Sunny Okosun, contributed to the struggle and liberation of South Africa, hence it is considered a frontline state in the fight against apartheid regime.
The President spoke while explaining the reason Nigeria declared three days of mourning as well as holding a national memorial service in hounour of Late Mandela.
Fielding questions from journalists just before departing for the FNB Stadium in Pretoria for the state funeral service, Jonathan reiterated that Mandela was a symbol of unity Who grew beyond South Africa and the African continent but the black race as well.
President Jonathan described the late South African hero as somebody who took the state and the interest of the people to heart even more than his own self and stood out clearly above a number of people in terms of the leadership of his state.
He urged leaders to learn from Mandela's ability to unite his people irrespective of challenges he faced and his commitment to peace and love. He added that despite the fact that the struggle for political offices are very challenging, every leader must bear in mind that he/she is the president of everybody and not of a select few once in office.
President Jonathan said, "First I would use this opportunity again to express our condolences to South Africa and indeed the rest of Africa and indeed the black race because Mandela grew beyond boundaries, the political map of South Africa so this concerns everybody.
"Mandela is a symbol of unity, somebody who took the state and the interest of the people much more than his own self and he stood out clearly above a number of people in terms of leadership of our states. He was able to bring unity to South Africa, peace in spite of the challenges of apartheid regime. Nigeria during the apartheid struggle made contributions, all of us including students and workers. That is why Nigeria was considered a frontline state even though we are quiet far away in the region of West African.
"So Nigeria was totally commited to the liberation struggle in South Africa, all Nigerians including our musicians. And that is why we will love for them to play some of the records including that of late Sunny Okosun, who used his voice and artistry to really push the apartheid struggle from back home in Nigeria.
"So since we worked hard with the South Africans during the struggle, now that Mandela the face of the struggle, is dead, we have to encourage the South Africans and to reassure them that the relationship between Nigeria and South Africa will continue to grow stronger and stronger".
Speaking on why Nigeria declared three days mourning and held a church service in Mandela's honour despite the fact that he is a South African, the President said, "Nigeria declared three days of mourning and our flags were flown at half mast, and we had special services in all our mosques and churches that culminated in the State House Chapel that I worship.
"We did that because as I mentioned earlier, during the apartheid struggle Nigeria is one country that was totally committed. Though we are not here physically in the land of South Africa but all Nigerians were totally committed because we feel their pains was our own pains, their struggle was our own struggle even when apartheid collapsed we consider their victory as our own victory.
"That is why now that Mandela being the face of the struggle is dead, is only proper for Nigeria to participate and celebrate with the South Africans just like we did during the struggle".
When asked his message to leaders on Mandela as a leader and a brand to South Africa, Jonathan said, "The lessons we leaders learnt from Mandela is the ability of a leader to unite the people irrespective of challenges. Because the struggle to take political offices is very challenging, you face a lot of obstacles but when you get there you know you are the president of everybody.
Mandela was able to bring the unity even amongst the blacks of South Africa not just among the whites and blacks. Even among the blacks there were issues but because of his style of leadership, his commitment to the people he was able to bring that unity, he was able to show love and peace. He was a very courageous man and he used all the skills he had to challenge apartheid and bring unity to South Africa. So we must all learn from that to consider our citizens more than our personal interest and make sure we bring peace and unity. Those are the elements of development of any society because without peace you cannot develop economically".
The notice was contained in a letter written to the PDP chairman by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Lands, Phisical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Ayodele Owoade.
A copy of the letter as made available to our correspondent in Osogbo by the special adviser on Tuesday.
He said that although the PDP chairman challenged the planned demolition of the party secretariat in court but the court struck out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution.
The letter read in part, "You will recollect that you challenged the (demolition) exercise at the High Court which made us to stop it as a responsible government who observes the rule of law. The matter which you brought to the case has since been struck out leaving us with no legal impediment to carry out the demolition exercise.
"Attached is the court order for your information and necessary action. We therefore, advise you to voluntarily carry out the demolition exercise in the spirit of Omoluabi ethos which we are sure would have been ingrained in you."
According to the court order attached to the letter addressed to the PDP chairman, Justice A. A. Aderibigbe of an Osogbo High Court struck out the suit filed by the PDP chairman to challenge the planned demolition.
The judgment read, "I agree with the counsel for the defendants ( governor) that the plaintiff and his counsel have not been diligent in their handling of this case. The pending application for injunction filed on July 22, 2013 and the entire suit filed on the same day are hereby struck out for want of diligent prosecution."
But the PDP chairman who warned the governor against going ahead with the demolition. He said that such action would be resisted vehemently by the party.
Olaoluwa explained that the PDP had filed a motion to reenlist the suit already struck out.
He said, "The PDP is a party that has respect for the rule of law but any attempt to demolish the fence of the Goodluck/Sambo campaign office will be restricted vehemently.
We are admonishing the Director of SSS, state police commissioner not to allow themselves to be used by Aregbesola in his efforts at pulling down the campaign office of President Goodluck Jonathan.
The Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said this while briefing journalists on be payment of the N200bn by the Federal Government into "Revitalisation of Universities Infrastructure" account with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
While giving further evidence to buttress the claim that
the N200bn had been paid, Okupe gave a copy of the letter written by the deputy Governor of CBN, Mr. Tunde Lemo to the Accountant General of the Federation, to journalists.
The letter, with reference GVD/DGO/GEN/MPA/05/151 and
dated December 10, 2013 reads in part , "Confirmation
of the execution of your mandates for the credit of account No: 00200xx522, Revitalization revitalisation of
Universities Infrastructure" Account.
"I write to confirm the execution of the following mandates by the Central Bank of Nigeria for funding of the above mentioned account as follows:
1. Mandate FDL/LP201340/1/30/DF: N129,300,000,000:00
2. Mandate FD/FA/124/Vol X11/120/1DF:
N20,700,000,000:00
3. Mandate FD/LP2013/40/1/DF :N50,000,000,000:00
"I wish to further confirm that the available balance in
the aforementioned account is
N200,000,000,000:00( two hundred billion naira only.
"Please accept the assurances of my best regards."
With this, Okupe said there was no need for the continuation of the strike.
He said the President of ASUU', Dr. Nasir Faggee had said last Thursday that if there was proof of payment that the strike would be called off immediately.
He said, " I hereby show the proof of payment to all
Nigerians, not only to ASUU and to let the people know
that when we say that this administration has no
credibility issue, we mean it.
"We have kept our cool, we have taken a lot of insults
and all that and things that were disparaging but we are
glad today to show this proof that this has been done as
we said
"Therefore, I want to join other well meaning Nigerians to
appeal to ASUU to cancel or stop the strike promptly.
There is no further legitimacy behind the strike anymore.
"There is no further reason for this strike to continue beyond tonight and if ASUU is indeed a very serious organization, after this pronouncement and after this submission, they should also hold an emergency meeting latest within the next fe hours and call off the strike in the interest of the whole country."
Wamakko, who arrived for the meeting at the First Lady's Conference Room with his Kano State counterpart, Rabiu Kwankwaso, stayed for the five-hour meeting with President Jonathan and 14 PDP governors.
Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting ended around 2.45a.m., he said the forum provided him the opportunity to say the truth concerning their grievances, which led to their defection.
But Wamakko did not respond to the question whether he was pressurised by the President to return to the PDP.
He said: "Well…the meeting went on very well because some of us came here as governors … in PDP matter and our position has been known. On behalf of the five of us, I have already briefed Mr. President; our position as G-5, that we are no longer in the PDP and that we are already in another party."
"But as a President of this country, if he calls us, we will come and listen to him and respect him as a leader of our country; otherwise, what we had there was mostly a PDP affair."
On why he sat through the about five hours PDP meeting, Wamakko said: "We had to tell the President and Chairman of the BOT our position. We can't just be going about talking;
we had to come and tell them the truth where the truth must be told and that is why we came here."
The Akwa Ibom State Governor and Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Chief Godswill Akpabio, said the meeting was part of the on-going dialogue to resore harmony and peace in the party.
He said: "I think the meeting we had was part of the dialogue Mr. President … months back at that time we had the G-7 governors.
The last time we met, we met with the G-2 governors and today we had the G-3 and so it is part of the continuing dialogue to ensure harmony and peace in the party and Mr. President is not relenting."
He is very serious about consulting with all strata and all the bigwigs in the party, particularly the governors who are aggrieved, with a view to bringing everybody on board and ensuring harmony and unity of the party and the governors. I don't think the issue of APC was discussed."
On whether all hope is lost with Wamakko's declaration to journalists at the end of the meeting, Akpabio said: "Please, you have to distinguish the issue state-by-state.
You have to take the issues state-by-state. I wasn't here when the governor of Sokoto was talking to you and I know that the governor of Sokoto State is just one member of the PDP in Sokoto and if he says he is leaving the PDP, I am sure there are still thousands of other members of PDP who will say, 'we are staying within the PDP'.
Among governors who attended the meeting which started on Sunday night include Niger, Abia, Kebbi, Kogi, Katsina, Bauchi, Plateau, Enugu, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Ebonyi, Kaduna, and Taraba states.
Also at the meeting were Vice President Namadi Sambo, Chairman of the PDP's Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki.
The President left the meeting about an hour to the end.
Ahead of today's event, a special joint session of parliament was held in Cape Town yesterday to allow South African politicians from all political parties to mark the passing of the nation's first black president.
President Jacob Zuma urged the country to remember the values of peace and forgiveness that Mr Mandela lived by and uphold them.
His sentiments were echoed by the anti-apartheid icon's family, who released a statement calling on South Africans to "keep the dream alive".
The huge memorial service is due to take place at the stadium where Mr Mandela made his last public appearance during the 2010 World Cup Final.
President Goodluck Jonathan, United States President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon are among the dignitaries.
A programme released by the South African government showed that Obama would speak, as would Ki-moon and Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao. Other speakers include Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Cuban President Raul Castro. South African President Jacob Zuma will give the keynote address.
Though security remains a concern, an AP reporter walked unsearched into the stadium yesterday by showing only a national press card issued in Europe. It took about three minutes before a security officer asked journalists to leave the stadium's field. However, reporters freely roamed throughout the stadium and walked the aisles to see the ongoing stage construction.
Officials from the U.S. Consulate in Johannesburg also toured the venue, but declined to speak to journalists.
From tomorrow, Mandela's body will "lie in state" in Pretoria at the Union Buildings where he governed as president between 1994 and 1999.
A funeral cortege carrying his remains will pass through the capital daily until Friday, with South Africans being urged to line the streets to form a "guard of honour".
The state funeral will take place in Mandela's ancestral homeland of Qunu in the Eastern Cape on Sunday.
Many world leaders are expected to travel to the usually sleepy rural village to join Mr Mandela's family, friends and former comrades in bidding farewell to the revered statesman.
Former US Presidents George W Bush, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and their wives will also be present at the event.
George H W Bush is the only living US president who will not attend. His spokesman said the 89-year-old is no longer able to travel long distances.
The American leaders will join dozens of other dignitaries, including about 60 heads of state who have confirmed their attendance at this week's memorial events.
Cameron will attend the main memorial service on Tuesday, while Prince Charles will represent Britain at Sunday's state funeral.
Celebrities, including Bono, Oprah Winfrey and Sir Richard Branson are expected to head to the country to pay their personal tributes to the man they considered a friend.
South Africa's president says Nelson Mandela has died at age 95. Jacob Zuma says "We've lost our greatest son," South African President Jacob Zuma said in announcing Mandela's death.
Mandela had a number of issues with his health in recent years including repeated hospitalizations with a chronic lung infection. Mandela had been listed in "serious but stable condition" after entering the hospital in June before returning to home to receive continued medical care.
In April, Mandela spent 18 days in the hospital due to a lung infection and was treated for gall stones in December 2012.
Mandela's public appearances had become increasingly rare as he dealt with his declining health.
His last public appearance was in July of 2010, when he attended the final match and closing ceremonies of the soccer World Cup held in South Africa.
Life of Nelson Mandela:
In 2011, Mandela met privately with Michelle Obama when the first lady and her daughters traveled to South Africa.
Mandela and the Legacy He Leaves Behind
One of the giants of the 20th century, Mandela's career was marked not only by his heroic resistance to racism, but also by his poised and soft spoken demeanor.
After enduring nearly three decades of prison, much of it at hard labor in a lime quarry, Mandela emerged as a gentle leader who became South Africa's first black president. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership in ending apartheid without violence, and later became a global statesman who inspired millions people around the world.
Mandela was born in 1918, the son of a tribal leader, in a remote village in South Africa.
His tribal name, Rolihlahla, meant "troublemaker," a moniker Mandela would more than live up to in his lifetime.
In 1952, he emerged onto the national stage when he helped organize the first country-wide protests called the Defiance Campaign. That same year he opened the country's first black law firm.
Ruth Mopati, his secretary at the firm, wrote about the way he was then in the book "Mandela," saying, "He was able to relate to people with respect and therefore he was respected in return."
While Mandela's party, the African National Congress, had always been dedicated to non-violence, in 1960 the ANC was banned to prevent further protests after police shot dead 69 black protestors in what became known as the Sharpeville massacre.
The events radicalized the organization and led to the creation of the ANC military wing, for which Mandela became its first commander in 1961.
In 1962, Mandela was sent to prison on a charge of inciting a strike.
"At 1:30 in the morning, on March 30, I was awakened by sharp, unfriendly knocks at my door, the unmistakable signature of the police. 'The time has come,' I said to myself as I opened the door to find half a dozen armed security policemen," Mandela said.
Two years later, Mandela was sentenced to life in prison for sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the white government. Much of the next 27 years in prison were spent in the infamous Robben Island prison where he did hard labor in a lime quarry.
During his nearly three decades behind bars, Mandela would become a myth. The government even banned any use of Mandela's image or words, leaving a whole generation to grow up knowing little about the world's most famous political prisoner.
Nelson Mandela Teamed Up With White Leader F.W. de Klerk
Mandela spoke about his time in his autobiography: "A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones -- and South Africa treated its imprisoned African citizens like animals."
After 27 years, President F.W. de Klerk announced in 1990, "Mr. Nelson Mandela will be released from Victor Vestor prison…" On Feb. 11, 1990 Mandela emerged from prison into a world he had not seen in almost three decades.
Mandela described leaving the prison and greeting the crowds by saying, "I raised my right fist and there was a roar. I had not been able to do that for 27 years and it gave me a surge of strength and joy."
The country's black townships erupted into celebration for a returning hero. Mandela announced: "Today all South Africans -- black and white -- know that apartheid has no future."
Mandela and de Klerk forged an uneasy partnership in the coming years, despite sharing the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
Peace, however, would not come quickly. More than 4,000 people died in political violence in the year leading up the country's free elections in 1994.
On April 27, 1994, millions of blacks in an extraordinary show of determination lined up for hours to cast their first ballots. The ANC won in a landslide and Mandela became South Africa's first black president.
Mandela announced: "I am the product of Africa and her long cherished dream of a rebirth that can now be realized so that all of her children may play in the sun."
He remained in office for five years. In 1999 in his final act of leadership, he oversaw the peaceful transfer of power to a handpicked successor.
His post-prison years were marred, however, by the scandal that surrounded his wife Winnie Mandela. They were married for only four months when Mandela was sent away to prison, and she spent the next 27 years campaigning for his release and amassing her own power base.
By the time Mandela was freed from jail, Winnie had become an unpopular and feared figure in South Africa. She was eventually convicted of kidnapping in the case of four teenage boys, including one who died. She was sentenced to six years in prison, but the charges were later reduced to theft and fraud and she was forced to pay a fine instead.
Mandela's Late in Life Love Life
Mandela, who had stood by his wife at first, divorced her in 1995 after revealing to a South African court that his wife was carrying on an adulterous affair that left him as "the loneliest man."
But a late-in-life romance blossomed for the gentle statesman with Graca Machel, an influential campaigner for children's rights and the widow of Mozambique's former president Samora Machel. The two were married in 1998 on Mandela's 80th birthday. She was 52.
In 2001 Mandela was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but doctors said that wasn't unusual for man of Mandela's age and treated it with radiation therapy.
After he left office, Mandela became a global statesman, mediating conflicts in some of the world's worst troubled spots.
He also devoted much of his time to his charity for children. In an interview with PBS' "Frontline," Rick Stengel who co-authored "A Long Walk to Freedom" with Mandela, said , "One of the things that separates Mandela from other people ... is that he's an optimist. He's a cockeyed optimist."
In 2008, tens of thousands of people turned out in London to honor him for his 90th birthday. Nelson Mandela told them the fight against injustice is not yet won. But after a lifetime of working for peace, he told the crowd, "It is in your hands now."
The following year, actor and director Clint Eastwood delivered his Academy award-winning film, "Invictus," telling the story of Mandela's efforts to unite the people of South Africa through a national rugby team in 1995. The title of the film came from a short Victorian poem by the same name that Mandela was known for reciting.
In the end, the boy who was named "troublemaker" became one of the greatest peacemakers of the past century.
He will be greatly remembered as a symbol of the fight for human rights, and as a leader who healed a greatly divided nation in the face of overwhelming odds.
Mandela ends his autobiography, "Conversations With Myself," saying, "I have walked the long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret -- that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance that I have come. But I can rest for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended.
The musicians, who constitute about 70 per cent of old and contemporary Nigerian artistes, were identified as members, whose intellectual property rights rest with COSON, and for which the society has been hunting down users of such works, who have refused to pay royalty.
Musicians affected by the ban include TuFace Idibia, D' Banj, Inyanya Mbuk, Olamide, Dr Sid, Sammie Okposo, Banky W, Wizkid, Olu Maintain, 9ice, Sunny Neji, Flavour, Chidinma, Rugged Man, Keffee, Midnite Crew, Eldee De Don, M I, Azeezat, Jazzman Olofin, Ice Prince, Jesse Jagz, KC Presh, X Project, Asha, Konga and African China.
Others are Owen Gee, Dekunle Fuji, Lord of Ajasa, Zoolezoo, Muma Gee, ID Cabassa, Klever J, Terry G, Nomoreloss, Mike Okri, Weird MC, Mode 9, Timaya, Sound Sultan, Waje, Mo'Cheddah, Jay Martins, Slam, Djinee, Solid Star, Omawunmi, Yinka Ayefele, Ebenezer Obey, Victor Uwaifo, Onyeka Onwenu, Dan Maraya Jos, Stella Monye, MajekFashek, Daniel Wilson, Alex Zitto, Sir Shina Peters, Ras Kimono, Wale Thompson, Kollington Ayinla, Adewale Ayuba, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal and Tim Godfrey among others.
BON took the decision to ban the works of these musicians in collaboration with the Independent Broadcasting Association of Nigeria (IBAN). The resolution by the two bodies yesterday, according to IBAN Secretary, Mr. Guy Murray Bruce, takes immediate effect.
COSON had taken several broadcast stations, hotels and other institutional users of musical works to court, and is known to have negotiated payment with many, including DStv, Silverbird and Cool FM among others.
The face off heightened after DAAR Communication and a few others were hit with litigation for similar claim. BON had risen to the incident, challenging the modality of payment, which it described as arbitrary and seeking an alternative royalty collecting society, as a way of breaking the perceived COSON monopoly.
COSON Chairman Chief Tony Okoroji said he felt like weeping, adding that it is only in Nigeria that this can take place, stating that the only sin COSON has committed was going to court to compel broadcasting stations to pay royalties for use of music. He noted with regret that there is a common attitudinal disregard for intellectual property right in the country.
Members of the music and film industries showed great concern over the issue at the Protea Hotel, Ikeja, on Tuesday, at an entertainment forum. Many were shocked at how realistic it would be to outlaw such long list of popular musicians from the airwaves.
Notable filmmaker and marketer Chief Gabriel Okoye aka Gabosky described the situation as a slap on creativity, adding that the war is not only COSON's but for all, and promised to mobilise with COSON to confront BON on the issue.
BON's Director-General Mr. Emeka Mba, however, called for anamicable settlement.
Mba told The Nation: "Both sides need to come to a negotiated and final settlement. The NBC has already informed both parties that it will intervene by inviting them to a meeting with the Nigerian Copyright Commission."
Industry commentators have wondered how the stations would meet their local content obligations with the long list of Nigerian artistes affected by the ban.
They said such a situation was of serious concern to the NBC. Article 3.13.2.2 of the Broadcast code issued by NBC says: 'For the purpose of free-to-air broadcast, Nigerian music shall constitute 80 per cent of all music broadcast'.
Okoroji described the development as the first in human history when the top artistes of any nation are said to be banned from the airwaves. He insisted that if the sad action was to blackmail COSON for taking some broadcast stations, who believe that they are above the law to court for copyright infringement, he was willing to lay down his life in the defence of the rights of creative people.
Source: The Nation
The Chairman of the branch, Dr Idris Adekunle, announced this at a news conference in Lagos on Tuesday.
Adekunle said the LASU branch of ASUU had resolved to continue with the indefinite strike.
He said that members had also resolved not to sign any register if the university's management decided to open any.
The Congress unanimously resolves that if for any reason the management opens any register, no member of ASUU shall sign such.
ASUU, particularly LASU chapter, is as solid as ever and will not be moved by any threat.
We are not having serious problems with the management because we have been educating them on the developments'', he said.
Adekunle said that the lecturers had also resolved not to attend the academic meeting called by the Governing Council of LASU.
ASUU LASU resolves that no member shall attend the meeting called by the LASU Governing Council because we are still on strike'', he said.
On the reopening of some universities, the chairman said it was "mere propaganda" as they were not closed in the first instance.
University gates have never been closed since the strike started because research work and community service have been going on.
We have been working, but only suspended the teaching aspect, we still do our research and community service,'' he said.
The ASUU chairman said although the lecturers had not been paid for months, they were joyfully going on with the strike because it was a community service in the interest of the nation.
Adekunle said that the threat by the government to sack lecturers "was an empty one, as the philosophy of ASUU is "Sack one, sack all and an injury to one is an injury to all."
According to him, although the directive by the Federal Government is to federal universities, state universities are in support of their members in the federal institutions and are not backing out.
Our rank and file do not discriminate between state and federal universities because we are one'', he said.
He urged the State Government to reduce school fees and make the institution affordable for the common man.
Meanwhile, two students who were seen on the campus said they were there to do other things and there was no circular on when the school would resume.
The Acting Director, Information, Press and Public Relations Unit of LASU, Dr Sola Fosudo, had said on Monday that the management would have to meet to decide on the issue.
The decision of the management would be relayed to the public as soon as the meeting is held'', he had said.
At the University of Lagos, there was no sign of lecturers ready to resume work.
Apart from a few fresh students who were carrying out their registration, there was no trace of academic activities.
Most of the lecturers' offices and the lecture theatres were locked .
Business activities on campus remained low as there were no customers to patronise the various operators.
There were no registers for the lecturers to sign on the campus.
Dr Olubunmi Ajibade, Senior Lecturer, Mass Communication Department, said that there would be no academic activities come Dec. 4, in the institution.
He said that the lecturers could not be forced into carrying out services against their wishes, going by the federal government's directive.
As far as lecturers in Unilag are concerned, the strike continues until government does the needful'', he said.
Dr Samuel Ugo, of the Political Science Department of the institution, said lecturers would work with the directive issued by the National Executive Committee of ASUU.
Ugo noted that the universities had been open all through the strike but that the lecturers had withdrawn their services.
He said that it was a misconception for people to say that the universities were closed.
Students have been directed by NEC to also steer away from classes'', Ugo said.
The Federal Government had directed Vice Chancellors to reopen federal universities and that those who did no resume by Dec. 4, automatically ceased to be employees of the institutions.
The deadline had now been shifted to Dec. 9.
ASUU had, however, vowed to continue with its five month old strike. (NAN)
He said the other armed robbers escaped with suspected bullet injuries.
"In the second encounter that occurred on the Benin-Auchi Road, three members of a robbery gang, who had laid siege on the road, were gunned down by policemen, who engaged the robbers in a shoot-out," the police boss said.
Besides, the Commissioner of Police announced the arrest of members of a robbery gang, who killed policemen at the Benin Bypass.
The four policemen, who were deployed from the Osun State Police Command for a special election duty in Anambra State, were said to have been stopped by the armed robbers, who reportedly blocked the road.
The policemen, unaware that the blockade was mounted by armed robbers, had stopped only to be attacked by the armed robbers.
During an interview with journalists, one of the arrested armed robbery suspects, Muhammadu, 29, though agreed to have taken part in robbery operation in Enugu State on three occasions, denied being part of the gang that killed the policemen. He said his share of the robbery proceeds were N5,000, N6,000 and N30,000, respectively.
He, however, confessed to have joined a new robbery gang in Aduwawa area of Benin city, adding, "I don't know who killed police (sic). We don't have real guns but carved guns which we use to block the road."
In all, 43 suspects were paraded for various offences ranging from armed robbery, unlawful possession of firearms and cannabis, cultism, conspiracy and fraud, car snatching, murder ad rape.
Among the suspects paraded was Obodeke, who was alleged to have impregnated his daughter twice and procured abortion pills to get rid of the pregnancies, while four other suspects were said to have conspired to defraud a man of N29,893,000 with an ATM card.
Heeding to an advice by the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU), parents yesterday refused to release their wards to resume lectures after spending five months at home. The Federal Government had last Thursday given the lecturers December 4 deadline to return or be sacked.
However, the Federal Government yesterday extended the deadline to December 9 in honour of the late former president of ASUU, Prof. Festus Iyayi, who died in a motor accident in Kogi State last month. He was on his way to attend the National Executive Council (NEC) congress in Kano.
The government's directive to ASUU to call off the strike incensed the lecturers.
Just like the trend which was witnessed in some campuses on Monday, only state-owned universities are complying with the directive to sign the register. It was the turn of the Ebonyi State University, Abakiliki yesterday where lectures took place in all the departments at its three campuses. Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, opened its doors to students and lecturers on Monday.
It was a different ball game at federal universities. Parents held on to their children, citing the advice and warning of the striking lecturers.
But more universities are announcing dates of resumption in line with the government's directive. However, ASUU members refused to shift their position with many staying away from the lecture halls nor signing the register opened by the vice chancellors.
PARENTS' POSITION
Some of the parents said that they decided to keep their wards at home due to the precarious situation on campuses coupled with the long distance their wards would have to travel before getting to their campuses with no sign of lectures holding in the few institutions that have opened.
One of them Alhaji Saka Olakunle, whose two wards are students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, told Daily Sun that he decided to keep his children rather than rush them back to the campus because the face-off between FG/ASUU is becoming dicey. He said the striking lecturers immediately the government gave the directive told parents not to bother sending their wards to the campuses and that he is watching the situation.
A trader, Mr. Francis Okechukwu, said one of his sons who went to his university soon after the directive has called to say that nothing was happening. He has opted to hold unto the other two who are students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) "I am not in a hurry to send them to the campus, ASUU warned us to keep our children at home, that is what I have done until the strike is called off''.
A 300 level student of Abia State University, Comfort Ike, said that she is monitoring the situation from Lagos and that some of her colleagues who travelled are stranded on the campus because the lecturers insisted they are on strike and asked them to return home.
Less than 24 hours to the deadline, some of the striking lecturers held their congresses yesterday and again resolved to continue the industrial action and expecting that tomorrow (today) would come and pass like any ordinary day.
The ASUU University of Lagos Chairman, Dr. Karo Ogbinaka, said that the branch held its congress yesterday and decided to continue. "We are waiting to see what will happen tomorrow (today). We are not scared, they have done it before and nothing happened. We are waiting to see what they will do'', he said.
According to him, there are no security personnel at the two main gates and that the Senate of the university has not met to take a decision on resumption, noting ''we are expecting the President to respond to our letter'', stressing that the other two colleagues who attempted to opt out are now back to the fold''.
The ASUU University of Benin Chairman, Dr. Anthony Monye-Emina, also said that the congress held yesterday and resolved that members should not sign the register and those who had signed went back to cancel their names after the meeting.
According to him, since the directive to vice chancellors to re-open the universities, none of his members has gone back to the lecture halls and that there are no policemen/soldiers on the campus.
ASUU OAU Chairman, Prof Peter Akinola, faulted the directive, stressing that the universities have a tradition of inviting students back to school which is through the Senate which he said has not met to re-open the institution.
He described as a ruse and panic by the vice chancellors to comply with the directive of the ''oga at the top'' and even as he picked holes in the invitation of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and other student union leaders to Abuja to discuss the ASUU strike.
At the Ebonyi State University, lecturers attended to students. At the College of Agricultural Sciences, students were seen receiving lectures while others were either loitering or discussing in groups. At the Department of Animal Sciences and Law Faculty, students confirmed they received lectures in the morning.
"We have started lectures since last week, even now we have just received lectures but I don't know about other departments," Okechukwu Mbam, a second year Agric Science student said.
A senior lecturer in the Department of English, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that lectures commenced last week at the institution, adding that students were gradually returning. "I taught my students twice last week. The school is bubbling and the students are gradually returning.
Meanwhile, the one-week ultimatum given to ASUU to call off its strike and return to lectures or else be sacked, and which was originally fixed for today, has been shifted till Monday, December 9.
In an exclusive chat with Daily Sun, the Supervising Minister of Education, Mr Nyesom Wike,noted that the extension of the deadline was being done in honour of the late Prof. Iyayi, who will be buried this weekend.
Already, final rites leading to his internment have commenced. Wike who noted that the postponement was being done in honour of Iyayi, who he said was going to prevail on the union to call off the strike before he lost his life in a fatal motor accident, added that it would have been insensitive on the part of the government to still carry out the report-or-be-sacked order in the week that the man is being buried.
Culled from the sun
Senate said yesterday that the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke "has something to hide" over her alleged persistent refusal to honour invitations from its Ad-Hoc Committee on the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P). This is even as there are indications that President Goodluck Jonathan may present the 2014 budget to the National Assembly tomorrow.
Chairman of the committee and Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi, told newsmen yesterday that the minister has allegedly turned down three invitations to appear before the panel to explain alleged discrepancies in the N834.331 billion received from the N32 deducted in the 25 billion litres of petrol fuel sold between January 2012 and September 2013.
The committee disclosed that from its investigations, only N300 billion has so far been paid out to SURE-P.
At the sitting on November 5, the committee concluded that the CBN and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) have a case to answer over the alleged fraud in the remittances to SURE-P.
A member of the committee, Senator Kabiru Marafa, had claimed that his colleagues observed that over N834 billion ought to have accrued to the nation for the SURE – P if N32.00 was removed from the 770, 695, 645 litres of fuel sold in 21 months.
He said the figure was contained in an October 9 letter from the Ministry on Petroleum Resources addressed to the committee and signed by its Director of Finance and Accounts, Mr. Salmanu Faskari. Speaking yesterday, Senator Ningi bemoaned a situation where an appointee of government would routinely shun invitations from the Senate.
At the resumed sitting of the committee yesterday, Senator Ningi noted that the minister's appearance scheduled for 1pm, was re-scheduled till 2:17 pm, hoping that she would honour the invitation.
He said that no matter what it takes, the committee would ensure that the minister appears before the committee to explain how the accrued funds have been expended.
His words: "This is exactly more than one and half hours after the scheduled time for the meeting. I thought we have waited patiently.
"I think that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources is the custodian of the SURE-P and we feel that they have things to hide and we strongly believe that documentation that we have received from the ministry embarrasses us as a committee and it should embarrass the ministry as well because simple statistics and arithmetic is found all through their presentation.
"There are various contradictions in the statistics provided and when we first sat here, we said this programme has not been run transparently enough, for Nigerians to believe that this is the programme that comes out of fewer democratic dividends.
Ningi told bemused committee members that the matter had earlier been reported to Senate President David Mark who promised to take up the matter with President Goodluck Jonathan,
"I, as the Chairman of this committee, cannot outrightly say that this is what will happen; neither can the committee say this is what would happen. We invited the minister severally to appear; she didn't appear and neither did she send a representative. We took the matter to the leadership of the Senate and the leadership, in fact, the President of the Senate assured us that he would take this matter to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, who in fact, hired the minister.
Meanwhile, President Jonathan is expected to present the N4.77 trillion 2014 budget to the National Assembly tomorrow.
Senator Ningi disclosed this to newsmen at the meeting of the committee yesterday.
In the group's Corruption Perceptions Index 2013, Nigeria ranked 144th, out of 177 nations in the world, scoring 25 points out of a possible 100 points.
With a score of 63 points, Botswana, the southern African nation, is rated the cleanest African country. It is the 30th in the world. Ghana with 46 points emerged 63rd in the world.
The most corrupt nation in the world is war-torn Somalia, scoring eight points alongside North Korea and crisis-ridden Afghanistan, also with eight points.
While the most corrupt section is dominated by Africans countries, Europe and a handful of Asian countries are the cleanest.
According to the report, Denmark and New Zealand are the cleanest countries in the world, sharing the first spot in the index, with scores of 91.
Finland, Sweden, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland, Netherlands, Australia and Canada emerged in the top 10 of least corrupt nations in the world.
Nigeria's corruption performance this year was worse than last year's, when it scored 27 points.
This year, Nigeria shared the podium of infamy with crisis-torn Central African Republic and neighbour, Cameroon.
In 2007, TI ranked Nigeria 33rd most corrupt, having scored the country 147th out of the 180 countries it surve-yed for corruption. It was five steps below that of 2006.
The report said: "From children denied an education, to elections decided by money not votes, public sector corruption comes in many forms.
"Bribes and backroom deals don't just steal resources from the most vulnerable— they undermine justice and economic development, and destroy public trust in leaders.
"But while the results of corruption are clear, the real extent of the problem is harder to pin down. Corruption is shadowy and secretive by nature.
"We all know corruption is a problem, but how bad is it, and what can be done?
"The need for greater accountability is clear, and leaders cannot look the other way. But recognising the problem is only the first step – governments need to turn pledges into actions."
RANK COUNTRY
1 Denmark
1 New Zealand
3 Finland
3 Sweden
5 Norway
5 Singapore
7 Switzerland
144 Nigeria
144 Papua New Guinea
144 Ukraine
150 Guinea
150 Kyrgyzstan
150 Paraguay
153 Angola
154 Congo
154 Congo, DR
154 Tajikistan
157 Burundi
157 Myanmar
157 Zimbabwe
160 Cambodia
160 Eritrea
160 Venezuela
163 Chad
163 Equatorial Guinea
163 Guinea Bissau
163 Haiti
167 Yemen
168 Syria
168 Turkmenistan
168 Uzbekistan
171 Iraq
172 Libya
173 South Sudan
174 Sudan
175 Afghanistan
175 North Korea
175 Somalia
Aww our dear country naija,I hail oo our dear government una well done oo
