News
Parents, Students Laud ASUU Strike Suspension …As Senior Civil Servants Put Off Action
University students have expressed happiness over the decision by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its five-week old strike.
Some of the students told newsmen in Yenagoa, yesterday, that they were glad to hear that the union had called off the strike.
The national body called off the industrial action, last Monday.
A final year student of Niger Delta University (NDU), Amasomma, Francis Alazial said he was short of words to express his happiness over the call off.
He said “I cannot express my joy since I heard the news that ASUU had called off the strike.
“I am in my final year and about to finish my semester examination when lecturers commenced the strike.”
Another 300 level student of NDU, Paul Semion, described ASUU decision as a welcome development, saying students would now resume normal academic activities from Wednesday.
He, however, called on the Federal Government to keep to the agreements reached between it and the lecturers so as not to disrupt academic activities in universities again.
“The Federal Government should try as much as possible to keep to the promises reached to ensure uninterrupted academic activities in future,” he added.
Similarly, most of the parents who spoke with newsmen on the issue expressed gratitude to ASUU and government for making it possible for academic activities to resume.
They, however, advised lecturers to always go for dialogue in resolving dispute rather than resorting to strike.
Mainwhile, following the one-week ultimatum within which it should settle all the indebtedness to federal officers or risk a three-day nationwide strike, the Federal Government on Tuesday commenced payment of the arrears and allowances of civil servants.
Consequently, the Association of Civil Servants of Nigeria, an affiliate of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, has therefore suspended the action following a parley with the government.
The strike which had been scheduled to commence simultaneously on September 18 in all ministries, departments, and agencies throughout the country, was said to have been necessitated by false promises by the government to pay repatriation allowances, burial expenses, death benefits, promotion arrears and outstanding salaries.
ASCSN sources said that the Federal Government has commenced payment of the outstanding arrears and allowances while civil servants have started smiling to the banks.
The organisation, however, warned that if by any act of omission or commission, the payment process was scuttled by the government, the strike would begin without further notice.
The ASCSN also enjoined its teeming members in the MDAs to remain calm as the union was closely monitoring the situation.
The ASCSN in a statement by its National President, Bobboi Kaigama and Secretary-General, Alade Lawal, said that the strike “had to be put on hold since the Federal Government had started paying the affected officers their outstanding entitlements.”
The statement read, “Some MDAs where affected workers have started to receive payment since Monday include: Energy Commission of Nigeria, Federal Character Commission, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, National Boundary Commission, National Library of Nigeria, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation etc.
“As a responsible trade union, we have to suspend the strike since payment has started and we commend the government for kick-starting the process. We wish to advise the government to ensure that payment must continue until all federal officers being owed receive their full entitlements.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has indicted a new generation bank, six Fintechs and some microfinance banks in major financial scams by allowing fraudsters to launder huge sums of money.
Director of public Affairs of the Commission, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, made this known at a press briefing at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, yesterday.
According to him, the compromised institutions allegedly allowed cryptocurrency transactions worth N162 billion to pass through without proper due diligence within the 2024/2025 financial year.
He said that the financial institutions clearly compromised banking procedures and allowed the fraudsters to safely change their ill-gotten gains into digital assets and move them to safe destinations.
“A total sum of N18.1 billion was moved through the financial system without due diligence of customers by the banks.
“It is worrisome that investigations by the commission showed that cryptocurrency transactions to the tune of N162 billion passed through a new generation bank without any due diligence.
“Investigations showed that a single customer maintained 960 accounts in another new bank and all the accounts were used for fraudulent purposes.
“That is bad news but the good news is that following our intervention the commission has been able to recover N33.62 million, which has been returned to some of the victims.”
He explained that the scams were in two categories, adding that the first was a syndicate of fraudsters that employed an airline discount scheme to lure their victims.
He said that they advertised a discount system for the purchase of flight tickets of a particular foreign carrier.
“The payment module is designed in such a way that the victims’ payment is actually made into the account of the airline.
“After payment is made the passenger’s entire funds in his bank account are emptied.
“Investigations showed that more than 700 victims have been scammed so far, with a loss of N651 million,” he said.
According to him, investigations show that the scheme is being masterminded by a foreign national; the commission has so far recovered and released N33 million to victims of the fraud.
He said that another scheme involved a company named Fred and Farid Investment Limited, simply called FF investment, which lured Nigerians into a bogus investment arrangement.
“More than 200, 000 victims have been defrauded in this regard. A total sum of N18 billion was raked in through nine companies offering diverse investment packages.
“The companies are: Credio Banco Limited; Deliberty Rock Limited; Liam Chumeks Global Service; Ngwuoke Daniels Technology; and Icons Autos and Import Merchant.
“Others are : Newpace Technology Services Limited, Primepath Ways Ventures Limited, Kaka Synergy Network Limited and Sunlight Tech Hub Services Limited.”
He said that foreign nationals were behind the schemes, while there are three Nigerian accomplices who have been arrested and charged to court.
He said that the masterminds were on the run and efforts are being made to bring them to book.
“The Commission is calling on regulatory bodies to bring financial institutions to compulsory compliance with regulations in the areas of Know Your Customers (KYC), Customer Due Diligence (CDD), Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) and others.
“Deposit Money Banks, Fintechs, Micro Finance Banks found to be aiding and abetting fraudsters should be suspended and referred to the EFCC for thorough investigation and possible prosecution.
“Negligence and failure to monitor suspicious and structured transactions by banks should no longer be allowed,” he said.
While cautioning members of the public to be wary of these actors, he said that the EFCC would continue its works against money laundering by fraudulent actors.
Uwujaren urged financial institutions to firm up their operational dynamics and save the nation leakages and compromises bleeding the economy.
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