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SSANU, NASU Dismisses Strike Suspension Rumours

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5 years ago

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The industrial action embarked upon by members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), would not be called off, today, as being speculated in some quarters.

Speaking with newsmen, yesterday, the National President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, said those saying the unions had agreed to call off the strike were not saying what truly transpired at the weekend’s meeting the unions held with the government team.

“Even though those speculating that used the words ‘likely to call off the strike’, but that is still not the true position of things. We did not make such a promise. What happened at the meeting was that the government team made some offers to us and as representatives of our people, our duty is to take the offers to our people.

“Those speculating that are just trying to do their jobs to please those who sent them. Their job is to prevent strike from taking place, but now we have a full blown strike on hand. After our meeting, there was no way we would have reported the outcome of the meeting and the offers to our members, as the weekend had set in and now to think we would likely call off the strike on Monday is not feasible.

“What is going to happen is that on Wednesday, we are going to meet with our people and get their opinions about the offers made. They are the ones who gave us the mandate for all we are doing and they are the ones to determine the next line of action,” he said.

Ibrahim did not comment on the claim that the government offered to add some money to the share of the two unions from the Earned Allowance that has created animosity between them and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Out of the N40billion the Federal Government earmarked for the payment of the allowance for university workers, ASUU is reportedly taking about 75 per cent of the sum leaving the rest to the non-teaching staff unions.

The Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, had at the weekend said the striking workers would likely call off their strike, today, following a meeting he had with them.

It would be recalled that SSANU and NASU, acting on the aegis of the Joint Action Committee, JAC, started an industrial action two weeks ago after a three-day protest to press home their demands from the government.

Among the issues in contention is the call for the abolition of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), the payment of dues of retired members, better funding of the university system, stoppage of the usurpation of non-teaching staff headship of some agencies by teaching staff among others.

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Firefighters battle New Year Day inferno in Abuja, several states

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6 days ago

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January 2, 2026

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Federal Fire Service FFS entered the New Year on full operational alert, tackling multiple fire outbreaks across the country from midnight into the early hours of January 1, 2026, in what officials described as one of the busiest festive-season deployments in recent years.
The intensified nationwide response followed a December 2025 directive issued by the Controller General of the Federal Fire Service, Olumode Samuel Adeyemi, who had ordered that no firefighter should proceed on leave throughout the holidays.
According to a statement by the National Public Relations Officer and Head of Corporate Services of the FFS, DCF Paul Abraham, the no-leave policy proved critical as the Service moved swiftly to contain fires in several states.
The Federal Capital Territory FCT recorded its first fire incident of the year barely twenty-three minutes after midnight when flames erupted at Cake Hot Restaurant located within River Plate Park, Wuse, Abuja.
Abraham said fire crews from the Federal Fire Service and the FCT Fire Service arrived promptly and were able to stop the blaze before it could spread through the popular recreational centre.
While a section of the garden area was destroyed, no lives were lost and no injuries were recorded.
Officials said property worth an estimated ?1.5 billion was saved, although losses were placed at about ?500 million.
“Preliminary findings suggested that the fire was triggered by objects thrown during New Year celebrations, reinforcing long-standing warnings over the dangers posed by fireworks during the harmattan season”, the Service said.
The Controller General had repeatedly urged Nigerians to avoid fireworks, candles and open flames indoors, warning that the dry winds characteristic of the season allow fires to spread rapidly.
He also warned the public about electrical faults and power surges and advised that electrical appliances be switched off and unplugged when not in use or when occupants leave their homes, stressing that overloading sockets and extension boxes remains a significant cause of domestic fires.
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Enugu North LG chairman presents ?10.8bn 2026 Budget, prioritises roads …Security, Healthcare, Human Capital Development

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6 days ago

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January 2, 2026

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Chairman of Enugu North Local Government Area in Enugu State, Dr. Ibenaku Harford Onoh, has presented a Ten Billion Eight Hundred Million Naira (?10.8bn) 2026 budget to the legislative council of the local government.
The budget, tagged “Budget of Continued Growth and Consolidation,” was presented on Wednesday during a plenary session attended by councillors, department heads, and other stakeholders.
Dr. Onoh explained that the 2026 budget is designed to consolidate achievements recorded in 2025 while scaling up development across the council’s 13 wards. Priority areas include road infrastructure, grassroots security, healthcare delivery, youth empowerment, and digital governance.
He also reviewed the 2025 budget performance, highlighting significant revenue growth and successful completion of key projects. Notably, the council’s internally generated revenue more than doubled, attributed to the introduction of digital revenue collection platforms and other innovative measures.
Among the 2025 achievements, Dr. Onoh mentioned the reconstruction of major roads at European Quarters, Hilltop, Coal Camp, and Ukwa Street, Ihewuishi, as well as the upgrade of the local security architecture through the reorganisation of the neighbourhood watch into “The City Watch.”
On the 2026 budget, the chairman stated that projected revenue would come from statutory allocations, VAT, internally generated revenue, and counterpart funding through public-private partnerships.
He noted that capital expenditure would take the larger share of the budget, with over half allocated to the economic sector. Planned projects include:
Completion of transport terminals at Aria Market
Construction and reconstruction of urban roads
Establishment of two sports centres
Healthcare interventions
Youth skills development programmes.
Dr. Onoh emphasised that the projects, policies, and programmes outlined in the budget are aimed at complementing the initiatives of Governor Peter Ndubisi Mbah, who is setting standards for local government councils to follow.
Responding, the Leader of the Legislative Council, Rt. Hon. Chizoba Nnamani, said the budget would be carefully scrutinised in the interest of residents before its passage.
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Christians Convert To Islam or die As ISWAP burns down Christian village

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6 days ago

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January 2, 2026

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Christians in Adamawa have been asked to Convert to Islam or die as commanded by the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).
.The ISWAP forcedly burnt down Christian village in Adamawa Nigeria as reported on January 1, 2026.
The Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP, has continued to wreak havoc on Christian communities in the Northeast, Nigeria.
This comes as ISWAP burned down a Christian village in Adamawa State.
A security expert, Brant Philip, disclosed this on Thursday in a viral video released by the terrorists.
“ISWAP released an image of one of the Christian villages in Adamawa State burning, alongside a statement saying that all Christians in Nigeria are legitimate targets, and they have an opportunity to “spare their blood” by converting to Islam or paying the jizyah tax to ISWAP,” Brant Philip wrote on X.
The move is perceived as retaliation for recent joint airstrikes by the Nigerian and United States military against a terrorist enclave in Sokoto, Nigeria.
Recall that five days ago, United States President Donald Trump announced that the US military launched airstrikes against terrorists in Sokoto State.
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