Education
Nigeria Bans Transit Cargos To Niger Republic
The Federal Government has banned all transit cargoes to its neighbouring country, Niger Republic
The Federal Government also placed customs officers manning its land borders within the territories of Niger on red alert.
Acting Comptroller General of Customs, NCS Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during his working visit to the headquarters of the Ogun Area 1 Command, NCS, at Idiroko, Ogun State.
Adeniyi also directed officers and men of the Service manning the Benin Republic, Cameron and other land borders to maintain a high level of vigilance as a result of the recent closure of Nigeria’s border with Niger Republic.
He called on operatives manning the land borders to wage war against any attempt to jeopardise Nigeria’s national security.
The Customs boss explained that special attention must be given to transit goods heading to Niger Republic.
He directed that any transit goods through customs territory should be stopped if they are headed to Niger Republic.
“Criminals in an attempt to break or smuggle arms into Niger Republic may explore other land borders like that of Benin Republic and Cameroon.
“All transit goods going into Niger, for now, are to be stopped anywhere you see them. Any transit goods through the Nigerian customs territory should be stopped if they are headed to Niger Republic.
“We are all aware of the situation in our northern neighbour, Republic of Niger. In response to the national presidential directive from our President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Tinubu, as our President and as the Chairman of the ECOWAS authorities of Heads of States,
“We are monitoring the situation in Niger closely and one of the decisions taken in the wisdom of the Heads of States is the closure of our borders with Niger.
“Over the last week, I paid a working visit to some of those borders and I can assure you that the implementation of that measure there is 100 percent. When that happens, people who want to smuggle things into that country may want to explore openings in other borders”.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.