National

FG Sacks Togo, Benin Degree Holders from MDAs

Published

1 year ago

December 5, 2024

Eric

The Federal Government has fired some civil servants with degrees from private tertiary institutions in Benin Republic and Togo, according to The Punch report.

The directive affected federal workers who graduated from the institutions from 2017 to date.

The Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, confirmed the development to one of our correspondents on Wednesday.

In August, the Federal Government announced that only eight universities had been accredited to award degrees to Nigerians in Togo and Benin Republic.

This followed an undercover investigation report in which a Daily Nigerian journalist acquired a degree from a university in Benin Republic in two months and used it to participate in the National Youth Service Corps scheme.

Following the report, the government banned the accreditation and evaluation of degrees from tertiary institutions in Benin Republic and Togo.

The Federal Government also set up an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling to probe the activities of certificate racketeers.

The then Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, revealed that over 22,500 Nigerians obtained fake degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo and such certificates would be cancelled.

Mamman explained that the revelation was part of a report submitted to the Federal Executive Council by the investigative committee instituted to probe degree certificate racketeering by foreign and local universities in Nigeria.

He insisted there was no going back on the Federal Government’s decision to cancel the about 22,500 certificates awarded to Nigerians by some “fake” universities in the two francophone countries.

Mamman maintained that the decision to invalidate the certificates was not harsh as Nigerians who obtained degree certificates from such tertiary institutions dent the country’s image.

He said, “Most of those parading the fake certificates didn’t even leave the shores of Nigeria but got their certificates through racketeering in collaboration with government officials at home and abroad.

“The fake universities capitalised on the gullibility of Nigerians patronising such fake schools. The Federal Government, through the offices of the Head of Civil Service and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, would fish out those in the government’s employment with such fake certificates. I also urge the private sector to follow suit.”

Although the exact number of affected civil servants could not be ascertained, it was gathered that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (Cabinet Affairs) had issued a memo to all the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to implement the order.

A source, who pleaded anonymity because she was not authorised to speak on the matter, told The Punch that the sacking of the affected workers was based on the inter-ministerial committee’s recommendation.

The official stated, “There was a letter from the SGF cabinet affairs directing all ministries, departments and agencies of government to identify and terminate the appointments of workers employed with certificates obtained from the private universities in the Republic of Benin and Togo from 2017 to date.

“The decision is part of the recommendations of the committee set up to investigate the certificates of people who graduated from the universities.”

Our correspondent also gathered that some agencies like the National Youth Services Corps have commenced the implementation of the directive.

The NYSC Director of Information, Caroline Embu, confirmed to our correspondent that five members of staff had been sacked in line with the SGF’s directive.

She said, “Five members of staff were affected by the directive contained in the letter from the office of the SGF. No more.”

National

Tinubu Approves Posting of Ambassadors-designate to US, UK, Others

Published

4 hours ago

January 23, 2026

Eric

President Bola Tinubu has approved the posting of four ambassador-designates out of the 68 confirmed by the Senate last December.

The approvals were conveyed in a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, dated January 22, 2024.

According to the statement, Ambassador Ayodele Oke has been posted as ambassador-designate to France, while Colonel Lateef Are has been posted as ambassador-designate to the United States of America.

Also confirmed by the President is the posting of Ambassador Amin Dalhatu, former ambassador to South Korea, as the high commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom.

Usman Isa Dakingari Suleiman, former governor of Kebbi, is the ambassador-designate to Turkey, where the President is scheduled to begin a state visit next week.

In a memo to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Tinubu urged the ministry to notify the governments of the four countries about the ambassador-designates, in accordance with diplomatic procedures.

National

LP: Court Affirms Abure’s Sack, Orders Recognition of Nenadi’s Leadership

Published

2 days ago

January 21, 2026

Eric

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has reportedly affirmed the removal of Julius Abure as the national chairman of the Labour Party, LP.

The Court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognize the Senator Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee as the party’s lawful leadership.

The development was disclosed by human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, in a post on X, where he said he was present at the Federal High Court when the judgment was delivered in a related case.

Effiong stated that Justice Lifu delivering judgment on Wednesday, upheld the Nenadi Usman-led committee as the only valid and lawful leadership of the Labour Party, reaffirming that Abure’s tenure had elapsed in line with an earlier Supreme Court judgment.

The court consequently directed INEC to immediately recognize Nenadi Usman as the party’s leader.

He wrote: “I am currently before the Federal High Court in Abuja for a case. I listened to judgement delivered in an another case.

“Honourable Justice Lifu has just upheld Senator Nnadi Esther Usman-led National Caretaker Committee as the only valid and lawful leadership of the Labour Party.

“The Judge reaffirmed that by the Supreme Court’s judgement, Julius Abure’s tenure had since elapsed.

National

After Calling CAN ‘Conflict Entrepreneurs’, Police Make U-turn, Confirm Mass Abduction of Kaduna Churchgoers

Published

2 days ago

January 21, 2026

Eric

Bare 24 hours after denying reports of the abduction of worshippers from three churches in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, the police have reversed their position, admitting that the attack “did occur” and many people were kidnapped.

The police admitted the incident in a Tuesday night statement issued by their spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin. This followed a public condemnation of the police’s initial stance.

Recall that terrorists, loosely referred to as “bandits,” invaded the area on Sunday, 18 January, kidnapping over 160 worshippers.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) told this newspaper that 172 people were initially abducted but nine escaped and the remaining were marched into a nearby forest.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria (CSW-N) explained that the terrorists staged the attack while church services were ongoing.

The statement signed by its spokesperson, Reuben Buhari, listed the affected churches to include the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Albarka Cherubim and Seraphim 1 and Haske Cherubim and Seraphim 2.

Both the Kaduna State government and the police disagreed with CAN, challenging it to present evidence that there was an abduction.

Addressing reporters on Monday after a security meeting with state authorities, the police commissioner in Kaduna, Muhammad Rabiu, described the incident as a “falsehood which is being peddled by conflict entrepreneurs who want to cause chaos in Kaduna State.”

Also the chairperson of Kajuru Local Government, Dauda Madaki, denied the attack, citing local authorities in the area.

But in the Tuesday night statement, the police said their new position on the incident followed subsequent verification from operational units and intelligence sources.

The Police said efforts were underway to “safely” rescue the victims and restore normalcy to the area.

The Police said the incident generated widespread fear and anxiety, leading the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, to convene a meeting of the State Security Council at the Government House in Kaduna.

During the meeting, some individuals from the affected local government reportedly disputed earlier reports of the abduction, describing them as false, a development the police said created uncertainty and necessitated further verification.

According to the statement, the abduction had earlier been confirmed by the police, but the conflicting accounts led security agencies to exercise caution before making “conclusive” public statements.

The police explained that comments made by the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna were aimed at preventing “unnecessary panic” while investigations were ongoing.

The remarks, the police added, were not a denial but a response pending confirmation of details, such as the identities and number of those affected.

According to the statement, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the deployment of additional operational and intelligence assets to the area.

The Police said the response includes the deployment of tactical units, intensified patrols, and targeted search-and-rescue operations.

The Police appealed to the public and the media to rely on official communications for verified information, warning that sensational reporting could “jeopardise ongoing operations or heighten public anxiety.”

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