NO fewer than 55,000 Nigerians were among the over two million pilgrims who converged on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia yesterday to mark the climax of this year’s pilgrimage. This is as millions of Muslim faithful across the globe celebrate the Eid-el-Kabir today. The Mount Arafat event features pilgrims’ supplication for Allah’s guidance and forgiveness. It also involves staying at Arafat from sunrise until sunset as a major rite of the pilgrimage. The News Agencyu of Nigeria (NAN) reports stated that the movement from Muna, where the pilgrims spent the night in tents, started as early as 12 midnight on Sunday. It was completed at about 6am. Pilgrims were camped in the tents, fully equipped with cooling system, to alleviate the high temperature which sometimes rose to 44 degrees Centigrade. At the inaugural movement of the pilgrims to Arafat, the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Mukhtar, said the Commission commenced the movement early to r...

There was chaos yesterday in Odo Oro, a community in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State, when a man suspected to be mentally deranged stabbed the monarch to death. The Onise of Odo Oro, Oba Gbadebo Ogunsakin, was allegedly attacked by the “madman” in his palace in broad daylight. The town is currently mourning the demise of their traditional ruler. The residents gathered in groups yesterday to discuss the monarch’s killing. The suspected lunatic reportedly stabbed Oba Ogunsakin when the monarch wanted to leave the palace in his car. A source told The Nation that rituals were conducted last night to appease the gods for the incident. A formal announcement of Oba Ogunsakin’s transition is expected to be made by the state government as soon the rites of passage are concluded. Attempts to speak with the community’s chiefs proved abortive. Many of them were said to be in an emergency meeting on the burial rites for the late monarch. Oba Ogunsakin’s death sparked o...

Dawn broke last Friday at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, like every other day. The atmosphere was calm as students filed into their classes for lectures. Then came the news that the school has lost accreditation for Law, Dentistry, Botany, Fine and Applied Arts, Family Nutrition and Consumer Sciences. The news shook the campus. Students of the affected departments, who had gathered for classes in the early hours of the day, left their lecture rooms dejected. They could not stomach the news. While many had no words to describe the development, it was a moment of lamentations for some whose academic pursuits are hanging in the balance. The National Universities Commission (NUC), last week, notified the OAU management that it had withdrawn accreditation for five disciplines, prompting the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to request prospective students who chose the courses to change to other disciplines. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the Dep...

The Federal University of Technology, Minna has dismissed a lecturer from the Department of Geology over an alleged case of sexual harassment. The dismissal of the lecturer was approved during the University Council’s 131st meeting. The alleged sexual harassment was against a female student in the department. The Council has also approved the withdrawal of 13 students for poor academic performance. All the affected students, except one, are Masters’ students. Six of the students are from the department of Biochemistry, three from the department of Mathematics, two from the department of Mechanical Engineering and one from the department of Computer Science.

The leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has accused the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of inducing senators to impeach the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki. The opposition party also alleged that the government was in the process of forcing the reopening of the Senate, contrary to Section 12 of the Senate Standing Rules. The Senate is currently on annual recess and is expected to resume session on September 25, to begin legislative business. But the PDP said the Presidency was offering each lawmaker $1 million to impeach Saraki for defecting from the APC to PDP. The Presidency however, said its call for the National Assembly to resume duties was to enable the federal legislature process the 2019 election budget for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). President Muhammadu Buhari had, a week before the National Assembly proceeded on its annual vacation, submitted a budget of N242 billion for the INEC ...

  The Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has sacked Professor Richard Akindele for allegedly demanding sex from a student, Monica Osagie, to upgrade her mark. The sack was announced at a press conference by the university Vice-Chancellor, Eyitope Ogunbodede, on Wednesday. Ogunbodede said the Governing Council of the institution sacked the lecturer, “having found him guilty of all the charges against him.” Miss Monica Osagie, the alleged victim in the sex-for-marks scandal, had told the investigative panel that Prof. Richard Akindele allegedly failed her because she refused his sexual demand. She said she did not score 33 per cent as the lecturer claimed, alleging that he failed her so that she could accede to his sexual request. According to her lawyer, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Monica gave evidence at the panel . Monica, a Master’s student, released a recorded phone conversation, which went viral, in which the lecturer, identified as Akindele, demande...

  The Aliko Dangote Foundation on Monday inaugurated the Dangote Village built for the Internally Displaced Persons in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. The Dangote Village is a self-sufficient set of 200 housing units worth N2bn, with school, hospital, irrigation farms and poultry farms, among others, to enable the occupants to eke out a livelihood, according to a statement made available to our correspondent by the ADF on Monday. Dangote also gave each of the beneficiaries N100,000 to start a new life.  Speaking during the inauguration, the Chairman, Aliko Dangote Foundation, Aliko Dangote, said about N7bn had been donated by the foundation to support displaced persons affected by the Boko Haram crisis in the North-East . Aside the N100,000 given to each of the IDP beneficiaries, Dangote also pledged that the foundation would take care of teachers’ emolument for five years and share in the burden of the ongoing educational revolution launched by...

                      UPDATES Buhari rules out talks with aggrieved nPDP leaders   Report: Islamic State sneaks jihadists into Nigeria     Ibadan masquerade: Olubadan, Ibadan kings disagree on directive   1500 Nigerians in Italian prisons, says envoy   Dangote builds N2b housing estate for IDPs   42 posts up for grabs at APC convention   Minister: support Buhari to end killings   How to speed up trial of high profile cases, by experts   UN chief condoles with Nigeria over Borno attacks   JAMB fixes 2018 admission policy meeting for next week   AGF can defend UK agencies against Diezani’s ally, says court   Glo TV series canvasses effective service delivery   What $2.5b currency swap deal means for banks, economy   Inside the CBN-PBoC currency swap deal   SARS operatives allegedly invade hostel, brutali...

    March 5, 2018 The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has said the Federal Government will soon begin the repairs of its roads in Ekiti State. Fashola spoke at the weekend during a fact-finding visit to some roads President Muhammadu Buhari approved recently for repairs in the state. He said it was the resolve of the Buhari administration that all federal roads must be made motorable to Nigerians. Represented by the Southwest Zonal Director in the ministry, Mr. Emmanuel Adeoye, the minister said priority would be given to the Federal road linking Ifaki Ekiti and Ikole Ekiti road network. Fashola said most of the roads currently witnessing major repairs had long been awarded but their repairs stalled due to non-receipt of further mobilisation by contractors. The minister said the government’s concern for those using the roads made it to consider the return of contractors to sites, after paying them the due mobilisation. H...

  March 5, 2018   •Candidates to print notification from tomorrow  The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has directed candidates for the 2018 UTME to start printing their examination notification slip from tomorrow. The board’s Head of Media and Information Department, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said in Lagos yesterday that  arrangements had been concluded for the successful conduct of the exam scheduled to hold from March 9  to March 17. “With have successfully conducted the Mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on Monday, February 26, and based on that, we can confidently say, we are good to go… “Candidates can now go ahead and print their examination notification slips from Tuesday. “These candidates must ensure that these slips are printed before Friday, March 9 in order to farmiliarise themselves with the examination schedules as no form of excuse for missing the exami...

PUNCH APC will soon die, says Secondus Car crushes boy scrambling for lawmaker’s money Ogun welder kills wife’s customer over disagreement Oyo killing: Falana, CDHR want army to identify soldiers Teenager allegedly sodomises journalist’s son Motorcycle rider kills father, stabs mother, attempts suicide Should judiciary continue to allow plea bargain in corruption trials? Group urges Lagosians to get PVCs Lagos councils’ VCs back Ambode Egmont Group: N’Assembly’ll pass NFIU bill this week, says Saraki 60 million Nigerians lack adequate water –WaterAid Poll timetable: APC chief drags N’Assembly to court FG charges ex-gov aspirant, Chinese citizens with illegal mining Edo LG polls: APC wins in all LGAs, PDP kicks NUJ, CASER condemn journalist detention by DSSMilitary tackles Rep over Dapchi girls’ whereabout  THE NATION Disquiet over budget Lagos’ll become Africa’s third largest economy, says Otedola Ajimobi’s ‘third term’ story is misunderstood para...

                            Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said  that he will defend the interest of the state at all times, emphasising that he will not allow the state to be controlled by external forces. Governor Wike also declared that the state has no land to give out for the creation of cattle colony. Speaking at Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday,  when he granted audience to D-Source Connect Group, Governor Wike urged Rivers people to always focus on the development of the state.  He said: “We will not allow our state to be controlled by external  forces. We will not be drawn into debates on cattle colony.  We don’t have land for any cattle colony in Rivers State.” The governor advised Rivers people to mobilise for the 2019 general elections, vote and defend their votes. “Our people should continue to mobilise for the 2019 elections because it will not be busin...

Taraba Police Command arrests 9 persons over the burning of Zing Divisional Statio n Obasanjo advises Buhari not to run for second term Buhari, Onoghen, others mourn ex-CJN Musdapher   Patience Jonathan’s sister held at airport Buhari, Tinubu, Akande meet in Aso Villa Road rehabilitation: Fashola opposes 1% per cent allocation to FERMA NNPC in fresh corruption scandal Fed Govt warns workers against lockout, picketing Ex-president’s statement in order, say political parties Ajimobi appeals judgment on Chieftaincy row Lassa Fever: Five killed in Ondo Dogara seeks completion of 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway The way out: A clarion call for coalition for Nigeria movement One die, two policemen injured in NURTW factions clash ‘There’s need for handshake across Niger’ ] Bank Cashier Allegedly Steals N48m From Customers  Cows Cannot Be Valued More Than Lives In A Country — Ejiga  4:30 AMStop Treating Herdsmen’s Issue With Kid G...

  THE NATION NEWSPAPER Tin Can Customs collected N287.6bn in 2017 Troops arrest 9 members of militia group in Benue Wike offers N640m bounty for the arrest of 32 cultists Two policemen killed as herdsmen step up attacks World Bank predicts 2.5% growth for Nigeria in 2018 How Buhari‘ll end violent conflicts, by Presidency INEC gives parties Oct 7 deadline to pick presidential candidates JAMB fixes Feb 6 as deadline for UTME registration Returnees: we saw hell in Libya Libya returnees protest non-payment of stipend Evacuation of Nigerians from Libya: The facts, challenges, realities Al-Makura to Ortom: killer herdsmen not in Nasarawa Ex-Perm Sec forfeits N664m, $137,680 to Fed Govt Nigeria’s oil production hits 2.5mb/d Federal Govt owes road contractors N2.7trn, says Fashola Fed Govt votes N280m as car allowances for Obasanjo, Gowon, IBB, Jonathan,  others Buhari to illegal migrants: stay home to improve economy ‘Fed Govt committed to u...

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