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Tag: Lecturer

  • My salary, allowances as Buhari’s minister not up to what I received as lecturer in Saudi Arabia – Pantami

    My salary, allowances as Buhari’s minister not up to what I received as lecturer in Saudi Arabia – Pantami

    The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami, has declared that he had not purchased property anywhere in the world since assuming office as Minister, asserting that he was motivated by patriotism to serve his country.

    He dismissed insinuations that he had procured three houses in Abuja within the period of his appointment and now.

    The Minister in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Uwa Suleiman, said his “salaries and allowances” as a serving Minister are not up to what he earned as a lecturer at the International University Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

    Dr Pantami who challenged an online publication over reports that he procured three houses since his assumed office barely a year ago, maintained that there was no iota of truth in the publication.

    The Minister maintained that he only answered a call to “serve his country as a sign of his patriotism and selfless service.”

    The statement reads: “For the purpose of setting the records straight, the Honourable Minister has not purchased a single property anywhere In the world, in the period he has been in office as a Minister. One of the apartments in the images published is one which the Honourable Minister has occupied since January 2017, more than two years before becoming a minister, while the other one is a house he rented since 17th December 2019. Two of the images are not even known to him.

    “It is worthy of note that as a serving Minister, Dr Pantami’s salaries and allowances fall below his earnings as a Professor at the International University Madinah Saudi Arabia, where he still holds the record of being the first Nigerian to lecture at that level. He only returned to Nigeria out of the zeal to contribute his quota to national development.

    “Dr Pantami is one of the few Nigerians who are driven by nothing, but an unequalled sense of patriotism and selfless service as demonstrated in his act of sacrifice, to answer the call to serve his country as a sign of his patriotism and selfless service.”

  • Mysterious deaths: Kano loses another prominent lecturer

    Mysterious deaths: Kano loses another prominent lecturer

    A prominent lecturer at the Kano State University of Science and Technology, Dr Ghali Umar is dead.

    He was said to have died on Monday, in the spate of mysterious deaths that have hit Kano, fuelling speculations that the deaths were traceable to the deadly Coronavirus.

    Dr Ghali Umar was of the Department of Architecture at the Kano State University of Science and Technology.

    A statement issued by the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Professor Shehu Musa, regretted the death of Umar.

    ”We regret to announce the death of Arch. Dr. Ghali Kabir Umar, of the Department of Architecture.

    “Ghali, until his death, was a Head of Department and a Senior Lecturer in the department of Architecture, Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil,” Musa said.

    Musa therefore prayed for Allah to forgive the shortcomings of Umar and reward him with Jannatul Firdaus.”

    Umar is the fifth prominent scholar to die in Kano in the last 72 hours, The Nation reports.

  • Sacked EKSU lecturer maintains innocence on sexual harassment, sues students

    A lecturer dismissed by the management of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Mr Olola Aduwo, over an allegation of sexual harassment against a female student of the university, has denied he ever admitted to the offence before any panel.

    Aduwo, in a release he gave to journalists yesterday, accused the panel set up to investigate the allegation of sexually harassing a female student of the university levelled against him of bias and a calculated attempt to discredit his image and bring his reputation into disrepute.

    The former lecturer expressed his disappointment that “a notable university like EKSU will descend so low to the level of character assassination and palpable falsehood.”

    Aduwo declared, “The proceedings at the trial were video-recorded and a copy of the video clip is with the university. I challenge the university to produce a copy of the video clip and show where I admitted committing the alleged offence.”

    The EKSU Governing Council had on Thursday December 5, 2019 approved the recommendations of the senior disciplinary committee that recommended Aduwo’s dismissal from the service of the university.

    But the former lecturer, punching a hole in the circular that contained the news of his dismissal, noted, “It was boldly written that I admitted to the allegations and confirmed the authenticity of the report indicting me on the alleged case of sexual harassment.

    “I want to state abundantly clear that at no point in time during my appearance before the panel did I confirm that I’m guilty, or did I admit to the allegations of sexual harassment against my person.

    “In the initial press statement made by the university, it falsely stated that I lured the said lady to a hotel where the alleged sexual harassment took place, whereas it was the said lady that burst into my house with the police and some miscreants when I was with a friend to frame me up.”

    According to him, all the investigations made by the university pointed to the fact that he wasn’t culpable nor did he ever harass or intimidate any student at any time in all his service years in the university as a lecturer.

    Aduwo declared the decision of the University Council and the management as not acceptable to him, and that he had contacted his legal team to challenge his “unjust dismissal” from the university.

    “I’m very sure that I will get justice and bring my accusers to shame. In fact, I have sued the students at the centre of this gross violation of my fundamental rights and they will be brought to book,” he stated.

  • Sexual Harassment: Kano Court remands lecturer

    Sexual Harassment: Kano Court remands lecturer

    A Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Kano on Tuesday ordered the remand of a 36-year-old lecturer, Ali Shehu, in prison custody for breach of trust and sexually harassing his female student.

    The accused, a lecturer of Kano State School of Technology, is facing trial on a two-count charge of breach of official trust and attempt to commit an offence, contrary to Sections 95 and 98 of the Penal Code.

    Chief Magistrate Muhammad Idris ordered the remand of the accused person and adjourned the matter until Oct. 15, for sentence.

    Earlier, the Prosecutor, ASP Badamasi Gawuna, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on Aug. 19, in Kano.

    He said this followed a sting operation conducted by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission.

    Gawuna said on the same date at about 11 a.m, the accused who happens to be a lecturer of School of Technology Kano, took one of his female students (name withheld) to Ummi Plaza in Kano, to help him in marking the final semester exams.

    “In the process, the accused admitted to touching the said victim’s private part,’’ the prosecutor said.

    The accused pleaded guilty to the charge.

  • Badagry youths protest against sack of lecturer at LASU

    Badagry youths protest against sack of lecturer at LASU

    Some youths, under the auspices of the Voice Movement of the Masses (VMM), an NGO, on Friday staged a peaceful protest in Badagry against the sacked of Dr Tony Dansu, an indigene, from the Lagos State University, Ojo.

    They staged the protest, in their hundreds, at the popular Badagry Roundabout, carrying placards of various inscriptions, including: “Badagrians Demand Immediate Recall of Dr Tony Dansu and others.

    “We Stand with Dr Tony Dansu. LASG Reinstate Dr Tony Dansu.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dr Anthony Dansu, Department of Human Kinetics, Sports and Health Education, Faculty of Education, was among the eight academic staff members sacked by the institution’s authorities.

    NAN reports that the LASU Governing Council had at its 122nd meeting on Sept. 12, promoted 31 academic Staff, 346 non-academic staff and also dismissed eight academic staff members, including the ASUU-LASU Secretary, Assistant Secretary and Treasurer.

    The council also approved the dismissal of three non-academic staff on issues bordering on absence from duty, certificate falsification, theft of confidential documents, sale of marks, among others.

    The NGO President, Mr Samuel Salome, said that the protest was to express their sadness over the sack of Dr Tony Dansu, whom they claimed, was their role model in Badagry.

    “We are here to protest the sacked of son of Badadgry, Dr Tony Dansu, and we are using this opportunity to appeal to the Lagos State Government to set up an independent panel to revisit the matter.

    “We are also appealing to the Lagos State House of Assembly to intervene in the matter so that justice will be done.

    “Youths in Badagry look toward recall of the sacked lecturer; we believe that if the injustice is left unaddressed, this will kill morale of other people of Badagry who plan to go into lecturing after completion of their education.

    “We are also very sad about the development, and this is the reason we came to protest the unjustified dismissal of our own,” he said.

    Also, Mr Ayodele Hunpevi, the Secretary of VMM, said that youth in the town were sad to find out that it was one of the town’s indigenes headed the panel that sacked the lecturer.

    “It is sad to know that our Dansu was not sacked because of embezzlement, sex for mark or molestation.

    “The panel set up did not find him wanting in all these offences, and they still went ahead to sack him at this period when it is hard for people to feed themselves.

    “We want our amiable Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to look into the matter by setting up an independent panel to investigate the matter again,” he said.

    Commenting, Mr Taseyon Solomon, the VMM Public Relations Officer, said that the organisation stood for peace and believed that LASG would do justice by recalling the sack lecturers.

    Solomon said all the sacked lecturers by LASU management should be recalled, adding that the management was trying to cover up issues by sacking the lecturers.

  • UI clears air on ex-lecturer’s death, dismisses suicide reports

    UI clears air on ex-lecturer’s death, dismisses suicide reports

    The management of the University of Ibadan has dismissed insinuations that a former lecturer, Mr Aminu Zubair, who died in his residence on the institution’s campus, committed suicide.

    The university’s Director of Communication, Mr Olatunji Oladejo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Saturday that Zubair died in a fire outbreak that occurred at his residence.

    Oladejo said that if not for the timely intervention of the school’s Fire Service, the whole building would have been razed by the inferno.

    “He was a staff in the Department of Mathematics and had resigned before the ugly incident happened.

    “It wasn’t a suicide attempt as he was caught up in the inferno at Philipson Road, where he resides, and couldn’t escape.

    “If not for our Fire Service men, who got there at the right time the whole building would have been engulfed in fire completely.

    “It was only that particular room that was badly affected, he could not get out and he died out of suffocation from the fumes of the fire.

    “He worked in the department of Mathematics before his exit; he was a lecturer but had resigned and was no more in the service of the University of Ibadan.

    “However, he was given a place on compassionate grounds pending the time he would move out.

    “There are documents that he had resigned; he was no longer in the service of the university before the ugly incident, which is quite unfortunate.

    “The management commiserate with the family on the unfortunate death of Mr Zubair,” Oladejo stated.

    In a telephone interview with NAN, the Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo State command, SP Olugbenga Fadeyi, said the police was not aware of the incident.

  • Kidnapped Ondo poly lecturer dies in abductors’ den

    One of the four victims of the last week’s kidnapping in Ondo State has reportedly died in the custody of the abductors, six days after the abduction.

    The victim, who is also a lecturer at the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, was identified as Taiwo Akinyemi and reportedly died on Sunday.

    Four persons, including the deceased, were kidnapped by some Fulani gunmen on the Akure-Owo Expressway at Amurin Village in Owo, Owo Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday. The other three victims were members of staff of the Federal Medical Centre, Owo. But the other victims had been released.

    The remains of the 52-year-old lecturer were said to have been found in a bush tied to a tree on Sunday evening. It was learnt that the deceased was killed by the abductors for the alleged failure of his family to produce the ransom on time.

    Following the development, the students and lecturers of the Polytechnic on Monday held a procession on the campus as a mark of respect for the late lecturer.

    The State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, who visited the school to commiserate with the academic community described the death of the lecturer as unfortunate.

    Addressing journalists over the death of Akinyemi, the Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnic, RUGIPO chapter, Mr. Chris Olowolade, described the death of his colleague as sad and unfortunate.

    He explained that the union had entered into negotiations with the kidnappers in order to secure his release but said, “We lost him to the kidnappers and we received his corpse yesterday ( Sunday).”

    He added, “The kidnappers placed a ransom of N100m on him which nobody can afford but they reduced it to N7m after two days and later grudgingly asked us to come with N500,000.

    “The money was taken to them and the person who took the money was directed by the kidnappers where he should drop the money. They asked him to stop, reverse and move just to confirm if he was the actual person bringing the money.

    “But after some hours they called that the man bringing the money should come back that they didn’t see the money, only to be called by the Rector yesterday to go and identify a corpse ”

    “We rushed to the morgue and discovered it was his (Akinyemi) corpse. He was tied to a tree with his clothes and left his remains in the bush. The body was recovered by the police and deposited at the morgue, it showed he was badly maltreated before he was killed.”

    The governor, while speaking with the staff and students of the institution, explained that the state government and the security operatives made attempt to rescue the deceased

    He said, “it is unfortunate that the man couldn’t return home alive. The incident happened some five minutes after I passed the place and I had to deploy some security men in my convoy to the place to rescue the victims”

    “These kidnappers have become more daring and desperate, this is because we are moving towards festive period but the state police command have assured that they will not limit their operation to stop and search only but they will also increase the road patrol”

    The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Femi Joseph, who confirmed the killing of the kidnapped lecturer also described his death as unfortunate, saying all other victims had regained their freedom.

    Joseph said men of the state police command have been on the trail of the kidnappers but said no arrest had been made.

    He said, “We have resolved to increase our manpower on our roads with more patrol to reduce the activities of these criminals to the barest minimum.

    “I can assure you that justice will be done and the search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts, to find those responsible and bring them to justice. We will make no distinction between the kidnappers who committed this act and those who harbour them.”

  • Panic as polytechnic lecturer slumps, dies over non-payment of salaries

    The Kogi State Polytechnic community was thrown into mourning on Monday after one of its lecturers, Mr Yakubu Nataala, slumped and died at his residence in Lokoja, Kogi State.

    It was gathered that the residents of the area speculated that the late Nataala might have died due to his frustration over the non-payment of his salaries.

    According to a report by The Punch, that the lecturer received his salary last in July 2017.

    Sources further revealed that his inability to meet up with his financial needs had been a source of concern to him.

    However, the Public Relations Officer of the institution, Luke Tijan, debunked residents’ speculations.

    The institution’s spokesman said the lecturer, who was earlier operated upon for ruptured appendicitis, died from complication arising from the operation.

    Tijani, however, confirmed that the deceased was among lecturers that had not received salaries for many months.

    “Yesterday (Sunday), we lost one of our lecturers in the polytechnic. He was earlier operated upon for appendicitis. He was among some of the lecturers that had not been paid salaries due to the screening,” he said.

     

  • Soldier, policeman, lecturer, 97 other Nigerians abscond during pilgrimage in Israel

    Soldier, policeman, lecturer, 97 other Nigerians abscond during pilgrimage in Israel

    The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Tor Uja, has said 100 Christian pilgrims absconded during the 2017 pilgrimage to Israel.

    Uja, who made this known while receiving security report of the 2017 pilgrimage on Monday in Abuja, said that no pilgrim absconded in Rome and Greece.

    The NCPC boss said that the 100 pilgrims who absconded were from five states in Nigeria, adding that a serving soldier, a police inspector and a lecturer were among the absconders.

    He, however, did not disclose the states and names of the absconders, but tagged the states as “red flag”.

    He said pilgrims absconded during pilgrimage as a result of their colonial mindset.

    He explained that as part of the efforts of the commission to check pilgrims from absconding, the commission has decided to increase the security surveillance during pilgrimage.

    Uja said that Nigeria was a nation of future while explaining that the coming together of Nigeria was beyond what the colonialists conceived.

    He said the coming together was an act of God.

    He stressed that one of the major responsibilities Nigerian government has for its citizens was to provide adequate security.

    As a part of the commission’s strategy to check defection of pilgrims while in the Holy Land, he explained that NCPC would intensify its screening mechanism to bring defection to an end.

    Uja revealed that the commission has come up with stringent measures that would discourage pilgrims from absconding, such measures as black listing states with penchant for abscondment, publishing the names of absconders and their guarantors in national newspapers, and prosecuting them eventually.

    He urged Nigerians and particularly the youth to have confidence in the country.

    He explained that Christian pilgrimage under his leadership is focused on three aspects which are enhancing the spiritual content of pilgrimage, using pilgrimage to showcase the great beauty and capacity that Nigeria has and using Christian pilgrimage to promote national development.

    He said the forum would make Christians go on pilgrimage and come back as better persons.

    “It is time to build this country and to give it foundation; it is time to give this country a character; it is time to give this country a vision and a hope.

    “It is time to make Nigerians to know that our land is a land of great opportunities.

    “We have more opportunities in Nigeria than in America and in Israel.

    “We have better land than anywhere else, what we are going to get is a revitalisation to meet with the Lord Jesus Christ afresh and to have a revamping of our spiritual lives.

    Uja commended the security committee for a job well done, adding that he would invite them to educate the commission on its observations and recommendation.

    He called on the church in Nigeria to be steadfast in prayers for the nation and to provide leadership.

    Earlier, Emmanuel Nega, a major general and chairman of the committee, said security is the most important aspect of the commission.

    Nega said that the committee was inaugurated to ensure the security of pilgrims to the holy land.

    He said the committee has documented its recommendations that would assist the commission in terms of security and to prevent pilgrims from absconding.

    According to him, the committee consist of 18 members made up of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Airforce, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, Department of State and Security and Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria.

     

  • Gunmen invade Veritas University Abuja, abduct lecturer

    Gunmen invade Veritas University Abuja, abduct lecturer

    There was pandemonium on Monday at Veritas University, Bwari, Abuja, as gunmen invaded the institution and abducted a lecturer, who also doubles as personal assistant to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Michael Kwanashie.

    Findings revealed that the attackers stormed the Catholic institution around 12am and shot into the air before kidnapping the victim from his quarters opposite the school.

    It was also gathered that the lecturer, who is also a Catholic priest, lived in the same room with the school Chaplain, Fr. Aloysius Achonwa.

    A source explained that Achonwa hid in the roof to elude the gunmen.

    A student at the school, who identified herself as Mbafan, said, “It was around 12am when we heard gunshots. Everyone froze in fear. It was in the morning we learnt that the attackers had abducted the priest and were demanding N15m ransom.”

    The Vice-Chancellor of Veritas University, Kwanashie, declined comment, saying he had been advised against issuing any statement for security reasons.

    The Federal Capital Territory police spokesman, Anjuguri Manzah, promised to find out from the Bwari Police Division, but he subsequently failed to respond to calls and did not reply to a text message sent to him.