EAGLES EYE UPDATE

The Investiture of Professor Olusola Babatunde Kehinde as the Seventh(7th) Substantive Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture,Abeokuta (FUNAAB) will hold on Monday,April 3,2023 at Oluwafemi Balogun Ceremonial Building,Permanent Site of the University,Alabata Road,Abeokuta,Ogun State by 11a.m but guests are to be seated by 10:30 a.m. According to a statement issued by the Registrar of the University and Secretary to the Governing Council,Dr.'Bola Adekola, the Investiture of Prof.Kehinde will be graced by prescribed authorities of the University at national level, Federal Government appointees, including the  Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council ( who will Chair the Ceremony),  Members of the Governing Council,, Royalties, former Vice- Chancellors and Principal Officers of the University, Members of Senate of the University, Members of the Academic Community  and well wishers from all works of life. Professor Kehinde's journey to Vice-Chancel...

Governor of Oyo state Seyi Makinde has renamed the First Technical University after the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi. Makinde stated this at the second Convocation Ceremony of the First Technical University on Friday, March 31, 2023. According to him, this was done in honour of the contributions of the former governor to the establishment of the Technical University of Oyo State. The Technical University, Ibadan was established in 2017 by the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi while serving as the state governor. It was established to bridge the skill gap between competences of University graduates and industry requirements through a blend of theory, practical and hands-on experiences. The University has a total of 15 academic programmes approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC). Some of these programmes include Mechatronics Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Food Science and Technology, Cyber Security, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Physics with Electronics, Petroleum ...

There was palpable tension in Osogbo, the Osun State capital after a truck conveying inmates to the State High Court, hit a commercial minibus, injuring two persons. The incident which occured on Thursday morning, March 30, 2023, immediately sparked violent protest, as commercial motorcyclists and some angry youths blocked the popular Olaiya Junction in protest. Eyewitnesses said the correctional truck driver refused to obey a traffic light that had signaled him to stop and in the process, hit a minibus, leaving the driver and one of the passengers injured. As of the time of filing this report, police drafted to the scene, had dispersed the protesters, with teargas. This report is developing, more details will be shared as soon as possible.

The drive for increased youth participation in governance catalysed change in Nigeria’s political culture in the 2023 elections, with several celebrities contesting for various elective positions in the hopes of changing the country’s direction. However, not many of them fared well at the polls based on results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Here are celebrities who failed to secure electoral victories: * Funke Akindele Arguably the biggest Nollywood name that contested for a political position at the last election was Funke Akindele. She was the deputy governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the Lagos state gubernatorial elections. However, she lost to the incumbent governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Akindele with Adediran AbdulAzeez (Jandor) the PDP governorship candidate polled a total number of 62,449 votes, to come a distant third in the election. *Banky W Ace entertainer, Bankole Wellington o...

The Ikeja Division of the Lagos High Court has admitted the bail of four Chrisland School Ikeja staff members alleged for involuntary manslaughter of 12-year-old student Whitney Adeniran. The Lagos government charged Ademoye Adewale, Kuku Fatai, Belinda Amao, and Nwatu Victoria with involuntary manslaughter and reckless, negligent acts. The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge while appearing before the court on Thursday, March 30, 2023. Justice Oyindamola Ogala admitted the defendants to bail after defence counsel moved the motion for bail dated March 28 and March 29, respectively. There were no objections from the prosecution, led by the Lagos attorney general Moyosore Onigbanjo. Ms Ogala admitted the first and second defendants to N10 million bail, each with two sureties each in like sum; the third and the fourth defendants to N20 million bail, each with two sureties each in like sum. The judge said all the sureties must be gainfully employed, have credible and veri...

The Lagos State Ministry of Education has granted permission for students in terminal classes to access Chrisland High School, Opebi for physical learning ahead of their examinations due to begin soon. Recall that the school was shut in the heat of controversy over the death of 12 years Whitney Adedina who died in February of alleged electrocution during the school’s inter-house sports activities in Agege stadium. In a statement signed by Asst. Director of the state ministry of education, Ganiu Lawal, on Monday, the education commissioner, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo broke the news in an update on the case of the deceased student of the school, Miss. Whitney Adeniran. Part of her speech read: “The school will remain closed until all necessary judicial processes superintended over by the State’s Ministry of Justice and other ongoing administrative inquests within the purview of the Office of Education Quality Assurance and other agencies are completed”. She also hinted that arrangements are...

* Seven things to know about the late Lt General Oladipo Diya (rtd) A former Chief of General Staff (CGS) Lt- General Oladipo Diya (Rtd) GCON, LLB, BL, PSC, FSS, mni is dead. He died in the early hours of Sunday, according to a statement on behalf of the family by Barrister Prince Oyesinmilola Diya. The former Ogun Military Administrator was born on April 3, 1944. Diya joined the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna and fought during the Civil War. He later attended the US Army School of Infantry, the Command and Staff College, Jaji (1980–1981) and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru. While serving in the military, Diya studied law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained an LLB degree before proceeding to Law School, where he was called to bar as Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He was arrested for allegedly planning a trumped-up coup to unseat Abacha. He was condemned to death by firing squad with men like Maj....

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is to present Certificates-of -Return to Governors-Elect between March 29 and 31. Members-elect into Assemblies will also be presented their Certificates-of-Return within the same period. However, the Commission is yet to announce the date for conclusion of the governorship election in Adamawa and Kebbi States, which were declared inconclusive. In a statement by the National Commissioner in Charge of Information and Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye, the commission said specific date for the exercise will be communicated to those concerned by either the Resident Electoral Commissioners or Administrative Secretary in the various states. The statement reads “The Commission met today, Saturday 25th March 2023 and deliberated on a wide range of issues including the issuance of Certificates of Return to those elected during the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections conducted by the Commission on 18th March 2023. “By th...

Long queues at commercial banks in Lagos have suddenly disappeared following the injection of more bank notes by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) into commercial banks, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. The apex bank had on Thursday confirmed the evacuation of bank notes from its vaults to commercial banks across the country as part of a coordinated effort to ease the circulation of the banknotes of various denominations.  The bank also directed all commercial banks to open for operations on Saturdays and Sundays. The apex bank said that a substantial amount of money, in various denominations, had been received by the commercial banks for onward circulation to their respective customers. The CBN had directed all banks to load their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) as well as conduct physical operations in the banking halls through the weekends. Meanwhile, a correspondent of NAN who monitored some of the banks in the metropolis to check compliance, reported that the lo...

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has denied suspending accounts of Fintech companies like OPAY and PALMPAY, describing it as fake news. This is according to a statement made by the CBN’s Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Isa AbdulMumin, in Abuja on Friday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). The viral news credited to AbdulMumin stated that the CBN was about to suspend accounts of the Fintech companies because they were being used to perpetrate fraud. “Please if you are using OPAY, PALMPAY or any of these CHINA APPs or their POS, stop keeping much money in the account or stop using it. “The CBN is about suspending their accounts because these apps are being used to perpetrate fraud,’’ the viral news read in parts. OPAY and PALMPAY had in separate social media messages denied being under the radar of the CBN. OPAY had stated that: “the post mentioning the CBN shutting down our operations is false and misleading to the general public.’’ PALMPAY also posted a ...

The Lagos State Government has announced its plan to prosecute Chrisland School, some members of staff, and a vendor over the death of Whitney Adeniran, a 12-year-old student. The charges against them are involuntary manslaughter, reckless and negligent acts, and are in violation of Sections 224 and 251 of the Criminal Law, Laws of Lagos State, 2015. On February 9, 2023, Whitney Adeniran slumped during her school’s inter-house sports event and was rushed to Agege Central Hospital, where she was pronounced “brought in dead” (BID) by the attending doctor. Following an autopsy that revealed she died from asphyxia and electrocution, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo ordered a coroner’s inquest into the matter. The coroner, Magistrate Olabisi Fajana, will begin the inquiry on April 4 to determine the cause of the student’s death. The case was subsequently referred to the Nigerian Police Force, which carried out a thorough investigation with the help of ot...

A Ugandan pastor, David Ochieng, has shut down his church after winning over 100 million naira from a sports bet. However, the church members were left in disbelief and confusion. He closed down the building and left members of his congregation stranded when they came for midweek service. Members of the church who visited the premises were shocked when they saw that the gate was locked and did not know what to do. Pastor David was contacted, and he confessed to choosing the work as a means of survival and not that he was genuinely called. He explained, “I must admit that I opened this church due to ‘greed’ but not anointing. I saw how several pastors make money through the crowds they have and making fake prophesies to attract more,” he narrated. “As time went on, I realized this wasn’t right, I started having sleepless nights, and I would always have weird dreams. Before I opened this church, everything was normal on my side; even without money, I didn’t get any strange dreams, so I d...

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero has directed public sector workers in the country to embark on strike beginning from Wednesday next week. He also directed that affiliate unions constituting the Nigeria Labour Congress should also be on standby for picketing exercises across all branches of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, nationwide. The directive followed an earlier ultimatum issued by the Central Working Committee members of the NLC last week criticising the cash swap policy of the Federal Government. Ajaero said the decision to picket CBN branches became necessary, as the Federal Government and the CBN have not shown any commitment to address the situation. He lamented that despite the Supreme Court order allowing the old N500 and N1000 notes to circulate with the new notes till December 31 this year, the situation appears to be getting worse as workers cannot access cash to pay fares to work, nor can they buy food for their families. Briefing repor...

Nigerian senator Ike Ekweremadu, his wife, and a medical middleman have been found guilty of trafficking a man to Britain to provide a kidney, a statement from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Thursday. Ekweremadu (60), his wife Beatrice (56), and Nigerian doctor Obinna Obeta (51), were convicted in a British court of conspiring to exploit the man from Lagos. Related News Organ harvesting: court grants Ekweremadu Bail Alleged organ trafficking: Victim resides in Lagos Ekweremadu: I'm yet to get official report “This was a horrific plot to exploit a vulnerable victim by trafficking him to the UK for the purpose of transplanting his kidney,” said Joanne Jakymec, Chief Crown Prosecutor. “The convicted defendants showed utter disregard for the victim’s welfare, health, and well-being and used their considerable influence to a high degree of control throughout, with the victim having a limited understanding of what was really going on here.” The couple’s daughter, Sonia, was ...

Due to the recent hiccups experienced by bank customers and their inability to use mobile apps and other digital touchpoints, Nigerians have begun the search for alternatives as fintech firms have taken over the ecosystem and provided better experiences. These licensed mobile operators have provided relief to many Nigerians at the time of unprecedented transaction failures. The mobile money operators offer incentives such as zero transfer charges and daily rewards to customers. Many customers on these platforms are concerned about the legality of the platforms and wonder if they are authorised or licensed to operate in Nigeria. The worries have prompted the apex bank to draw up a list of authorised operators in the financial ecosystem. The development comes as the CBN barred bank agents from offering PoS services. CBN releases guidelines for PoS operations CBN released the regulatory framework for agent banking operations, which includes several restrictions to mitigate risks in the fi...

Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Olufemi A. Peters, has disclosed that a total of 28, 740 students will be graduating in the forthcoming Convocation; among them, are 65 inmates from Nigerian Correctional Centre. Prof Peters noted that 58 of the inmates are undergraduates and seven are postgraduate, and that they are studying at no cost as the university offers them scholarship as part of their social responsibility and provides them opportunity to make a living for themselves after they serve their terms. Speaking at the university’s 12th Pre-Convocation briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, Prof Peters noted that the number of graduands is high and that is why the university was established to be able to bring in more literacy to the Nigerian community and other opportunities. He gave the breakdown of the graduating students as 21, 339 undergraduates, 7,401 post graduates out of which 58 of the undergraduates and seven post graduates are inmates, ad...

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday released more results of Saturday’s governorship election with anointed candidates of some governors losing the poll. All the results so far declared as of 10 pm on Monday indicated that the All Progressives Congress won the governorship polls in 15 states including Sokoto, Katsina, Jigawa, Gombe, Lagos, Kwara, Niger, Yobe, Nasarawa, C’River, Ebonyi, Ogun, Benue, Kaduna and Borno. The Peoples Democratic Party on the other hand won Plateau, Bauchi, Oyo, Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states while the New Nigeria Peoples Party emerged victorious in Kano. The results of the election in Abia and Enugu States were delayed following the dispute between the Labour Party and the PDP over the results from some local government areas. To resolve the issues, INEC suspended further collation of the governorship election results pending a review of the process of the contentious balloting in parts of the two states. On Sunday, INEC declared Gover...