I Will Keep All Nigerians Home And Abroad Safe – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration is committed to keeping Nigerians home and abroad safe.

This was made known in a statement by Garba Shehu, Buhari’s Senior special assistant on media and publicity, on Thursday at a gathering of students and professionals in Sochi, Russia.

He said, “The life of every Nigerian, in every part of the world matters,” Buhari was quoted to have said.

“Our government will protect Nigerians at home, and abroad.”

The Nigeria Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) was said to have been established to ensure “a forward and backward link” for all Nigerians living outside the country by catering for their safety and needs, and providing a platform for many who would like to contribute to the development of the country with their skills, knowledge and resources.

Nigerians living abroad were advised to be law-abiding and work very hard to excel in their studies and chosen careers.

“We must create jobs to meet the growing demands in the country, and we are looking at agriculture already,” Buhari was quoted to have said.

“Yesterday, I met with Russian President, Vladimir Putin and we discussed some of the areas of shared interest which includes pushing for diversification of the economy in agriculture and solid minerals. Incidentally, we have a lot in common.

“Russia exports crude oil like Nigeria, and it is the second largest producer of gas in the world. A lot can be learnt from their journey. We will collaborate in agriculture, oil and gas, and solid minerals exploration.”

Fela deserves national recognition, says Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday at a town hall meeting in Edo State said that Afrobeat creator, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti deserved national recognition.

Osinbajo said this while responding to a question from one of the people present at the town hall meeting, who asked that the National Theatre Lagos be named after the legendary musician.

The VP, however, said the decision to bestow national honour on Fela was not his to make.

Osinbajo said the late Afrobeat maestro deserves such national honour from the government even after his death both as a Nigerian and father of Nigerian modern music.

NYSC member allegedly beats boy to death in Kano

An unidentified boy was on Thursday night reportedly beaten to death by a serving National Youth Service Corps member, in Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State.

The incident was said to have occurred, on Thursday evening, when the boy rushed into the corps members’ lodge to collect fruits from the residents, who are fond of offering fruits to children within the neighbourhood.

However, in his attempt to collect his share of the fruits, the boy, was said to have stumbled on a corps member, who was provoked by the incident and hit the boy, until he died.

The Public Relations Officer of Bebeji Transformation for Change, Shehu Suleiman, who narrated the incident to our correspondent, via telephone, said police officers had barricaded the area, so as to forestall a possible breakdown of law and order, over the incident.

Also, he disclosed that police officers had since taken the corps member, whose name could not be ascertained to their station, while the remains of the boy have been conveyed to a hospital in Bebeji Local Government Area.

When contacted via telephone, the Kano state NYSC Coordinator, Ladan Baba, confirmed that the scheme had been briefed, adding that his officials have since proceeded to Bebeji on Friday morning to further investigate the incident.

University Of Maiduguri: CSOs, Students Kick Against Increase In Tuition

The civil society organization and some social media users in
Maiduguri have described the recent decision of the University of
Maiduguri's management to increase tuitions as reckless and
insensitive to the plight of the people.

They asked the federal government to wade into considered the fact of
the serious challenge facing the state.

The Chairman of CSO of Borno State, Amb. Ahmed Shehu, said the
decision was uncalled-for and must be reversed with immediate effect.

"The increment (of school fees) by (the) University of Maiduguri at
this moment is unjustifiable and uncalled-for especially at this
moment and time that all stakeholders are making efforts to ensure
that the disparity in education is addressed in the state in
particular and the northeast, in general, considering the fact that
Borno State has the highest number of people that don't have access to
education, with this indices and problem on ground.

"The increment means we are  trying to force the poor children our of
school because I am
sure they can't afford based on the socio-economic status of their
parents and guardians," Shehu stated.

He added, "I call on Unimaid management to reverse this decision or
else this is not going to be healthy. It is one way or the other to
tell people to stay away from western education, also it is like
denying people their rights. I think it is condemnable from the CSO's
point of view and advise the university to consult widely, sit with
SUG, members of the community and (other) stakeholders."

Continuing, he said, "This is discrimination against poor people in
the state, the poor people are discriminated by this hike in tuition
fees, it is the only federal institutions in this state with this
development is the management telling us that education is not a right
in this country? Are they telling us to go to Chad or Niger to start
studying?

"Even with the falling quality of education in our higher
institutions, the citizens agree to manage. But giving us this Santa
Cruz gift before December will force us to rethink and decide that the
priorities of the leadership of our educational institutions are not
national interest."

They warned that the increase in school fees might be another way of
depriving discourage their ward to western education which insurgents
vehemently against it.

A resident of Maiduguri, Abba Maina, wrote on his Facebook timeline:
"I see no difference between the University of Maiduguri and Boko
Haram Sect, they have the same ideology of stopping people from
western education, if this increase in tuitions (registration money)
is real then they're worse than Boko Haram.

"Where on earth our suffering people of Borno and the Northeast will
get this amount of money to pay for their children, this heartless
increased tuition (registration money), in this insurgency period?
#Terrible."

A social worker and journalist, Junaid Jibril Maiva, also wrote:
"Unimaid and its unpopular decision. The news is all over that the
University of Maiduguri has increased its tuition. Even though no
official statement was released from the university on the increment,
if it turns to be true, then, the university needs to reconsider this
decision, if not for itself, at least for its host.




"A lot of students especially from Borno and North-east states will
drop out if this decision sees the light of the day and they may
become a social menace to the society. It is for the management to
consider our situation and denounced this hectic, unpopular and
ungodly decision.

"I want to passionately appeal to the university, it host, the state
government and any other critical stakeholder of the institution to
please have a meeting towards addressing this unpopular decision.

"We hope the Prof. Aliyu Shugaba led administration will look inward
and find an alternative to this increment because I don’t think it
will be in the interests of the larger society to have a huge number
of dropouts. No matter what, SUG University of Maiduguri should resist
the pressure from the management, protest if need be and make sure,
the management comes to its senses."

Three men caught after stealing female underwear

The Police in Niger have arrested three suspects for allegedly stealing female panties in Lapai and Gurara local government areas of the state.

The Command’s spokesman, DSP Muhammadu Abubakar, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Minna on Friday that a complaint was lodged at the Lapai Police Division concerning the theft on October 18.

He said the case was assigned for investigation, which resulted in the arrest of a 24-year-old man, Mohammed Ali, a resident of state low cost housing estate, in whose possession the pants were found.

Abubakar said when quizzed by the Police, Ali confessed to have broken into the house of the complainant through the window and removed the panties from where they were spread.

Further investigation revealed that the suspect also stole three other panties from different rooms in the same neighbourhood.

The suspect said he delivered the stolen panties to one Malam Madaji Yabajeko of Agaie Local Government Area, now at large.

Abubakar said the case would soon be charged to court after completion of Police investigation.

Similarly, on October 9, acting on another report, operatives of Kaffin-Koro Division arrested one Abubakar Sadiq, 18; and Ephraim Isaiah, 19, both students of Izom Science Secondary School, Gurara Local Government Area, for stealing female panties.

Abubakar said the two suspects had since been charged to court.

Tinubu Oils Political Machinery For 2023, Enlists Afikuyomi

Fresh facts emerged as to why APC national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu reconciled with his erstwhile political godson and strategist, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi.

Insiders close to the former Lagos governor, who can be regarded as the biggest South West politician now, is already oiling his political machinery in preparation for his 2023 presidential ambition.

We gathered that to ensure easy and smooth victory of that ambition, Asiwaju is gathering his foot soldiers and already assigning them roles to ensure no stone is unturned.

It was during this process that Tokunbo Afikuyomi’s name was mentioned. While those close to Asiwaju were quick to accuse Afikuyomi of betraying him especially during the 2019 presidential election by working for Atiku, the accusation was cleared when a prominent traditional ruler who happened to have gotten informed that while some of his associates were lying to him during the preceding days to the 2019 elections that Afikuyomi was in Nigeria working against him, Afikuyomi was in far away United States in excruciating pains confined to a wheelchair.

This true situation made Tokunbo’s reconciliation with Asiwaju very easy. Asiwaju, was said to have told one of his political associates that, "the fact that Tokunbo did not abandon Ambode the way most of the people who benefited from him did, is the strength of his character that I admire. Tokunbo is not someone who will abandon you in time of adversity. Yes, we had our differences on Ambode and he took a principled stand. I am a Democrat and will not kill him for that."

This signaled the return of Senator Afikuyomi who Asiwaju once described as a man you can rely on in any battle of life. “I have been in the trenches with him and he never betrayed the cause." The notable politician told his new team.

Aside Senator Afikuyomi, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Senator Ogunlewe, Femi Pedro among others are listed as the political sons of Asiwaju Tinubu who are battle ready to ensure that their principal not only becomes the next President of Nigeria, they are to ensure that the South West have a good showing unlike the last election results which was not too favorable.