The Federal High Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State, has pronounced a verdict of guilt against an undergraduate of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, for charges related to impersonation and examination malpractice during the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Presiding Judge, Justice T Adegoke, delivered the judgment on 5th March, finding the defendant, Adesuyi Feranmi, guilty on two counts of conspiracy and examination impersonation. Justice Adegoke sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment for each count, with the sentences to run concurrently. Additionally, the court offered an alternative option of a fine of N100,000.00 for each count, totaling N200,000.00. Adesuyi,…
Author: Editor Francis
The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) has announced that the 2024 Mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is scheduled for Thursday, March 7, 2024. In a recent statement, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the JAMB spokesperson, clarified that candidates will be permitted to enter the examination hall with an ordinary HB pencil for numerical analysis if desired. Previously, the use of pencils and other banned materials had been prohibited due to concerns over potential misuse. However, for the upcoming Mock-UTME and the main UTME scheduled to begin on Friday, April 19, 2024, JAMB has approved the use of ordinary HB pencils.…
In a recent address, European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi, emphasised the critical role of women in decision-making and politics for Nigeria’s progress towards equality, sustainable development, peace, and democracy. Isopi highlighted the persistent challenges faced by women, including social, cultural, and financial obstacles, hindering their active participation in politics despite their fundamental right to do so. During a two-day roundtable organized by the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria to commemorate International Women’s Week, Isopi, represented by EU Deputy Head of Mission to Nigeria, Zissimos Vergos, underscored the ongoing constitution reform process in Nigeria…
The State House of Assembly has served an impeachment notice to Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu. This development comes amidst a reported face-off between Shaibu and Governor Godwin Obaseki, which intensified following Shaibu’s loss in the recent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial primary elections. Shaibu, who had previously raised concerns about a purported plot to impeach him, citing his gubernatorial aspirations as the motive behind the alleged scheme, found himself at odds with the state’s leadership. Notably, Shaibu was elected during a parallel primary election held at his residence in Benin City, while another PDP primary took place at the Samuel…
President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, romped through more than a dozen states on Super Tuesday, all but cementing a November rematch and increasing pressure on the former president’s last major rival, Nikki Haley, to leave the Republican race. Their victories from coast to coast, including the delegate-rich states of California and Texas, left little doubt about the trajectory of the race. Haley won Vermont, denying Trump a full sweep, but the former president carried other states that might have been favorable to her such as Virginia, Massachusetts and Maine, which have large swaths of moderate voters like…
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, announced the inauguration of the Working Group on Environmental Standards for the Sustainable Procurement Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement Project. This initiative marks a significant stride in Nigeria’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable development. Ibrahim Haruna, Head, Press and Public Relations Unit, relates this to the newsmen Lawal emphasised the importance of the working group in addressing critical gaps and enhancing capacity in procurement, environmental management, and social standards sectors. He underscored its alignment with President Tinubu’s vision for transparent procurement processes, emphasising transparency as fundamental to good governance. The Sustainable Procurement,…
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, emphasized that membership in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is not compulsory, following the recent exits of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso from the regional bloc. In an interview with Al Jazeera during his visit to Qatar as part of a delegation led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Tuggar highlighted the importance of the community aspect of ECOWAS and stated that it is ultimately up to the regimes in the respective countries to decide on their membership. Regarding the potential reinvention of ECOWAS after the withdrawals, Tuggar dismissed…
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) revealed in a recent statement that 767 manufacturers ceased operations, while 335 became distressed in 2023. These closures and distresses were attributed to various economic challenges including exchange rate volatility and rising inflation, which have exacerbated the investment climate. MAN strongly condemned the introduction of the Expatriate Employment Levy by the Federal Government, stating that it contradicts President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and his Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform initiative. The association emphasized that the levy would significantly increase the cost of doing business in Nigeria, particularly for manufacturers who are already grappling…
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has initiated discussions with the African Development Bank regarding potential funding for the construction of segments of the Coastal and Trans-Saharan Highways within Nigeria. The crucial talks unfolded during a meeting held at the ministry’s headquarters on Tuesday, led by Umahi and a delegation from the African Development Bank, spearheaded by Mike Salawou, the Director of Infrastructure and Urban Development. Uchenna Orji, the Special Adviser on Media, conveyed that the government is actively seeking avenues for investment in infrastructure development along the coastal and trans-Saharan routes. These investment opportunities encompass various sectors such as…
In a recent announcement made by the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, a total of 4,412 candidates out of 5,300 have successfully passed the November 2023 Bar Final examinations. However, 888 candidates did not meet the requirements for passing. Highlighting the exceptional performance, Chiroma revealed that 251 candidates attained first-class grades, marking an unprecedented achievement for the institution. This success translates to an 83.3% overall pass rate. During the Call to Bar ceremony held in Abuja, Mary Peter-Odili, the chairman of the Body of Benchers, expressed concern over the current state of the judiciary. She…
Users of the widely-used social media platforms Facebook and Twitter expressed frustration following an unexpected shutdown of services on Tuesday. Numerous reports surfaced indicating that users across multiple Instagram and Facebook accounts were unable to access their profiles. Attempts to log into Facebook accounts were met with difficulties, while Instagram users found their account profiles and homepages unrefreshable. The disruption prompted a wave of complaints from users on various social media platforms, with many expressing confusion and annoyance at the sudden outage. One Twitter user, identified as Peace Ighodaro (@peace_igho), tweeted, “Who logged us out of Facebook ooo”, echoing the…
Over 40 million telephone lines risk forfeiture for failing to link to National Identity Numbers, warns Nigerian Communications Commission The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued a stern warning to over 40 million telephone lines that have been barred due to their failure to link to National Identity Numbers (NINs). Reuben Mouka, the Director of Public Affairs at NCC, revealed this during an exclusive interview with The Punch made available to GOVIMA on Tuesday. Telecommunication operators have already barred these lines, citing the breach of the February 28, 2024 deadline set by the commission. Customers were mandated to link their…