The University of Abuja has suspended 24 students indefinitely for their alleged involvement in in cultism.

Their suspension was approved by the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah.

In a statement on Friday by the Head of Information and University Relations, Dr. Habib Yakoob, the VC directed that the students be made to appear before the Students Disciplinary Committee for further investigation.

The statement reads: “It will be recalled that the Police on 15th March 2020 arrested 46 students suspected to be cult members, following a tip-off from the University Safety Office in close collaboration with the community vigilantes, while they were planning to conduct initiation in Gwako Village along Gwagwalada Road, Abuja.

“This   is   the   first   batch   of   the   arrested   students   to   be   suspended   by   the university management.  Out of the 24  suspended students, who cut across various faculties including Science, Arts, Social Science, 7  were  in  400  level; 10  in  300 level; 6  in  200 level and one spill-over student.

“The affected students have been directed  by the university authority to handover   all property in their possession and vacate the hostels immediately.

“The Vice Chancellor, who relied on the University Law clearly spelt out to the students during their orientation exercise, and for which a matriculation oath was taken, has also directed that the students be made to appear before the Students’ Disciplinary Committee for further investigation.

“The University Management wishes to reiterate that it has zero tolerance for cultism and other related misconduct in the University, and is determined  to, after due diligence,  punish any staff or student who violates the university rules and regulations.

“The university community is urged to be vigilant at all times and accordingly report any suspicious activities within the university that could undermine the safety and peaceful co-existence of its members.

“The University administration assures students and staff of the university of its maximum protection, and that measures have been put in place to arrest any other suspect to serve as deterrent to others.”

The University of Abuja has suspended 24 students indefinitely for their alleged involvement in in cultism.

Their suspension was approved by the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah.

In a statement on Friday by the Head of Information and University Relations, Dr. Habib Yakoob, the VC directed that the students be made to appear before the Students Disciplinary Committee for further investigation.

The statement reads: “It will be recalled that the Police on 15th March 2020 arrested 46 students suspected to be cult members, following a tip-off from the University Safety Office in close collaboration with the community vigilantes, while they were planning to conduct initiation in Gwako Village along Gwagwalada Road, Abuja.

“This   is   the   first   batch   of   the   arrested   students   to   be   suspended   by   the university management.  Out of the 24  suspended students, who cut across various faculties including Science, Arts, Social Science, 7  were  in  400  level; 10  in  300 level; 6  in  200 level and one spill-over student.

“The affected students have been directed  by the university authority to handover   all property in their possession and vacate the hostels immediately.

“The Vice Chancellor, who relied on the University Law clearly spelt out to the students during their orientation exercise, and for which a matriculation oath was taken, has also directed that the students be made to appear before the Students’ Disciplinary Committee for further investigation.

“The University Management wishes to reiterate that it has zero tolerance for cultism and other related misconduct in the University, and is determined  to, after due diligence,  punish any staff or student who violates the university rules and regulations.

“The university community is urged to be vigilant at all times and accordingly report any suspicious activities within the university that could undermine the safety and peaceful co-existence of its members.

“The University administration assures students and staff of the university of its maximum protection, and that measures have been put in place to arrest any other suspect to serve as deterrent to others.”

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the commencement of the repatriation of stolen assets from the United States.

The agreement on the repatriation of looted funds is expected to be signed next week while the looted assets of $321 million allegedly belonging to late General Sani Abacha are also expected to be repatriated from Island of Jersey.

Briefing State House correspondents after the FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami said that other assets to be repatriated include that of former Minister for Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, Kolawole Aluko and James Ibori, who was governor of Delta State from 1999 to 2007 put at €6.6 million.

A UK based Nigerian singer Daffy Blanco has alleged that singer Peruzzi raped her even after receiving a sum of N15million from her.According to the singer, she had an agreement with the DMW signee to help her write hit songs, but he went beyond the business relationship between them to have his way with her.

She wrote that Peruzzi trailed her to her hotel room one night and forced himself upon her. He was later going to claim he was drunk that night, but according to her, he was the one who drove himself to her hotel room.

She further alleged that the matter was settled by his lawyer and she has forgiven him, even though it took a long while for her to be able to come to terms with the grievous harm he caused her.

She is however requesting for her money otherwise, she would release some video evidences she claims she has against the singer.

Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says Diezani Alison-Madueke, former minister of petroleum, is being protected in the UK.

The ex-minister had relocated to London shortly before former President Goodluck Jonathan handed over to President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

Later that year, Alison-Madueke was grilled at the Charing Cross Police Station in London. The former minister was interrogated at the station when UK National Crime agency arrested her on suspicions of bribery and money laundering.

The Westminster magistrate court subsequently granted her bail but seized her passport while she was asked to report at the station at a later date. The court had seized £27, 000 from her, while the agency applied for three separate cash detentions in the names of Diezani, Beatrice Agama (her mother) and Melanie Spencer, a Swiss national.

During her ordeal in the UK, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) carried out a search on her Asokoro, Abuja, residence.

But when nothing was heard about the case after three years, the EFCC commenced started a process to extradite her, while the international police issued an arrest warrant for her following a request by the federal government.

However, Magu said the UK authorities did not do enough to make the process work out.

Speaking during an official visit to the Ibadan zonal office of the commission on Wednesday, Magu wondered why the country would be “protecting her” when there is enough evidence “to take her to court”.

“They have not taken her to court and this is the fifth year. Why should you be investigating a case for five years? It is a straight toward case and not murder case which takes long processes,” he said.

“You know it is a financial crime investigation. It is a straight forward case. If you don’t have sufficient evidence to take her to court, bring her back. We have more than enough evidence to take her to court.

“I don’t know why they are protecting her. Release her and let her come back to Nigeria. They are giving her protection for whatever reason known to them.

“They are yet to declare any pieces of evidence recovered against her. They are still relying on our evidence.”

The EFCC chairman said the commission is collaborating with stakeholders, including the media, in the fight against corruption.

“We are collaborating with everybody. We are collaborating with Nigerians in the diaspora, those who live outside. We are collecting a lot of information from them and that is our strength in getting them,” he said.

“We also want to collaborate with Nigerians in Nigeria so that they will give us information to expose looters and get them to return their loots.”

The Shi’ite members were protesting over the killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani following an airstrike by the United States of America.

They also demanded the release of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat who are currently detained

The angry protesters marched the streets of Abuja chanting hate songs and slogans like “Death To America.”

They also burnt a flag of the United States of America and carried placards condemning the killing of the top Iranian general, and also death to America, death to Isreal.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad, has distanced himself from a former Senator that represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, who allegedly used his name to solicit for N4 million bribe.

Sani who is currently in custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, allegedly approached a car dealer, Alhaji Sani Dauda of ASD Motors and purportedly demanded for the sum of N4m to give to the CJN to settle some unnamed four Judges so they could compromise justice in a case that is pending in court.

The vocal former lawmaker was arrested last Tuesday by the anti-graft agency for alleged extortion and name-dropping.

He reportedly claimed that the bribe money would ensure that the pending case does not “see the light of the day”.

However, the CJN, in a statement that was signed by the Director of Press and Information at the Supreme Court, Dr. Festus Akande, and made available to newsmen on Sunday, said he has never in his entire life, seen or had any form of encounter or interactions, either directly or remotely, with Senator Sani.

The CJN vowed to take appropriate legal steps should ongoing investigations confirm that the ex-lawmaker indeed attempted to use his name to collect money from the said car dealer.

He said such legal action would serve as a deterrent to “other potential name droppers and extortionists”

This may not be the best of times for Nigeria's accountant general, Ahmed Idris, as he has been queried over under-reporting of N400 billion overdrafts by the Federal Government.

This was disclosed when the Auditor General of the Federation, Anthony Eyine, submitted his 2017 Audit Report to the National Assembly, recently.

Other infractions the report noticed include errors in the operation of TSA, and improper inclusion of TSA Suspense Balance as Investment Income as well as the accountant general's inability to explain inadequate disclosure of aids and grants amounting to N6.6 billion.

“We relied on third-party account balance confirmation provided by CBN alongside the balance contained in the Statement of Financial Position to arrive at the following findings: there was a net overdrawn bank balance with MDAs in the sum of N400,341,840, 719.24 as at 31st December, 2017.

“A further examination of the books revealed that 15 accounts had debit balances that means assets amounting to N2,595,778,779, 855.57 while four accounts had N2,996,120,620, 574.81 as credit balances signifying liability”, the report read in part.

It further revealed that, “the overdrawn balance of the Federal Government (per the CBN) as of December 31st, 2017, stood at N2,455,817,954, 214.86 .

“A comparison of the names of accounts listed in the financial statements and those shown in the CBN accounts balances confirmation letter indicate that there are 19 accounts while the CBN list acknowledged only four accounts.

“From the four accounts, three were found to correspond with the financial statements, however there was a difference between the CBN figure and the balance in the financial statements in respect of OAGF Cash Transit–Treasury Single Account (TSA) recurrent account in the sum of N2,576, 603.81

“There was also a TSA e-collection account in the CBN Statement but this was not shown in the financial statements."

On the Accountant General's inability to explain inadequate disclosure of aids and grants amounting to N6.6 billion, the report said "there was no information about the donors or the recipient MDAs to verify the occurrence, accuracy or completeness of the transaction”.

The Vice Principal of Government Day Secondary School in Ote community of Eiye-Nkorin local government area of Kwara State, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside a teacher identified as Usman Lanre Kayode and a National Examination Council (NECO) Supervisor Saka Isiaka, over an alleged examination malpractice.

The suspects were arrested after the anti-graft agency received an intelligence report of the school's management and supervisors of the centre extorting money from the students writing NECO in order to assist them in the examination.

EFCC's statement reads;

The Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arrested three persons including a Vice Principal for allegedly collecting money from students participating in the ongoing National Examination Council (NECO) at Government Day Secondary School, Ote in Eiye-Nkorin Area of Kwara State.

The Suspects are: the Vice Principal of the School, Issa Abdulrahman; a teacher, Usman Lanre Kayode and a Supervisor of the Examination in the Centre, Saka Isiaka.

The Commission had received an intelligence report that the school management and supervisors of the centre were extorting money from the students writing NECO in order to assist them in the examination.