Nelson Ugwuagbo

The management of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) has indefinitely suspended three lecturers and a student over allegations of extortion, grade manipulation, and selling grades to students.

The affected lecturers are Dr. Ezugwu Samuel Ndubuisi (Department of Anatomy), Dr. Ugwuishi Emeka (Department of Physiology), and Dr. Nwafor Charles (Department of Physiology). Also suspended is ThankGod Chinonso Obi, a Medical Laboratory Science student accused of aiding and abetting the offenses.

The suspensions, effective from January 23, 2025, followed recommendations from the ESUT College of Medicine (ESUCOM) Disciplinary Committee, which were reviewed by the university’s Management Committee. The case has been referred to the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee for further investigation.

According to reports, the lecturers allegedly conspired with Obi, who served as a class representative, to solicit money from students in exchange for grade alterations. Sources revealed that Obi would inform students they had failed or received poor grades, pressuring them to pay for adjustments.

The university has assured that a thorough investigation will be conducted to ensure accountability and maintain academic integrity.

Resident doctors at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, have suspended the indefinite strike they embarked on a day earlier.

The General Secretary of the UCH Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Uthman Adedeji, confirmed the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday night.

The doctors had commenced the strike on Monday in protest over the prolonged power outage in parts of the hospital’s residential quarters. Although the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) restored electricity to UCH last Wednesday following over 100 days of blackout, some residential areas remained disconnected.

Following the full restoration of power to all affected quarters, the association resolved to suspend the industrial action.

“Arising from the Emergency General Meeting (EGM) we just ended this Tuesday night, we now state that the total and indefinite strike embarked upon at 4:01 p.m. on Monday has been suspended,” Adedeji announced.

He added that work would resume at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, with all members expected to return to their duty posts.

The Lagos State House of Assembly has dismissed reports claiming that 27 lawmakers are planning to defect from the ruling party to the opposition Labour Party (LP), describing the allegations as false and misleading.

Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy, and Security, Ogundipe Stephen, refuted the claims in a statement, labeling the reports as “entirely false, misleading, and a deliberate attempt to misinform the public.”

“We find this report not only offensive but also riddled with inaccuracies and outright falsehoods, serving no purpose other than to sow discord and confusion within the Assembly and among the good people of Lagos State,” the statement read.

The Assembly clarified that recent internal changes, including the removal of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and the election of Rt. Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda as the new Speaker, were conducted in line with constitutional provisions and did not indicate any intention by members to defect.

“These events in no way suggest any intention by members to leave the party. We emphasize, without any ambiguity, that no member of the Assembly is contemplating defection,” the statement added.

Reaffirming its unity and commitment to governance under the ruling party, the Assembly described the reports as “falsehoods spread by agents of destabilization seeking to create unnecessary tension and division.”

“To our party leaders and supporters across the state, we assure you that all members remain committed to the party. Any internal disagreements within the House will be resolved amicably through peaceful and democratic means. There is no crisis warranting defection,” the statement stressed.

The Assembly also urged the media to adhere to journalistic ethics by verifying information before publication and called on the public to disregard the unfounded claims.

Pastor Shyngle Wigwe, father of the late Herbert Wigwe, and Chukwuka Wigwe have filed an appeal challenging a Lagos State High Court ruling that denied their request for the appointment of interim administrators over the late banker’s estate.

The initial suit, filed before Justice A.O. Adeyemi, sought the appointment of an estate administrator to oversee the management of Herbert Wigwe’s assets. The defendants in the case include Uche Wigwe, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, and Otutochi Wigwe, the 26-year-old daughter of the deceased.

During the proceedings, the claimants’ counsel requested that the case be heard in chambers, citing the involvement of minor children and referencing Section 128 of the Child Rights Law, 2007. However, the defense team, led by Paul Usoro SAN, objected, leading the court to conduct the hearing in open court.

On February 6, 2025, Justice Adeyemi ruled against the claimants’ application for interim administrators, stating that the requested reliefs were too similar to those sought in the main suit.

Following the ruling, Pastor Shyngle Wigwe filed an appeal on February 13, 2025, arguing that the court failed to differentiate between interim reliefs, intended to preserve the estate and provide for dependents, and final reliefs, which determine the distribution of assets.

In a related development, Pastor Wigwe has also initiated legal action against Independent Newspaper Ltd. (Suit No. ID/12372/GCMW/2024), seeking an injunction to prevent further media reports after a publication alleged he was seeking a 20% share of the inheritance.

The legal battle over the late Herbert Wigwe’s estate continues as the parties await further court proceedings.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed bank directors with non-performing insider-related loans to resign immediately.

The directive was issued on Monday in a circular signed by the Acting Director of Banking Supervision, Adetona Adedeji.

Insider-related loans refer to credit facilities extended by a financial institution to its own executives, directors, employees, major shareholders, or other related parties.

According to the CBN, the move aims to strengthen corporate governance and enhance risk management in the banking sector.

“Directors with non-performing insider-related facilities are required to step down immediately from the board, while the bank should commence immediate remediation of the loans through the recovery of collaterals, including the shareholdings of the affected directors,” the circular stated.

Citing Section 19 of the Banking and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020, the apex bank directed all banks to implement specific measures regarding insider-related loans.

For insider-related facilities previously approved by the CBN without specific timelines, banks must regularize such loans within 180 days to align with the legal limits—individual director-related facilities must not exceed 5% of the bank’s paid-up capital, while the aggregate insider facilities for the bank should not surpass 10% of paid-up capital.

Additionally, loans granted with specific timelines must be regularized within the permitted period.

The CBN emphasized that banks must comply with these directives immediately to uphold regulatory standards and sound corporate governance practices.

Former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) under President Bola Tinubu of attempting to retain power through undemocratic means.

In a statement personally signed by him, Atiku alleged that the Tinubu-led APC was using political brigandage and subversion to undermine Nigeria’s democracy.

He was reacting to the crisis in Osun State, which resulted in the death of one person, and the invasion of the Lagos State House of Assembly by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the police.

Atiku claimed that the APC orchestrated an attack on the democratic process in Osun by attempting to take over local government secretariats using force. He commended the people of Osun for resisting what he described as an attempt to suppress democracy.

He further called on security agencies deployed for the elections to uphold professionalism and avoid being used as political enforcers.

“These are dangerous times. The APC has abandoned any pretense of democratic legitimacy, resorting instead to brute force in its bid to cling to power,” he stated.

Atiku warned that Nigerians must resist any attempts to subvert democracy, adding that the country demands governance, not chaos.

He urged Tinubu and his administration to put an end to what he described as reckless political sabotage, insisting that Nigerians would not allow their democracy to be hijacked.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Oyo State Command, has apprehended 40 suspected illegal immigrants in Akinyele Local Government Area.

Oyo State Comptroller of NIS, Tayo Dada, confirmed the arrests, stating they were carried out based on credible intelligence.

Profiling of the suspects revealed that 27 are Cameroonians, two are Ghanaians, 10 are Beninese, and one is Togolese. Among them, 32 are males and eight are females, aged between 18 and 35 years.

Further investigations indicated that 10 of the individuals are farmers, while 30 claimed to be engaged in online marketing. None possessed valid residence permits or travel documents, having entered Nigeria through unauthorized routes.

Dada disclosed that the Comptroller General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, has ordered the necessary procedures to be followed for their repatriation.