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Students’ union: NANS gives OAU condition to suspend planned protes

Published

5 years ago

April 15, 2021

Obafemi Awolowo e National Association of Nigerian Students has given the management of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife a condition to suspend its planned mass protest against the suspension of the Students’ Union in the institution.

They gave the conditions after meeting with the management of the institution, according to a statement by the Public Relations Officer of NANS in South-West, Kazeem Israel, on Thursday.

The students’ body had given a seven-day ultimatum to the management of OAU and other institutions in the South-West to reinstate their students’ union.

Reacting, the OAU management announced plans to reinstate its students’ union after its Senate meeting.

Our correspondent gathered that during the meeting with the OAU management, officials of NANS threatened that it would order mass mobilisation of students to the university campus if no positive outcome is gotten from the Senate meeting.

It was also learnt that many aggrieved student leaders across the South-West have put pressures on the leadership of NANS to lead a mass protest in OAU over students’ union suspension.

“If we hold a mass protest in OAU, other institutions will learn. Most of them emulate OAU when it comes to unionism. We can have a peaceful warning protest of 500 students mobilised across the region,” a former Students’ Union president told our correspondent.

However, Israel in the statement said NANS delayed its decision to hold the mass protest hoping that OAU management would fulfil its promise.

Part of the statement read, “It is public knowledge that the leadership of NANS Zone D, in fulfilling the mandate placed on them by the mass of Nigerian students in the Zone, had, on the 6th of this month called on the management of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and the management of LASPOTECH, YABATECH and UNILAG to reinstate the institutions’ suspended Students’ Unions within seven working days.

“The seven-day ultimatum elapses today (Thursday) and we are expected to signal all organs of the association that are already on red alert to mobilise heavily to Obafemi Awolowo University to demand the unconditional reinstatement of the Students’ Union till our demand is met.

“It is instructive to note that the management of Obafemi Awolowo University through the Division of Students’ Affairs replied the leadership of the Zone and the entire Nigerian students in the institution via a circular that processes to ensure the reinstatement of the Students’ Union had begun even before the ultimatum was issued.

“However, the Division of Students’ Affairs of the institution called for a ‘truce’ meeting with the leadership of the association in the Zone to discuss issues as regards suspension and reinstatement of the Students’ Union.

“The leadership of the Zone, during the meeting, maintained that the Vice-Chancellor of the University should communicate the general public via a written statement that the Students’ Union of the institution has been reinstated at the latest, Friday, after the conclusion of the University’s Senate meeting where resumption of students is meant to be discussed. “Both the DSA and the CSO assured the leadership of the Zone that the VC shall communicate adequately.”

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Ozekhome Ordered to Stop Using SAN Rank Amid Forgery Allegations

Published

2 hours ago

June 24, 2026

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Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome, has been barred by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) from further parading or referring to himself with that title pending the conclusion of ongoing disciplinary proceedings and other cases involving him.

“This action was taken pursuant to Paragraph 26(6) of the Guidelines for the Conferment of the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and All Matters Pertaining to the rank, pending the final determination of the disciplinary proceedings, presently before the Disciplinary and Ethics Sub-Committee of the LPPC and other proceedings.

“Accordingly, Chief Mike Ozekhome shall refrain from parading himself, presenting himself, or otherwise holding himself out as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria pending the final determination of the disciplinary proceedings,” the LPPC said in a statement issued on Wednesday evening by its Secretary, Kabir Akanbi.

Besides the “disciplinary proceedings” which the LPPC said are pending before its Disciplinary and Ethics Sub-Committee, Ozekhome and another defendant, Ponfa Useni, are currently being prosecuted before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama.

Ozekhome and Useni are being prosecuted by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) for, among others, allegedly forging documents, including an international passport and an irrevocable power of attorney, and engaging in impersonation to lay claim to a property in London allegedly acquired unlawfully by the late Jeremiah Useni, former Minister of the FCT.

Alleged forgery: Court AGF takes over Ozekhome’s case from ICPC
Fed Govt charges Ozekhome with forgery over UK property
The statement by Akanbi read, “The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), at its 173rd general meeting held on 23rd June 2026, approved the suspension of Chief Mike Ozekhome, from the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

“The suspension is intended to safeguard the integrity, dignity, and prestige of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, while due consideration is given to the matters under review.

“The LPPC remains committed to upholding the highest standards of professional ethics, integrity, and discipline within the legal profession and to ensuring that the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria continues to command public confidence and respect.”

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Update : UK Lauds Nigeria’s Recovery Under Tinubu, Urges Others to Learn

Published

1 day ago

June 23, 2026

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The United Kingdom (UK) has commended the economic reforms being implemented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, describing Nigeria’s ongoing recovery as a success story that other countries can draw inspiration from.

The UK National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, made the remarks on Tuesday at the opening of the 4th UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership Dialogue, held at Nigeria’s Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja.

Powell said the reforms had required difficult decisions but were beginning to yield tangible results in economic growth and recovery.

“The economic reforms undertaken by the government have not been easy, but the remarkable progress Nigeria is making today in terms of growth and economic recovery demonstrates that difficult decisions can produce significant results. It is a success story from which many can draw inspiration,” he said.

The UK official described Nigeria as an “African superpower” whose influence and strategic importance would continue to grow as its population, capabilities and economic strength expand.

“For the United Kingdom, Nigeria is a vital partner—our foremost partner in Africa. Nigeria is an African superpower, a nation that is already influential and one whose importance will continue to grow,” he said.

According to Powell, the UK has strong confidence in Nigeria’s future and remains committed to deepening bilateral relations through a partnership founded on mutual respect, shared objectives and practical outcomes.

“We want that relationship to be a mature and equal partnership, one in which we share strategic objectives and work together to deliver tangible outcomes.

“We have immense respect for Nigeria’s leadership role within the country, across the region and throughout Africa, and we are committed to supporting that leadership,” he added.

Powell also acknowledged the professionalism and dedication of Nigeria’s security services in addressing the country’s security challenges, stressing that Nigeria remains indispensable to regional stability and collective security.

“Nigeria remains central and indispensable to regional stability and collective security. There is simply no substitute for Nigeria’s role in promoting peace and stability across West Africa and beyond,” he said.

He expressed satisfaction with the continued success of the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership Dialogue, describing it as a cornerstone of the two countries’ growing security cooperation.

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El-Rufai Confesses to Intercepting NSA Communications

Published

2 days ago

June 23, 2026

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A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday heard that former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai admitted, in a television interview, that he intercepted the phone conversations of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

The second prosecution witness in El-Rufai’s ongoing trial, Deji Adeyanju, told the court that he was at the same television station, awaiting his turn to be interviewed on February 16, the day El-Rufai allegedly made the administration on the same station.

Led in evidence by the prosecution’s lawyer, Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), the witness quoted El-Rufai as saying in the course of the television interview: “We listened to the conversations of the NSA.”

El-Rufai is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) over his alleged contravention of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act (2024) and the Nigerian Communications Act (2003) following his alleged interception of Ribadu’s phone conversations and compromising public safety, national security and instilling reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians.

Adeyanju, a subpoenaed witness, said he knew El-Rufai as a former governor of Kaduna State, adding that he issued a statement following reports that the former governor was to be arrested by security operatives.

Shortly after the television interview in which El-Rufai featured was played in the open court, Adeyanju confirmed it to be the one he saw in which the ex-governor allegedly admitted to the act.

Aladedoye also tendered a video recording of the interview featuring Adeyanju, which the court admitted.

Adeyanju said the DSS invited him after television interview and was asked to explain what happened while he was at the television studio.

The witness said he told investigators that he was present when El-Rufai made the statements on air and that when pressed further, in the course of the interview, the ex-governor said someone did the phone tapping and passed the information to him.

During cross-examination by El-Rufai’s lawyer, Paul Erokoro (SAN), Adeyanju said he did not hear El-Rufai specifically say he hacked Ribadu’s phone lines but that he heard him say, “We listened to the conversations of the NSA.”

When asked whether or not he knew the means through which the NSA makes calls and if he would be surprised to learn that DSS investigators did not ask the NSA which of his devices was allegedly compromised, the witness said those were not his business.

The prosecution tendered an official gazette without objection from the defence. Following this, the court admitted it in evidence.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik has adjourned further hearing till today.

El-Rufai is facing a three-count charge.

* That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, on February 13, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s “Prime Time” programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did admit during the interview that you and your cohorts unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment, Act, 2024.

* That you, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, adult, male, on February 13, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s “Prime Time” programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did state during the interview that you know and relate with certain individual, who unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, without reporting the said individual to relevant security agencies and thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 27 (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment, Act, 2024.

* That you, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, adult, male, and other still at large, sometime in 2026, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, with others still at large did use technical equipment or systems which compromised public safety, national security and instilling reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to which you admitted during an interview on February 13, 2026, on Arise TV station’s “Prime Time” programme in Abuja and thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 131(2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003.

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