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NOUN graduates can now participate in NYSC, Law School – Tinubu orders

President Bola Tinubu has ordered that graduates of the National Open University (NOUN) be allowed to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

He also said that law graduates of NOUN will now be allowed to participate in Law School in the country.

The president spoke during his presentation at the 13th convocation ceremony of NOUN on Saturday, at the university’s Convocation Arena, Jabi, Abuja.

The Punch reports that Tinubu gave the new directive through the Deputy Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Biodun Saliu, who represented him at the convocation.

According to Tinubu, with the changing demographics of the great nation, the government has recognised the importance of allowing Noun graduates to participate in the NYSC scheme.

He added that the doors of the Law School are now open to the graduates, ensuring equal opportunities for all.

Tinubu said any remaining concerns or uncertainties should be promptly addressed by the Federal Ministry of Education.

He said government would continue to do this in order to improve quality, access, and affordability.

“Government is, therefore, committed through the Federal Ministry of Education and the NUC to provide the enabling environment to ensure a good delivery of this mode of education in Nigeria,” Tinubu stated.

News

NSCDC arrests two members of cyber crime syndicate in Abuja

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC), Federal Capital Territory(FCT) Command has apprehended two members of a cybercrime syndicate specialized in impersonating officers of NSCDC and other government officials.

The suspects, Henry Ushie Odep, 34 and Emmanuel Ushie Odep, 23, both brothers from Cross River State, after 7 months of a well-coordinated covert operation by men of the NSCDC FCT Command with the assistance of the Delta and Anambra State Police Command.

Parading the suspects at the Command Headquarters at Wuse, Zone 5 on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, the Commandant, Olusola Odumosu, warned all cybercriminals who specialize in defrauding people to desist or be ready to face the long arm of the law.

“You recall the NSCDC FCT Command alerted the public in a press release of the existence of a fake Facebook account opened by an individual in the name of Commandant Olusola Odumosu, FCT Commandant,” he said.

“Today I am glad to inform you that the manhunt for this suspect which began 7 months ago and followed by a well-coordinated covert operation by men of the NSCDC FCT Command with the assistance of the Delta and Anambra state commands has smoked out the masterminds behind the fraudulent Facebook account.”

He explained further that the first to be arrested was Emmanuel Ushie Odep.

After being lured to Abuja and apprehended by our personnel, he made a very useful confessional statement which led to the arrest of Henry Ushie Odep, his elder brother who was in possession of the phone used to operate the fake Facebook account bearing Olusola Odumosu.

Henry confessed to opening the fake Facebook account immediately after the Commandant was appointed as the FCT Commandant in August 2023.

Emmanuel Ushie Odep admitted to being the one withdrawing monies sent to the opay account by his brother (Henry) through POS machine until he was arrested by the officers of the FCT Command in Abuja.

Commandant Olusola Odumosu stated further that on interrogation, Henry Ushie Odep said that he started online fraud in 2016 and he is the one who lured his younger brother Emmanuel Ushie Odep into the fraudulent act.

He confessed to duping a lot of unsuspecting Nigerians of different sums of money under different guises in cyberspace.

He also disclosed that he is the same person behind the defrauding of so many people through a fake Facebook account opened in the name of late Helen Amakiri, eight years ago (2016), then an assistant Commandant General.

Investigation reveals that they operate Opay, Moniepoint and Palmplay accounts to receive money from unsuspecting persons but no bank account with traditional commercial banks.

It was also discovered that they use two accounts belonging to one Victory Chinaoromwhi, who according to them never knew they were into cyber fraud.

According to Henry, his friend Chibuike Okorie introduced him to cybercrime.

The said Chibuike is currently in Kuwait as he has relocated from Nigeria.

The following people, Amadi Chisom (F) 31 years old and Mrs Okafor Evelyn (F) 24 years whose names came up in the course of the investigation and were arrested alongside the principal suspect have been granted bail.

Items recovered from the suspects include the Moniepoint POS Machine( 1), Opay POS machine (1), Techno Spark 10 phone(1), Techno Pop 8 phone (1), and Infinix phone (1).

Commandant Odumosu said the arrest should serve as a deterrent to others in this illicit business.

He said the NSCDC FCT Command in collaboration with other security agencies will continue to launch its dragnet into fighting any form of criminality that will contravene the peace, security and any other government’s interest for the people.

News

Three traffic robbers who robbed, attacked DPO with machete arrested in Lagos

Three armed robbers who attacked a Divisional Police Officer in Lagos state, Abaniwonda Tokunbo, have been arrested.

According to the police, the assailants on April 9 attacked the DPO with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons while she was commuting on Otedola Bridge.

It was gathered that the assailants made away with the DPO’s phone and left her with a cutlass injury on her back.

The police later received intelligence that the assailants were lodged at a hotel in Akute, Ajuwon area in Ogun state.

The hotel was immediately raided and the ring leader identified as Tochukwu Nonso, 29, aka Thug Life was arrested alongside his accomplice, Chidera Christopher, 25.

Investigation by the police showed that the suspects forcefully snatched the handset from the DPO before inflicting her with a deep cut. It was also discovered that the ring leader has been robbing on the said bridge for over five years but changes his accomplices intermittently.

When contacted, the Lagos police PRO, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed their arrest.

News

IPMAN threatens to paralyse petrol supply as scarcity persists

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has threatened to paralyse the supply of petrol over non-payment of N200bn bridging claims.

The threat is coming amidst current nationwide fuel scarcity which has seen petrol prices selling between N610 and N800 at the pump and between N1000 and N1200 at black market.

IPMAN’s Aba Depot Unit chairman and spokesperson, Mazi Oliver Okolo who issued the threat during a press conference said it has the backing of the association’s national leadership while adding that the debt is being owed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NMDPRA).

In a communique released after a press conference on Tuesday, Okolo said NMDPRA failed to pay the ₦200bn debt despite a directive for payment from the Petroleum Minister (Oil) Heineken Lokpobiri. Okolo said since the directive by the minister in February 2024, only ₦13bn had been paid to their members, saying that the unpaid claim had crippled their businesses.

“We are extremely distressed and depressed by the laidback attitude of the leadership of the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) towards the survival of our member’s businesses, arising from NMDPRA’s deliberate delay and refusal to offset the debt of over N200 Billion owed our members, which has consequently led to the deaths of many of our members and the unfortunate collapse of their businesses.”

He also blamed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the sole importer of petroleum products, for the current nationwide petrol scarcity, adding that some of its members have “completely” shut down their

“We have watched with apprehension also, the unpatriotic attitude of the leadership of the NMDPRA to offset this debt that has been accrued to us since September 2022.

“As businessmen and women, our members acquired bank loans to keep their fuel retail outlets running daily across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria, to serve the teeming population of Nigerians.

” However, it is demoralising to know that many of our members have gone bankrupt and have become financially insolvent as a result of their inability to meet their financial obligations to their banks, arising wholly from their inability to get their monies from the NMDPRA. Consequently, also, the banks have taken over the business premises of many of our members.

“As indigenous organisations, and Depot Chairmen, we are unhappy that rather than receiving support from the government to boost our businesses, we are being discouraged by the head of NMDPRA.

“It is noteworthy to recall and state here that at a stakeholders meeting held on the 20th of February, 2024 with Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri, the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), and the NSA Nuhu Ribadu, Engr. Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Authority of NMDPRA, was mandated by Mr Heinehken Lokpobiri to clear the entire debt in 40 days. However today, we have crossed the 40 days time-lapse given to the NMDPRA to clear the debt, and it is shameful to state that only the paltry sum of N13 Billion has been paid, thus going the whole length to ignore our plight without remorse and recourse to the Honourable Minister’s directive.”

Okolo also claimed that the NNPC Ltd imports the products and supplies to private depots who then sell to them at exorbitant prices of between ₦820 and ₦950 per litre. He added that IPMAN members pay extra ₦2m to transport it to other parts of the country therefore making it difficult for them to sell to Nigerians at the agreed pump price.

“The Association called on President Bola Tinubu to look into the matter which it claimed is highly detrimental to the businesses of its members and reverse it failure which it said will impact negatively on the masses.

“We see no reason why there should be an increment of over 500% on the Sales and Storage License by the NMDPRA. We reject it. We also hereby call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to wholly intervene forthwith in these lingering issues between the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

“We are poised to take far-reaching decisions that may cripple the supply and sales of petroleum products across Nigeria, if our demands are not met within the shortest period,” the communique stated