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FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE BASIC EDUCATION FUNDING.

The Federal Government says plans are underway to increase the statutory allocation from the consolidated revenue fund to the basic education from the current 2% to 3%.

This was disclosed in a statement by Head, Public Relations and Protocol, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), David Apeh noting that the increase was due to a proposed legislation to increase funding from the consolidated revenue fund to the nation’s basic education sector.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, added that a further 1% is to be invested in the senior secondary education segment.

Represented by the Director, Basic Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Folake Olatunji-David, the minister said the present administration is also fully committed to bridging the national skills gap by supporting institutions and establishing new ones to accelerate the production of trained manpower for the different sectors of the national economy.

GUNMEN ATTACK HEALTH COLLEGE IN LAGOS STATE, KILLS TWO.

Gunmen have killed a student and a lecturer at Michael Otedola College of Primary Health Education in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Officials of the college confirmed the attack on Sunday.

According to them, a student, Razak Bakare, and lecturer, Ahmed Saheed, were killed within 48 hours intervals.

It was learnt that the lecturer was killed around Poka town in Epe, while the student was shot dead on campus.

Efforts to reach the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, proved abortive as of the time of filing this report.

NDLEA ARRESTS DRUG DEALER BEHIND COCAINE HIDDEN IN LAGOS AIRPORT.

A Brazil-based drug dealer, Okafor Okwudili Moses has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over 2.55 kilograms of cocaine recovered from a toilet at the E-Arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.

NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, confirmed this in a statement on Sunday.

According to Babafemi, the drug was discovered in the toilet of the airport on Friday 12th November after it was dumped there by a trafficker who was obviously scared of being caught by narcotic officers positioned at the airport.

The following day, Saturday, November 13, the actual owner of the consignment, Okafor arrived at the airport from Brazil via an Ethiopian Airline and was promptly arrested.

While being interviewed in custody, he confirmed he is the owner of the seized illicit drug.

Abuja Teachers Call-Off 5-Day Warning Strike As Authorities Promise To Pay Their Arrears.

Teachers in the FCT, under the umbrella of Nigeria Union of Teachers, have after a closed door meeting with the authorities, agreed to consider ending the five day warning strike embarked upon to press home their demands for improved security in schools and payment of backlog of promotion arrears owed them since 2016.

Since the abduction of four staff members of the University of Abuja and two of their family members by gunmen earlier this month, the teachers had written to the administration demanding for enhanced security around all Primary and Secondary Schools in the Nation’s Capital.

Speaking with Newsmen after the meeting, the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Teachers, FCT Council, Mr. Stephen Knabai, said the leadership of the teachers’ union are happy with the prompt response by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Bello who called for the meeting and gave assurances that all demands were being attended to.

He therefore disclosed that although the strike is not yet called off, the union’s leadership will meet and consult with a view to returning to the classrooms without further delay.

Buhari Approves N656bn Fresh ‘Budget Support’ Facility for States.

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a fresh N656 billion Bridge Financing Facility to the 36 States of the Federation.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed made this known at a virtual National Economic Council, (NEC) Meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Minister said that the support was to help State Governments to meet their financial obligations, especially the previous budget support facility due for repayment.

Ahmed who revealed that each State will receive 18.2 Billion naira said that the bridge facility is being processed by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

UDUAK AKPAN DENIES WRITTEN CONFESSION.

The 6th Prosecution Witness, Inspector Samuel Udoh in the trial of Uduak Akpan over the murder of job seeker, Iniubong Umoren, has insisted that the first accused person, Uduak Akpan, confessed to raping and killing the deceased.

Udoh attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, told Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo, that the suspect voluntarily led the police investigation team to his father’s compound in Uruan Local Government Area and showed them the shallow grave he buried the remains of late Umoren.

Inspector Udoh who said the first accused person after writing his statement, also read the statement, and confirmed same to be his statement in the presence of his lawyer and his father.

But when Uduak-Abasi Akpan was shown the copy of that confessional statement at the dock, he confirmed that the name and signature on the statement were his but denied writing the statement.

The trial judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang, suspended the main trial and ordered that a trial-within-trial be conducted.

RETIRED PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND NEXT OF KIN OF DECEASED PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN AKWA IBOM STATE EMBARKED ON A PEACEFUL PROTEST.

Retired Primary School Teachers and Next of Kin of Deceased Primary School Teachers in Akwa Ibom State today, have embarked on a peaceful protest to demand their unpaid entitlements.

The Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Forum of Retired Primary School Teachers, Felix Cooky, and the Leader of the Forum of Next of Kin, Benjamin Benson, said they were left with no option than to embark on a peaceful demonstration since the State Government has failed to keep to its promise, even after the verification exercise early this year.

Responding, the State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (N.L.C) Comrade Sunny James, assured the Retirees and the Next of Kin that NLC is working hard to ensure that labour issues are handle before the end of the month.

AKWA IBOM ROAD SAFETY OFFICER CAUTIONS AGAINST RECKLESSNESS ON ROADS.

Truck drivers have been advised not to be reckless on the road, especially in the area of wrongful overtaking and excessive speeding so as to avoid running into crises that would have been avoided.

Public Enlightenment Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Uyo, James Paul, gave the warning in an interview with our correspondent, Aisha Abu.

The Road Safety Officer further explained that not all roads are to be plied by truck drivers, insisting that in such roads, signs are often displayed to give direction to road users, and urged drivers to be observant and obey traffic rules at all times.

ONDO PDP TACKLES GOV. AKEREDOLU OVER APPOINTMENT OF SON AS DG.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has condemned the appointment of Babajide Akeredolu, the biological son of Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, as the Director-General of Performance and Project Implementation Monitoring Unit (PPMIU) of the State Government.

The opposition party described the appointment as a flagrant abuse of office and affront on the people of Ondo State.

According to a statement signed by the PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei, the party said the development portends great danger for the State, and that such an appointment was a grand design to finally empty the treasury of the State.

VICE PRESIDENT, YEMI OSINBAJO EARMARKS 25 MILLION NIGERIANS TO LEAVE POVERTY IN 2025.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says Nigeria’s projected real GDP growth from 2021 will make sure 10 Million more Nigerians do not fall into poverty and lift 25 Million out of poverty.

The Vice President stated this at the edition of the Nigerian Diaspora Investment Summit 2021 organized by the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).

Osinabjo represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha added that President Buhari’s administration is committed to increasing per capita GDP in Nigeria, and also boosting employment, citing Nigeria’s GDP growth rate.

EBONYI DRIVER BITES AND SWALLOWS FINGER OF TASK FORCE OFFICER OVER ARREST.

An angry commercial driver has bitten off and swallowed a portion of finger of one Iboko Kenneth, who is a member of Ebonyi State’s Ministry of Capital City Development Taskforce in a bid to escape arrest.

The incident happened at Onuebonyi Junction in Abakaliki Metropolis, the capital of Ebonyi State on Tuesday.

Kenneth and other officials of the Ebonyi Capital City Development were inspecting to ensure that there were no illegal parks within the metropolis when the action went down.

The action left Kenneth in pains, and his colleagues in total confusion, but before they could recover from their shock, the driver had escaped from the scene, with the dismembered finger in his stomach.