Osun govt begins probe as 18 pupils land in hospital after eating free meal

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Osun State government has ordered a full investigation into the reported cases of food poisoning at Saint James Primary School B, Owoope Osogbo.

It was gathered that about 18 pupils of the school were hospitalized after eating a mid-day meal served to them under the free school feeding programme of the state government.

The state Commissioner for Information & Public Enlightenment in a statement on December 12th said the State Governor directed immediate action after the matter was officially reported to him.

“Osun State Government has ordered full investigations into the reported cases of food poisoning at St James primary School B, Owoope Osogbo.

The Governor has subsequently directed the stoppage of further food cooking at the affected school pending the outcome of the investigations.

The affected cooks in the said schools alongside the planning officer for the O-Meal programme have also been summoned to a meeting by Tuesday.

Gateway poly shut down over robbery attacks

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The management of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Sapaade, Ogun State, on Monday, announced the immediate shutdown of the institution following incessant robbery attacks on the students.

The management directed the students to stay out of school for the next two weeks.

Sagamu update had reported that armed robbers had been attacking students of the polytechnic, dispossessing them of their valuables while also raping the female students.

In the latest robbery incident which occurred last Saturday, a student was killed while about nine others were injured.

The marauders had in the last two weeks carried out more than three attacks on the students and residents of Isara, Ipara and Ode communities.

Angered by the incessant attacks, the students last week staged a protest to express their grievances. The situation has however forced the management to shut down the school pending when normalcy is restored.

The President of the Students’ Union Government of the polytechnic, Olatunji Idowu Alexander, also confirmed this development on Monday.

In a memo signed by the acting Registrar of the institution, J. O. Popoola, the school management announced the introduction of online classes for the students who just resumed for the 2023/2024 academic session.

The memo reads, “I have the directive of management to inform all students in the polytechnic that all physical lectures have been suspended on campus for the next two weeks with effect from Monday, December 4, 2023.

“In view of this development, all students are to note that online lectures have commenced with immediate effect. Therefore, students are directed to join online classes in order to continue lectures for the current semester.

“To this end, all students are to steer clear of the polytechnic premises till physical lectures resume again at a date that will be communicated soon.”

Gateway poly students cry out as armed robbers storm their school, kill, rape and blåckmail them

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Students of Gateway Polytechnic Saapade, Ogun State, have cried out over the incessant robbery attacks in their school. 

This comes as a student from the department of Public administration, identified simply as Segun, was shot dead on Friday night, December 1. 

According to a student who spoke with Sagamu update “We are in pain, we are struggling, we can’t sleep in peace at night because of daily robberies going on in the town where the school is located. 

The students are robbed daily and those who argue or drag their properties with the armed robbers are killed. We have lost our fellow students to these hardened criminals and the number is increasing everyday. 

The female students who doesn’t have anything to offer the robbers were gang raped; some to death, others are recorded and blackmailed.” 

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Armed robbers invade Gateway Polytechnic Saapade and communities, rape and shoot students

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Some suspected armed robbers have invaded the Ipara-Remo and Ode-Remo communities, hosting some students of the Gateway Polytechnic, Saapade in Remo North Local Government Area of Ogun State, just as some students were shot with female students allegedly sexually molested.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the suspected robbers stormed the communities around 1 am two Fridays ago and last Sunday, shooting sporadically and entering into students’ hostels to cart away their belongings, molest some female students, and also shoot some others, among which was Francis Dwumfour, leaving him in a critical condition.

Some pictures obtained by our correspondent showed students with injuries on their bodies, damaged window shields and burglar-proof, and bullet shells recovered from the scenes of the attacks.

The students who spoke in separate interviews with our correspondent on Thursday disclosed that the robbery attacks had become a recurring decimal in the communities over time but it got to its peak during last Sunday’s attack.

A source within the community who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being attacked disclosed that aside from last week’s attack, there was a previous robbery incident which took place two Fridays ago where some students were shot and one was feared dead from the gunshot injury. He also disclosed that he was similarly attacked by some suspected robbers sometime in 2022 within the community.

He disclosed, “I was attacked sometime last year in the Ode-Remo area. I was going home from my shop when a man asked that I help him down the road with my motorcycle. On getting to the point he wanted to drop, I saw someone come out from behind and hit me with a sledgehammer while I was also shot. I spent almost N3m before I could recover.

“The second attack I witnessed happened two Fridays ago in a hostel opposite my house. What I observed was that a vehicle drove recklessly into the compound which raised my suspicion, but I was careful not to get involved. It was after they left that we heard that it was a robbery attack. The Students Union President of the institution, Olatunji Alexander, noted that despite a ‘Save our souls’ call made to the police officers in the area during the attack, their plea was ignored. He, however, disputed claims that one student died in the attacks.

“The incident happened around Ipara-Remo on November 19 around 1 am. The students who called me said they rushed to a nearby police checkpoint in the community to alert the police of the attack, but the police did not yielded their call. I was furious and had to call the Area Commander who expressed displeasure towards their action. One person was injured during last Sunday’s attack.

Another student, who also doubles as the Director of Polytechnic Affairs of the National Association of Nigerian Students, South-West zone, Olusola Ezekiel, blamed the attacks on the absence of hostel facilities in the polytechnic, which had contributed to the students’ exposure to unwarranted attacks.

He said, “The robbery and sexual molestation of our students have been going on for several years, but this year, they became so rampant that the robbers now enter students’ hostels, displace them of their belongings, molest the female ones, and shoot at some. We have had several casualties, but the one of the students that was shot is the most fatal. The reason why students are exposed to these attacks was because the institution does not have hostel facilities, and students live off-campus, which puts them at the risk of these attacks. We have asked the communities also to take responsibility in curtailing the issue of insecurity of Nigerian students, especially in Gateway Polytechnic Saapade.

The students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic Protest As Armed Men Rape, Rob Students In Hostels

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The students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade has expressed their grievances over incessant armed robbery, skyrocket school fees, among other factors. The students, earlier today mounted major roads in the area with display of placards. The students also called for an active students’ union in the campus.

A source who reached out to our correspondent said:

In a powerful display of unity and determination, the students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic Saapade have today, taken to the streets to protest against the alarming rate of robbery, skyrocketing accommodation fees, and ineffective student union. These issues are causing major concerns among the student community and are impacting their safety, welfare and academic progress.

The students, driven by a shared desire for change, marched through the streets, chanting slogans and holding up signs that demanded action.

They firmly believe that every student deserves a safe and secure campus environment, free from the constant threat of theft and violence.

As a community of students, we are extremely concerned about the rate of robbery and other criminal activities in and around our campus.

We believe that no student should be subjected to such dangerous and traumatizing situations, and we are tired of living in constant fear of being robbed.

Hence, we call on the government and the security agencies to take urgent measures to address these issues and ensure the safety and security of students.

We are being killed in the cause of our study to become better of ourselves and to be a good ambassador of the country.

Our females who are supposed to be heroes are being raped and infected with a metal health health problem which they might not recover till the end of Thier life and may even result to suicide due to stigmatization.
What’s more disheartening is that the students union government are doing nothing to curtail the effect and further robberies since the last 8 months of this insurgency.
Indeed a National Catastrophe!

Furthermore, we cannot ignore the financial burden placed on students due to the constant increase in accommodation fees. Many students are struggling to pay for accommodation, and it is impacting their mental health, academic progress, and general well-being. We believe that this situation is unacceptable, and we call on the university authorities to address this matter urgently, to help alleviate the financial burden on students.

Additionally, we have lost confidence in the effectiveness of the student union. The student union is supposed to be a strong voice for students, representing their interests and fighting for their welfare.

Unfortunately, this is not the case, and students feel that the union is not doing enough to address their challenges.

The protest also shed light on the dissatisfaction with the current student union government. Our voices are not being adequately represented, and their concerns are not being effectively addressed. We are calling for a more transparent, accountable, and proactive student union that will actively engage with the student body, listen to their concerns, and take decisive action to improve the overall student experience.

As students, we find that our concerns are frequently ignored, and our voices are not being heard. We call on the Polytechnic management to engage with the student union to ensure that they are more proactive in dealing with student issues and promoting students’ welfare.

We also urge the student union to be more transparent and accountable in their dealings, and to take a more active role in advocating for the interests of the student community.

Finally, we hope that the government, the Polytechnic authorities, the community stakeholders and the security agencies take the necessary steps to address our concerns and ensure the safety and well-being of Nigerian students across the country.

Launching Ilara Remo's Federal College of Aviation Technology – A Milestone for Aviation Education!

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Senate noted that the upgrade would resolve some of the challenges facing the nation's aviation sector.

A bill seeking to convert the Federal Technical College in Ilara-Remo in Ogun State to the College of Aviation Technology has passed a second reading at the Senate.

The bill was sponsored by Gbenga Daniel (APC, Ogun East).

The bill was read the second time on Wednesday and was transferred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions for further legislative actions.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, directed the committee to report to the Senate within four weeks

Mr Daniel, while leading a debate on the bill, said conversion of the technical college to an aviation college should be considered to resolve some of the challenges facing the Nigerian aviation sector.

The former governor of Ogun State, listed infrastructural development, security measures, research and technological innovation as some of the challenges that would be resolved when the technical college is finally upgraded to a college of aviation technology.

The senator said if the challenges are resolved, the Nigerian aviation industry will be developed to a high standard and the sector will improve the economy of the nation.

“While Nigeria has made significant progress in aviation technology, there are still challenges to address. These include the need for continued investment in infrastructure development, the enhancement of safety and security measures, and the promotion of research and innovation in aviation technology.

“By addressing these challenges, Nigeria can further strengthen its aviation sector, boost economic growth, and promote connectivity both domestically and internationally,” he said.

Mr Daniel also explained that the establishment of the college of aviation technology in Ilara-Remo will improve academic training, research on aircraft maintenance, air traffic control, and pilot training.

“The establishment of the aviation technology college in Ilara-Remo, will no doubt boost academic trainings and researches in the areas of aircraft maintenance, air

Students Threaten Mass Action Over Tuition Hike In Ogun

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The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Ogun State on Thursday demanded the immediate reversal of hiked school fees in all state-owned tertiary institutions.

The body lamented that the hike in school fees was targeted at making life unbearable for them and the entire people of the state. 

There has been a protest in the last three days by students of the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijebu-Ode over the hike in their school fees.

Addressing journalists in Abeokuta, the state capital on Thursday, the NANS chairman, Francis Adeyanju, kicked against what he described as “abnormal” increment in the school fees of all the state-owned tertiary institutions.

The NANS chairman threatened to shut down the state with mass protest if the government fails to reverse the hiked school fees in the next four days.

Adeyanju who was flanked by the National President of National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS), Kehinde Mathew, described the increment in school fees as an attempt to prevent vulnerable and indigent students in the State from accessing affordable and qualitative education.

TETFund collaborates with UK to make Nigerian universities international

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TETFund's commitment to positioning Nigerian tertiary institutions at a competitive advantage globally.

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has embarked on an initiative to enhance facilities in Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education with the aim of attracting international faculties and students.

This move was disclosed by the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc Sonny Echono, during a meeting with a delegation from the United Kingdom Government on International Education in Abuja on Monday, November 06, 2023. Echono stated that priority will be given to UK institutions to establish linkages and partnerships with Nigerian educational institutions.

The collaboration is expected to elevate Nigerian institutions to international recognition, with a focus on parameters such as multidisciplinary research and internationalisation efforts.

"Over the years, TETFund has sponsored several students to UK universities and plans to expand the collaboration to other aspects," said Echono.

He stated TETFund's commitment to positioning Nigerian tertiary institutions at a competitive advantage globally, ensuring that Nigerian graduates receive international recognition.

Echono further expressed concern about Nigerian scholars choosing to stay abroad after their studies despite heavy government investments in their education. He outlined plans to foster collaboration with British universities, encouraging scholars to return to Nigeria through institutional mechanisms and partnerships.

The UK Government International Education Champion, Prof. Sir Steve Smith, who led the delegation, highlighted the UK's mandate to deepen relations with the education and research systems of countries including Nigeria.

Smith, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Exeter, acknowledged the brain drain issue affecting both Nigeria and the international community. He stressed the importance of creating opportunities for talented individuals to contribute to Nigeria's progress while advancing their academic careers. "We understand the concerns of the Nigerian government, and we share the vision of providing quality education to talented individuals," said Prof. Smith.

He stated that studying in Nigeria is a more cost-effective option compared to traveling abroad for education, making local education an attractive prospect for international scholars.

Prof. Smith also revealed the ongoing partnership between the UK delegation and the National Universities Commission (NUC) regarding guidelines for transnational education.

The team is actively reviewing guidelines set by the commission to facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange between Nigerian and international educational institutions.

Pay for your WAEC, NECO, JAMB we’re not making it free Reps tells Nigerian students.

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The House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected a motion calling on the F.G to make all secondary school examinations for 2023/2024 free for all Nigerians as part of measures to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

The motion, moved by Anamero Dekeri (Edo, APC), asked the F.G to pay the fees for the WAEC, NECO and UTME examinations for all students.

However, the motion was rejected by the lawmakers after a long debate on the floor of the House.

This motion is coming at a time when Nigerians are still condemning the action of lawmakers to spend billions on their official vehicles. In the motion, Dekeri said the F.G already saved money through the removal of petroleum subsidy and should help families that are struggling.