Gist Arena

The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Nasir Fagge, disclosed in a chat with PM News that the union is yet to receive allocations which were agreed upon last year. Fagge explained that the Minister for Education, Nyesom Wike, who is the head of the implementation committee, is always busy and this has prevented him(Wike) from having regular meetings with the union. "The minister has been busy all this while and now he has travelled again. We had requested that someone who is less busy be given to us so that we can have regular meetings but it has not been the case. "We hope that when the minister returns from his latest trip, our 2013 allocation out of the N200 billion for the revitalisation of our universities will be disbursed. "Part of our agreement also was the fact that our annual allocation of N220 billion will be made available on a quarterly basis. "So, we expect that part of the amount for the firs...

The Igbo have a saying – popularised by the acclaimed novelist, Chinua Achebe – that he who brings home ant-infested faggots should not complain if he is visited by lizards. That proverb is apt in describing the type of treatment Nigeria receives from the Western world, led by the United States of America. Last year, President Barack Obama made his second "ward round" to Africa. Again, he excluded Nigeria from his "patients' list." The official excuse was that Nigeria's democracy was not commendable. Also, since President Goodluck Jonathan signed the anti-gay bill into law early this year, the Western world, led by the US, has not allowed us to drink water and drop the cup, as the saying goes. Presidential visits have been allegedly cancelled; threats of cancellation of aids have been issued; patronising and condescending comments have been directed at us. Compare this to the treatment the West metes out to two other countries: China and Saudi Arabia... Chin...

It was a dark secret. The kind that destroys lives, devastates families and decimates faith. Nobody shared it in any way with Valerie Spruill while her "husband" was alive. Four years after his death, she heard bits of the story. It was something about an absentee father, something about her husband. None of it made sense. That's not until her uncle finally told her what no one else had: She had unknowingly married the father she never knew. "I don't know if he ever knew or not. That conversation didn't come up," she said. "I think if he did know, there is no way he could have told me." "It is devastating. It can destroy you!" Spruill told CNN late Thursday by telephone. "It almost did." 60-year-old Spruill of Doylestown, Ohio, went public with her story this month, first published in the Akron Beacon Journal, with the hopes that it would help others facing what seem like insurmountable problems. It's a story that ha...

A 30-year-old trader, Balaraba Musa, is currently writhing in pains after a sweeper pushed her into a pot of boiling water. Musa's left breast, chest and stomach were said to have been scalded in the incident that occurred at the Mile 12 area of Lagos State. PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspect, Abdullahi Yakubu, allegedly pushed the victim into the big pot of boiling water during an argument in front of the victim's shop. The nursing mother said she had an argument with Yakubu because he dumped refuse in front of her shop. She said, "I sell tuwo around Jamblo market, Mile 12. On January 23, 2014, I was boiling a big pot of water when I realised that someone had dumped refuse in front of my shop. I approached Yakubu who dumped it in front of the shop and he said I should go and tell the elders of the market. "He further rained insults on me and I told him to get out. He then threatened to slap me, so my friend pulled me away from where Yakubu was. "As I reached my...

The EFCC says the suspect has already made useful statement and would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded. An undergraduate of the University of Ibadan, 28-year old Orowo Jesse Omokoh, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] for allegedly obtaining $90,000 (Ninety Thousand Dollars) from one Jette Jacob, an Australian woman based in Johannesburg, South Africa, in what is suspected to be romance scam. A statement by EFCC's spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said the suspect allegedly met the Aussie on a dating site and struck a sizzling romantic affair that necessitated him moving to Johannesburg in 2013 to link up with his lover. Mr. Omokoh allegedly arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa on February 4, 2013, to meet with Ms. Jacob who had been in Johannesburg since November 2012. Five days after the undergraduate arrived and took up residence with her, Ms. Jacob was found dead in her apartment with some of her valuables missin...

The policeman, who was caught on video demanding dollars as bribe from a Nigerian-American and two other Nigerians for alleged traffic offences in Lagos, has been arrested and is now facing an orderly room trial. The man, identified as Corporal Aniyem Chiyem, whose video was posted on YouTube was secretly filmed by one of the passengers in a three-minute, 45-second footage. A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba, on Monday in Abuja said that the hitherto unknown Chiyem with Force No. 374171, was attached to Isheri Division, Lagos State Police Command. "His arrest was sequel to a matching order issued by the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Umar  Manko, to ensure prompt arrest and investigation of the matter. "Following his arrest, the suspect who is now in police custody, is undergoing orderly room trials and if found guilty, will face appropriate disciplinary actions," the statement ...