Sanwo-Olu gifts LASU best graduating student N10m

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, awarded a N10 million cash gift to Miss Isioma Sybil Nwosu, the Best Graduating Student at Lagos State University (LASU) for the 2023/2024 academic session. Nwosu, from the Department of Biochemistry, achieved a remarkable CGPA of 4.93.

The announcement was made during the 28th Convocation Ceremony at LASU’s Buba Marwa Auditorium in Ojo.

At the ceremony, two distinguished individuals were conferred with Honorary Doctorate Degrees: Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa, the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Otunba Olufemi Pedro.

Marwa received a Doctor of Humane Letters for his contributions to infrastructure, security, and national development, while Pedro was awarded a Doctor of Business for his work in banking and entrepreneurship.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, urged Nigerian leaders and academics to prioritize education and provide innovative solutions to real-life challenges.

He emphasized the importance of academic excellence and urged society to value education as much as other fields like sports and entertainment.

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The Governor also pledged continued support for Lagos State’s tertiary institutions, focusing on empowering students to become innovative thinkers and leaders.

His administration has made significant investments in the university’s infrastructure, safety, and student welfare, aligned with the THEMES+ agenda.

Reflecting on the achievements of LASU, Governor Sanwo-Olu commended Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello for her leadership, which has elevated the university’s status both nationally and internationally.

A total of 11,917 students graduated, including 971 diploma students, 8,711 first-degree students, 2,235 postgraduate students, and 125 PhD graduates.

The ceremony marked the end of a significant chapter for these students, who now face a future full of opportunities.

Prof. Olatunji-Bello acknowledged the vital role of the state government in supporting the university, highlighting recent achievements like the accreditation of 43 out of 44 courses and the launch of postgraduate programs at the Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative and Transformative STEM Education.

LASU Chancellor, Prof. Gbolahan Elias, also addressed the graduates, urging them to be excellent ambassadors of the university and make a positive impact in the world.

Sanwo-Olu gifts LASU best graduating student N10m

Easiest way to pass UTME, by JAMB registrar Oloyede

Ahead of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) which will commence on 25th April,  Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has revealed the easiest way to pass the annual exam.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja after monitoring the 2025 Mock UTME on Thursday,  Oloyede  cautioned candidates against cutting corners.

He revealed that about 180 candidates, who have paid money to a rogue website secretly operated by JAMB in order to get UTME questions leaked to them, would have their results cancelled.

“We need to let the students know that the best way to pass the examination, UTME in particular, is to study. We are aware of some rogue websites asking people to come and pay that they can help.

“It cannot work. We have also opened our own rogue website. And as of this morning, about 180 students have paid.

“So those students, because to attempt to cheat is already an infraction. So those who paid into that account, looking for questions, we are going to deal firmly with them. And many of the institutions, UTME is not a school-based examination.

“We register students individually. And that is why we tell the students, do not give (out) your registration number. Do not register by proxy.

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“Do not give your registration number to anybody. Because some of these schools want to be able to brag that, oh, my 10 students from my school scored 280. There was a state where even the governor of a state was misinformed, and they were celebrating nothing. So this type of thing that people want to cut corners, we are abreast of all this. And we are doing everything possible (to stop it).

“We have about 180 of them. And we are going to deal with them firmly. We are going to cancel their results, both UTME and DE,” Oloyede said.

He advised candidates to steer clear of fraudulent websites and individuals claiming to offer assistance during the examination.
“Some of them are paying N30,000 for something that will never work. And to some, when I look at those who have paid to us this money, I smile,” he added.

On the mock UTME, Oloyede said no fewer than 211,000 candidates sat for the exercise across designated Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres in the country, adding that the results of the mock exam will be released on Friday.

“They will have the results tomorrow. The results will be ready. Those who finished, we are working now on their results, but we want to compare with the second batch, the third batch, and so on. And see that everything is working well. But later by tomorrow, they will have the results,” he said.

Explaining the purpose of the UTME Mock, Oloyede said the exercise was aimed at testing the board’s readiness for the main examination and experimenting with new strategies to improve the process.

“The word is mock, and we want to say so far so good. What we want to do is to try some things. As students are getting wiser, we are also getting better…..

“Because we are doing certain things to ensure that those things are done. So we are trying to make sure that when we go for the exam, we will have taken experience and taken some lessons from our experience at the Mock level. So, so far, so good,” he said.

Easiest way to pass UTME, by JAMB registrar Oloyede

US revokes visas of nearly 40 international students over traffic violations

Nearly 40 international students in the United States have had their visas revoked, reportedly due to minor traffic offenses.

Experts and advocates believe the move is part of a broader immigration clampdown by the Donald Trump administration, targeting how universities handle international students.

One of the affected students, Lisa from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, was just weeks away from graduation when she received a shocking email. “ISS is writing to inform you that your SEVIS record was terminated,” it read.

Initially thinking it was spam, Lisa later confirmed online that she had been placed “out of status” — a condition shared by dozens of other international students.

Lisa’s alleged offense? Two minor traffic tickets from the previous year. She had been fingerprinted after appearing in court.

The termination of a SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) record leaves students with only 15 days to leave the U.S., failing which they risk deportation or future entry bans.

Reports indicate that students from over 50 universities — including Stanford, UCLA, UC San Diego, Ohio State, and the University of Oregon — have been affected. A shared spreadsheet compiled by students has been circulating, detailing similar experiences: small traffic violations, court appearances, and sudden visa terminations.

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Despite many students having clean records — and in some cases, dropped charges — termination letters reportedly cited “criminal records.”

Most revocations occurred around April 4, following U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s March 27 announcement about visa cancellations.

“Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas,” Rubio said, claiming the action was necessary for national security.

Legal experts, however, have raised concerns about the process and its legality. “Students weren’t given any chance to explain their situation,” said Shenqi Cai, an immigration lawyer from Lashine Law in California. She emphasized that “they were terminated under one broad directive, seemingly triggered by automated screenings that don’t account for state-by-state differences in legal definitions.”

Cai added, “Fingerprinting alone should not equate to a criminal record,” noting that 90% of the affected students had previously been fingerprinted for minor or dismissed offenses.

The consequences have been severe. David, a Chinese student on Optional Practical Training (OPT), lost his job authorization overnight. His employer is now trying to relocate him to Canada, but he only has 15 days to leave.

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Another student, Bill, received a ticket for driving with an expired license. Although his case is still in court, he now faces a legal trap — staying to attend court could lead to detention, but leaving the country breaks his legal obligation.

“Worst case, I don’t graduate. I go home and start college again. Four more years. And then what?” Lisa lamented.

As panic spread, over 300 students joined an emergency Zoom call with federal immigration attorney Brad Banias. “It’s not a legal move, it’s a political one,” Banias said during the call. “They’re criminalizing parking tickets.”

He added, “This isn’t just about students. It’s about the message the government is sending: that no one is safe.”

With students struggling to find help and lawyers offering discounted — yet still expensive — support, many face an uncertain future.

“The dust of history falls on me, and it becomes a mountain,” said Bill.

US revokes visas of nearly 40 international students over traffic violations