News
New service chiefs: Profiles of Iraboh, Gambo, Ibrahim and Amao

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday changed Nigeria’s service chiefs, after much pressure from different groups and influential individuals.
In a statement by spokesman to the president, Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President, Femi Adesina, the new service chiefs are Major-General Leo Irabor named as Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General I. Attahiru as Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo as Chief of Naval Staff; and Air-Vice Marshal I.O Amao as Chief of Air Staff.
Here are a few details about the new officers:
Chief Of Defence Staff, Major-Gen LEO Irabor
Major Gen. LEO Irabor is a RC 34 officer who attained that rank in 2014 and has served as Theatre Commander in the NE.
He hails from the vicinity of Agbor in Delta State. He takes over from General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin
Major Gen. Irabor who is the immediate Chief of Training and Operations, Defence headquarters, took over from the erstwhile Commander, Major General AA Tarfa.
On the 26th January 2021 he was appointed the new CDS by His Excellency, President Buhari.
Major General Lucky E.O. Irabor was the Chief of Defence, Training and Operations at the Defence Headquarters, Armed Forces of Nigeria.
He is an Alumnus of the Ghana Armed Forces Staff College Ghana, the National Defence College Bangladesh and Harvard Kennedy School of Government Executive Programme, USA.
Irabor is a trained Engineer from Obafemi Awolowo University and holds two Masters Degrees from the University of Ghana, Accra, and Bangladesh University of Professionals, Dhaka.
As the CDTOPs, he oversees training and operations in the Armed Forces of Nigeria under the direction of the Chief of Defence Staff.
Specifically, he undertakes periodic reviews of a broad range of policies and activities relating to training and operations in the Armed forces.
In addition, he is the Chairman of the AFN Committee on COVID-19. The committee is working to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease in the establishments of the armed forces in line with Nigeria Centre for Disease Control protocols.
The committee is also giving support to the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 including the deployment of medical personnel across the country to boost the available manpower in the management of the coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria.
The General was formerly the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, North-East Nigeria as well as Force Commander Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin Area. The operations focused on counter-terrorism/counterinsurgency.
He is a distinguished awardee of several militaries, ECOMOG and United Nations Awards and Medals.
Chief of Naval Staff, Rear-Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo
Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo was Director of Search and Rescue Defence Headquarters until his redeployment as Chief Staff Officer Naval Training Command in 2017.
He was born on 22 April 1966 and hails from Nasarawa LGA in Kano State.
He enlisted into the Nigerian Navy on 24 September 1984 as a member of Regular Course 36 and was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on 24 September, 1988.
He is an underwater warfare specialist with a sub specialisation in intelligence.
The senior officer has attended several military courses which include Sub-Technical course and Officers Long course both at NNS QUORRA. He also attended Junior Division 48/89 and Senior Course 26 both at AFCSC Jaji.
Other courses attended include the National Defence Course at the South African National Defence College.
Until his latest appointment as the CNS, he was the Director of Procurement at the Defence Space Administration.
He holds a Master’s degree in Transport Management from LAUTECH.
Major-General Attahiru Ibrahim, Chief of Army Staff
Before the appointment of Maj Gen Attahiru Ibrahim as the new Chief of Army Staff, he was in charge of the 82 Division, Nigerian Army.
He was born on 10 August, 1966 in Doka, Kaduna North Local Government Area, Kaduna State.
A graduate of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Armed Forces Command and Staff College and Nigerian Army School of Infantry, he commenced cadets training in January 1984 and was commissioned in the rank of Second Lieutenant in December 1986 as an Infantry Officer.
General Attahiru has held several appointments on the staff, instructional and in command in the course of his military career.
He was on a tour of duty with the United Nations in Sierra Leone as a Military Observer, where he facilitated the United Kingdom military engagement, Operation BARASS in September 2000.
He was an Operations Officer and later Company Commander in NIBATT 19 ECOMOG Operations in Liberia.
Also, he had the unique privilege of having commanded with distinction all through the chain of command in the Nigerian Army. Prominent among these appointments are Commanding Officer 146 Battalion Nigerian Army (Operation HARMONY IV) in the Bakassi Peninsula, Commander 13 Brigade Nigerian Army (Operation PULO SHIELD), General Officer Commanding 82 Division Nigerian Army.
He was one time Theatre Commander Operation Lafia Dole (the Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency Outfit in North Eastern Nigeria).
It is on record that he brought relative stability to the region with the surrender of several Boko Haram combatants.
He was unit adjutant, 7 Battalion Nigerian Army, Sarti; Chief of Staff, 1 Brigade Nigerian Army, Sokoto; General Staff Officer Grade 1 Training/Operations and as well as Staff Duties/Plans at the Headquarters 1, 2 and 81 Divisions of the Nigerian Army.
He was Deputy Director Military Secretary 2 at the AHQ MS (A) and one-time Director Army Public Relations and spokesperson for the Nigerian Army. He was later Director Staff Duties and Deputy Chief of Policy and Plans at the Army Headquarters.
Ibrahim was equally privileged to serve as Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation and Chief of Defence Logistics at the apex organ of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Defence Headquarters Abuja.
In that position, he worked with the US Defence Logistics Agency on the Vertically Integrated Logistics Approach (VILA) Programme towards enhancing the operational readiness in the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
He was also privileged to be an instructor at the Depot Nigerian Army, Nigerian Defence Academy and the Nigerian Army School of Infantry.
He was later a Chief Instructor at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji-Nigeria.
General Attahiru has been exposed to leadership and professional development programmes at globally renowned institutions. For instance, he was at the National Defence College Kenya for the National Defence Management and Security Studies Course and at the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Special Forces Academy Shijiazhuang-Hubei Province, China for the Basic and Advanced Special/Operations Commando Forces Courses.
He has undertaken leadership and security policy courses at the prestigious Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University USA, Graduate School of Media and Communication, Agha Khan University Kenya, Bournemouth University Disaster Management Center and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.
The General has several honours and awards to his credit. He holds a Masters degree in Strategic Management and Policy Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy; Masters of Science in Human Resources Management and Development from Salford University in the United Kingdom; and Graduate Diploma in International Studies from the University of Nairobi, Kenya.
He is married with children.
Isiaka Amao, New Chief of Air Staff
Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao was born on 14 September 1965 in Enugu. He hails from Osogbo LGA in Osun State.
Amao was the Chairman of the Nigerian Air Force 53rd Anniversary Celebration Committee in 2017.
He was formerly the Deputy Theatre Commander Operation Lafiya Dole and later redeployed as the Director of Policy at HQ NAF.
He was in January 2020 appointed as the Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP).
He attended Nuhu Bamali Pry School Kaduna from 1971-77, Command Secondary School Kakuri Kaduna from 1977-82, Federal College of Freshwater and Fisheries Technology (FCFFT) New Bussa from 1994-96, University of Madras India from 2002-2003, Kaduna Polytechnic from 2005-2006 and National Defence University China from 2012-2013.
He enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force on 19 January, 1984 as a member of 35 NDA Regular Course and was commissioned as Pilot Officer on 20 December 1986.
He started his Primary Flying Training at 301 Flying Training School (FTS) Kaduna from 1987-1989; did the Basic Flying Training at 303 FTS Kano from 1990-92 and Tactical Fighter Training at 99 Air Combat Training Group (99 ACTG) Kainji from 1993 – 99. Thereafter, went for Instructor Pilot Course at 301 FTS Kaduna from 2004 – 2005.
The senior officer had served in following NAF Units: 99 ACTG Kainji as Trainee/Sqn Pilot from 1993 – 2004, 301 FTS Kaduna as Instructor Pilot/Sqn Pilot from 2004 – 2007, HQ NAF Abuja as Air Assistance to Chief of Air Staff from Sep 08 – May 10, Nigerian High Commission London as Deputy Defence Adviser from May 10 – Aug 12 and Ag Defence Adviser from Nov 11 – Feb 12, Defence Headquarter as Assistance Director of operation from Aug 2013 – Jan 14, 99 ACTG as Commander from 25 Jan 14 – 20 Jan 15, 75 Strike Group (75 STG) as Commander from 20 Jan 15 – 16 Feb 16, Air Component Commander of operation Zaman Lafiya/Lafiya Dole (North East operation) from 13 Feb 15 – 16 Feb 16, doubled as Acting Deputy Theater Commander (Air Ops) for operation LAFIYA DOLE from 4 Jan 16 – 16 Feb 16, Director of Policy (DOPOL) at HQ NAF, Abuja from 16 Feb – May 27 and Director of Operations (DOO) at HQ NAF, Abuja from 27 May – 6 Sep 16, Director of Training (DOT) at HQ NAF, Abuja from 6 Sep 16 – 22 Dec 16 and Director of Operations (DOO) at HQ NAF from 22 Dec 16 – 29 Jan 18.
Until the latest appointment, he was the Air Officer Commanding Tactical Air Command (TAC).
He is a fighter pilot and has participated in various operations such as: Draw Down of AFISMA operation in Mali from Aug 2013 – Jan 14, operation ZAMAN LAFIYA from 20 Feb – 19 Jul 15 and operation LAFIYA DOLE (North East operations) from 19 Jul 15 – 16 Feb 16. His decorations include: Forces Service Star (FSS), Meritorious Service Star (MSS), Distinguished Service Star (DSS), General Service Medal (GSM), River Benue Star (RBS), Passed Staff College (psc) and Fellow National Defence University (FNDU) China.
The senior officer has attended several military courses which such as Junior Division Course at Armed Forces Command Staff College (AFCSC) Jaji from Jun – Dec 1986, Senior Division Course at Defence Services Staff College India from 2002 – 2003, Defence Course at National Defence University China from 2012 – 2013, Aircraft Accident Investigation in Civil Airline at NCAT Zaria and Aircraft Accident Investigation Course at Karachi, Pakistan.
He has the following academic qualification: MSc in Defence and Strategic Studies from University of Madras, India, Master of Military Science and Strategy (MMSc) and Advance Diploma in Defence and Strategy Studies from NDU China, Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations and Diplomacy from Kaduna Polytechnic, National Diploma in Freshwater and Fisheries Technology from FCFFT New Bussa and Nigerian Defence Academy Certificate of Education.
AVM Amao is married to Mrs Elizabeth Olubunmi Amao and they are blessed with three boys.
News
FG refutes US Congress claim of terrorists targeting Nigeria’s Christians

FG refutes US Congress claim of terrorists targeting Nigeria’s Christians
The federal government has dismissed claims that Christians are being deliberately targeted for killings in parts of Nigeria, describing such assertions as misinformation designed to pressure the international community into designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
This stance was outlined in a statement issued by Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who attributed the narrative to “fifth columnists” seeking to misrepresent the country’s security situation.
Former Interior Minister and retired military general, Abdulrahman Dambazau, also strongly refuted the claims made by the US Congress regarding religious persecution, arguing that Muslims—particularly in the northern regions—are disproportionately affected by the ongoing security crisis.
The statements come in response to US Congressional hearings and potential sanctions initiated under former President Donald Trump, following reports of increasing attacks on Christians in Nigeria.
In its statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed deep concern over what it described as misleading reports, stating:
“While the federal government acknowledges the security challenges confronting the nation, it is imperative to clarify that these negative activities are not driven by religious bias, nor targeted against any particular religious group.”
The ministry stressed that insurgency and banditry in predominantly Muslim northern Nigeria do not single out any faith for attack. It added that portraying the situation as Christian persecution is “erroneous and misleading.”
READ ALSO:
- Jimoh Ibrahim speaks on Senator Natasha’s petition to IPU
- SDP warns Kaduna gov against persecuting El-Rufai
- Natasha: Protesters at UN House demands evidence of allegation
The government reiterated its commitment to safeguarding all Nigerians regardless of religion, ethnicity, or gender, and emphasized that the country’s security issues are complex, involving criminal activities, terrorism, and communal clashes—including farmer-herder conflicts—which are not rooted in religious discrimination.
The statement further highlighted efforts by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to tackle insecurity, including the deployment of security forces, intelligence operations, and community engagement strategies. It noted progress made in curbing banditry and insurgency and the establishment of a Ministry of Livestock Development to address tensions between farmers and pastoralists.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the international community to verify information before drawing conclusions that could inflame tensions within Nigeria.
“We call on all stakeholders, including the media, civil society organizations, and foreign partners, to refrain from spreading unverified claims that could undermine national unity and stability.
In a related development, Dambazau criticized the US Congress for mischaracterizing Nigeria’s security challenges, insisting that Muslims in the North have borne the brunt of violence.
“The US Congress got it wrong,” he asserted. “While it’s true that churches and Christian pastors have been attacked, mosques and Islamic clerics have not been spared. The vast majority of victims, especially in the Northeast, are Muslims.”
He pointed to Zamfara State, where he said 99% of the population is Muslim, yet violent attacks occur almost weekly.
READ ALSO:
- Plot to impeach Fubara thickens
- Shell wraps up Nigeria onshore business sale, to focus on deepwater
- BREAKING: Appeal Court stops Sanusi’s reinstatement as Kano emir
Dambazau also criticized figures such as Bishop Matthew Kukah, accusing them of presenting an inaccurate and divisive picture of the conflict.
“It is not about religion,” he said. “It is about the fact that these victims are Nigerians, and they require protection against these horrible people. They make it look as if it is a systemic issue, that maybe the government is coming out, as a matter of policy, to persecute these people. That is wrong.”
He further argued that data indicates that the most affected regions, such as the Northeast and Northwest, have predominantly Muslim populations.
“Reports of mass killings and kidnappings in these regions often involve Muslim victims. While precise statistics are difficult to obtain due to the fluid nature of the conflict, reports consistently highlight that Muslim communities are heavily impacted.”
Dambazau urged the US Congress to adopt a more nuanced view of Nigeria’s security crisis, warning that imposing sanctions based on an incomplete understanding of the conflict could have serious consequences.
Quoting a post from his X handle @mypd2020, he wrote:
“To impede the progress of a country like Nigeria has been made easy mainly by using the religious and ethnic fault lines.The idea that insurgency and banditry are targeting only Christians is unfortunate. The same US Congress recently said that USAID is the main sponsor of Boko Haram and other terrorist organizations.The question is, who is killing the Muslims and displacing them in their thousands and millions? Is it a USAID project, or those making the false accusations, or both? Nigerians should learn to approach and solve their problems while the US solves theirs, otherwise, we remain in perpetual stagnation.”
FG refutes US Congress claim of terrorists targeting Nigeria’s Christians
News
Plot to impeach Fubara thickens

Plot to impeach Fubara thickens
The political camp of the Rivers state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara was again pushed into a deeper trench by the decision of the state House of Assembly to probe the alleged age falsification of the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Simeon Amadi.
At its 135th legislative sitting, the House resolved to write to the Department of the State Service, DSS, to investigate the CJ following allegations against him by the Leader of the House, Hon Major Jack.
The House agreed that falsification of age was a “serious offence” but the allegation must be confirmed and doing so, the CJ has to be thoroughly investigated to establish the authenticity of the allegation.
Responding to this development, the Speaker, Rt. Hon Martins Amaewhule said by section 128 of the constitution, the House is empowered to investigate the allegation but quickly accused Governor Fubara of barring heads of ministries, departments and agencies from appearing before the House.
Remember that Justice Amadi was screened to become the Chief Judge of the state about three years when Wike was a governor. Unconfirmed report has it that Amadi, who hails from the same Ikwerre ethnic nationality with Wike, turned down alleged N5 billion gratification and tastefully furnished houses in London and America to ditch the governor and clear the grounds for his eventual impeachment.
Commenting on the CJ’s ordeal, Hon Ogbonna Nwuke, former House of Representatives member in the 7th National Assembly said the action of the Assembly members was just to intimidate the Chief Judge in order to get at the governor.
“The process of impeaching the governor is not easy. That is why they are intimidating the loyalists of the governor just to create a state of emergency, at most”.
READ ALSO:
- Shell wraps up Nigeria onshore business sale, to focus on deepwater
- BREAKING: Appeal Court stops Sanusi’s reinstatement as Kano emir
- Nigeria dominating Africa spare parts market, says ASPAMDA boss
Giving the quick succession at which events happened in the state in the course of the week barely few hours after the Minister of the federal capital territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike on Wednesday publicly declared that the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara could be impeached by the House of Assembly and “heaven will not fall”, it shows that there is more in the offing.
The minister’s audacity came just a day after a crucial meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the delegation of the pan Niger Delta Elders Forum, PANDEF, in Abuja wherein the latter was asked to go back home and prevail on the embattled Governor to “obey the rule of law”, in other words, the Supreme Court judgment.
Meanwhile, Wike’s impeachment threat to Fubara and his vituperations on the Ijaw ethnic nationality has since attracted the ire of the Supreme Egbesu Assembly, SEA, a religious deity of the Ijaws and other revered topnotch organizations such as the Ijaw national Congress, INC and its youth wing, Ijaw Youth Council, IYC.
Recall that in the early years of militancy in the Niger Delta with Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states being the hotbed of the crisis, the Egbesu god was said to have been invoked to wade off the incursion of the federal troops into the flashpoints of the crisis.
Leader of the Supreme Egbesu Assembly, SEA, an ancestral religious institution of the Ijaw people, Sergeant Werinipre Digifa, told Saturday Vanguard on phone that the Ijaw people would “shock” President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the appropriate time in the event that the Governor of Rivers state, Siminalayi Fubara is impeached.
Digifa hit back at the President who he said lacks the capacity to tame Wike. “Tinubu should be held responsible for the recklessness and arrogance Wike is exhibiting against the Ijaw nation.
“This is why I say that Nigeria is a banana republic. Somebody has turned the judiciary to his personal estate. He manipulates the judiciary the way he wants it just to suit his desire. If they impeach Fubara, we will not go into violence because Ijaw people don’t believe in violence. We will take everything in good faith. But we will shock them”.
The head of the Egbesu Assembly added that ”we are keenly watching the ongoing political trend which is pure harassment and the intimidation of the Governor of Rivers state. We are listening to the insults, the unguarded utterances and the abuse that is being heaped on the Ijaw ethnic nationality by Hon Wike.
READ ALSO:
- Fernandes nets hat-trick in Man United big win over Real Sociedad
- Tragedy as 25-year-old man hangs self in Ogun forest
- 2027: Southern Kaduna group rejects El-Rufai, supports Tinubu
”The Niger Delta is a community and when controversies arise in a community, reasonable people don’t jump in to talk. There is an African adage which says ‘two mad people never behave madly at the same time.’
“We are not sleeping, neither are we cowards. But note that we have always won our just battles and this will be no exception. This crass arrogance being displayed by Wike was avoidable”.
Digifa expressed disappointment that President Tinubu has allowed the crisis to fester, saying ”I had earlier thought that he had the capacity to rule Nigeria as a president, but from the showings on ground, it is evident that we had a misplaced value on President Tinubu’s leadership capacity.”
He warned President Tinubu that “by the time Wike finishes with you, the Yoruba nation would have incurred the anger of the Ijaw man. The spirits that have protected the Ijaw Nation over the years will bring the wrath on the Yoruba to teach them a lesson that could be worse than what has happened to those who attempted to humiliate us”.
INC’s position on Wike’s bluster to oust Fubara from power is that people should look at issues from the broader perspective and not through the prism of sectarian sentiment.
Professor Benjamin Okaba, President of INC, said Wike’s so called insult on Ijaws smacks off the smart game of giving it an ethnic coloration to get the sympathy of other ethnic groups and distract their attention from the sympathy they have for governor Fubara.
“When the Ijaws led the struggle for the creation of Rivers state, where were Wike’s ancestors? He quipped. “You don’t flirt after a hyena. Wike will regret, mark my words, and become a political orphan. When an empire rises to its peak, another empire will rise. We are heading towards the Marxian synthesis as the political denouement is already unfolding ahead of 2027.
“Wike’s bravado is clearly stimulated by nothing else but the tacit support and encouragement from the Presidency. Remove Wike from Power, he will automatically transform into an empty and most vulnerable entity in Nigerian political history”, he said.
In its declaration after a zonal emergency meeting, the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Eastern Zone put the federal government on notice that it will stoutly resist every attempt by the planners to impeach Governor Fubara, “until he has served out his two tenures of eight years as his predecessors did, by any means necessary”.
The Ijaw youths announced that the planners of the Governor’s impeachment, “if they do not desist from their evil plot, should be ready to bear the consequences of their actions in the event of the breakdown of law and order in the State”.
Also, a statement from the Ijaw Matters viewpoint said the Ijaw Nation has been patient for too long, saying “our patience is not weakness. Nyesom Wike, in his ……arrogance, has crossed every line of decency and respect. His continued insults against the Ijaw people will not go unanswered”.
It said it was a disgrace that a man who once begged for the support of Ijaw leaders and communities now dares to spit on the same people who made him. “We will not forget. We will not forgive. And when the time comes, Wike will beg, he will crawl before the Ijaw Nation seeking mercy, but he will find none”.
The group vowed that “Wike will pay for every insult, every slight, and every word of disrespect. The day of reckoning is closer than he thinks”.
Plot to impeach Fubara thickens
News
Jobs: FG begins six-month free IT training for two million youths

Jobs: FG begins six-month free IT training for two million youths
The Federal Government is set to offer six months of free training to youths to fill two million job vacancies.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has also approved N120 billion to revive technical education.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, spoke during the third Ministerial Press Briefing, organised by Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris in Abuja.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, also gave an account of his stewardship.
Alausa said: “We have almost N120 billion and the President has approved it for us to move this agenda forward.
“This programme will be launched probably in the month of May.
“Today, based on UNESCO data, there are 650,000 vacancies in software development methodologies, about 280,000 vacancies in cyber security, and about 160,000 vacancies in IT automation.
“Another 150,000 vacancies in AI and machine learning, about 120,000 vacancies in cloud computing, and about 60,000 vacancies worldwide in national language processing.
“Add that together, we have almost two million job vacancies out there.
“So, what we’re doing with Digital Training Academy is working with trainers that will offer six- months of training to young engineers.
“We, as a government, will pay for their internet services, pay for their certification- Cisco certification, End of Career certification, and Google certification.”
Alausa said the strategy would give Nigerians new digital skills needed to stand out in the world.
He added that the training would be launched on or before June.
READ ALSO:
- Customs seize $1.15m, SR135,900 (Saudi Riyals) at Kano airport
- US court to Trump: Return workers fired across agencies
- Blackout: Ikeja DISCO restores power at Air Force Base
The minister said the Federal Ministry of Education was putting measures to encourage Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to meet the areas of needs.
He said this would be done through the Digital Training Academy (DTA) to give students skills in service industries.
Alausa reiterated the commitment of the government to return 10 million out-of-school children to the classrooms.
He said the ministry was working on a new strategy to increase access, improve quality and enhance education systems for foundational learning.
Alausa said between now and 2027, the government will reconstruct 195,000 classrooms across the nation.
“With regards to infrastructure, between now and 2027, we will need to raise 195,000 classrooms across the nation.
“We will install 28,000 toilets, and 22,900 boreholes across other schools in the country.
“We will construct about 7,000 new classrooms and provide learning and teaching materials by organising 103 million textbooks,” he said.
Alausa hinged the current proliferation of universities on the increasing pressure being mounted by lawmakers.
He said almost 200 bills were pending in the National Assembly for the creation of universities.
Alausa explained that renewing the capacities of existing institutions was more important than establishing new ones.
According to him, there is no need to put pressure on the president to establish new universities.
“We must focus on our capacities. We need to stop this from happening. There’s so much pressure on the president.
“We have to at least be sensitive to it as well. They (lawmakers) are passing a lot of bills.
“Today, there are almost 200 bills in the National Assembly. We can’t continue this.
“Even though we have a lot of them, the capacity for a university to admit is not there.
“What we need to do now is to rebuild the capacities so that we can offer more viable courses to our citizens,” he said.
The minister added that the enrollment rate was not commensurate with the recent number of universities.
“If you look at the entire enrollment together, the one per cent of private universities account for just 7.5 per cent of total undergraduate enrollment.
“The total number of undergraduate enrollment today is just about 875,000, which is at least fairly low.
“We have universities with less than 1,000 undergraduate students, and there’s this intense demand for more universities to be opened.
“We have to stop that,” he said.
He added that several key proposals had been put forward to address education sector challenges.
He added that the Tinubu Administration has committed N40 billion to the abandoned National Library of Nigeria project.
READ ALSO:
- Natahsha’s apoti is not godswill for Apkabio
- Witness speaks on Super cop Abba Kyari’s N200m in 10 bank accounts
- EFCC arraigns couple for N197m fraud, impersonating Katsina first lady
The minister said work on the library project would soon commence, adding that this would support academic and research needs.
Others who attended the briefing include Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Mr. Bayo Onanuga; Special Adviser on Public Communication and Orientation, Mr. Sunday Dare, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Publicity and Special Duties, Mr. Tunde Rahaman.
Heads of agencies in the Ministry of Information and National Orientation – News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Voice of Nigeria (VON), National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Federal Radio Cooperation of Nigeria (FRCN) – were also there.
Also at the briefing yesterday, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), said a drop in airfares was likely soon.
He also said the Federal Government would roll out measures to curb illegal charter operations.
According to Keyamo, the government lost billions of naira to the illegal charter operations which date back 40 years.
Part of the reforms is to mandate regulators to publish the names of airlines that are approved to fly, and proper documentation of those on board the chartered flights.
He also said the control tower would not clear any flight for takeoff without proper identification of the crew members and passengers.
On the high cost of tickets, Keyamo said: “We have domestic tickets and we have international tickets.
READ ALSO:
- How Natasha can get her Senate suspension reversed – Akpabio
- Dangote gives 10kg rice each to one million Nigerians
- Putin gives conditions for Ukraine ceasefire
“I talked about domestic tickets and the fact that we don’t have access to lease aircraft at very cheap costs.
“We only can go for the very expensive option of leasing aircraft or buying aircraft.
“We are addressing that and we are going to see results very soon with the Cape Town Convention and the Dublin Conference we went to.
“The deals are coming in, so we’ll see results there.
“But the international flights, one of the major reasons they used to give is that their monies were trapped in Nigeria.
“When we came to office, there were airlines that had a three-year backlog of funds trapped in Nigeria.
“When their agents sell tickets in naira, it is evacuated and dropped in the CBN, which will get the dollar equivalent and repatriate.
“That is how it is done so that the tickets will be sold in naira.
“So all of these tickets were sold in naira for three years plus, but the CBN had no liquidity, no dollar equivalent to send to these foreign airlines. So the funds were trapped.
“Because of the deft policies of this government on the withdrawal of subsidy and floating of naira, liquidity began to rise and that’s why I was thanking the President for the unusual attention he paid to aviation.”
As part of measures to boost the economy of the country and encourage local operators, the minister said plans are ongoing to introduce the FlyNigeria Act initiative.
“The Fly Nigeria Act will mandate the prioritisation of Nigerian flag carriers for government-funded travel, a bold move to support local airlines and stimulate economic growth.
“We have 13 active private airlines in Nigeria and there is a need to support local airlines by making policies to support their growth,” he said.
Jobs: FG begins six-month free IT training for two million youths
-
metro3 days ago
JUST IN: Fubara locked out of Rivers Assembly complex (Video)
-
metro18 hours ago
BREAKING: Appeal Court stops Sanusi’s reinstatement as Kano emir
-
Entertainment2 days ago
Court bans viewing of controversial film, ‘Gang of Lagos’
-
Politics1 day ago
2027: Southern Kaduna group rejects El-Rufai, supports Tinubu
-
News2 days ago
Nigerian woman declared dead appears in UK court to reclaim her £350,000 home
-
Politics3 days ago
Obasa, Meranda, Lagos assembly members meet Tinubu in Villa
-
Auto1 day ago
Three electric vehicles on display steal show at Lagos Motor Fair
-
metro2 days ago
Tinubu backs Obasa to remain Lagos speaker, ends assembly crisis
You must be logged in to post a comment Login