News
BREAKING: ASUU members rush to private varsities to enroll wards over fears of fresh strike
Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have joined in the mad rush with other parents to enrol their wards into private universities as an option to the instability in the Nigerian public university system.
This is coming not only as a response to the eight-month strike that saw the public universities closed from February to October, 2022, but a possible further escalation of the situation, following the decision of the Federal Government to pay the ASUU members, who have since returned to work, half salaries.
In many of the private universities, ASUU members, who are also parents, are said to be queuing up with their counterparts in registering their children and wards to get uninterrupted education, which has now become almost impossible in the public tertiary institutions.
A parent in in Chrisland University, one of the private institutions, told Whirlwindnews, how he counted up to six ASUU members who brought their children for the tests and screening, mandatory for admissions into the institution.
“I counted up to six parents who came for the screening. And when it came to the meeting with the school authorities the lecturers explained that they were not sure of what would happen. There is the fear that another strike is knocking at the door, given the persistence of the problems in where they are teaching,” he said.
In fact, there are indications that another round of faceoff is brewing over the decision of the Federal Government not to bend on the issue of payment of salaries to the ASUU members for the period of the eight-month strike.
“They were paid pro-rata according to the number of days they worked in October,” was the explanation of the FG to the pay the ASUU members received as the October salaries, a development, which led to a disquiet in some Nigerian universities, and fears of another industrial dispute.
The affected teachers, were reportedly shocked, when they got alerts on Thursday and discovered that their salaries had been cut into half for the month, which prompted some of them abandoning the classrooms on the instruction of their leaders, who ordered them to stay away for now.
But speaking on the issue, the FG, explained that the development had nothing to do with selective treatment and half salary, having paid some of the lecturers in the system who were in the medical field in full, stating that the differential in the payment, was due to the fact that the medical teachers did not embark on strike for the period.
Olajide Oshundun, head of press and public relations, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, in a statement, which gave perspectives to the development, said the pro-rata payment was done because the union could not be paid for work not done.
Stressing that Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, did not direct the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), to short-pay the university lecturers, added: “Following the ruling of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the order of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), asking ASUU to go back to work, the leadership of the union wrote to the Minister, informing him that they have suspended the strike. The Federal Ministry of Education wrote to Ngige in a similar vein and our labour inspectors in various states also confirmed that they have resumed work.
“So, the minister wrote to the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning, directing that their salaries should be restored. They were paid pro-rata according to the number of days they worked in October.
“Counting from the day the union suspended its industrial action, pro-rata was done because you cannot pay them for work not done. Everybody’s hands are tied.”
Dismissing a statement by Muhammad Al-Mustapha, chairperson of ASUU, Usman Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS) branch, that Ngige was biased in the payment of salaries to selected professional members of the union, the statement added: “Those obviously being referred to by the UDUS ASUU chairperson are members of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association (MDCAN) who abstained from the eight-month strike of ASUU. This is because they abhorred the incessant strikes by the union and its grave effects on medical education in Nigeria and the production of more medical doctors.
“Accusing the Minister of Labour and Employment of biased payment of salaries to selected professional members of ASUU is a barefaced distortion of facts.” Mustapha, who said he received information that a segment of the staff in the College of Health Sciences (CHS) had been paid seven months of their withheld salaries from March to September, added that this was due to a letter written to the Minister of Finance, instructing the exemption of the listed staff on the application of the ‘No Work, No Pay’ rule and that the medical lecturers abstained from the eight-month strike.
A protest blocked an avenue leading to Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium for hours on Tuesday, just days before the 2026 World Cup kicks off at the venue.
As football fans flood into tournament, co-hosted by the United States and Canada, Mexico is grappling with chaotic teacher protests in its capital.
Thousands took part in Tuesday’s protest, which was led by a breakaway group of the CNTE teachers union following a week of demonstrations that President Claudia Sheinbaum has called a “provocation.”
“As if to say, ‘Look at how bad the situation is in Mexico,’” she told a press conference.
A police blockade prevented the demonstrators from reaching the Azteca Stadium, which will host the World Cup opening match on Thursday.
With thousands of officers deployed and concrete barriers set up around the venue, protesters rallied on the street for around three hours before dispersing.
Mexico City’s security chief, Pablo Vazquez, said in a statement that the movement had been peaceful.
Sheinbaum said earlier that the opening match was “guaranteed,” though the left-leaning leader again ruled out using police to repress the demonstrations.
Her government has favored dialogue with the protesting teachers, but to no avail.
“We’re going to continue our struggle,” said protester Austreberto Flores.
The CNTE teachers’ union has been on strike since last week to demand a salary raise and the reversal of a pension law — which the government considers unfeasible.
The teachers have also set up camp near the World Cup fan zone in Mexico City’s Zocalo Square.
On June 1, police dispersed protesters in the area with rubber bullets and teargas.
“They want to make it seem like there is mass social turmoil in Mexico, and that’s not true,” Sheinbaum has said of the protests.
The teachers have called for demonstrations on Thursday that will also include families of so-called “disappeared” people, who are alleged to have been killed or kidnapped by Mexican authorities or criminal gangs.
The 2026 edition of the world’s biggest football extravaganza is the most logistically complex ever staged.
A vast global TV audience is set to tune in to the opening ceremony and match pitting Mexico against South Africa.
Mexico is still rushing to complete renovations at subway stations and at its main airport ahead of the tournament.
Barely 24 hours after the rescue of 416 residents of Ngoshe community in Borno State, abducted during an invasion by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists three months ago, a fresh wave of relief and emotion has swept across parts of the state, as another set of captives regained freedom.
This time, it was Dille community in Askira/Uba, where 11 women abducted seven months earlier, while on a fishing expedition, were reunited with their families after what residents described as months of anguish, uncertainty and silent prayers.
The women were reportedly among those rescued, following coordinated operations by the Nigerian Army under Operation HADINKAI, the same military offensive credited with the wider liberation of over 400 captives from Ngoshe and adjoining communities.
Their return sparked emotional scenes in Dille, where families, who had lived with unanswered questions for months broke into tears of joy, thanksgiving and relief.
Community sources said the returnees had undergone comprehensive medical examinations and health assessments before reunification with their families, as part of standard procedures after captivity.
Vanguard also gathered that during their time in captivity, two of the women managed to escape, while another two were later released by their abductors before the final rescue operation.
Confirming the development, Chairman of Askira/Uba Local Government Area, Mada Saidu, expressed gratitude over their safe return and commended security agencies for their sustained efforts in the region.
He said: “We thank God for the safe return of our daughters and wives. We also appreciate the Nigerian Army, the Borno State government and all security agencies for their commitment and sacrifices toward ensuring their freedom and safety.”
While the relief was still being processed in Askira/Uba, attention also remained fixed on Ngoshe, where the Ngoshe Stakeholders Forum, NSF, denied reports attributing the rescue of the 416 captives to any individual or non-recognised group.
In a press conference in Maiduguri, yesterday, attended by former Gwoza Local Government chairmen, community leaders and concerned stakeholders, chairman of the forum, Prof. Suleiman Bello, distanced the community from claims credited to a group
He said: “We, the stakeholders and representatives of our people, wish to categorically dissociate ourselves from a self-acclaimed group operating under the name ‘Borno South Youth Alliance,’ allegedly managed by one Samaila Kaigama, who has publicly claimed involvement in the facilitation of the release of our people.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this group is unknown to us, does not represent our people in any capacity, and was never mandated to speak or act on our behalf. Their claims are entirely false, misleading, and should be disregarded by the general public.”
The forum warned against attempts to exploit the humanitarian crisis for personal gain, stressing that such actions risked undermining genuine peace and security efforts in the region.
Bello added: “We are deeply concerned by the activities and utterances of such individuals and groups whose actions appear designed to exploit sensitive humanitarian and security situations for personal gain.
“Available indications strongly suggest a pattern of deceptive conduct capable of undermining genuine efforts towards peace, security, and community stability,”
He further urged the public, media organisations, humanitarian actors and stakeholders to exercise caution in engaging unauthorised individuals or groups.
“We, therefore, advise members of the public, media organisations, humanitarian actors and relevant stakeholders to exercise caution and avoid engaging with or recognising any unauthorised group or individual falsely claiming to represent our people,” he added.
Despite the controversy, the forum expressed appreciation to government and security agencies for their intervention, while also appealing for urgent post-conflict support to affected communities.
Bello said: “As law-abiding citizens, we remain sincerely grateful to the federal, Borno State governments, security agencies, humanitarian institutions and all relevant stakeholders for their sacrifices, commitment, and support toward the safety, peace, and well being of our people.
“We remain committed to lawful engagement, responsible communication, and continued support for all legitimate efforts aimed at restoring lasting peace and stability in our communities.
“We wish to formally announce and celebrate the successful release and safe return of 416 Ngoshe captives who had been held by Boko Haram insurgents. The freed captives have since reunited with their families and loved ones amid emotional scenes of relief, gratitude and renewed hope for peace and stability in Ngoshe and the entire Gwoza axis.
“We also extend our deepest appreciation to the Nigerian Army, especially troops stationed in Ngoshe, Pulka and Gwoza, whose sacrifices, resilience and patriotism continue to guarantee security and hope for our people despite enormous challenges.
“We are pleased to also note that the returnees are currently receiving adequate medical attention, psychological support and humanitarian care to aid their recovery and reintegration into society after enduring traumatic experiences in captivity.”
However, the forum warned that despite the successful rescue, reconstruction and resettlement challenges remained critical, especially as the rainy season sets in.
Community’s dilemma
However, the 416 rescued residents did not return to their ancestral homes, they were taken to Pulka community to join their relatives.
The community, located at the foot of the Mandara Mountains, along the Nigeria-Cameroon border, described as Boko Haram’s enclanve, was attacked by insurgents in March this year, forcing nearly 3,000 residents who had earlier been resettled there to flee once again to Pulka, where the government established an Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camp for them.
Speaking on the development, community sources said Ngoshe residents had previously spent more than seven years in displacement before Borno State government, under Governor Babagana Zulum, reconstructed their destroyed homes and facilitated their return nearly two years ago.
However, the insurgents reportedly overran the community in March, killing some residents and dislodging both civilians and security personnel..
Troops have since regained control of the area and maintained a visible presence across key corridors around the Mandara axis. The question of return remains tied to one condition: until the community is declared fit for habitation, military presence will remain. The military were still at their Base in the community as at yesterday (Tuesday).
In Dille, the emotion was difficult to contain. Residents who had gathered in expectation yesterday broke down in tears as the 11 women arrived. Some were embraced in silence, unable to speak.
Chairman of Askira/Uba Local Government Area, Mada Saidu, described their return as a moment of relief and gratitude.
He commended the Nigerian Army, the Operation HADINKAI, Borno State government and other security agencies for their efforts, saying the rescue reflected continued pressure on insurgent groups across the region.
317 terrorists neutralised, 221 hostages rescued in one month — Military
Meanwhile, Defence Headquarters has said troops recorded significant operational gains in May 2026, neutralising 317 terrorists, criminals, illegal miners and informants across various theatres of operation.
According to statistics released by the Defence Media Operations, “314 suspects were also arrested for offences ranging from terrorism and criminality to illegal mining and acting as informants, while 18 insurgents surrendered to troops during sustained military pressure.”
The military further disclosed that three illegal refining sites and associated assets were destroyed, thereby cutting off key funding sources for criminal networks.
It added that 221 kidnapped hostages were rescued during the operations, while 21,910 litres of illegally refined petroleum products were recovered alongside 93 assorted firearms, ammunition and other military hardware.
Defence authority said the results reflected intensified pressure on criminal and terrorist elements nationwide, urging citizens to continue providing timely and credible intelligence to security agencies as efforts to restore lasting peace intensify.
Culled from Vanguard
For calling Peter Obi, candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), in the 2027 presidential election a thief, at the head of a “criminal enterprise,” Kenneth Okonkwo will have to cough out a whopping N5billion to avoid an impending law suit.
This was one of the conditions the former Governor of Anambra State gave to stop him from stretching the matter further through the courts, where he would seek a bigger penalty and compensation following the damage Okonkwo’s words had done to his name.
The action is coming a day after Okonkwo, who was Obi’s spokesman during the 2023 presidential election when the former governor ran on the platform of the Labour Party (LP), had while appearing as a guest on Sunrise Daily, a breakfast programme on Channels Television accused him of running a “criminal enterprise.”
Specifically, Okonkwo had alleged that Obi and South-east caucus of the NDC demanded N10 million bribe from House of Representatives aspirants in the party to secure tickets for them, quoting one Obunike Ohaegbu, whom he said, sent a message and a receipt to him to that effect, stating that the former governor led the alleged scam.
Stating that Ohaegbu, an aspirant for the House of Representatives on the platform of Obi’s Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for Nnewi North-South and Ekwusigo Constituency, claimed that after he and others aspirants paid the N10 million bribe, they were asked to go to field for primaries instead of giving them tickets.
Stressing that instead of ensuring credible primaries, Obi, who was directing the entire affairs from Johnwood Hotel Abuja, where he allegedly wrote and submitted a list of the NDC’s candidates for various constituencies, he claimed that anybody who voted for the NDC and Obi in 2027 would be voting for criminality, arguing that the party had been criminally extorting aspirants.
Ohaegbu, himself had on Tuesday, denied making the statements, when he appeared on the same television networ, saying he never made such statements to Okonkwo, saying: “I am telling you that Peter Obi never told me to pay N10 million. I never told Kenneth Okonkwo that Peter Obi, in any way, told me to pay N10 million. I never accused the NDC South-east caucus of bribery and did not say that Obi compiled a list of candidates in Johnwood Hotel.
“What I said is that there was an allegation that the list had been prepared in Johnwood. I didn’t mention names.”
In the letter to Okonkwo, Obi, who refuted the claims, told him that the allegations present him as a bribe collector, fraudster and dishonest political actor who is engaged in criminal conspiracy.
“These are extremely grave, damaging and reckless imputations of bribery, extortion, fraud, financial dishonesty and criminality directed at the character, integrity, reputation and public standing of my person.”
Stressing that Okonkwo made the allegations with clear intent and purpose of exposing him to hatred, contempt and ridicule and damaging his reputation, Obi then demanded Okonkwo’s withdrawal of the defamatory statements and publication of apology on Channels TV as well as across all his social media platforms within seven days.
The letter said: “Take notice that should you fail, refuse or neglect to comply with the above demands within the stipulated period, our client (Peter Obi) shall be left with no option than to seek legal redress against you without further recourse to you.
“Such action shall include, but shall not be limited to, claims for general, aggravated and exemplary damages in the said sum of N5 billion and indeed such a higher sum as the court may deem fit, together with injunctive reliefs, public retraction, apology and the full cost of the proceedings.”
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