News
Defiant UNIZIK VC: I’m heading to my office today *I’m not aware of Tinubu’s sack
A defiant Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, embattled Vice Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), on Thursday morning, vowed to head to his office, few hours after the announcement of his sacking by President Bola Tinubu, the visitor the university on the ground that the process which brought him to power had been breached.
Odoh, an alumnus of the university, whose removal was announced in statement by Bayo Onanuga, spokesman of the President, on Wednesday, stated that he heard about his removal from the media and there was no letter from the Governing Council of the institution, adding that his ouster came even before the various courts hearing the cases regarding his appointment, were yet to deliver their verdicts.
A guest of The Morning Show, a breakfast programme on Arise News Television, Odoh, who claimed that he was being harassed because he came from Ebonyi State, a people seen as third-class citizens by the rest of the Igbo people, denied the allegation that he was not qualified for the job, one of the reasons on which the President took the decision.
Hear him: “The visitor set up this council. The council has not been invited by anybody. There is no written communication either from the NUC (Nigeria University Commission) of from the Ministry (of Education), asking the council to explain what has happened. I’ve not been communicated. There is no information anywhere. There is no panel of inquiry, there is no panel of investigation.
“All I heard yesterday was to see information on the media space to say that I have been removed. I was not appointed through a press release. I was appointed by a constituted authority and I have their letter. So, I don’t understand. After this interview, I’m heading to the office. I have not committed any crime. I was appointed by a procedure and the procedure is straightforward.”
Odoh, who said he qualified for the job, having attained the position of a Professor from the Federal University of Gusau, in 2015, however said his action was not to confront the President, but to direct those currently holding office at the university to continue their work without him, adding: “The authority of Mr. President is sacrosanct on this. I’m not challenging his authority. But I gave you a scenario that is at play.
“There are three committees of accreditation that are on the campus. What I intend to do is to go the university and tell the DVC (Deputy Vice Chancellor) Academics, who is running this matter, please carry on with this and ensure that we don’t lose our accreditation, so that functions can flow smoothly. I’m not disobeying Mr. President. I have not said so. But I need to go and let the university know that let the activities go own, because there is also a crisis. There is no leadership today.
“If we take what they have said as being the correct position, there is no Vice Chancellor, there is no Registrar, there is no Governing Council, which means the place is on a free-fall. I need to be guided on what to do because, first of all, I don’t have any letter from the Governing Council who appointed me of being removed from office.
“The point of being from Ebonyi, the news is all over the campus. If you take a tour of the campus and listen to people in different joints, you’ll hear it. This man is from Ebonyi State and that’s why they’re haunting him. When Prof. Ahaneku was appointed the VC here, he went through this fight. In fact, he was in court until the end of his tenure. That’s my position.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed the judgement of the federal high court in Abuja nullifying the timelines issued for the conduct of party primaries and the nomination of candidates.
Alex Izinyon SAN, leading a team of lawyers of the commission in a notice of appeal dated May 25, raised nine grounds it urged the appellate court to consider and vacate the judgment the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on May 20.
Apart from raising the issue of jurisdiction, which it said the lower court did not determine, INEC also maintained that the legal action the Youth Party (YP) initiated against it was not only hypothetical but academic.
Arguing that failure of the trial court to make pronouncements on the issues, resulted in the denial of fair hearing to the Appellant, the commission also stressed the lower court misinterpreted the provisions of the electoral act.
It said: “The high court erred in law when it held that: ‘It is clear from the wordings of Sections 29(1), 82 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the following can be understood. Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 mandates Political Parties to submit the names of candidates in prescribed forms of the candidates who emerged from its valid primaries which such a political party intends to sponsor at the elections, not later than 120 days before the date of the General Election.
“What is required of Political Parties to do under the Electoral Act, 2026 is to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 21 days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, or any conference or meeting convened for the election of its executive committees, other governing bodies for nominating candidates.
“The Defendant is not mandated to impose a timeframe for political parties to conduct their primaries provided that it will be done and submitted not later than the 120 days provided by the Electoral Act, 2026. See Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.”
It was another day of misery in Kwara State, when daredevil terrorists reportedly stormed Yashikira Community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, and as has been the case in many of the attacks, abducting scores of residents including women and children.
But, apparently to register their authority, the gunmen, who were said to have operated for hours without challenge from the security operatives, were said to have torched the palace of the Emir.
The attackers, which reportedly occurred late Sunday night were said to have announced their presence through heavy firing and after storming the palace of the monarch during the period, set it on fire before whisking away their victims, but a similar attempt at the police station in the community, was repelled.
While some of the residents, narrated how the spent hours without resistance, leaving behind destruction and fear in the border community, another account said the villagers were caught unawares as the gunmen invaded the town under the cover of darkness.
However operatives made up of the police and military personnel, were said to have launched a manhunt immediately for the immediate rescue of the victims, including throwing a cordon in the area as part of the mission.
“The suspect offered ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation.”
These were the exact words of Olohundare Jimoh Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), with which he detailed how operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) scoffed at a N500million bribe to turn their eyes off the importation of a huge consignment of drugs imported into the country.
This was part of the details of a major breakthrough by the operatives after bursting a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, which led to the seizure of suspected illicit drugs estimated at ₦7.8 billion and arresting several suspects, including the alleged kingpin.
In the operation, reportedly carried out by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) in collaboration with divisional police detectives, the operatives, were said to have stormed a house in Mende, Maryland area of Lagos, following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering coordinated by the Zone 2 Headquarters.
The recovered drugs consisted of hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud, allegedly stored in the residence of the prime suspect, Jimoh, said disclosing that the suspect was apprehended on May 19 after weeks of strategic monitoring by operatives.
Offering further details, he said the operation was executed with technical support and guidance from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, alongside coordinated efforts between the SPU and divisional police teams.
Jimoh revealed that during the operation, the suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the SPU commander with ₦500 million to compromise the mission and allow the movement of the drug consignment.
The AIG described the development as a reflection of the renewed professionalism and operational discipline being entrenched in the Force under the current policing strategy.
He noted that the success of the operation underscored the importance of deploying specialized police units alongside conventional divisional teams in tackling organized crime.
According to him, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid containment strategies, intelligence-led policing, and professional conduct among the operatives involved in the raid.
“Rapid containment was achieved as the Special Protection Unit worked with divisional teams to secure the perimeter and prevent escape or interference with evidence.
“The operation was intelligence-driven, following months of surveillance and technical monitoring before the raid was carried out.
“The immediate rejection and documentation of the bribe attempt also reflect the standard expected from redeployed personnel at the divisional level,” Jimoh added.
Reacting to the development, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended the operatives for their professionalism, saying the success of the operation validated the ongoing redeployment of personnel to divisions and units across Lagos and Ogun states.
The IGP noted: “Policing must be close to the people, and our specialized units must work side by side with divisional teams on the ground.
“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust.”
Disu further assured that the Force leadership would continue to reward integrity while holding officers accountable to the highest ethical standards.
Police authorities said exhibits recovered during the operation have been properly documented and will be tendered in court. The suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug trafficking network.
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