Plight of the University of Maiduguri

Boko Haram bombers again attacked the University of Maiduguri yesterday. In the last six months, these terrorists have attacked the university nine times, killing innocent people, including a professor of veterinary medicine, Aliyu Usman Mani. Never in the history of this institution has this much pain been inflicted on its staff and students. It is even more disheartening that no single top official of the federal government deemed it necessary to pay a solidarity visit to the university. Where is the Education Minister, Adamu Adamu? He is simply sleeping while precious human lives are being wasted at this university. Adamu’s inaction on the precarious security situation in this school is giving a boost to Boko Haram’s ideology. The Buhari administration has clearly failed the staff and students of the University of Maiduguri.
It should be noted that the terrorists did not even stray into the school during the peak of the insurgency between 2009 and 2015. So, what went wrong? I guess government and the managers of the university did not prepare for this eventuality. There was nothing like perspective planning despite the raging insurgency around the school. They unwisely thought that the terrorists would never get to them. The FG has also not been proactive in responding to the challenges. It is depressing to note that the FG refused to provide funds needed to procure modern security equipment and build a perimeter fence at the varsity. The borders of this university are wide open. As a result, Boko Haram bombers stroll in with ease and kill people. A bigger accident is waiting to happen. Honestly, this university should be shut until the FG provides all the necessities for protecting life and property. Dr. Dani Mamman, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of the university noted: “The FG has been insensitive to the plight of students and parents that lost loved ones.” Senator Baba Kaka Garbai’s motion on Thursday, calling on the FG to do the needful for the university is soothing. Our Education Minister must swiftly make amends.
Aregbesola and Osun State Pensioners
Osun State pensioners spent most of last week protesting huge unpaid gratuity and pension. They also accused Governor Rauf Aregbesola of diverting bailout funds meant for payment of salaries and pensions. The chairman of the retirees, Omoniyi Ilesanmi revealed that more than 2,000 retirees had died waiting for pension and gratuity, while many others are down with various ailments. “Many of our members are married to their wheel chairs till God knows when. Their children are out of school because of inability to pay fees. The untimely and avoidable deaths continue unabated among us because of non-payment of our benefits,” remarked Ilesanmi.
Instead of addressing issues raised by these retirees, the government mischievously sponsored a faction of the Union to counter the protest. Aregbesola has also been pushing out a lot of falsehoods about payments to these senior citizens. This is the height of man’s inhumanity to man. The situation in Osun State is terrifying. Few weeks back, medical doctors in the state health institutions were on the streets demonstrating against payment of incomplete salaries. Both serving and retired civil servants are going through hell here. Aregbesola represents pain. The leadership of the NLC and TUC must step in to save these hapless people from further anguish.
Sleaze Allegations: Waiting for Governor Yari’s Response
Wonders will never cease in Nigeria. Many of those who promised us “change” are now enmeshed in corruption allegations. One of such is Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari. The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered an interim forfeiture of N500 million and $500,000, suspected to be bribe given to Yari by the consultant engaged for the Paris Club refunds by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, huge sums of money were fraudulently diverted from the bank account of the NGF on the instruction of Yari. How did the funds get into the NGF account in the first place? Very simple; fees due to the consultants engaged by the NGF to verify refunds due to all the states were paid into NGF’s account. The fees were subsequently disbursed to the specialists in a manner not transparent.
In an affidavit by the EFCC, it alleged that the N500 million was diverted to offset Yari’s personal loan obtained from the First Generation Mortgage Bank Limited. It also alleged that another firm, Gosh Projects Limited, got $500,000, which was allegedly used for the purchase of building materials for Yari’s 100-room hotel project in Lagos. Gosh Projects was also suspected to have used part of the looted funds for the purchase of treasury bills and transfers to offshore accounts.
The sums had already been recovered from the two firms, before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba gave the interim forfeiture order on June 30. I am earnestly waiting for what this Zamfara governor has to say about these sleaze allegations. He has refused to disclose his relationship with the two companies the funds were seized from by the EFCC. The two affected firms are also not protesting. So, who owns the seized money? I am shocked that all we have been hearing on this issue are humdrum explanations from the spokesman of the NGF, Abdulrazaque Barkindo. When will Yari speak up? This is clearly not the “Change” Nigerians voted for.