The fate of Guinea’s President Alpha Condé is unclear after an unverified video showed him surrounded by soldiers, who said they had seized power.
They appeared on national TV claiming to have dissolved the government.
The TV address featured nine unnamed soldiers, several draped in the red, gold and green national flag, who said they had taken over because of rampant corruption, mismanagement and poverty.
Calling themselves the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development, they said the constitution had been dissolved and that there would be consultations to create a new, more inclusive one.
Numerous reports say the coup was led by an elite unit headed by a former French legionnaire, Lt Col Mamady Doumbouya.
Those behind the coup say all land and air borders have been closed for a week.
However, the defence ministry say the attempted takeover had been thwarted by the presidential guard who have allegedly “contained the threat and repelled the group of assailants”.
This follows hours of heavy gunfire near the presidential palace in Conakry, the nation’s capital.
Earlier, the only bridge connecting the mainland to the Kaloum peninsular, which houses most ministries and the presidential palace, was sealed off while many soldiers, some heavily armed, were posted around the palace, a military source told Reuters news agency.
President Condé was re-elected for a controversial third term in office amid violent protests last year.
The veteran opposition leader was first elected in 2010 in the country’s first democratic transfer of power.
Despite overseeing some economic progress, he has since been accused of presiding over numerous human rights abuses and harassment of his critics.
In the meantime, United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres has condemned the apparent coup and demanded the immediate release of President Condé.
The West African regional bloc’s envoy for Mali was due in Bamako Sunday amid growing doubts about whether the ruling junta will respect an African Union and ECOWAS deadline to hand over power to civilians next February.
Former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan is expected to meet with the local Transition Monitoring Committee, civil society, and political parties.
According to his schedule, he will meet with Prime Minister Choguel Maiga on Monday before an encounter with the head of the military junta Colonel Assimi Goita on Tuesday.
Mali faces an ambitious timetable to facilitate its return to constitutional rule, which includes a referendum on October 31, regional and local elections on December 26, and the first round of presidential and legislative elections on February 27, 2022.
However, the transition has missed several deadlines, including sending a new draft constitution to the transitional parliament for debate, with some accusing the military of deliberately dragging its feet on the process.
Transition plans were disrupted by a second coup in less than a year in May.
The military rulers have vowed to respect the transition schedule but political parties and activists have accused them of seeking to dominate power.
South Africa’s Department of Correctional Services said on Sunday Former President Jacob Zuma has been released from prison on medical parole.
Zuma has been incarcerated since July after he was found guilty of contempt of court for failure to comply with an order of the Constitutional Court to honour a summons to appear before the state capture commission.
The statement says the Department was compelled to do so based on a medical report it had received.
The Department stressed that all offenders are eligible to be placed on medical parole should it be seen fit.
The department further said in a statement: “Medical parole placement for Zuma means that he will complete the remainder of the sentence in the system of community corrections, whereby he must comply with a specific set of conditions and will be subjected to supervision until his sentence expires.”
Zuma was sentenced to 15 months behind bars.
He has spent weeks of incarceration at the medical wing of the Estcourt prison before he was moved to an external hospital for further treatment.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has petitioned the International Criminal Court, ICC, on the need to investigate the growing cases of abduction of students in several parts of Northern Nigeria, particularly the recent abduction in Zamfara State.
SERAP urged the court to investigate the closure of schools, and the persistent failure of Nigerian authorities at both the Federal and State levels to end the abduction considered as crimes against humanity within the jurisdiction of the ICC.
In the petition dated September 4, 2021, addressed to Karim A. A. Khan, QC, Prosecutor, signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation urged him to push for those suspected to be responsible and complicit in the commission of those serious crimes to be invited and tried by the ICC.
The petition followed a string of abductions and closure of schools in some parts of Nigeria, including the recent closure of schools in Zamfara State after scores of students were abducted by gunmen from a state-run high school in Maradun District.
According to SERAP depriving children their right to education has severe consequences for their ability to access their fundamental rights. The severe and lifelong harms that result from depriving children of the right to education satisfy the gravity of harm threshold under the Rome Statute.
The group insists that investigating and declaring cases of abduction of Nigerian students and closure of schools, and the failure by the Nigerian authorities to provide safe and enabling learning environments as crimes against humanity would help to combat impunity, deter future human rights abuses, and improve access of the children to education.
SERAP maintained that persistent and discriminatory denial of education to girls is a crime against humanity. Repeated abductions, the absence of safe and enabling learning environments, and the resulting closure of schools give rise to individual criminal responsibility under the Rome Statute.”
The petition, read in part: “The crime of abduction is not just a deprivation of a single fundamental human right, but a wholesale effort to re-engineer society and to deny children, including girls their human dignity and agency in all aspects of their lives. Lack of education for girls and women has been shown to have negative impacts on their children and family.”
“The persistent failure by Nigerian authorities to end the widespread and systemic abductions, and to provide safe and enabling learning environments for Nigerian children to enjoy their right to quality education amounts to crimes against humanity, which fall within the jurisdiction of the ICC.”
“SERAP believes that substantial grounds exist to warrant the intervention of the Prosecutor in this case, as provided for under Article 17 of the Rome Statute.”
“More than 10,000 schools have been reportedly closed in at least seven northern states over the fear of attack and abduction of pupils and members of staff. The states are Sokoto, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Niger and Yobe.
“Schools in Nigeria’s north-western Zamfara State have been ordered closed after scores of students were abducted by gunmen from a state-run high school in Zamfara’s Maradun district.
“Among the string of abductions in Zamfara was the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in the town of Jangebe in February. The latest abduction comes after widespread reports of abduction of students and closure of schools in many states of Nigeria, including in north-central Niger State where some 91 schoolchildren were abducted.
“An estimated 1.3 million Nigerian children have been affected by frequent raids on schools by suspected terrorists. Some 13 million Nigerian children are out of school nationwide. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), more than 1,000 students have been abducted from schools in northern Nigeria since December 2020.”
“Families and parents have reportedly resorted to paying the terrorists thousands of dollars as ransom to secure the release of their children. An estimated $18.34 million was reportedly paid in ransoms between June 2011 and the end of March 2020.
“Nigerian authorities have also failed and/or neglected to satisfactorily address the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in 2014, which prompted the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. According to reports, more than 100 of those girls are still missing…”
SERAP urged Khan, among others to urgently commence an investigation proprio motu on the widespread and systematic problem of abductions of Nigerian students, the failures to provide a safe learning environment, and the persistent closure of schools, to compel the Nigerian authorities to ensure that Nigerian children are afforded their rights to life, dignity, and quality education in a safe learning environment, and to ensure reparations to victims, including restitution, compensation, rehabilitation and guarantee of non-repetition.
The federal government has inaugurated a Ministerial Performance Delivery Unit (MPDU) for the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA) to facilitate processes aimed at ensuring that reports to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) conform to the required standards.
Members of the MPDU, drawn from various projects department of the ministry and the Nigeria Delta Commission (NDDC), are meant to work towards optimum performance as well as effective service delivery.
While inaugurating the newly-constituted MPDU at the weekend in Nasarawa State, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Babayo Ardo, said it would train a select staff of the unit, and is expected to build capacity of participants towards assisting the ministry to achieve the five deliverables assigned by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ardo, who was represented by the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS), MNDA, Alfred Abba, during the inauguration, said that the purpose of constituting the MPDU was to assist the ministry in facilitating the reporting processes that would ensure reports to the OSGF, meet the required standard and optimal performance, as well as effective service delivery.
A statement issued by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Patricia Deworitshe, quoted the permanent secretary as adding that members of the Unit are expected to serve as liaison officers between their respective departments in the ministry and the NDDC, as well as the ministry’s team in PRS department towards tracking the progress of implementation on the five deliverables for appropriate reporting.
According to him, the new unified performance management results framework, which incorporates all ministerial deliverables have direct impact on the priorities, and have been developed by the OSGF with a dashboard in the office of the President, SGF, permanent secretary (Cabinet Affairs Office) to measure and track MDAs’ performance in the implementation of the ministerial deliverables, as well as the delivery of priority areas against negotiated targets.
The permanent secretary urged participants to recognise the enormous premium placed on the assignment by the Ministry and consider it as very important for the ministers to deliver their mandate, noting that the selection among staff is based on dedication, commitment and diligence to duty.
He acknowledged the continued support of OSGF to the ministry in delivering on its mandate through series of engagements, which include a retreat in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the bilateral meetings on ministerial mandates and several other collaborative engagements with the office, in the past.
Earlier in his welcome address, the representative of the Director, PRS, Deputy Director Policy and Planning, Yinka Arogundade, pointed out that the MPDU was established as a follow-up to the directive given by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) mandating MDAs to constitute the Unit.
According to the 2022 Times Higher Education World University Rankings released in September 2021, the University of Ibadan has maintained its top spot on the list.
However, the University of Lagos moved a step ahead to rank second in Nigeria and 501–600, out of over 1,600 institutions across the world.
Covenant University took the 3rd spot in Nigeria and ranked 601–800 in the world.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State University dropped to sixth in Nigeria behind the University of Ilorin, the University of Nigeria, and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
While LASU is the only state university included in the ranking, Covenant is the only privately-owned university.
Only six universities from Nigeria feature in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
Times Higher Education
The rankings were conducted based on 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators that measure an institution’s performance across four areas: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.
By this ranking, UNILAG took a leap from the range of 601–800 in 2021 to a higher range of 501–600.
Reacting to the ranking, Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, commended staff, students, alumni and friends of the University for their contributions to the achievement of this feat.
A post on the university’s website reads in part “The University is however not relenting in hard work and dedication as the aim is to be ranked among the top 10 universities across the globe.”
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022 include more than 1,600 universities across 99 countries and territories, making them the largest and most diverse university rankings to date.
Although only six Nigerian universities feature in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the country is home to almost 130 institutions some of which are owned by the federal and state governments, while 50 are privately owned.
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Saturday lost his 01 Polling Unit at Ungwan Sarki in Kaduna North Local Government Area of the state.
According to the Presiding Officer, Muhammad Sani, who announced the results, of the total vote cast of 159, the PDP polled 86 votes as against the APC’s 62 votes for the chairmanship position.
In the Councillorship result announced, the opposition party also trounced the ruling party with 100 votes against 53.
Earlier, the governor had expressed confidence in the voting process, saying that the outcome should be acceptable by all the parties in the election as it was nearly impossible to rig it.
El-Rufai had stated that electronic voting machine used in the election is an improvement over the one used in the 2018 local government elections, where multiple voting were experienced.
Eligible voters in 19 of the 23 Local Government Areas of Kaduna State, exercised their civic responsibilities by electing Chairmen and Councillors on Saturday in the council elections.
The Kaduna State Electoral Commission had suspended elections in four local government Areas in the state due to security concerns as announced by the SIECOM’s Chairman, Saratu Dikko-Audu.
The affected LGAs are Chikun, Kajuru, Birnin- Gwari and Zango-Kataf.
Saturday election was the second LG polls since 2018 when elections were conducted in the state, using the electronic voting machine.
Meanwhile in some parts of the state witnessed voters’ aparthy during the polls.
Nigerians have continue to react to the recent scrapping of general cut-off marks for admission into the country’s tertiary institutions by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB.
The examination body had at its August 31, 2021, virtual policy meeting chaired by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said that tertiary institutions were now to set their own minimum benchmarks.
While some stakeholders laud the move, adding that the decision would help loosen JAMB’s grip on the universities, others say it would enable some institutions to get enough candidates to fill up existing vacancies in their various programmes.
Speaking on the issue, a former Minister of Education, Prof. Chinwe Obaji, applauded the development, noting that it was the right step in the right direction.
She told journalists in an interview in Lagos that it would once again ensure that tertiary institutions go for what they want.
She said ”It is the tertiary institutions that produce these graduates and so, it will not be out of place to allow them to determine for themselves who they feel is suitably qualified.
She added that universities elsewhere and even within the country, usually fix minimum benchmark for various programmes.
”However, if I may ask, when there was uniform benchmark, how many of these institutions were obeying the rules?” she queried.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwole Familoni, described the development as a ‘mix bag’.
According to the professor of chemistry, while it is cheering news to some institutions, especially private ones, others are indifferent.
He said for established universities, for instance, the development does not really matter adding that before this development, where universities were directed to take candidates with scores as low as 180, University of Lagos still had its benchmark.
He stated that the development favours most schools who hardly get enough candidates to fill up existing vacancies in their various programmes.
He, however, argued that it was not the responsibility of JAMB to give placements to candidates in the first place, adding ”It is good JAMB is reducing its grip on universities, allowing them to do what they want,” Familoni stated.
National Treasurer, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Segun Raheem, also applauded the decision by the board describing it as heartwarming.
Raheem argued that in the first place, JAMB should not be saddled with the responsibility of giving admissions to candidates that had applied for various programmes in the respective institutions.
He stated that this was in form of arbitration of universities autonomy.
Raheem added giving all tertiary institutions opportunities to determine their cut-off marks is a great idea that will not downgrade the education system in tertiary institutions.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students, Joint Campus Committee, Lagos chapter, said that the abolishment of cut-off marks by JAMB was a sign that the country’s education system was losing its quality and values.
Chairman of the association, Rasheed Ogunsanya, said that cut-off marks were supposed to be a benchmark for any candidate who craved higher education.
He bemoaned the fact that only less than 30 per cent of candidates who sat for the last Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination by JAMB were successful.
He stated that with this low percentage of successful candidates, JAMB did not have any choice, than to allow many institutions to decide for themselves.
President Muhammadu Buhari has restated his government’s support for the Navy in its aggressive drive on the ongoing Fleet Recapitalisation Agenda of the present administration.
The President gave the assurance in a message to the closing ceremony of the 2021 Chief of Naval Staff Annual Conference, CONSAC, held at Government House, Kano.
President Buhari who was represented at the ceremony as Special Guest of Honour by the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd), said the need to acquire more platforms for the Service is sacrosanct to enhance her capabilities to effectively secure the National waters against infractions by the sea pirates and other criminal elements.
He commended the present leadership of the Nigerian Navy under the leadership of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo for the patriotic service to the nation in emplacing proactive performance in dealing with threats that are inimical to harnessing maritime assets and her rich economic prosperity.
The Special Guest of Honour who had attended all the technical Sessions and intellectual discuss on contemporary maritime issues in relation to the Theme of the 2021 CONSAC; “Enhancing Nigeria’s Maritime Security For Improved National Prosperity” led Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umaru Ganduje, Former Chiefs of Defence Staff and Former Chiefs of Naval Staff, known as the Navy Icons to unveil the first ever Naval Doctrine to be installed since her inception in1956.
In their seperate remarks, Governor Ganduje and the Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Gambo gave a postmortem analysis of the 3-day Conference in relation to its enormous benefits to boosting Maritime Stakeholders Collaborative endeavours and the promotion of national security architecture of the country as a leading lethoral State, in the West African Sub-region.
The Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, in Lagos, South-west Nigeria, Rear Admiral Jason Gbassa, has called for prayers from Nigerians to enable the navy achieve more successes in the fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnappings among other crimes in the Country.
He made the call during a courtesy visit by members of Prayer and Support for the Armed Forces and other Security Agencies to the Command.
Rear Admiral Gbassa, who lauded the members for coming up with the initiative of media advocacy group, called on Nigerians to remember all the security agencies in prayers to serve the country better.
He reiterated the essence of prayers and applauded the media advocacy group’s efforts to boosting the morale of the Armed Forces and other Security agencies.
According to him, “what you are doing now can be likened to going above and beyond the call of duties. You are planting a seed that will one day germinate into a tree that will bear fruits.”
he further stated that the group’s idea is great and noble, though the starting point maybe small but it will eventually be for the benefits of the nation.
Speaking on behalf of the members, the Convener of the advocacy group, Mary Fatile, said that the core mandate of the group is to engage and change the narrative of Nigerians from negative notions about the security agencies.
Fatile who bemoaned wrong perception of some Nigerians, advocated for more respect for the Armed Forces and other Security agencies to enable them protect the country from internal and external attacks.
She asserted that the Nigerian military remains number one in Africa even though people keep wondering why they are still finding it difficult to tackle the security challenges in the country.
Fatile expressed firm belief that prayers can move mountain, hence, the need for the grouo to mobilize all Nigerians to support the officers with prayers.
Earlier, the group team leader, Qasim Akinreti said that as a media advocacy support group of some senior Journalists, Crime and Defence Correspondents established in March, 2021, the group had noted and appreciated the challenges and success recorded by the military in the ongoing fight against insurgents in the Northeast Nigeria, kidnappings and banditry across the country.
He stressed that aside from giving the Armed Forces support, “we believe we need to engage in mobilising Nigerians for special prayers and unique support for our gallant soldiers, armed forces personnel and other security agencies and their families.”
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