Nigerian UN worker arrested for robbing four banks in New York

A Nigerian national has been arrested by the New York Police Department for allegedly robbing four banks in Manhattan.

53-year-old Abdullahi Shuaibu, who was a former United Nations employee, reportedly robbed the banks during his lunch break.

NYPD officers arrested the Nigerian on Monday on two counts of robbery and two counts of attempted robbery.

Reports from United States media said the four banks were within walking distances from Shuaibu’s office at the Foreign Press Center inside the US Mission to the United Nations, which is across the street from the UN building.

The thief’s two-month robbery spree was brought to an abrupt end after a retired police officer recognised the Nigerian from a surveillance image, and reported to the NYPD.

In the first incident, Shuaibu walked into a Santander Bank on Madison Ave. near E. 43rd St. on Feb. 27 and told the teller he had a gun. The bank employee complied and handed him an unknown sum of money.

He hit two more banks in March, first striking out at a Bank of America on Third Ave. near E. 47th St. on the 13th.

He was also successful in robbing a Santander Bank on Third Ave. and E. 63rd St. on the 27th.

During the most recent incident on Monday, Shuaibu walked into an HSBC on Third Ave. and E. 40th St. around 2:30 p.m. and passed a note demanding cash to the teller.

The teller did not read the note and asked him for identification.

He, however, instructed the teller to read the note, keeping his hand in his jacket pocket while simulating a gun, police said.

Police arrested him later in the day when he returned to the UN.

Shuaibu was an employee of the News Agency of Nigeria and served as its UN correspondent between 2006 and 2009.

The agency, however, terminated his appointment in April 2013 following his refusal to resume work in Nigeria at the expiration of the duty tour and extended period which he requested to enable him to complete an academic programme.

The termination of appointment was formally conveyed to the UN.

A UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric denied that Shuaibu was a staff of the organisation.

He said that the suspect was also not accredited to the UN after NAN withdrew his accreditation.

Dujarric also said that the suspect only worked as a contract staff for three months in Darfur and his contract was terminated in 2012.

Orphanage produces two graduates, calls for support

The management of Christ Foundation Orphanage in Kuje, Abuja, says it has produced two graduates and five undergraduates presently at different course levels in universities.

Mr Gabriel Okuta, the proprietor of the faith-based home said this on Monday when some group of women paid the management of the home a courtesy visit to donate some gift items to commemorate Easter.

He said one of the orphans graduated as a psychologist from Ekpoma University, Edo and she had been posted for her National Youth Service programme.

He said the other graduate studied Education Management at the University of Abuja, noting that there were 47 children presently in the home.

He called on Nigerians to help the home by providing beddings, food stuffs and other items that could make life easy for them.

“Finance has been our major constraint, we need a school bus and we hope to finish the six blocks of classroom, running the home of about 47 children is a challenge,’’ he said.

Okuta also noted that the children at the orphanage were faced with health challenges, calling on Nigerians to help.

He said the orphanage often got their children through partnership with police, adding that some abandoned children seen by the police were often brought to the orphanage for proper care.

Joseph Gabriel, an orphan who referred to Okuta as his parent, said that he would like to be a soldier when he grew up.

“I am now in primary two, Mr and Mrs Gabriel Okuta are my parents and I want to be a soldier so that I can help people,’’ he said.

Also Peculiar Gabriel, an orphan, said she would want to be a teacher in future to make people learn how to read.

Christ Foundation Orphanage is a registered non-governmental organisation established in 2004 to ensure that every child under its care acquires basic education and outstanding socio-cultural background.

NSCDC Operatives uncover fake JAMB registration centre in Borno

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it has uncovered a fake Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) centre in Maiduguri.
The Commandant of the corps in Borno, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Maiduguri that operators of the fake centre were defrauding applicants.
Abdullahi explained that the centre was uncovered on Thursday at the Kawu Shopping Complex along Lagos Street of the metropolis.
He said that men of the command also arrested one Abizo Precious Idowu, a 31-year-old from Imo who had collected N1,200 each to register about 180 students under the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
“Without any doubt, the command had discovered that the Computer Based Test Centre (CBT) is fake. Even the server is for Abia state.
“His accomplices are on the run but the command is doing all it can to track them.
“We will make sure he refunded all the money he collected from the students while he will be made to face the law.
“We (NSCDC) therefore warned JAMB applicants to be wary of fraudsters disguising as JAMB facilitators,” the commandant said.

UNILAG The body of a missing student has been found in a mortuary

They thought she was killed by ritualists and would never be found. They were wrong.

The body of a missing student who was declared missing about three weeks ago, has been found in a mortuary.
Remilekun Odeleye went for a party on the Island on April 1, and she never returned. Friends took to Social Media, putting up photos, hoping people would find their beloved friend.

Many feared the worst. Some feared that perhaps, she had been killed by ritualists. It was just supposed to be another party with a friend.
But you see, Remilekun was never going to return. She was involved in an accident on Eko Bridge and her body had found its way to a mortuary at Atan Cemetery, Yaba.

Her friend, Dewumoh, wrote on Facebook:
“I thought you were missing babe. I tried to look everywhere for you but alas you had died in an accident the next day you left home.
We thought you were missing, never knew you had gone to never come back. With tears in my eyes and pain in my heart, I pray you rest well because we are all going to die and yours came a little early.
We are going to forever miss you baby, I am going to be strong not because I am capable but for you my happy soul, who loved with all her heart. You lived a short life but you touched my heart with your love and happiness.
Now to you who live your life trolling, backstabbing, judging and saying hurtful things about people you know nothing about, I hope you are happy your wish came true.
Yes she is dead but she was not a prey of what you thought and hoped it was. She died in an accident on Eko bridge April 1, and yes she was never a call girl or whatever name you all have for it. I hope this makes you sleep well tonight and makes you fulfilled.”

LAUTECH Looks like there’s a solution to this school’s problem

This school is a poor victim of two irresponsible parent state governments

LAUTECH has a had a reputation for strikes and unrest for over a year now, but there might be a solution.
The Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, suffered closure for 7 months in 2016, because lecturers were unpaid. It’s why this ridiculous video from Governor Ajimobi of Oyo State got famous.
We need to look at this from the historical perspective.
LAUTECH was established in Oyo State in April of 1990 with Professor Olusegun Ladimeji Oke as the first Vice Chancellor.
The following year, Osun State split from Oyo State, trapping LAUTECH in a dilemma of two separating parents. Since then, LAUTECH became a shared responsibility of both states.
The biggest problem LAUTECH has been having to deal with the occasional irresponsibility of her parent states. It’s safe the school the grass caught between two elephants.
What’s the solution?
Divorce. This marriage clearly has no future where LAUTECH is of the topmost priority. And we’re not the only one who thinks so.
Meet Professor (rtd) Fola Lasisi, the Pioneer Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo.

He blames the recurrent crisis in LAUTECH on the joint ownership of the institution.
He said this in an interview with our correspondent in Osogbo on the sidelines of the public presentation of a book entitled, ‘ Words of wisdom in 2000 quotes’ authored by Mrs. Rafiat Adetumbi:
“Joint ownership of universities has not worked in many places. When I took over at the Cross River State University. It didn’t work because Akwa Ibom State was created from Cross River State and they were not able to manage that university.
“So, (Gen. Ibrahim) Babangida decided to create the University of Technology for Akwa Ibom because Cross Rivers State already had University of Calabar. Former Governor Clement Isong, who is also a former governor of the Central Bank took a very wise decision that they were having problem running the state university because the two states were unable to work together and because of that the Federal Government should take over the university that was jointly owned.
“That was my own challenge, they now gave it to me to manage and removed it from state control and it succeeded. That was how I became the VC of the University of Uyo. University of Uyo was a successor to the Cross River State University which was jointly owned.”
Also to blame, according to him, is the former Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, who built another teaching hospital in Ogbomoso when the school already had one in Osogbo, Osun State.

In all, he asked the two states to find a permanent solution to their problems, for the sake of the future of the students.
Basically what we’ve been asking to be very honest.

UNILAG 2 rusticated students asked to return

They were rusticated during a student protest in school, but now, it’s been reversed.

The University of Lagos has officially reinstated two students it rusticated, one of them being a visually impaired student.
The rusticated students were rusticated as a result of a 2015 protest over the neglect of their school Halls of Residence.
The school especially went under fire because it rusticated the Visually-impaired (VI) student, Lawrence Unezinwa Success.

He was rusticated alongside Ochuba Chichebe Polycarp, even though the latter already collected his certificate after graduation.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Rahman Bello, faced a lot of backlash at the time, especially for allegedly conniving with the Police Force to silence the students’ voices.
At the time, they were arraigned before a mobile magistrate court, and remanded in custody.
But all that has changed now.

According to Sahara Reporters, Ochuba received a letter from the University management dated April 10 he was reinstated based on the recommendation of the Students Disciplinary Board and the penalty of rustication for two semesters was reviewed. They also said this is in response to pleas for leniency from the students.

The letter, signed by the Registrar, Dr. Taiwo F. Ipaye, read:

“Your studentship is hereby reinstated…”
“By a copy of this letter, your Parents/Sponsor and relevant organs of the university are being informed of your reinstatement.”
According to Sahara Reporters, Lawrence also confirmed that he had been informed that his letter was waiting for him at the department.