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(Nigeria) The Adamawa State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, on Wednesday said the lingering strike by university teachers in the country could destroy the nation’s tertiary education. The Chairman of the association, Rev. Moses Taparki, in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Yola,  expressed displeasure over the inability of the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to resolve the issues. Describing the situation as “unfortunate”, he said it had lingered in spite of appeals and interventions by groups and individuals, and blamed the government and the union for their seeming “insensitivity” to the issue. The cleric said the damage the strike had done to the university system in the country in the past four months would take several years to redress. “The government and ASUU should take responsibility for the sad development. Many groups and individuals, including religious leaders and traditional rulers, have appe

(Nigeria) Stop Impunity Nigeria, SIN, campaign, a multi-stakeholder project to check impunity in Nigeria, Wednesday,  called on all Nigerians to observe a national “Day of Outrage Against Impunity” on November 23. In a statement in Lagos, the campaign coordinator, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, of Human Development Initiatives, HDI, said that SIN Campaign proposes to “use the day to bring together all pockets of civil society organizations and campaigns working separately in a nationally coordinated strategy and synergy for a series of coordinated critical mass of anti impunity activities in a way that government and other perpetrators of impunity cannot ignore. “The activities will be used not only to raise public awareness about what creates and sustains a culture of impunity, but it is expected to prompt concerned citizens nation-wide to take action, make their voices heard and to demand rule of law, accountability, improved governance, promote justice and democratic ideals.” H

(Nigeria) The Niger government on Wednesday suspended five principals of public secondary schools in the state for allegedly collecting illegal fees from newly-admitted students into their schools. Notice of the suspension is contained in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Danladi  Abdulhameed, in Minna. The statement quoted the commissioner as saying the action contravened the free education policy of the state government. He said such illegal fees were collected from students of Day Secondary School, Tunga; Army Day Secondary School, Madalla; Hallidu Adamu Junior Secondary School and Ibrahim Dodo Musa Secondary School, Suleja. The commissioner, who said the suspension took immediate effect, added that the affected principals have been directed to hand over the administration of their respective schools to their vice principals in charge of administration. He advised principals of other public schools in the state not to engage in such act and urge

(Nigeria) The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has directed its state branches to inaugurate disciplinary committees to ensure discipline among members. This directive is contained in a statement issued by the party`s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Olisa Metuh, in Abuja on Wednesday. According to the statement, the directive is in accordance with the provisions of Section 57(1) (2) of the party’s Constitution as amended. The statement said the directive was part of efforts by the party to ensure discipline and loyalty at all levels of the party. ``The committees are to strictly comply with the provisions of the PDP constitution and the principles of equity and fair hearing in dealing with all disciplinary cases at their various levels.’’ The party had on October 24 inaugurated a seven-man National Disciplinary Committee to ensure discipline among party members across the federation. The committee is headed by Dr Umaru Dikko. National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamang

(Nigeria) The National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other Related Matters, NAPTIP, on Wednesday called for collaboration of stakeholders to fight human trafficking. Mr Josiah Emerole, the Chief Intelligence Officer of the agency, made the call in Lagos at the 3rd International Law Conference on Women and Children, organised by the Foundation for African Cultural Heritage. The conference had the theme: "Women and Children as New Tools of Trade in the 21st Century: Exploring Policy, Research, Community and Legal Frameworks for Addressing Human Trafficking". Emerole described human trafficking as ``a major offence’’ that needed wider collaborative efforts to deal with. He said that 80 per cent of prostitutes in Italy were from Nigeria, adding that about 750, 000 children were being trafficked yearly. According to him, this trend is high in all the states of the federation, but very endemic in 22 states. Emerole said that the trend had become

German officials will meet with United States intelligence representatives Wednesday in the White House, an official said, amid allegations of spying by the U.S. The meeting follows accusations that the U.S. National Security Agency, NSA, monitored the mobile phone of Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel. Germany's delegation was to include Christoph Heusgen, Merkel's foreign policy adviser, and Guenter Heiss, the secret service coordinator, NSA spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said. For the Americans, National Security Adviser Susan Rice, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Lisa Monaco, assistant to the president for homeland security and counter terrorism, were to take part. President Barack Obama and Chancellor Merkel agreed in a brief phone call last week to deepen U.S.-German cooperation on intelligence matters, Hayden said. The meeting on Wednesday was part of this dialogue, she said.  

(Nigeria) Chief Effiong Archianga, the paramount ruler of Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, on Wednesday called on youths of the area to embrace peace. Archianga, who represented the four paramount rulers of the core oil community made the call in his Palace in Ibeno. He urged the youths to call off the eight-day protest embarked upon by the community over the non-payment of the 2012 oil spill compensation. ``The affected local government areas, youths and other stakeholders should continue to maintain peace in our respective domains by giving the Akwa Ibom Government a chance to resolve the matter once and for all.'' He warned youths in the area to desist from further blocking the operations of Mobil Producing Nigeria and their subsidiaries.  Akwa Ibom Government, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has intervened in the protest. The protesting youths are no more in the streets of Eket and Ibeno Local Government A