Sean “Diddy” Combs will remain in jail after a judge rejected his latest attempt for release while the rapper and music producer awaits trial on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.

Judge Arun Subramanian denied Combs’ team’s motion for release on Wednesday. His decision followed a two-hour court hearing on Friday where he appeared to explore potential options and questioned prosecutors’ allegation that Combs continued to obstruct the ongoing investigation.

“The Court finds that the government has shown by clear and convincing evidence that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community,” the judge wrote in a five-page order.

CNN has reached out to representatives for Combs for comment.

Federal prosecutors argued that Combs could not be trusted on bail because he flouted the rules of the jail and judge. They said he posed a danger to women and was tampering with witnesses – even while in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center. Prosecutors allege Combs tried to evade law enforcement monitoring by using several techniques, including three-way calling, to contact witnesses. They also accused him of violating the judge’s own order limiting communications and ignored his lawyers’ guidance in part by orchestrating a social media campaign around his birthday to try to influence the potential jury pool.

The judge pointed to evidence that Combs was not following the jail rules – including the continued use of a messaging service – in his decision. “Underscoring the Court’s concern, despite defense counsel’s assurances to the Court at the November 22, 2024 hearing (with Combs in attendance) that Combs stopped using ContactMeASAP as of November 16, 2024, … the government indicates that Combs has continued to use this service as recently as this past Sunday, November 24, 2024.”

His attorneys have relentlessly pursued his release from federal custody, arguing that private security would provide more restrictions on Combs than federal jail. They said Combs needed to be free to help prepare his defense against the criminal charges and roughly 30 civil lawsuit alleging sexual abuse.

His attorneys identified a three-bedroom apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side where they argued he would be surrounded by security 24/7 to monitor visits and phone calls. Under their proposed bail package, Combs would also post a $50 million bond. During Friday’s hearing the judge scoffed at the suggestion that Combs could stay at his home in Miami with a boat dock, saying that’s “not going to work.”

The hip-hop mogul was arrested in September and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and prostitution-related charges. He has pleaded not guilty and will go to trial on May 5.

Combs was previously denied bail by two other federal judges who found there were no conditions that would assure them that he wouldn’t try to obstruct the investigation or be a threat to the community. Combs initially appealed one of those rulings and then asked the appeals court to put that on hold while tried again with Judge Subramanian, who was transferred the case.

SESSION ON TAX REFORM BILLS WITH THE SENATE

Today, we had a productive session with the Senate to discuss the tax reform bills. A few days ago, we had a very engaging session with the House of Representatives.

We are grateful to the National Assembly for giving us the opportunity to speak to the bills and clarify possible grey areas and contentious issues.

We are confident that our lawmakers will consider the bills favourably in the overall interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.

Watch the session here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA5Apn7SQWo?si=-Pb0UxXjU2c_l7NB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXx6jeFwtZU?si=R11ka_3GrwsLAtUr


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bxU-2L48Qw?si=UGCz0g-jjZtojaSm

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu accompanied by France President, Emmanuel Macron inspected the Republican Guard of Honour upon the commencement of his state visit to France on Thursday.

The ceremonial inspection took place at the Foyer of the National Des Invalides – A Military Museum for a military parade in honour of visiting President of Nigeria as part of Tinubu’s three-day state visit at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.


The President’s arrival was marked by a display of military precision and pageantry, symbolizing the strong diplomatic ties between Nigeria and France.

The inspection of the Republican Guard is a traditional gesture of respect accorded to visiting heads of state.

News360 Nigeria reports that the visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations and foster collaboration in areas such as trade, security, and cultural exchange.

Tinubu is expected to engage in high-level discussions with French officials and business leaders during his stay.

After seven postponements, the Port Harcourt Refinery Company has finally commenced fuel production, promising a daily supply of about 200 trucks, as about one million litres of refined products were released by the plant on Tuesday.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited unveiled the refinery on Tuesday, saying the old facility, which has a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, had been revamped and upgraded with modern equipment.
It said the newly rehabilitated complex of the old Port Harcourt refinery is currently operating at a refining capacity of 70 per cent of its installed capacity.

NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, said the bigger refinery in the Eleme complex that houses the plants, with a 150,000-capacity, had yet to be completed.

Kyari said the bigger plant, including the Warri and Kaduna refineries, would come on stream later. However, he declined to give a timeline because President Bola Tinubu warned him from doing so after several postponements.

“We will deliver all the other projects. We are not going to give a timeline as he (Tinubu) has directed,” the GCEO said while appreciating the President for his support.

During the unveiling of the refinery, NNPC officials conducted stakeholders around the facility where they took samples of petrol, diesel, and kerosene.
The stakeholders who included marketers and the regulators also witnessed the loading of trucks at the gantry. It was stated that about 200 trucks of petrol would be released into the Nigerian market daily.

The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, expressed satisfaction with the development. According to him, with the Dangote refinery and Port Harcourt refinery producing, there will be fuel availability all over the country.
Ahmed also said the rehabilitation of Warri and Kaduna refineries would make Nigeria a net exporter of petroleum products instead of a net importer it has been for years.

The NMDPRA chief executive stated that the refinery would give people choices and promote healthy competition in the downstream sector.
He said the prices of petroleum products would come down due to enough fuel supply in the local market.
“Products will be available nationwide. What is important is that there will be competition and choices. All we’ve been talking about when I spoke in July was about choices, competition, availability, and affordability.
“We will see the prices of petroleum products coming down because there is ample supply. We hope the refinery will continue to sustain the current level of production. We are hoping that the second part of the refinery will come up very soon,” he stated.

Petrol production controversy

There were claims later in the day that the unveiled plant was not producing petrol, as reports had it that the refinery was only blending the product. Sources in the oil sector argued that the plant lacks a catalytic platform unit to produce petrol, stressing that it could only refine crude for other products at the moment.

“There was no and cannot be any PMS produced from the NNPC Port Harcourt (refinery) until the refinery’s catalytic platform unit is installed and made operational! This has not happened!” a top official at the petroleum ministry, who spoke in confidence due to the nature of the matter, stated.

This was, however, countered by NNPC in another statement, where it also mentioned that plans were ongoing to ramp up production capacity to 90 per cent while dismissing claims that the refinery was not producing products.

The NNPCL spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, said, “For clarity, the old Port Harcourt Refinery is currently operating at 70 per cent of its installed capacity, with plans to ramp up to 90 per cent.”
The statement further explained that diesel and Pour Fuel Oil would be the highest output from the refinery, with a daily capacity of 1.5 million litres and 2.1 million litres, respectively.

[/b]This is followed by a daily output of Straight-Run Gasoline (Naphtha) blended into 1.4 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), 900,000 litres of kerosene, and low-pour fuel oil of 2.1 million litres. The NNPCL further confirmed that its petroleum products were blended with crack C5 to meet the required specifications.
It also noted that the blending plant was utilised with global standards, as no single unit can produce gasoline that fully complies with the required standards.[/b]

“It is worth noting that the refinery incorporates crack C5, a blending component from our sister company, Indorama Petrochemicals (formerly Eleme Petrochemicals), to produce gasoline that meets required specifications.

“Blending is a standard practice in refineries globally, as no single unit can produce gasoline that fully complies with any country’s standards without such processes. Additionally, we have made substantial progress on the new Port Harcourt Refinery, which will begin operations soon without prior announcements.”

Marketers await supply

Meanwhile, petroleum marketers said they are waiting to lift fuel from the state-owned refinery soon. According to them, lifting products would be seamless because they are already customers of the NNPC.

Speaking at the refinery complex yesterday, the Publicity Secretary of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, Joseph Obele, commended the NNPC and Tinubu for the feat. Obele described the Port Harcourt refinery as a dream come true, saying this has proved naysayers wrong.

“It is a dream come true. A lot of people have been asking me if it was a rumour or true. We commend the NNPC and the president for this. We now have hope that marketers will be loading at the Port Harcourt refinery,” Obele stressed.

He spoke further in a statement, “PETROAN was fully on the ground with National President Dr Billy Gillis Hary and other national officers of PETROAN at the ceremonial commencement at Alesa Eleme and indeed the smile on people’s faces was a clear indication of joy arising the commencement of loading after a six years dormant state.

PETROAN expresses optimism that the commencement of production at Port Harcourt refinery will usher in job opportunities, boost the economy and trigger competition at the downstream sector which will invariably reflect significantly to a price downward review.

“We reaffirm our commitment to synergising with the management of NNPC Retail and other stakeholders in ensuring that products lifted at the Port Harcourt refinery depot are well distributed to all the nooks and crannies of the nation at the right time with the right price.”

Also, the spokesperson of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Ukadike, said this was a welcome development. Ukadike said this was the beauty of deregulation, which he said has now removed monopolies, giving marketers two sources to get petroleum products. The IPMAN publicity scribe noted that marketers are now the beautiful bride to the two refineries.

“IPMAN members are delighted about the Port Harcourt refinery. Right now we have double sources of petroleum products. The issue of monopoly is gone. The deregulation competition has started. We the Independent marketers are now the beautiful bride. Anywhere the product is cheap, we will buy it. The competition has started and we are happy. Activities around the host community have picked up. And the congestion in Ibeju-Lekki and Apapa will be reduced,” he submitted.

In his words, the Chief Executive Officer of Matrix Energy, Abdulkabir Aliu, who the NNPC boss described as the lender for the project, said the love of the country was why the company released funds for the project.
Aliu recalled that some individuals have told Matrix Energy to write off the debt when it seemed the refinery was not going to come back to life.

“We believe in this country and this is why we put our money down. Some people have told us to write the money off,“ the Matrix Energy boss said as he congratulated the NNPC.

The Port Harcourt refinery would be the second petrol-producing refinery after the Dangote refinery commenced PMS production in September. At the moment, the Port Harcourt plant is the only plant that could partially compete with the 650,000-capacity Dangote refinery.
It was gathered that marketers have not been able to lift products directly from the Dangote refinery.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu is seeking speedy completion of Warri and Kaduna refineries.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu extended his heartfelt congratulations to the NNPC on the successful revitalisation of the refinery.

The President acknowledges the pivotal role of former President Muhammadu Buhari in initiating the comprehensive rehabilitation of all our refineries and expresses gratitude to the African Export-Import Bank for its confidence in financing this critical project.

Furthermore, President Tinubu commends the leadership of NNPC Limited’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mele Kyari, whose unwavering dedication and commitment were instrumental in overcoming challenges to achieve this milestone.

“With the successful revival of the Port Harcourt refinery, President Tinubu urges NNPC Limited to expedite the scheduled reactivation of both the second Port Harcourt refinery and the Warri and Kaduna refineries,” the statement read.

He said these efforts will significantly enhance domestic production capacity alongside the contributions of privately-owned refineries and make Nigeria a major energy hub, with the gas sector also enjoying unprecedented attention by the administration.

“The President underscores his administration’s determination to repair the nation’s refineries, aiming to eradicate the disheartening perception of Nigeria as a major crude oil producer that lacks the ability to refine its own resources for domestic consumption.

“Highlighting the values of patience, integrity, and accountability in the rebuilding of the nation’s infrastructure, President Tinubu calls upon individuals, institutions, and citizens entrusted with responsibilities to maintain focus and uphold trust in their service to the nation.

“In alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda focused on shared economic prosperity for all, the President reaffirms his administration’s commitment to achieving energy sufficiency, enhancing energy security, and boosting export capacity for Nigeria,” the statement concluded.

The U.S. FBI last week arrested notorious fraudster Oluyomi Omobolanle Bombata alias Bobo Chicago for allegedly scamming several companies and individuals of monies going up to $2.8 million.

Bobo Chicago, also known as ‘Bola Flexx’ due to his extravagant lifestyle, was arrested on November 20 in Illinois, Chicago based on an arrest warrant issued in Oklahoma following several criminal complaints filed against him and corroborating an investigation that deemed his activities suspicious.

Bobo Chicago, 25, was said to have terrorised Nigerians living in the Houston metro area before fleeing to Chicago to take up residency.

From Chicago, he was transferred to Oklahoma, where he allegedly committed the fraud and faced a five-count charge of criminal consequences, which the FBI listed as wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to commit money laundering and unlawful monetary transactions, committed between June 2023 and October 2023.

His co-conspirator was also being held in custody by law enforcement agents.

Federal agents already identified $2.8 million that Bobo Chicago collected by hacking into multiple companies and individual accounts located in the Eastern District of Oklahoma jurisdiction.

The agents further found that he transferred over $300,000 of alleged fraudulent funds to a popular liquor store in the U.S., implicating the store owner.

Judge Beth Jantz of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago signed paperwork for him to be transferred to Oklahoma to face charges.

Bobo Chicago was assigned a public defender after claiming he had no financial resources to fight the case on his own, a move that suggests he would rather do time than spend a fortune to argue his innocence.

His arrest adds to a list of Nigerians languishing in jail as convicted criminals or facing criminal charges.

FBI has tracked down dozens of notorious Nigerian fraudsters, including Hushpuppi and Mr Woodberry, serving jail terms in Fort Dix correctional facility for scamming millions of dollars from U.S. companies.

Arrested in June 2020 in Dubai and extradited to the U.S. to defend himself against Internet scam charges, Hushpuppi was convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2022 by United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II.

Judge Robert Gettleman of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago convicted and sentenced Mr Woodberry to eight years and three months in jail over one count of fraud in July 2023.

He was handed a lighter sentence that shaved off seven other counts in a plea bargain.

Bidemi Rufai, a convicted felon and associate of Ogun governor Dapo Abiodun, was the first to be released earlier this month as reported by Peoples Gazette.

The United Bank of Nigeria (UBA) says it has signed a business cooperation deal with the French government to commence full banking operations in France.

The bank, in a statement, said Tony Elumelu, chairman of UBA Group, signed the deal with Antoine Armand, the French finance minister.

According to the statement, as part of President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to France, Elumelu signed the agreement in the presence of the Nigerian president and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The statement noted that “the agreement is a significant indication of support by the French Government for the development of UBA’s full banking operations in France”.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Elumelu said the partnership reinforces UBA’s commitment to providing seamless international banking services for its customers – “not just across the 11 Francophone African countries it serves, but throughout Africa; and French and European customers transacting with Africa”.

“Expanding into France is a natural progression, with Paris serving as our European Union hub, as we continue to bring Africa and the world together, through innovative financial solutions. Paris will join London, New York and Dubai, as a critical component of our unique global network,” he said.

UBA operates in 20 African countries and the United Kingdom (UK), the United States of America (USA), France, and the United Arab Emirates, providing retail, commercial and institutional banking services.

A corps member who visited the school to collect her clearance letter was allegedly beaten by teachers for “not greeting properly.”

The incident was said to have happened at Government Day Junior Secondary School, Kulende, Ilorin, Kwara State.

Following the commencement of operations at the Port Harcourt refinery, oil marketers have called for the speedy completion of the Eleme road leading to the refinery.

The marketers under the aegis of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria appealed to the contractors handling the East-West road to speed up the renovation of the Eleme-East-West road.

Recall that the Federal Government had repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of work even after the government had made an advance payment of N33bn to the contractor. At the moment, our correspondent gathered that the Eleme road that leads to the refinery is still in a deplorable condition, raising safety concerns.

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of PETROAN, Joseph Obele, disclosed that the completion of the road became necessary to avoid cases of trucks overturning and exploding due to bad roads.
Obele pleaded that the road should be made motorable and smooth for the movement of trucks carrying petroleum products because of their flammable nature.

“We call on the management of RCC handling the East-West road to ensure speedy completion of the Eleme-East-West road in view of making the road smooth for the movement of trucks carrying petroleum products due to the Hazardous and flammable nature of petroleum products,” PETROAN said.

In October, an overturned fuel tanker exploded in Jigawa, killing at least 157 people who had rushed to the scene of the accident to collect leaking petrol. Experts and stakeholders have repeatedly expressed worries over incessant tanker explosions in Nigeria, but it appears more still has to be done.

Meanwhile, PETROAN expressed optimism that the commencement of production at the Port Harcourt refinery will usher in job opportunities, boost the economy and trigger competition in the downstream sector which will invariably result in a downward price review.

He appreciated members of the host communities for the peaceful cooperation given to workers during the rehabilitation of the refinery.

Olaegbe, who was the Baale (village head) of Oke-Oha, was reportedly attacked on his farm on Wednesday.

The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the killing of Ogunleye Olaegbe, a 49-year-old traditional chief, by suspected herdsmen at Oke-Oha Village in the Imeko Afon Local Government Area.

Olaegbe, who was the Baale (village head) of Oke-Oha, was reportedly attacked on his farm on Wednesday.

However, the villagers discovered his lifeless body in a pool of blood around noon, with signs indicating he had been shot multiple times, dragged from his farm, and left in a nearby bush.

Residents described the killing as part of an alarming pattern of violent attacks allegedly carried out by herdsmen in the area.

In a statement released by the spokesperson for tthe Ogun State command, SP Omolola Odutola, said the Traditional Chief was attacked by unidentified gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen while working on his farm.

According to Odutola, an assessment of the crime scene indicated that the community chief had been shot in the chest before being left in the bush.

“A community member alerted the Imeko Police Division about the incident. Ogunleye Olaegbe, aged 49, the Baale of C.A.C. Oke-Oha Village, was attacked by unidentified gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen while working on his farm.



“Upon receiving the report, policemen and other security personnel proceeded to the crime scene. On arrival, it was discovered that during the attack, he had been dragged from his farm into a nearby bush, where he was shot in the chest, resulting in his death.

She noted that some photographs were taken, and the corpse was evacuated to the Ayetoro General Hospital mortuary for an autopsy.

“A preliminary investigation has commenced, and efforts are in top gear to apprehend the perpetrators. The area is under close surveillance to prevent any breakdown of law and order,” Odutola added.

The Minister of Education, Dr Mauruf Alausa, says the Federal Government has, henceforth, cancelled foreign trainings for scholars.

Mr Alausa, who said this at the opening ceremony of a three-day conference organised by the British Council, on Tuesday in Abuja, said that scholars would now be trained within Nigeria.

The theme of the conference is, “Building Sustainable and Relevant Tertiary Institutions and Systems in Africa”.

The minister said that the Federal Government would be spending substantial money in building simulation lab, as well as building and developing the country’s universities.

“We have just decided to canceled foreign training for scholars. The amount of money we are spending to train one scholar abroad, we could use it to train 20 people here. We will be training everybody here.

“We will unleash capacity in our universities. We are going to be spending more money now on research, innovation, and also on welfare, both on our academics and non-academics,” he said.

The minister said that the Federal Government was poised to use education to empower the youths.

“I have just spoken about the first component of our six-pillar agenda. The second component will be focusing heavily on technical, vocational and educational training,” he said.

He said that young Nigerians would be incentivise to go to technical college and acquire technical knowledge.

“We will pay for their tuition as a second step, and as a third step, a master craft person, when they will get their practical training, we will pay them as well.

“The curriculum will be 80 per cent practical on-the-job training and 20 per cent didactic, and as they are finishing, we will also give them entrepreneurial grants, not loan,” he said.

Speaking on education budget, he said that people only looked at the money on the budget without considering what the government spends on tertiary institutions.

According to him, people just look at what is budgeted to the education ministry, but not really counting the fact that it is also funding federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.Earlier, Dr Richard Montgomery, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, said that with the growing African population that might hit 2.5 billion by 2050; Africa needed to build strong and sustainable tertiary institutions.

Mr Montgomery said that such institutions should be able to produce skilled and employable graduates.

“Africa is growing, it has a hugely young population. It is going to be 2.5 billion people by 2050.

“So you need to harness the demographic dividend, and we need to work harder to build institutions that are sustainable and resilient.

“We need to evolve higher education systems, so that they are better able to harness talent, and are better able also to produce graduate skills and knowledge, which aligned to the growing economies,” he said.

According to him, social progress and economic prosperity rely on a healthy tertiary education system.

“The transnational education partnership that we have agreed in Nigeria is creating more linkages between Nigerian higher education institutions and UK universities.

“We hope in time, that it is going to unlock more finance, more expertise, more partnerships between UK institutions and Nigerian institutions.

“In 2022, we had about 750,000 overseas students who came to the UK to study in our higher education institutions, and many of them, tens of thousands of them, come from the African continent,” he said.

Steve Smith, the UK Prime Minister’s International Education Champion, said that the UK’s international education strategy emphasised the importance of education as a tool for social and economic transformation.

Mr Smith said that it sets out the UK government’s ambition to foster strong internationally connected education systems that enabled knowledge sharing, innovation and a welcoming environment for students globally.

“In Africa, this has to include listening to African voices and leaders to develop respectable and equitable UK-Africa partnerships that enhance people-to-people links.

“That will also support research collaborations and align educational goals with the evolving needs of society, all on the basis of mutual respect ” he said.

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, PETROAN, has announced that the Port Harcourt refinery will sell petrol at N1,030 per litre, affirming that the refinery is operational as stated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

In a statement released on Thursday night, PETROAN spokesman, Joseph Obele noted that the NNPCL informed the association that the price for a litre of premium motor spirit at the refurbished refinery is N1,030.

Obele stated, “NNPC Retail Ltd has officially announced the PMS price at the Port Harcourt refinery as N1,030 per litre.

The children of the late Prof. Dora Akunyili and
Dr. Chike Akunyili have shared a heartfelt family
photo to mark Thanksgiving, honouring the
memory of their beloved parents.

In a post shared by Edozie John Akunyili on
social media, the family can be seen gathered
around a Thanksgiving feast, smiling and
radiating togetherness.

“Happy Thanksgiving from The Akunyilis, mum
and dad would be so proud in heaven,” Edozie
wrote.

The photo has warmed the hearts of many
Nigerians, evoking memories of the remarkable
contributions of their parents.

Prof. Dora Akunyili, a former Director General of
the National Agency for Food and Drug
Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and
Minister of Information, was renowned for her
unwavering commitment to public service,
transparency, and the fight against counterfeit
drugs in Nigeria. She passed away in 2014 after
battling cancer.

Dr. Chike Akunyili, her husband, was a respected physician and philanthropist who tragically lost his life in 2021 in a violent attack.

French President Emmanuel Macron has commended Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for channelling the same transformative energy he used in Lagos towards advancing Nigeria’s development.

Macron made the statement on Thursday during a joint press conference with Tinubu in France, where the Nigerian leader has been on an official visit since Wednesday. Discussing the strengthening of bilateral ties between France and Nigeria, Macron praised Tinubu’s leadership, particularly his commitment to improving security in the ECOWAS region.

The French president also highlighted Tinubu’s ability to inspire confidence in French and international business communities, positioning Nigeria as an attractive destination for investment.

“I would like to congratulate you for your leadership and the desire for us to work together. I would like to thank you Mr. President for your presence, on the state visit. I’d like to thank you for your energy and dynamism.

“Having transformed the state of Lagos, you’re using that energy to transform your country for the better.

“The energy that we have felt among your ministers, investors and business communities, has completely convinced us the French and also the whole business world to invest in your country and make Nigeria a major partner for now and for the future,” Macron said.

Multi-sectoral Partnership with Nigeria
In addition, Macron expressed France’s eagerness to establish a multi-sectoral partnership with the Nigerian government, encompassing agreements in health, the creative industries, and climate change.

The French leader highlighted Nigeria’s strengthened partnership with France, noting that the country serves as a business hub for numerous Nigerian financial institutions.

He further stated that France seeks to develop a longer-term collaboration with Nigeria, focusing on key areas such as food security, mining, and defense.

“In each of these sectors, we have defined some lines of action in terms of critical minerals and energy, we will be signing some supplementary agreements. In the last few years, I’m glad to see the partnership we have signed with the strengthening of Nigerian banking in our country in the last five years.

“We have become the business hub for Nigerian business in France. Many banks have opened their offices here. We have financial partnerships.

“Apart from this economic partnership which makes France a long-term partner with you, we also want to partner with you on food security and the extraction of your minerals and be a partner of your defense strategy,” Macron said.

Mubi Concern Citizen
No. 5 Boni Haruna Street, Mubi North LGA - Adamawa state.

To

The Chairman
Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund
National Assembly Complex
Three Arms Zone Garki, Abuja
19th September 2024
Dear Sir,

A PASSIONATE PETITION AGAINST THE CHAIRMAN OF THE 11TH GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, MUBI

The establishment of Governing Councils or Boards for federal organizations, companies, and academic institutions serves the critical purpose of supervising their management.

These councils operate within a framework of laws, established precedents, conventional practices, and civil service rules. However, recent developments at the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, have raised serious concerns about the actions and leadership of the Chairman and Members of the 11th Governing Council since their inauguration on 4th July 2024.

We wish to draw your urgent attention to these issues, which threaten the institution's integrity, financial stability, and academic standing.

Background and Initial Expectations

The Polytechnic community initially welcomed the inauguration of the 11th Governing Council with enthusiasm, as its arrival coincided with the need to address pressing matters, including: ng the vacant position of Registrar (who also serves as Secretary to the Council). printing Directors.

ving promotions and reviewing disciplinary issues. tIng a three-year developmental plan for the Polytechnic.

Unfortunately, the Council's actions have instead been characterized by indecision, arrogance, lack of administrative competence, and a pretense of omniscient leadership.

Concerns Raised

1. Misuse of Resources and Fruitless Activities

Upon inauguration, the Chairman flew to Adamawa on 9th July 2024 at the Polytechnic's expense, stayed for only 47 minutes on campus, and incurred over M1 million in transportation, accommodation, and feeding costs.

Subsequent Council meetings have resulted in no concrete resolutions, despite the Council consuming over N100 million in just two months.

2. Violation of Governance Principles

The Council suspended the Acting Registrar indefinitely and the Bursar for three months without following principles of natural justice and fair hearing.

Standing committees required by the Polytechnic Act have not been formed.

3. Unilateral and Unauthorized Decisions

The Chairman unilaterally formed 12 committees and appointed members without proper consultation with Management or adherence to institutional norms.

He directed the removal and replacement of key officers, such as Directors of Academic Planning, Consultancy Services, Entrepreneurship Education, and Dean of Student Affairs, in violation of the Polytechnic Act.

4. Interference in Academic and Administrative Processes

Fresh elections were ordered for Head of Departments, despite the lawful election of officers earlier in the year for a three-year tenure.
Unauthorized individuals, including a retired local government officer with a history of financial crimes, have been appointed to key positions, including as Chair of a Council ad hoc committee.

5. Extravagant and Questionable Contracts

The Chairman introduced external companies for managing the Polytechnic portal and security services at exorbitant costs.
The portal management company plans to charge students N5,000 per session, imposing undue financial burdens on students and risking the security of sensitive academic records.

6. Overreach and Threats to Principal Officers

The Chairman has usurped the Rector's executive functions and frequently threatens Principal Officers with suspension or removal.

Implications

The current leadership style has plunged the Polytechnic into financial disarray and disrupted its operations. The institution's autonomy, stability, and academic integrity are at grave risk.

Call to Action

We urgently appeal to the Senate Committee to:

1. Investigate the actions and decisions of the 11th Governing Council.

2. Direct the Rector to disregard the Chairman's unlawful directives.

3. Ensure adherence to the Polytechnic Act and established governance principles.

4. Address the financial recklessness and mismanagement under the Chairman's leadership.

Conclusion

As a 40-year-old academic institution, the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, deserves responsible and transparent leadership. We hope the Senate Committee will address these concerns with urgency and ensure justice, equity, and fair play.
Your prompt intervention will not only preserve the Polytechnic's future but also bolster public confidence in your commitment to upholding the principles of good governance.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Jacob Jambula.
Jacob22@gmail.com
Chairman.

Hajiya Fatimatu Labaran
Secretary.