BREAKING NWES: ASUU elects new President .ByMojeed Alabi

Mr Osodeke, a professor of soil science at the Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, was elected early Sunday morning during a three-day conference of the union which held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. The immediate past vice-president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Emmanuel Osodeke, has emerged as the new president of the union. Mr Osodeke, a professor of soil science at the Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, was elected early Sunday morning during a three-day conference of the union which held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. He took over from Biodun Ogunyemi, a professor of education at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State. Other members of the union, who were elected alongside Mr Osodeke, include Chris Piwuna of the University of Jos as vice president; Olusiji Sowande of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, as treasurer while Ade Adejumo, a professor from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, was elected as financial secretary. Also, a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Austen Sado, was elected as investment secretary; Adamu Babayo from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, was elected the union’s internal auditor while Stella-Maris Oke from Cross Rivers State University of Science and Technology, was elected as the new welfare secretary. Mr Ogunyemi will continue to serve in the new executive committee as an ex-officio, apparently to guide the new leadership. I’m back to the classroom Meanwhile, Mr Osodeke’s predecessor, Mr Ogunyemi, described his two-term tenure of office as a period of service to the nation. Speaking on the phone with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, Mr Ogunyemi thanked the union and his colleagues for the support and encouragement. He said whatever that was achieved during his tenure was a product of team work, and urged the successors to continue the tradition. “Sure, I’m returning to the classroom to continue to do our own bit towards the development of this nation.” Earlier on Friday, in his valedictory speech at the conference as reported by Punch Newspaper,Mr Ogunyemi highlighted some of the union’s activities including successes and challenges recorded within the last five years of his administration. The tenure of office for elected ASUU leadership is a period of two years and Mr Ogunyemi spent two terms of four years. His tenure was, however, elongated by the dangerous Coronavirus pandemic which paradises activities for almost one year globally. He said, “At a point of departure, we must place on record that COVID-19 did not spare our campuses. Many of our infected members had had to combat the COVID attack with resources from colleagues and other people of goodwill because their salaries and emoluments, as well as the union’s check-off deductions, were either withheld by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation over the rejection of the discredited Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System. “Our other comrades suffered the same fate in the hands of overzealous State University Vice-Chancellors and Visitors. As a matter of fact, we lost at least 30 members.” He, however, said the union, in the last three years, has enjoyed tremendous goodwill from quarters he said were too numerous to mention. Mr Ogunyemi said: “Despite being a government official, the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund has never denied his training in ASUU and the role played by the Union in midwifing the intervention agency. “The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission is also another rare breed who projects his clear understanding of ASUU’s mission at every meeting with the government. May their race multiply! “We equally appreciate the intervention efforts of the Hon. Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu as well as his Labour and Employment counterpart, Sen (Dr) Chris Ngige when it mattered. “We cannot thank them enough. Our profound appreciation equally goes to the Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, who has continued to play significant roles in getting our matters resolved in the last one year. “The NLC President and Global President of the International Trade Union Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, has stood by us all the way. His strategic intervention, on behalf of the Congress to which we are an affiliate, always made the difference. Comrade Global President, may your shadow never grow less.” ASUU elects new president Mr Osodeke, a professor of soil science at the Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, was elected early Sunday morning during a three-day conference of the union which held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. The immediate past vice-president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Emmanuel Osodeke, has emerged as the new president of the union. Mr Osodeke, a professor of soil science at the Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, was elected early Sunday morning during a three-day conference of the union which held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. He took over from Biodun Ogunyemi, a professor of education at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State. Other members of the union, who were elected alongside Mr Osodeke, include Chris Piwuna of the University of Jos as vice president; Olusiji Sowande of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, as treasurer while Ade Adejumo, a professor from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, was elected as financial secretary. Also, a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Austen Sado, was elected as investment secretary; Adamu Babayo from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, was elected the union’s internal auditor while Stella-Maris Oke from Cross Rivers State University of Science and Technology, was elected as the new welfare secretary. Mr Ogunyemi will continue to serve in the new executive committee as an ex-officio, apparently to guide the new leadership. I’m back to the classroom Meanwhile, Mr Osodeke’s predecessor, Mr Ogunyemi, described his two-term tenure of office as a period of service to the nation. Speaking on the phone with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, Mr Ogunyemi thanked the union and his colleagues for the support and encouragement. He said whatever that was achieved during his tenure was a product of team work, and urged the successors to continue the tradition. “Sure, I’m returning to the classroom to continue to do our own bit towards the development of this nation.” Earlier on Friday, in his valedictory speech at the conference as reported by Punch Newspaper,Mr Ogunyemi highlighted some of the union’s activities including successes and challenges recorded within the last five years of his administration. The tenure of office for elected ASUU leadership is a period of two years and Mr Ogunyemi spent two terms of four years. His tenure was, however, elongated by the dangerous Coronavirus pandemic which paradises activities for almost one year globally. He said, “At a point of departure, we must place on record that COVID-19 did not spare our campuses. Many of our infected members had had to combat the COVID attack with resources from colleagues and other people of goodwill because their salaries and emoluments, as well as the union’s check-off deductions, were either withheld by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation over the rejection of the discredited Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System. “Our other comrades suffered the same fate in the hands of overzealous State University Vice-Chancellors and Visitors. As a matter of fact, we lost at least 30 members.” He, however, said the union, in the last three years, has enjoyed tremendous goodwill from quarters he said were too numerous to mention. Mr Ogunyemi said: “Despite being a government official, the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund has never denied his training in ASUU and the role played by the Union in midwifing the intervention agency. “The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission is also another rare breed who projects his clear understanding of ASUU’s mission at every meeting with the government. May their race multiply! “We equally appreciate the intervention efforts of the Hon. Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu as well as his Labour and Employment counterpart, Sen (Dr) Chris Ngige when it mattered. “We cannot thank them enough. Our profound appreciation equally goes to the Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, who has continued to play significant roles in getting our matters resolved in the last one year. “The NLC President and Global President of the International Trade Union Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, has stood by us all the way. His strategic intervention, on behalf of the Congress to which we are an affiliate, always made the difference. Comrade Global President, may your shadow never grow less.”

EXCLUSIVE: How Abidemi Rufai’s brother declined to stand surety for him - ByAdejumo Kabir

Mr Rufai is currently enmeshed in a $350,000 COVID-19 unemployment fraud in the United States. Abidemi Rufai’s brother refused to stand surety for him in the $350,000 fraud case against him in the United States (U.S.), PREMIUM TIMES can report. Mr Rufai, a suspended aide of Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on May 14. He was on May 19 granted a $300,000 bail by a New York magistrate’s court, but the Acting U.S. Attorney, Tessa Gorman, on May 24, filed an “emergency motion” at the U.S. Western District Court of Washington, Tacoma, “to stay the order of release.” It was earlier reported that Mr Rufai remained in detention, despite the magistrate’s order for his release, because his brother proposed as his surety could not post the $300,000 bond. But the U.S. government’s court filing obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, on Friday, has now shown that the proposed surety did not sign the bond not because of his inability to pay. The surety, whose name was not given in the document, was not just willing to play that role for his brother, the court document showed. Even when the magistrate, Ramon Reyes, explained to Mr Rufai’s brother that he would not be required to make payment for the bond only if Mr Rufai jumped bail, he still declined. “Rufai’s brother told the Court he was unwilling to sign the bond. Judge Reyes explained to Rufai’s brother that he would not be required to put up any security for the bond, and would be required to make payment on the bond only if Rufai failed to appear at court proceedings. “Rufai’s brother stated that he was unwilling to sign the bond even on those conditions. Accordingly, Judge Reyes entered a detention and transfer order,” the U.S. government said in the document. Questionable character as surety? Following the refusal by Mr Rufai’s brother to stand as a surety, the defendant’s lawyer, Michael Barrows, on May 21, presented Nekpen Soyemi, a registered nurse, whose family comes from Nigeria. She told the court that she would guarantee the $300,000 bond and allow Mr Rufai to stay at her and her husband’s home. The Acting U.S. Attorney, Ms Gorma, later exposed Ms Soyemi, saying she is a “suspect in an investigation into an email impersonation scheme.” Her husband, Idris Soyemi, is also said to have been convicted for wire fraud in 2014. The U.S. government told the court that it is dangerous to release Mr Rufai on bail, claiming the suspect presents an extreme risk of flight and “if he does escape to Nigeria, extradition will be extraordinarily difficult or impossible because of his ties to the Nigerian government.” Government’s request for order to stay release granted On Tuesday, the United States District Judge, Benjamin Settle, granted the government’s motion to stay release of Mr Rufai. “The release order is stayed, and the defendant shall remain in custody pending this Court’s decision on the government’s motion for review,” a court document obtained by PREMIUM TIMES read. Backstory Mr Rufai was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York while heading to Nigeria on May 14. He allegedly used the identities of more than 100 Washington residents to steal more than $350,000 in unemployment benefits from the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) during the COVID-19 pandemic last year. At the end of a detention hearing held on May 19, 2021, the Magistrate of the District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Ramon Reyes, agreed with the government that Mr Rufai posed “a serious flight risk”, but found that the risk could be addressed by conditions of release, including a $300,000 bond. The magistrate went on to issue an order releasing Mr Rufai based on the bond in which Mr Rufai’s brother, who is licensed as an attorney in New York, was proposed as surety. But Mr Rufai was not released eventually because his brother did not sign the bail bond. The suspect was therefore remanded pending when he would provide an alternate surety. The U.S. government on May 24 filed an emergency motion of stay release order before the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington at Tacoma, on May 24. The court on Tuesday granted the U.S government’s request staying the earlier release order issued by the magistrate’s court.

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. uncovers more criminal activities involving Abidemi Rufai ByAdejumo Kabir

Mr Rufai allegedly filed 652 fraudulent tax returns, seeking approximately $1.6 million in fraudulent tax refunds. The United States government has uncovered more criminal activities involving Abidemi Rufai, the suspended aide of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State. PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday obtained the U.S. government’s court filing submitted in connection with its pending Motion for Review of Detention Order. ‘Fraudulent claims for tax refunds’ The Acting U.S. Attorney, Tessa Gorman, said special agents from the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations had been investigating Mr Rufai for several years. Ms Gorman said Mr Rufai was being investigated for allegedly making “fraudulent claims for tax refunds”. “On May 26 and 27, 2021, special agents from the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations notified the United States Attorney’s Office that the IRS has been investigating the sandytangy58@gmail.com account for several years. “IRS-CI determined that the sandytangy58@gmail.com account was used to submit fraudulent claims for tax refunds using American taxpayers’ stolen PII (Personal Identification Information). “That is, Rufai filed tax returns in the names of taxpayers, using their stolen PII, and requested that tax refunds be paid out to bank accounts under Rufai’s control,” the document stated. He was said to have filed 652 fraudulent tax returns, seeking approximately $1.6 million in fraudulent tax refunds, for the tax years 2016 through 2019. “IRS-CI provided the United States Attorney’s Office with information establishing that the sandytangy58@gmail.com email account was used (employing the same ‘dot variant’ practice described in the Indictment) to file 652 fraudulent tax returns, seeking a total of approximately $1.6 million in fraudulent tax refunds, for the tax years 2016 through 2019,” the court document obtained by PREMIUM TIMES partly read. “The IRS rejected many of the filings, but accepted returns seeking approximately $900,000. The IRS is calculating the amount of refunds actually paid out on these returns. This information increases the need for detention in several respects. First, now that the loss and attempted loss associated with Rufai’s conduct has grown substantially. “Rufai faces an even longer prison sentence, and therefore an even stronger incentive to flee. This incentive is compounded by the fact that the Grand Jury has now returned an Indictment charging Rufai with five counts of Aggravated Identity Theft, which carries a two-year mandatory sentence consecutive to any other sentence. “Second, the fact that Rufai filed 652 fraudulent tax returns significantly increases the scope and seriousness of Rufai’s conduct, meaning that both Rufai’s personal history and characteristics, and the nature and circumstances of his conduct weigh even more heavily in favor of detention. “Third, the extent of Rufai’s possession and use of stolen PII, and the economic damage caused by it, establishes that Rufai presents an economic danger to the community,” Ms Gorman said. Backstory Mr Rufai was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York while heading to Nigeria on May 14. He allegedly used the identities of more than 100 Washington residents to steal more than $350,000 in unemployment benefits from the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) during the COVID-19 pandemic last year. At the end of a detention hearing held on May 19, 2021, the Magistrate of the District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Ramon Reyes, agreed with the government that Mr Rufai posed “a serious flight risk”, but found that the risk could be addressed by certain conditions of release, including a $300,000 bond. The magistrate went on to issue an order releasing Mr Rufai based on the bond in which Mr Rufai’s brother, who is licensed as an attorney in New York, was proposed as surety. But Mr Rufai was not released eventually because his brother did not sign the bail bond. The suspect was, therefore, remanded pending when he would provide an alternate surety. Following the refusal by Mr Rufai’s brother to stand as a surety, the defendant’s lawyer, Michael Barrows, on May 21, presented Nekpen Soyemi, a registered nurse, whose family comes from Nigeria. Ms Soyemi was later exposed as “suspect in an investigation into an email impersonation scheme”. Her husband, Idris Soyemi, is also said to have been convicted for wire fraud in 2014. The U.S. government on May 24 filed an emergency motion of stay release order before the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington at Tacoma, on May 24. The United States District Judge, Benjamin Settle, on Tuesday, granted the government’s motion to stay release of Mr Rufai.

Mendy becomes first African goalkeeper to win Champions League by Sodiq Oyeleke

Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy has become the first African goalkeeper to win a Champions League title, in its current form, after Chelsea beat Manchester City in tonight’s final. According to records, Zimbabwe’s Bruce Grobbelaar won the titles during the European Cup era in 1984 with Liverpool. As far back as 37 years ago, Zimbabwe goalkeeper Grobbelaar became the first African player to feature in a European Cup final, with the Liverpool stopper influential as the Reds defeated AS Roma on penalties in 1984. He was almost a two-time winner, only for Liverpool to fall short against Juventus in the 1985 final. Mendy’s Senegal countryman Tony Sylva, understudy to Flavio Roma in the AS Monaco team that were defeated by Jose Mourinho’s FC Porto in the 2005 final, was the next African keeper who came closest to the title. For Sylva, the presence of role models — pioneering Cameroon goalkeepers Joseph-Antoine Bell and Thomas N’Kono — was a key reason why he believed that a career in Europe as a goalkeeper was possible as a youngster. Mendy has been outstanding since signing from Rennes at the beginning of the season. During the final, City pressed high but struggled to trouble Edouard Mendy in the Chelsea goal, while at the other end Timo Werner should have done better than shoot straight at Ederson in the 14th minute. Chelsea then suffered an injury blow as an emotional Thiago Silva was forced off hurt, Andreas Christensen taking the Brazilian’s place in central defence. Yet it was they who opened the scoring in the 42nd minute, Mason Mount’s ball splitting the City defence with John Stones out of position, allowing Havertz — their marquee 71 million-pound ($100m) signing last summer — to go around the lunging Ederson and convert into an empty net. City now needed to break down a Chelsea defence that has been exceptional since Tuchel came in. But they lost De Bruyne just before the hour mark, the brilliant Belgian taken out in a collision with Antonio Ruediger that appeared to leave him concussed. He came off in tears, and Guardiola instead turned to Sergio Aguero for the latter stages, but there was to be no glorious send-off as a City player for the Argentine, even if a Riyad Mahrez shot sailed just over in the sixth minute of injury time. There was also no third European Cup for Guardiola, who remains one adrift of the record for the coaches with most wins in the competition, held jointly by Bob Paisley, Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane.

[BREAKING] UCL final: Chelsea beat Man City to win Champions League by Sodiq Oyeleke

Chelsea have defeated Manchester City 1-0 to win the Champions League in Porto on Saturday. This is Chelsea’s second Champions League title after their 2012 triumph, while Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City appeared in the final for the first time. Kai Havertz scored the decisive goal just before half-time, running on to Mason Mount’s excellent ball before knocking it past Ederson and then rolling into the empty net. City, who were looking to win the competition for the first time, never really showed the imposing dominance that had brought them the 2020-21 Premier League title, with Pep Guardiola’s bold team selection having failed to come off. The former Barcelona boss had left Fernandinho and Rodri on the bench as he named an attacking line-up but they struggled to take control of midfield in their absence. They did have a good chance to score before Havertz’s goal but Antonio Rudiger made an excellent block to deny Phil Foden. Riyad Mahrez flashed a shot just wide in the final seconds but it was not to be for City as Chelsea held firm to claim the trophy.

Abducted Greenfield students regain freedom By Nsikak Nseyen

14 kidnapped students and three staff members of Greenfield University Kaduna State have regained freedom Recall that the students were abducted on April 20 after bandits broke into the University. A few days later five of the students were found dead in a village close to the school. According to TVC news, they were released on a Saturday afternoon at a location along the Kaduna- Abuja highway. Parents of the abducted students had said they were told to pay a ransom and provide eight new motorcycles to the kidnappers before their children can be released. Details later…

Army vows to make Nigeria safe as 6,400 soldiers graduate from training - By Wale Odunsi

The Nigerian Army has promised to suppress the security challenges in various parts of the country. Maj.-Gen. Danjumma Ali-Keffi, General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Kaduna, spoke during the passing out of 80 regular recruit intakes. At the event held at Depot Nigeria Army Zaria on Saturday, no fewer than 6,000 soldiers graduated. Ali-Keffi, the Reviewing Officer and Special Guest of Honour said the army will not rest until the country is safe for all. He noted that since its establishment in 1924, the Depot has the mandate of transforming able-bodied civilians into soldiers to meet the manpower requirement of the Nigeria Army. “It is noteworthy that as you pass out today, the strength of Nigeria army has been enhanced by 6,400 able-bodied men and women.” The GOC added that the Depot has been able to evolve innovative ways of improving the standard of training in the Nigeria Army. Ali-Keffi noted that the Nigeria Army has been yielding a positive result, which is evident by the robust fighting spirit of the soldiers in various theatre of operations. “With the excellent display of drill exhibited on this parade ground today, I am certain that you have acquired the basic training that is required of you to be good soldiers.’’ The senior officers told the soldiers to always abide by their Oath of Allegiance and to avoid acts that are capable of tarnishing the image of the Army and Nigeria. The late Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru was to be the Reviewing Officer and Special Guest. Gunshots were fired in his honour and others who died in the Kaduna air crash last Friday evening.