It is Germany’s responsibility to make sure that a war between Russia and Ukraine does not become a war between Russia and NATO, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

He said this as he repeated his “nein” to sending long-range weapons to Kiev.

“I don’t consider this to be a proper delivery and that’s how it will stay,” Scholz said after a European Union summit in Brussels.

Scholz rejected key points in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s “victory plan” out of concerns of future escalation.

Zelensky presented his “victory plan” at the meeting and called on Scholz, again to send him Taurus cruise missiles.

The Ukrainian leader believes a deterrent missile arsenal could force Russia into peace negotiations.

Scholz also maintained his stance against a quick invitation for Ukraine to join NATO, as outlined in Zelensky’s plan.

The United States also opposes a fast-track NATO entry for Ukraine.

The chancellor referred to the resolutions of the most recent NATO summit in Washington, which offers Ukraine a general assurance that it could no longer be stopped on its way into the defence alliance.

He further said all allies must agree that NATO conditions are met for an invitation.

These include reforms in the areas of democracy, the economy and the security sector.

Scholz also used the occasion to take a swipe at his main opposition in the Bundestag or German parliament, Christian Democratic (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz.

He complained that Merz flip-flopped on Taurus deliveries, taking a no-delivery position before key elections in east Germany and changing his position after that. (dpa/NAN)

The Kebbi Government has announced the closure of the College of Health Sciences and Technology, Jega, indefinitely following a violent protest by students.

The Commissioner for Higher Education in the state, Alhaji Isah Abubakar-Tunga, made this known in Birnin Kebbi on Friday while briefing newsmen.

” Sequel to the violent protest that resulted in the setting ablaze  the residence of the Provost of the college, Alhaji Haruna Saidu-Sauwa, we have directed that the college be shut down indefinitely,” he said.

Abubakar-Tunga said the action became imperative in view of the fact that if the demonstration was allowed to continue, it might escalate.

”Students are hereby  advised to vacate the college premises with immediate effect.

” Their main target was the Provost, they burnt down his house and completely vandalised his car.

” When we visited the college, we only met the Registrar of the school. The  Divisional Police Office (DPO) of the area yold us the provost was in a safe pace.

”But for the DPO’s intervention,  the students would have lynched the provost,” he said.

Abubakar-Tunga said that the government asked the rioting students to nominate 10 representatives for dialogue.

” While deliberating with the students’ representatives, the students outlined some of their grievances to include; lack of accreditation of some courses of the college.

” Others they said are; lack of toilets, lack of potable water, poor sanitary environment, and bad leadership, among others.”

”The college will remain closed for three weeks to one month. Before the students return, they must come with their parents and must write an undertaking, promising to be of good behaviour.

“In this undertaking, every student must promise to pay for damaged property,” he said. (NAN)

The Oleh community in Delta State has petitioned the Federal Government to wade into the land dispute between it and its neighbour, Ozoro in order to avert “further bloodshed”

In the petition addressed to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi ,(SAN) the community said that 12 people had been killed over the land dispute.

The community, therefore urged the minister to promptly wade into the dispute, by calling on the state to obey a subsisting court order on it, in other “to avert another bloodbath after the killing of Oleh 12”

The petition made available to newsmen in Abuja on Friday was signed by Mr.

Believe Unuafe and Pastor Benjamin Odize, President General and Secretary General, Oleh Community Development Union (ODU) respectively.

“It is with a heavy heart that we appeal to you to intervene and urge the Secretary to Delta State Government (SSG), Dr. Kingsley Emu, to adhere/respect subsisting court judgments regarding the Oleh and Ozoro Communities land boundary issues in Delta State.

“The failure to do so had resulted in the tragic murder of twelve (12) Oleh individuals who went to farm as labourers to earn a living.on October 16, 2020.

“Oleh, as a local government headquarters, is home to peaceful and law-abiding citizens. Despite the loss of innocent lives, we have refrained from retaliatory actions.

“We implore your esteemed office, the Federal Government, and the Nigerian State to take cognisance of the oppressive actions of Dr. Kingsley Emu against the Oleh Community,” the petitioners alleged.

They added “The oppressive actions have the potential of heating the polity, such that will lead to further crisis between the two communities, if not addressed promptly,”

“It is essential to recognise that Oleh and Ozoro Communities are both local government headquarters, inhabited by predominantly non-indigenous individuals.

“The non indigene could be caught in the crossfire, if the actions or inactions of the SSG lead to violent attacks on Oleh farmers by the Ozoro people.

“It is imperative to prevent any escalation that may result in further casualty”.

They recalled that, following the killings of the 12 people in their community, the former Delta Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, had established a Judicial Commission of Enquiry to investigate the boundary dispute.

They said the commission’s report presented on July 7, 2022, resulted in a White Paper issued by the State Executive Council and a map from the commission’s technical team.

“Regrettably, upon thorough examination of the map and the White Paper, discrepancies were discovered that undermined the original objective of seeking peace.

“Subsequently, legal action was taken, leading to a restraining order against the families of Ozoro landowners and the Delta state government.

“The court prohibited the execution of the white paper or encroachment onto the land due to inconsistencies in the map,” they said.

Highlighting the inconsistencies, the petitioners said that the map produced by the technical committee was in conflict with the white paper,

They said the allocation was in direct conflict with an earlier court judgment which confirmed ownership of the land by Oleh’s Ekrona – Ekredhegbe – Ekromokpose families along Oleh-Ozoro Road in their produced map.

“The allocation indicated areas where Oleh land owning families have obtained judgment be shared to Ozoro Community.

“The coordinates of the proposed boundary line established by the surveyors (Pp 7.4) contradicted the evidence and the actual boundaries as established during the commission’s visit to the land put in dispute by Ozoro Community.

“By this, it increased the land mass purported to be in dispute and reducing the land mass free from dispute by 15.8 hectares (39.1 acres).

This irregularity warrants the attention of the SSG and the State Government, but sadly, they have turned a blind eye to it,” they alleged.

Justifying their claims, the leaders contended that there were defunct Delta State and Federal Government establishments and institutions situated in their community’s expanse of lands about to be ceded to Ozoro.

They listed the institutions in Oleh to include, Origho Primary School, Emonsoyen, founded in 1992, Bendel Broadcasting Service, acquired by the defunct Bendel State Government over 40 years back.

“These are old landmarks known to the State and Federal Governments (INEC) that have never been in dispute or contentious.

“Therefore, shying away from the truth or politicising sensitive communal matters and hurriedly ceding our lands for selfish gains is not in the interest of peace and tranquillity,” they said.

The community leaders, therefore, urged that,
in the interest of peace and justice, the AGF should use his revered office to prevail on the state, and the SSG to give peace a chance and respect the rule of law,

“The SSG should allow the Delta State High Court holden at the Warri Judicial Division, to adjudicate on the issues submitted before it in suit No HCO/54/2022, by the aggrieved Oleh land owning families.

“We have absolute confidence in the Court to have a fair hearing, while we patiently wait for its adjudication on the Oleh/Ozoro land boundary dispute .

“It should be noted that, ceding our heritage and ancestral inheritance, which we have valid subsisting court judgment against the Ozoro Community is total disregard to the rule of law and a defeat to government efforts trying to resolve the crisis.

“We therefore seek your assistance as the Chief Law officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in admonishing the SSG and the Delta State Government to respect the rule of law to avert a potential breakdown of law and order.

The petition was copied to Sen. Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas Speaker of the House of Represent and Sen. Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, representing
Delta South Senatorial District.

Others copied with the petition are, Hon. Ukodhiko Jonathan, Member representing Isoko North/South Constituency in the House of Representatives as well as the Attorney-General and Commissioner For Justice,
Delta State.(NAN)