The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to meet its outstanding demands in an agreement entered with the union.Mr Shammah Kpanja, President of ASUP, said this while addressing newsmen at the end of an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council of the union on Thursday in Abuja.

Kapanja said that the demands by the union includes the non release of a circular to effect the payment of its Peculiar Academic Allowance by the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC). He said the Peculiar Academic Allowances paid to academic staff across Polytechnics was a component of the ASUP/FGN 2010 agreement.The union leader said, rather than make provisions for payment, the allowances have been removed from the budgeting template and the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) had failed to intervene in definite terms on the subject.He said the NEC expressed deep concerns over the continued decision by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to outsource the accreditation process for polytechnics in the country despite assurances to desist from such actions.The union leader said the 25/35 per cent arrears of salary review was yet to be implemented.He said that the arrears which cover a 12-month period and captured in the budget was yet to be released for reasons beyond the comprehension of the union.ASUP president added that NEC expressed deep concerns over the continued decision by the NBTE to outsource the accreditation process for polytechnics in the country despite assurances to desist from such actions.He said that most states government have failed to implement the New National Minimum Wage.He said NEC have expressed worry over the continued delay and non approval of a dual mandate structure aimed at eliminating the agelong discrimination against HND holders.“In view of the items listed above our union’s NEC has resolved to issue a 21 days ultimatum to the Government to address the issues satisfactorily.“A failure to utilise this window may lead to the declaration of a trade dispute and withdrawal of services of our members across public polytechnics and monotechnics nationwide” he said.(NAN)

The Nigerian Army has confirmed a minor explosion and fire outbreak in the early hours of Thursday at Ilese Barracks, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun. The Army spokesperson, Lt.-Col. Appolonia Anele, in a statement on Thursday, said no life was lost during the unfortunate incident. Anele stated that a localised explosion occurred within a storage building of the 42 Engineers Brigade Counter Improvised Explosive Device Squadron, causing a limited fire outbreak.

Swift intervention by troops of the 12 Field Engineer Regiment, in collaboration with the Ijebu-Ode Fire Service, ensured the fire was quickly contained. “No lives were lost, and no injuries were recorded. Damage was limited to the affected building and some stored materials, according to Anele,” Anele said. She said a detailed assessment was underway to determine the extent of material loss. Anele urged residents of Ilese and nearby communities to remain calm and continue their normal activities. “The Nigerian Army, working with relevant agencies, has begun a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the incident and prevent a recurrence. “The Army remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of its personnel and members of neighbouring communities,” Anele added. (NAN)

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigeria’s embassy in Bangui, has evacuated 11 stranded Nigerian miners from the Central African Republic (CAR). The miners were abandoned by their employer in the remote town of Bambari, after a distress video pleading for help went viral on social media.

A Sky Airlines Boeing 747-200 aircraft, registration number ET-AXO, conveying the returnees landed in Abuja at exactly 4:45 p. m. on Thursday. From the international wing, they were moved to the Hajj Terminal for formal reception, immigration clearance, and screening by relevant security agencies. In the viral video, the miners alleged abandonment and maltreatment by a Chinese mining company that recruited them for work in the French-speaking African nation. The footage showed six men appealing to Nigerians to help spread their message and draw the Federal Government’s attention to their plight. Their location was later identified as Senye, a village in the Bambari region of CAR. They were accompanied to Nigeria by the Nigerian Ambassador to CAR, Mr Babagana Ahmed. Welcoming them at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, NEMA Director-General, Mrs Zubaida Umar, commended the swift inter-agency response to the miners’ distress call. Represented by Air Commodore Kenneth Oyong, Director of Search and Rescue, she said security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser and the National Intelligence Agency, played key roles. She noted the miners, who endured months of hardship without pay, were first relocated to the Nigerian ambassador’s residence in Bangui, where they received care before arrangements for return. On arrival in Nigeria, the miners were given meals, overnight accommodation, and money to assist in reconnecting with their families. She reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting Nigerians abroad, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s vision for prompt attention to citizens in distress overseas. Ambassador Ahmed confirmed the successful rescue and evacuation of 11 Nigerians stranded for eight months in a remote forest village under the Bambari region, 850 kilometres from Bangui. He recalled a viral video of July 24, 2025, in which the stranded Nigerians pleaded for urgent evacuation from Senye village. They had been recruited to work at mining sites but were later abandoned by their employer in the isolated forest area. Following swift intervention by the Nigerian Embassy, relevant CAR authorities, and the employer, the nationals were rescued and evacuated to Bangui on July 28. Since then, the embassy has provided them with accommodation, food, medical care, and other essential welfare support. The mission thanked the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the National Security Adviser, NEMA, embassy staff, and all stakeholders for their commitment to the evacuation process. “This rescue demonstrates the power of timely intervention and collaboration to safeguard Nigerians in distress,” Ahmed said. One of the repatriated miners, Oluremi Peters, recounted being stranded in CAR with colleagues. Peters said they were invited to CAR by a Nigerian associate and a Chinese national, who promised lucrative mining work. He said they arrived in September 2024 but were left idle for four months, with assurances that equipment would arrive soon. During this period, they were arrested by CAR police, suspected of printing money or being bandits, and detained for 16 days. After release, they worked on a road project and later at a mining site, facing payment disputes with the employer. “We were promised 450,000 CFA francs monthly, but received only 300,000 CFA for the first month and partial pay for the second,” he said. Frustrated, they made a video appeal to the Nigerian government, which he believes prompted swift intervention and repatriation. Peters thanked the Nigerian government and the CAR embassy for their support. He advised young Nigerians to research thoroughly and secure concrete offers before accepting overseas work. The miners’ safe repatriation reflects the administration’s resolve to protect its citizens wherever they are. Peters said the government’s swift action was commended as proof of its commitment to citizens’ safety and welfare abroad. (NAN)