Tinubu rejects ransom, student loan fails to start: Weekly news roundup

The Federal Government has ruled out paying the ransom demanded by the bandits who abducted over 300 students from Kaduna and Sokoto states. The lauch of the much-anticipated Students Loan Scheme did not hold as scheduled on Thursday, and internet outages in Nigeria and other countries have been attributed to a cut in underwater cables.

Here are highlights from the week’s biggest news stories, from March 10 to March 16, 2024.

No ransom for bandits

Last week, bandits kidnapped 15 Tsangaya students at Gidan Bakuso area of Gada Local Government Area in Sokoto State at the school premises. The school proprietor, Liman Abubakar, confirmed to Punch Online that the bandits demanded N20m before they will release them on.

This comes after last week’s abduction of 287 schoolchildren and teachers from the LEA Primary School and the Government Secondary School, Kuriga, Kaduna State, and the kidnap of over 200 Internally Displaced Persons from their camp in Borno State.

Reuters reports on Wednesday that the bandits contacted a spokesman for the families of the Kaduna hostages on Tuesday and demanded N1bn for their release.

President Bola Tinubu has, however, ruled out the payments of ransom to secure the release of these students.

“Mr President reiterated his zero tolerance for the payment of ransom.

“And Mr President has also directed that no ransom will be paid by the government to any of these criminal elements,” the minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, told reporters on Wednesday.

The Federal Government also said it had received offers of help from the United States and other countries to secure the student’s release and was weighing the offers.

“It is not just the US that has offered. Other countries have also offered to support Nigeria. But what we can tell you is that the government is still reviewing these offers and the position of government will be made known to you,” President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale revealed on TVC on Sunday.

Nigerians celebrates Joshua’s KO

Celebrations continued into this week after Anthony Joshua’s surprising knockout of Francis Ngannou in the second round last Saturday morning.

In main event of the “Knockout Chaos” card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Joshua secured the knockout victory over Cameroonian boxer Ngannou, marking his fourth consecutive win.

After triumphs over Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, and Otto Wallin in 2023, Joshua delivered a decisive performance against Ngannou, who had previously impressed by knocking down Tyson Fury.

Ngannou required medical attention post-fight, while Joshua expressed eagerness to face the winner of Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk for a shot at the world heavyweight titles in the post-match conference.

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and Bayo Onanuga, an aide to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, congratulated Joshua on his victory against Ngannou.

Students Loan delayed again

The launch of the student loan scheme, initially slated to begin in January 2024, faced another delay this Thursday. The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Sonny Echono, however clarified that it was postponed for a few weeks, not indefinitely.

This reassurance follows the earlier announcement by Nigerian Education Loan Fund Executive Secretary, Akintunde Sawyer, indicating an indefinite suspension.

Echono cites the need for meticulous preparations to ensure the scheme’s effectiveness and alignment with stakeholders’ expectations. Despite the delay, he reaffirms the President’s commitment to the program’s success and its potential to transform access to education, including vocational studies.

The student loan programme, initiated by President Bola Tinubu, aims to provide interest-free loans to Nigerian students for higher education.

Internet outages

The disruption caused by undersea cable cuts has led to significant operational challenges for banks, telecom companies, and allied firms, forcing them to scale down operations.

Telecom engineers have been deployed to repair the cuts, which occurred between Senegal and Cote D’Ivoire, affecting Internet connectivity across the West African sub-region.

Nigerian Communications Commission confirmed the disruptions, affecting data and voice services along the African West Coast.

MainOne, a key Internet provider for Nigerian banks, suffered significant fiber cuts, leading to outages, while other banks also experienced disruptions, impacting transactions and customer services.

Telecom subscribers and bank customers have expressed frustration over difficulties accessing essential services, including making phone calls, sending messages, and conducting online banking transactions.

Despite efforts by telcos like MTN and Airtel to restore services, customers continue to face challenges.

Licensed customs agents at seaports also encounter difficulties in making payments, adding to delays in cargo clearance processes.

Ningi takes on The Senate

The Senate suspended Abdul Ningi, the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, for three months following his interview where he alleged that the National Assembly padded the 2024 budget.

Senator Olamilekan Adeola, representing Ogun West, highlighted the budget process, stating that additional funding requests during the appropriation process led to a N1.2tn increase in the budget.

After extensive deliberation, Ningi was suspended for three months or given the option to apologise within 24 hours.

Ningi also resigned as the Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum amidst the controversy.

President Bola Tinubu held closed-door talks with Senate leaders following Ningi’s suspension, amidst tensions over budget padding allegations.

Ibadan set for new monarch

Residence of the Balogun of Ibadanland and Olubadan-designate, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, was filled with drummers and praise singers on Friday in anticipation of his ascension to the throne.

Oba Olakulehin is set to become the next Olubadan of Ibadanland pending the approval of the state governor, Seyi Makinde, as he is next in line to the throne.

This festive atmosphere follows the passing of the 42nd Olubadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, who died after a brief Illness.

Meanwhile, dignitaries including President Bola Tinubu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and several state governors, paid tribute to the late Olubadan as he was laid to rest at his ancestral home in Aliiwo amidst mourners.

Tributes poured in from various quarters, expressing sadness over the loss of the revered monarch and acknowledging his significant contributions to the development of Ibadanland and Nigeria as a whole.