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TechU is A Product of PPP, Subscriptions & Stakeholders Contributions, says Ajimobi.
OYO State governor, Abiola Ajimobi on Tuesday disclosed that the success of The Technical University, Ibadan was anchored upon stakeholders’ contributions and subscriptions by lovers of education as well as Public-Private Partnership.
The Governor said this at the official commissioning and handover of the Central Bank of Nigerian intervention projects at the State-owned TechU which consisted of a Central e-Library space for 500 students, 10 offices, 12 units of toilet facilities as well as a block of 24 lecture rooms which has 11 Administrative offices, furniture, borehole, a 500KVA Generating set, street lights, CCTV cameras, air conditioners and additional toilets facilities for male and female students.
Governor Ajimobi, while speaking at the event, stated that his administration’s desire for a world-class Technical University was in the tradition of innovation and excellence pioneered by forebears of the State, adding that the university is founded on the principle of unique innovation, research collaboration, exceptional service and excellence.
“We are indeed very happy that the apex bank has gone beyond its statutory fiscal and financial responsibilities to support this critical investment and the future of our state and country. We are not unmindful of the challenges of financing tertiary institutions by government in Nigeria today due to the current economic reality.
“We have taken numerous financial initiatives to fund tertiary education in the State, it has been challenging ensuring the self-sustainability of the institutions and in order to avert this unpleasant experience, The Technical University, Ibadan is conceived as a public-private initiative where self-sufficiency through partnership, subscriptions and stakeholder contributions, locally and internationally shall be entrenched.
“TechU is therefore an initiative of the Oyo State government of Nigeria to continue in the tradition of innovation and excellence pioneered by our pathfinders. It is founded on the principle of unique innovation, research collaboration, exceptional service, integrity, excellence and uplifting of the human condition, knowledge, skill, classroom/industry and theory/practical.
“We are therefore committed to the efficient and responsible use of science, technology, engineering, innovation in solving societal problems,” the governor said.
Ajimobi further explained that the University can boast of having the best hands in its management team as well as academic handlers, adding that the mission of the present administration in the State towards the institution was to cultivate a cadre of technical professionals, with requisite entrepreneurial skills, capable of creating businesses that would provide employment for the youths.
He assured that TechU would produce exceptional graduates who are not only socially conscious but technically competent enough to turn around the fortunes of the State, noting that the institution is committed to offering degree programs of international standard through collaboration with relevant global institutions.
The Governor of Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, who was represented a Deputy, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu at the event commended the State government for its vision in transforming education in the State.
He said it was against the backdrop of the need to bridge the manpower and infrastructural deficits that had accumulated overtime that the Central Bank of Nigeria started its education intervention programs throughout the country.
Adelabu said the monetary institution recognized Oyo State as the socio – political and intellectual headquarters of the Southwest region as well as its past roles in economic integration of the Southwest of Nigeria.
Said he, “Having recognized Ibadan and Oyo State in general as a sociopolitical and educational headquarters of the Southwest region, given its past role in the Southwest regional development and potential role it can still play in the general economic integration of the region.
“There is no gainsaying the fact education is the bedrock for development and lifting people out of poverty, Nigeria is experiencing an acute shortage of high quality and world class educational institutions, our primary mandate at the Central Bank of Nigeria apart from fiscal policy is to intervene regularly in the critical sectors of the economy of which education is one, to bridge manpower and infrastructural deficits accumulated overtime,” Adelabu explained.
The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Adeniyi Olowofela, in his welcome address, said that the unique idea behind the Technical University was to produce graduates who could turn theory to practice in order to create jobs.
Olowofela said Tech-U was formally recognized by the National Universities Commission (NUC) on 7th December 2012 as the 30th State-owned University in Nigeria with the information that the University would provide succour for parents who sent their wards abroad for higher education.
Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the Olubadan-in-council who represented the Olubadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji (Aje Oguguluso 1), Onpetu of Ijeru, Oba Sunday Oladapo, Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba (Dr) Abdulganiy Adekunle Oloogunebi (Ajinese 1), Eleruwa of Eruwa, Oba Samuel Adegbola all praised the ingenuity of the State administration towards revamping education and positioning the Technical University towards creating technical and commercial growth of the State and Nigeria as a whole.
The intervention approach of the apex bank consists of an administrative block of classrooms that consisted of 24 lecture rooms, offices and furniture, a fully air-conditioned and furnished library complex for about 500 students, 10 offices, 12 units of toilet facilities and a complete e-library.
It also included a borehole with ground and overhead water tank, a 500kva generator set, streetlights, CCTV cameras, conditioners and additional toilets facilities for male and female students.
Photo credit : Tolani Alli.
News
Alleged KGB Infiltration: Police in Dilemma as Senator Natasha Abandons Petition, Snubs Summons
The Nigeria Police Force appears to be in a quandary over its investigation into the alleged infiltration of the National Assembly by Russia’s KGB (Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti), the former Soviet security agency.
Checks revealed that the police had invited the Senator representing Kogi West, Sunday Karimi, for interrogation following a petition filed by his colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central.
In the petition dated March 5, 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently serving a six-month suspension from the Senate, urged the police to investigate Karimi’s claim that the KGB had infiltrated the National Assembly, posing a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
She specifically alleged that Senator Karimi had circulated a report titled “KGB Agent Group Warns Senate: A Call for Vigilance Amidst Threats to Democracy” on the official WhatsApp group of the 10th Senate on February 23, 2025.
Describing the claim as a matter of national security, Akpoti-Uduaghan insisted that the alarm raised by Karimi should not be taken lightly. “No nation can afford to ignore the presence of such a group within its legislative body,” she emphasized in her petition.
Karimi Appears Before Police, Natasha Recoils
Further investigations revealed that Senator Karimi honored the police invitation on Monday, appearing at the Force Headquarters in Abuja to clarify his position.
Sources within the police described his session as “positive and insightful,” revealing that he admitted to sharing the report in question. However, the police were reportedly taken aback when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan distanced herself from the petition and ignored requests to appear for questioning.
“We reached out to her after our session with Senator Karimi, expecting her to provide further clarification, but she has continuously ignored our invitation,” a senior police source disclosed.
“What is disturbing is how she suddenly abandoned such a serious petition against her colleague. First, she claimed to be outside the country, but a viral video has since surfaced showing her in her constituency. It is difficult to reconcile her claims with the information available to us,” the source added.
The police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, further hinted at possible political undertones behind the petition.
“We do not want to meddle in the ongoing power play within the Senate. However, it would be scandalous if she attempted to use the police as a tool in her political battles.”
When asked about the possible next steps, the source stated that his superiors would determine the fate of the petition, which he described as “frivolous.”
Twelve inmates have escaped from the Federal Correctional Centre in Kotonkarfe, Kogi State, following an early morning jailbreak on Monday.
Confirming the incident, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, described it as “unfortunate” and assured the public that the government, in collaboration with security agencies, was taking measures to prevent a recurrence.
According to Fanwo, law enforcement officers have already re-arrested one of the escapees.
“The theory that the inmates escaped through the tower without causing any structural damage raises serious concerns. This calls for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the escape, arrest the fleeing inmates, and identify possible saboteurs within the system,” he stated.
The commissioner further disclosed that Governor Usman Ododo has directed security agencies to ensure that such breaches do not happen again.
“We call on the public to report any suspicious individuals in their communities. Anyone found harbouring an escaped inmate will be held accountable,” Fanwo warned.
Reassuring residents, he added: “There is no cause for panic. We encourage citizens to go about their daily activities as normal, knowing that the security of lives and property remains our top priority.”
Authorities have yet to disclose further details about the escapees or ongoing efforts to apprehend them.
The United States has announced the termination of legal status for over 500,000 immigrants, ordering them to leave the country within weeks, as President Donald Trump pushes forward with what he calls the largest deportation campaign in American history.
The sweeping directive, issued on Friday, affects approximately 532,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans who arrived under a programme launched by Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, in October 2022 and later expanded in January 2023.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the affected immigrants will lose their legal protections 30 days after the order is published in the Federal Register on Tuesday. This means they must leave the United States by 24 April, unless they secure another immigration status permitting them to stay.
Welcome.US, an organisation that supports asylum seekers, has urged those impacted to “immediately” seek legal counsel regarding their options.
A Reversal of Biden’s Immigration Policy
The Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) programme, introduced in January 2023, allowed up to 30,000 migrants per month from these nations to enter the United States for two years. The initiative was designed to offer a “safe and humane” alternative to the dangerous crossings at the US-Mexico border, which had seen a surge in arrivals.
However, the DHS reiterated on Friday that the programme was never meant to provide permanent residency.
“Parole is inherently temporary, and parole alone is not an underlying basis for obtaining any immigration status, nor does it constitute an admission to the United States,” the agency stated.
Mass Deportations Under Trump
Trump, who has made immigration control a cornerstone of his presidency, has vowed to crack down on migrants—particularly those from Latin America.
Last week, he invoked rare wartime legislation to deport more than 200 alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to El Salvador, a country that has controversially offered to imprison both migrants and U.S. citizens at a discounted rate.
The latest order signals Trump’s intent to follow through on his hardline immigration policies, raising concerns among human rights advocates about the humanitarian impact of such mass deportations.
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