The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has called on students across Nigeria  to  identify and emulate good models in order to steer clear of vices, including internet fraud and other financial crimes.

The EFCC boss made the call in Abuja on Thursday, November 7, 2024, when students of Val De Mauris Academy, Abuja, visited the Commission’s headquarters on a study tour.

Olukoyede, who spoke through the Head, Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit of the EFCC,  Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE 11 Aisha Mohammed, pointed out that, having good role models would imbue in students the right values which would insulate them from indulgence in internet fraud.

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“Have good role models. This is necessary to draw you to the right contacts and influence for integrity.  This way, you will be removed from any form of internet offence.  Integrity is what you do when no one is watching you. Our hope is on you. Be focused. The future is bright as the sky will be your starting point,’’ she stated.

The Head, Communication and Creative Unit, Assistant Commander, ACE I, Chris Oluka, advised the students to always engage their minds in honest endeavours so as to be able to discern the good from the bad.

He asked them to deploy their creative minds to more rewarding positive careers by using the social media and internet to more creative ventures in furtherance of their education for a brighter future.

According to Oluka, students and youths should be mindful of what they do online, stating that the internet was meant for the good of  humanity, research, academics, studying,  information gathering and accurate data and not for crime and fraud.

“If found guilty by the law, the EFCC will not spare anyone of the crime committed. Every crime is a crime, irrespective of who is involved, and the EFCC will fight you to the very last. Whatever you do that you are not supposed to do and is against the law is corruption.

Also in his remark, Assistant Superintendent of EFCC, ASE I Ogunjobi Olalekan, stressed the importance of being hardworking students and determined and focused, stating that these qualities are imperative for students to attain excellence in their careers.

“For our dear students, you can be whatever you want to become by hard work and sheer determination. There’s a lot in the computer space. You can think and come up with creative inventions and make the best of it. You can be programmers, forensic analysts, financial analysts, investigators, developers, change makers and as nation builders,” he said.

Two students, Odimba Ikenna Ugochukwu and Sunday Aneke Sophia emerged winners in the EFCC’s Quiz competition and were gifted with a mobile phone each for their exemplary efforts while Khadijah Kabiru Bakan and Faheem Goodluck Hussein were crowned EFCC’s Ambassadors.

In a strong show of solidarity, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed support for the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) amid escalating tensions at the Oritsetimeyin oil rig.

The NUPENG has threatened a nationwide strike, protesting what it alleges was the forced eviction of workers from the oil rig by military personnel.

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In a statement on Friday, NLC President Joe Ajaero condemned the alleged use of military force, calling it a violation of workers’ rights and industrial relations principles.

The NLC’s statement emphasized that deploying armed personnel to resolve an industrial dispute undermines democracy and threatens workers’ rights to a safe and coercion-free workplace.

Ajaero said, “NLC stands in unequivocal solidarity with NUPENG. The use of the army in the Oritsetimeyin oil rig dispute is an abuse of state security that runs counter to the tenets of fair industrial relations. Militarizing workplaces contaminates our economy, potentially causing long-lasting harm.”

The dispute reportedly began when NUPENG accused the rig’s operators, Dutchford E&P and Selective Marine Services, of reneging on agreements reached through mediation led by the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

According to NUPENG, these agreements included severance benefits and other protections for workers, which the companies allegedly ignored, opting instead to deploy military personnel to forcefully remove workers.

Ajaero urged Nigeria’s top military and security officials, including the National Security Adviser, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Federal Government, to intervene swiftly.

He emphasized that this matter remains strictly a labor issue, with no grounds for military involvement.

The NLC warned that it would take further action if such incidents persist, stressing that workers’ rights and workplace safety remain a priority.

Ajaero expressed that while the NLC appreciates the military’s role in national security, it should not be used to suppress workers’ demands.

Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri has signed the Water Supply and Sanitation Hygiene Services Law 2024, a measure aimed at addressing the state’s ongoing water scarcity.

The new law, signed on Thursday and announced by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, is designed to improve water regulation and sanitation services throughout the state.

It applies to key state agencies, including the Adamawa State Water Services Regulatory Commission and the Adamawa State Water Corporation.

This legislative action comes a week after former senator Ishaku Abbo, representing Adamawa Northern Zone, criticized the state government for prioritizing infrastructure projects like flyovers over essential resources such as water. “Flyovers are for car owners who are in the minority in the state. Flyovers are not bad, but water is more important for survival,” Abbo stated.

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The lack of accessible water in Adamawa has led to a sharp increase in prices, with residents in Yola, the state capital, paying up to N3000 for a truck of water. Some neighborhoods, like Bekaji, are experiencing such severe shortages that residents must book for water in advance, making it even more expensive than petrol in some areas.

Alongside the water law, Governor Fintiri signed several other bills, including the Adamawa State Health Supplies Management Agency Law 2024, which replaces the 1996 Essential Drugs Programme Edict, and the Teachers Service Commission Law 2024.

The latter dissolves the previous Adamawa State Teachers’ Service Commission. Additionally, updated laws were enacted for the Adamawa State College of Agriculture, Science and Technology in Ganye, as well as for the Adamawa State College of Nursing Sciences.

Governor Fintiri emphasised the importance of continued engagement to ensure the effective implementation of these new laws, hoping they will address pressing needs and foster sustainable development across Adamawa.