The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is calling for the sack of the Minister of Education , Dr Tunji Maruf Alausa, alleging that he is incompetent.

The Chairman of ASUU, University of Jos chapter, Prof Jurbe Joseph Molwus ,made the call on Wednesday .

” If President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in keeping with his campaign promises, really desires to make history by addressing the age- long disputes with the University unions, he needs to change the Minister of Education and bring in someone who truly understands the issues bedevilling tertiary education in Nigeria,” he said.

According to him, the union will likely resume another strike in two weeks saying that the strike was suspended as a mark of respect and demonstration of goodwill in collective bargaining.

The union described as sad the fact that even the N50 billion revitalisation fund claimed to have been released some weeks ago by the Federal Government is yet to reach the Universities and wondered why the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Maruf Alausa, is still keeping it.

The Universities have yet to receive the N2.3 billion purportedly released by the government to clear salary and promotion arrears in all federal Universities.

ASUU said the amount of N2.3 billion arrears for promotion and salaries is like a drop in the ocean because it can hardly take care of three big Universities in Nigeria as it is “grossly inadequate and almost embarrassing, if not insulting.”

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A member of the House of Representatives, Jafaru Mohammad Ali Damisa, narrowly escaped death on Tuesday after his convoy was ambushed by suspected terrorists in Niger State.

The attack occurred along the Lumma–Babanna road in Borgu Local Government Area while Damisa, who represents Borgu and Agwara Federal Constituency, was on his way to Babanna for an official engagement.

According to eyewitnesses, the gunmen—identified as “Lakurawa terrorists,” locally known as bandits—opened fire on the lawmaker’s convoy in a surprise afternoon attack.

Security operatives attached to the convoy responded immediately, resulting in a fierce gun battle. One soldier was reportedly killed, while several others sustained injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Some of Damisa’s political aides and supporters were also injured during the exchange.

Witnesses said the attackers fired relentlessly, riddling several vehicles with bullets before fleeing the scene. At least 11 vehicles were reportedly vandalised in the attack.

Despite the heavy assault, Damisa escaped unharmed. Security agencies are said to have launched a manhunt for the assailants in the area.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) has rejected any form of U.S. military intervention in Nigeria based on religious grounds, urging instead that such intervention be directed toward facilitating a national referendum to address the country’s deep-seated political and social challenges.

The group’s National President, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, made this known while briefing journalists in Owerri on Wednesday. He said the Igbo people appreciated the United States’ concern over the continued killings of Christians in Nigeria, especially in the South-East and Middle Belt regions.

However, he cautioned that any U.S. military engagement driven by religious motives would be counterproductive, stressing that what Nigeria urgently needs is a political solution through a referendum.

“A referendum is currently the most pressing requirement for Nigeria,” Igboayaka said. “This position is not only that of the Ohanaeze Youth Council but also of the younger generation of Igbo people and other ethnic groups in the Middle Belt.”

The OYC argued that the killings of Christians in Eastern Nigeria and other parts of the country have worsened since 2015, accusing the Federal Government of using the fight against the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a cover for targeted attacks on Christians.

Citing reports from the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), the group alleged that thousands of Christians have been killed by security forces, Fulani herdsmen, and jihadists in recent years. It also referenced data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicating that over 614,000 Nigerians were killed between May 2023 and April 2024 due to insecurity.

OYC urged former U.S. President Donald Trump to use his influence to help end the killings by supporting a referendum for Nigerian Christians within one year, noting that true peace cannot be achieved through military force alone.

“President Trump’s proposed military action on religious grounds may offer temporary relief, but a lasting solution lies in the convocation of a national referendum,” Igboayaka said.

He also called on Trump to honor victims of Christian persecution in Nigeria, particularly IPOB members allegedly killed while celebrating his 2017 electoral victory, and to advocate for the release of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The group further accused Nigeria’s past and current administrations of neglecting the widespread violence against Christians, warning that failure to address the crisis could lead to a full-scale religious and ethnic conflict.

“The killings of Igbos and Christians in Nigeria under the guise of fighting IPOB must stop. Only a referendum can restore peace and justice in the country,” the statement concluded.