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JUST IN: FG opposes N/Assembly’s proposals for 200 new varsities
The federal government has expressed opposition to the proposals by the National Assembly for creation of nearly 200 new universities in the country.
It said with almost 200 bills in the National Assembly for establishment of new universities, there is a growing concern that the system is becoming overwhelmed.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, stated this in Abuja yesterday during the third edition of the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing.
The country currently has 278 universities, 64 of which are federal; 67, state; and 147, private.
The government had, last month, announced a one-year moratorium on the establishment of new private universities “to enhance the quality and sustainability of private universities, ensuring that only institutions with the necessary financial and academic capacity are granted licenses.”
The minister yesterday emphasised that strengthening the capacities of the existing universities is more important than establishing new ones.
He said: “They (lawmakers) are passing a lot of bills. Today, I can tell you that there are almost 200 bills in the National Assembly. We can’t continue like this.
Even though we have a lot of them, the capacity for a university to admit is not there. What we need to do now is to rebuild the capacities so that we can offer more viable courses to our citizens.
“We need to stop this (the 200 bills for new universities) from happening. There is so much pressure on the president. We have to, at least, be sensitive to it as well.
“I understand the sentiment of our legislators. They want to show that they are working. We know they are working. But then, we have enough assets, we have enough opportunities out there for students to go to universities.
“What we now need to do is to begin to mobilise more resources to develop infrastructures, build engineering workshops, build laboratories in these universities, recruit international standard teachers, so that we can begin to get these universities to develop, to deliver high quality of education that will be known for as a country.
“Today, if you care to know, we have 64 federal universities, 67 state universities and 147 private universities.
If you look at the entire enrolment together, the private universities account for just 7.5% of total undergraduate enrolment.
I will tell you the meaning of the number. The total number of undergraduate enrolments today is just about 875,000, which is, at least, fairly low.
“We have universities with less than 1,000 undergraduate students, and there is this intense demand for more universities to be opened. We have to stop that.”
however, it is not only the legislators that are obsessed with pushing for the establishing of universities as constituency project or for status symbol.
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National Police Council Ratifies Disu’s Appointment
Disu is now expected to proceed to the senate for confirmation as the last hurdle before attaining a substantive position as the IGP.
The National Police Council has ratified the appointment of Olatunji Disu as the acting Inspector General of Police.
The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu , the third National Police Council session under his administration since taking office.
Disu was nominated by the president last week following the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun .
Disu is now expected to proceed to the senate for confirmation as the last hurdle before attaining a substantive position as the IGP
The National Police Council is responsible for the organisation, administration and operational oversight of the Nigeria Police Force, including the appointment and discipline of senior officers.Governors of Kwara, Ogun, Lagos, Ondo, Enugu and Plateau states attended the meeting, alongside the ministers of Police Affairs, the Federal Capital Territory and Interior.
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DSS Arrests Suspect Over Edo Attack on Peter Obi, Others
Stephen stated online that Obi was lucky to have escaped in Benin, and vowed that the former presidential candidate wouldn’t be that lucky next time.
• Suspect Udeme Monday Stephen, posted on his X account @stevetom788.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested a man suspected of being behind the recent attempt to assassinate the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, in Benin, the Edo State capital.
Obi, a former governor of Edo State, Chief John Oyegun, and several chieftains and members of the opposition All Democratic Congress (ADC), on February 24, escaped death by the whiskers when armed men fired several gunshots at them at their party’s meeting in Benin.
Shortly after the attack, one Udeme Monday Stephen, posted on his X account @stevetom788.
He claimed responsibility for the attack and threatened further attacks on Obi.
Stephen stated online that Obi was lucky to have escaped in Benin, and vowed that the former presidential candidate wouldn’t be that lucky next time.
“We warned Obi against his entrance into Edo State, but he mistook our resolve for his Obidiots online noise. Thank his stars he (Obi) survived this one…
“I learned that he’s going to my Rivers State… Na my men go handle that one and dem no dey miss target… Speak no peace to a bastard and wish him no long life, for he’s destined to die,” posted Udeme.
A top security source disclosed that, no sooner had Stephen issued the threat than DSS operatives began covert investigation, deploying forensic analysis to track and arrest him.
The source disclosed that the suspect is 26 year old called Udeme Monday Stephen, and teaches at Jessica High School in Eliozu, Rivers State, at Umuehere Community, in Obio-Akpor LGA of the state.
“I strongly believe that the outcome of the agency’s forensic investigations implicated the suspect,” the source stressed”
You know that, as a responsible security organisation saddled with the task of counter-espionage, VIP protection, among other asset protection duties, the DSS is always alive to its responsibility of investigating credible intelligence, irrespective of tribe or religion.
“They swiftly deployed operatives and the man who threatened Peter Obi was nabbed and is in custody,” the source declared, adding that Stephen would soon be charged to court.
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Chaos at Lagos Airport tollgate as cashless policy commences
The implementation of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria’s (FAAN) new cashless payment policy at airport access gates sparked significant chaos and gridlock at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) tollgate in Lagos on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
Motorists and passengers faced long delays, with vehicles backing up at the toll lanes as many drivers attempted to register for the required prepaid “Go Cashless” cards on the spot.
The policy, which took full effect nationwide on March 1, 2026, prohibits cash payments at airport toll gates, car parks, executive lounges, and other revenue points, mandating the use of contactless prepaid cards issued by FAAN.
The sudden enforcement caught numerous users unprepared, despite prior announcements and publicity campaigns urging early registration at designated FAAN offices or points near entrances.
Reports described heated exchanges between drivers and toll officials, failed electronic transactions, and confusion over the new system, leading to some passengers missing flights and widespread frustration.
FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, confirmed that no cash payments were accepted on the first day, attributing the congestion to on-site registrations. He emphasized that the initiative aims to eliminate revenue leakages, enhance transparency, and align with the Federal Government’s push for a cashless economy, in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria.In response to the disruptions,
FAAN issued an appeal for patience and cooperation from motorists and airport users. The authority noted it had deployed additional personnel to the gates and increased registration points to speed up processing for first-time users.
Officials acknowledged the initial adjustment challenges as typical for such a major transition but assured that operations would stabilize over time.Similar gridlock was reported at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, highlighting nationwide implementation hiccups on day one.
FAAN reiterated that prepaid cards enable faster, safer, and more convenient transactions moving forward, with provisions made for easy access and activation.
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