News

By Omolara Adasofunjo

The Ogun State House of Assembly has intervened in the recent transfer of teachers across the state, following concerns raised by the state chapter of the Academic staff union of secondary schools,Asuss.

The Speaker of the House, Mr Oludaisi Elemide, made the appeal during a stakeholders’ meeting involving lawmakers, the Teaching Service Commission and the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Mr Elemide who urged the Teaching Service Commission to address issues raised by the state chapter of the union, advised the commission to adopt a humane approach in the exercise.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Comrade Felix Agbesanwa, represented by the State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress and immediate past ASUSS Chairman, Comrade Akeem Lasisi, alongside the Welfare Secretary, Mr Femi Ayannuga, and the State Secretary, Mr Oluseyi Bankole, said the union was not opposed to redeployment.

They, however, called for a review of the exercise, citing concerns over its timing, possible effects on external examinations such as the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, accommodation and transportation challenges, teachers’ morale and professional stability.

The union appealed to the Teaching Service Commission to review the transfers in the interest of teachers’ welfare and effective teaching and learning in public secondary schools across the state.

In a response, Commissioner, Teaching Service Commission, Mr Adeola Akintonde, commended the Speaker and the House for the intervention.

He said the commission had anticipated the concerns and had already constituted an appeal panel to address genuine cases raised by the union.

Edited by Taiwo Akinola

News

A new video of some passengers abducted by gunmen during the Abuja-Kaduna train attack has been released.

In the short clip, six passengers, including a Pakistani, were seen sitting and kneeling in front of the camera with a gun-wielding man in green balaclava marshalling them.

According to  report, the footage was recently shot in the den of the kidnappers.

A couple of victims who spoke appealed to the federal government to heed the demands of their abductors to aid their release.

Mohammed, the Pakistani, urged both the Nigerian government and the authorities of his home country to come to the victims’ aid.

“My name is Mohammed, I’m working here in Nigeria, but a foreign national, a Pakistani. We were abducted from the Abuja-Kaduna train on 28 March. We are here; 62 in number,” he said.

“The conditions are not very good. I am appealing to the government of Nigeria; the government of Pakistan and the international community to help us.”

An unnamed victim in hijab reiterated the plea amid tears, adding that she is in captivity alongside her family.

“We are pleading with anybody who is in any position to assist us to please come to our aid — and give our abductors their demand so they can let us go. I’m here with my entire family.

It had recently reported that, the abductors’ threat to start killing hostages in seven days if their demands are not met.

The terrorists demanded the release of their children, who they said are in the custody of the Nigerian army.

The gunmen had in March attacked the train around the Kateri-Rijana area of Kaduna, killing several passengers and abducting many.

Cable/Taiwo Akinola