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Students Protest As FG, Striking Varsity Workers’ Talks Fail

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The meeting between the Federal Government and the non-academic staff in the nation’s public universities yesterday ended in a deadlock as the nationwide strike by members Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, continued to paralyse public universities across the country.

 

The industrial action is being coordinated by Joint Action Committee, JAC, of SSANU, and NASU

Report says the meeting will continue today by 3 p.m. for further discussions.

The indefinite strike has crippled activities in public universities, shutting down clinics, administrative blocks, hostels and academic support services nationwide.

The University of Maiduguri, UNIMAID, has already postponed its e-examinations due to the ongoing industrial action, while workers at the University of Jos, UNIJOS, on Monday staged a peaceful protest over unresolved welfare issues and delays in the renegotiation of agreements with the Federal Government.

The strike, which began on April 30, followed the expiration of a one-month ultimatum issued by SSANU and NASU to the government to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement with non-teaching staff unions.

The unions rejected the Federal Government’s unilateral 30 per cent salary increase, insisting on a 40 per cent adjustment and accusing the government of failing to follow the collective bargaining process required by labour laws.

Report quoted sources at Monday’s meeting as saying that government representatives explained the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal of the earlier 30 per cent offer and appealed to the unions to suspend the strike while efforts continued to resolve the issues.

However, the union leaders reportedly declined to make such a commitment without consulting their respective organs, leading to the adjournment of the meeting.

Speaking earlier on the strike, SSANU National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, described the industrial action as a total shutdown with full compliance nationwide.

“It’s very effective — total shutdown for now,” Ibrahim said. “All clinics, administrative blocks, hostels, departments, faculty offices, admin offices, finance offices, even those providing so-called essential services, have been ordered to withdraw.”

He maintained that the unions were demanding fairness and equity, stressing that the minimum benchmark for negotiation remained a 40 per cent increase.“Our position remains the same: we’ve asked for equity”.

“, consideration and fairness, so nothing has changed,” he said. “We will go and listen to them at the meeting, but the strike is on.”

In a memo issued by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, UNIMAID said the postponement of examinations became necessary because of the strike.

“In view of the non-teaching staff strike, the above exams will be rescheduled until the current strike is suspended,” the directive signed by the Exams and Time-Table Coordinator, Prof. Dani Mamman, stated.

At UNIJOS, members of NASU and SSANU marched from the university’s main gate to the Senate Building, chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards to press home their demands.

SSANU Chairperson at UNIJOS, Anthony Jauro, criticised what he described as disparity in staff welfare and delays in addressing the concerns of non-teaching staff.

“Our advice to government is that creating division among staff welfare in the university system is not good. Why create disparity? Are you trying to create a crisis?” he asked.

He said while negotiations with some unions had been concluded earlier in the year with partial implementation, others were still being neglected.

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Transfer: Real Madrid , Cucurella Reach Verbal Agreement 

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Chelsea reliable defender, Marc Cucurella may join Spanish giant, Real Madrid before the end of the current transfer window.if information from transfer journalist, Fabrizio Romano are anything to go by.

 

Romano In a latest transfer update, said Real Madrid has reached verbal agreement to sign Marc Cucurella from Chelsea.

“Verbal agreement in place between all parties, player too — he’s the left back wanted by Mourinho” the update read.

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Hakimi, Vinicius Barred From Speaking Spanish At World Cup

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FIFA has come under scrutiny after several high-profile players, including Achraf Hakimi and Vinicius Junior, were discouraged from speaking Spanish during media engagements at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.

 

The issue first surfaced ahead of Morocco’s Group C clash with Brazil when a Spanish-speaking journalist attempted to question Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi in Spanish.

Despite Hakimi, who grew up in Madrid and speaks the language fluently, indicating he was comfortable answering in Spanish, event officials reportedly insisted that questions be asked in English.

Hakimi attempted to reassure organizers that language would not be a barrier, but officials maintained that no Spanish translator was available for the session. A compromise was eventually reached, with the reporter asking the question in Spanish while Hakimi responded in English.

The controversy intensified during Brazil’s media session when Vinicius Junior was also interrupted while responding to a question in Spanish.

The Real Madrid forward, who is more comfortable speaking Portuguese or Spanish than English, was reportedly asked by organizers to switch languages.

Rather than continue in Spanish, Vinicius opted to answer in Portuguese before turning his attention back to Brazil’s World Cup preparations.

The incidents sparked widespread debate among journalists and fans, many of whom questioned why Spanish—a language spoken by millions across North America—was effectively restricted at a tournament being hosted largely in the United States.

According to Spanish media outlet El País, FIFA only provides Spanish-language translation services at World Cup press conferences involving Spanish-speaking nations such as Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador, and Paraguay.

For all other teams, questions and answers are expected to be conducted either in English or the official language of the participating country.

The policy has generated criticism online, with many supporters arguing that multilingual communication should be encouraged at a global event like the World Cup.

The backlash was particularly strong in Vinicius’ case, as the Brazilian forward appeared visibly uncomfortable being asked to communicate in English.

The controversy overshadowed what was otherwise a highly anticipated encounter between Brazil and Morocco, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

With the issue now drawing international attention, FIFA may face increasing calls to review its media language guidelines as the tournament progresses.

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It’s Illegal’…Falana’s Bombshell Indicts Govs, FG.

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Human rights advocate, Femi Falana, has warned federal and state governments against negotiating with and rewarding terrorists.

 

According to Falana, the practice is illegal.

He stated this while delivering the keynote address at the Amnesty International Second Annual General Meeting in Abuja on June 13, 2026.

Falana claimed it is public knowledge officials of the Federal Government and some State Governments have been holding meetings and negotiating with terrorists and bandits, which has led to thousands of ‘repentant’ criminals being forgiven and given cash gifts of undisclosed sums of money.

Asserting that the “satanic Boko Haram sect and similar bodies have been proscribed” under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, Falana insisted that “their members and allies shall be prosecuted and not pampered and forgiven by the Nigerian State.”

Highlighting the legal consequences, he quoted Section 22 of the Act, stating: “A person who knowingly—(a) arranges, manages, assists in arranging or managing, participates in a meeting or an activity, which in his knowledge is concerned or connected with an act of terrorism or terrorist group, (b) collects, or provides logistics, equipment, information, articles or facilities for a meeting or an activity, which in his knowledge is concerned or connected with an act of terrorism or terrorist group, or (c) attends a meeting, which in his knowledge is to support a proscribed entity or to further the objectives of a proscribed entity, commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of at least 20 years.”

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