Connect with us

Breaking News

Soldiers Deployed to Campus as Lecturers’ Strike Threatens to Derail Semester Exams

Published

on

‎Tensions at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, reached a boiling point on Monday as soldiers were deployed to examination halls to counter threats by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) to disrupt ongoing semester examinations. The escalation follows ASUP’s declaration of an indefinite strike on September 15, protesting 18 months of unpaid excess workload allowances, with some grievances dating back 36 months from the previous administration.

‎ASUP, led by Comrade Kolo Joshua, directed its members to boycott the examinations and allegedly warned against any participation in supervising the process. A staff member, speaking anonymously to Daily Trus, confirmed that soldiers were stationed across examination centers to protect students and academic staff willing to conduct the exams. “The polytechnic started examinations today, and while some staff volunteered to participate, the union had threatened to stop the process. That was why management brought in soldiers to ensure security,” the source revealed.

‎The polytechnic started examinations today, and while some staff volunteered to participate, the union had threatened to stop the process

‎The deployment follows a September 13 circular by the institution’s Registrar, Hussaini Muhammad Enagi, suspending ASUP’s activities on campus due to security concerns. The move has been met with fierce resistance from the union, with Joshua accusing the polytechnic’s management of resorting to intimidation tactics, including issuing queries to ASUP executives, instead of addressing the lecturers’ financial grievances.

“The unpaid allowances, spanning 18 months under the current rector and 36 months under the previous administration, have caused immense hardship and dampened morale,” Joshua stated. He urged union members to vacate the campus for their safety, emphasizing that their demands remain unresolved.

‎This is a civil matter. I went round the examination centers and did not see soldiers. Management only ensured the examination held despite the union’s strike

‎However, the polytechnic’s Information Officer, Mallam Abubakar Dzukogi, denied claims of military involvement, insisting that only some institutional directors stepped in to oversee the examinations after lecturers withdrew.

“This is a civil matter. I went round the examination centers and did not see soldiers. Management only ensured the examination held despite the union’s strike,” Dzukogi told reporters. His statement contradicts eyewitness accounts, further fueling the controversy.

‎The standoff has deepened the rift between ASUP and the polytechnic’s management, raising fears of prolonged disruptions to the academic calendar. With students caught in the crossfire, the deployment of soldiers to secure examination halls marks a troubling precedent in the institution’s handling of labor disputes. Stakeholders are now calling for urgent dialogue to resolve the crisis and prevent further escalation, as the unresolved allowances continue to cast a shadow over academic activities at Federal Polytechnic, Bida.

Continue Reading

Breaking News

National Pension Commission (PenCom) changes price disclosure rule

Published

on

National Pension Commission (PenCom) has directed Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) to discontinue the publication of daily unit prices for Retirement Savings Account (RSA) and Retiree Funds on their websites, replacing the requirement with a six-month disclosure of returns based on a three-year rolling average.

The directive was contained in a circular issued by the commission.

Under the new guideline, PFAs must stop implementing Section 2.0 (iv) of the Commission’s March 23, 2013 circular, which required them to display daily unit prices for the last seven days.

Instead, they are to publish on their websites the last six months’ rate of return — calculated as a 36-month compounded rolling average in line with the Circular for the Calculation and Reporting of Rate of Returns by Licensed Pension Fund Operators (LPFOs).

According to the commission, the rate of return must be clearly displayed on the homepage of each PFA’s website.

For instance, the six-month disclosure covering April to September 2025 would reflect the 36-month compounded returns ending in each of those months.

This has however raised transparency concerns in the pension industry.

The 2013 circular on Minimum Information to be displayed on PFA Websites formed part of PenCom’s transparency framework for the Contributory Pension Scheme.

The latest addendum modifies that requirement but does not remove PFAs’ obligation to disclose performance information.

Industry watchers say the development may reignite debate over the balance between long-term investment reporting and real-time transparency in Nigeria’s pension industry.

All enquiries on the addendum, the Commission said, should be directed to its Surveillance Department.

An industry analyst who does not want her name mentioned said the move could reduce contributors’ access to real-time performance data.

She said: “Daily unit prices allowed RSA holders to independently track short-term movements and detect fluctuations in fund valuation.

“With only a three-year rolling average now required, contributors will no longer see recent performance in isolation”, she noted.

The analyst added that while pension funds are long-term vehicles, removing daily disclosure raises concerns about information asymmetry.

“PFAs will still compute daily valuations internally. The issue is whether contributors should be denied access to data that already exists,” the analyst said.

However, another pension expert defended the directive, noting that pensions are structured for long-term accumulation and should be assessed over extended periods.

“A 36-month rolling average smooth’s out short-term volatility and provides a more accurate reflection of sustained performance,” the expert said, warning that excessive focus on daily fluctuations could encourage reactionary fund switching.

Continue Reading

Breaking News

Dollar rises in black market on Monday, traders quote new exchange rate

Published

on

Dollar edges higher against the naira in black market trading Dollar edges higher against the naira in black market trading

The United States dollar at the parallel market increased in value on Monday, Febuary 23 with traders quote at N1,375/$ as the new selling exchange rate.

The new rate is a slight depreciation for the naira when compared to N1,343 a dollar market closed on Friday, February 20, 2026.

Abdulahhi, a forex dealer, told Legit.ng that the new exchange rate follows renew demand in the market.

“I am currently selling dollars at N1,375/$1 and buying at N1,355/$1. The pound is trading at N1,845 to sell and N1,805 to buy, while the euro is also moving steadily in the market.

“It seems this week the dollar will return to over N1,400. I have been getting a lot of request.”

The fall of the naira comes as BDC operators continue to face difficulties in accessing dollars from commercial banks.

BDCs can get dollar

The apex bank had previously issued a circular allowing licensed BDCs to access foreign exchange through authorised dealers at the prevailing market rate.

Under the directive, each BDC is permitted to purchase up to $150,000 weekly, subject to Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements and due diligence checks, Punch reports.

Leadership reported that despite a policy announcement, some operators disclosed that no transactions have been completed under the new arrangement.

A BDC operator, who requested anonymity, said the directive remains largely unimplemented. According to him, the circular provides that disbursements will be made through settlement accounts, a provision that has raised operational concerns.

He questioned the feasibility of seamless, real-time transfers between domiciliary accounts across different banks, noting that such infrastructure may not yet be fully in place.

The operator added that while commercial banks appear supportive of the policy, many are still developing internal processes to align with the CBN’s directive.

He explained that BDCs are required to submit bid orders through their banks, which would then access the market on their behalf.

Naira in the official market

Meanwhile, in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM), the naira closed against the US dollar on Friday, February 20 at N1,346.32/$1 from N1,341.35/$1 a day earlier.

At the GTBank FX desk, the naira weakened by N7 against the dollar to quote N1,356/$1.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2026 Naijacoaded | All Right Reserved | Powered by Naijacoaded.com |