The police officers accused the officers of the civil defence corps of interfering with their duties.

Some Nigerian police officers on Tuesday afternoon engaged in a public brawl with officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps at Berger roundabout in Abuja.

A witness, who did not want his name published, told PREMIUM TIMES that about ten police officers picked a fight with three Civil Defence officers because they felt the latter were interfering with their duty.

“The police officers were trying to stop a vehicle and the Civil Defence people came to interfere, then the police officers who were more in number attacked them and started beating them up.

“I saw an officer using a whip on the Civil Defence guy while another pointed a gun at him,” the witness said.

Another witness said there were sporadic gunshots with both parties lashing out at each other with whips.

“There were gunshots and then I saw a police officer flogging a Civil Defence officer with a whip while he was trying to run away,” the witness, who would also not like to be named, said.

The fierce fight caused a major traffic gridlock at Berger Roundabout up to Utako Area of Abuja.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that it took the intervention of a Divisional Police Officer from Utako Police Station to resolve the fracas.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Abuja Police Command, Doris England, said she is not aware of the situation and would make inquires about it.

Efforts to reach Ms. England later, proved abortive as she did not pick or return calls made to her phone.

It has only been about six months since members of the Civil Defence Corps were allowed to carry arms.

The federal government on June 13, approved the carrying of arms by officials of the civil defence.

They move, it was said, was to assist other security personnel in the security of lives and property in the country.

Patience Jonathan, wife of Nigeria’s President wept in Kaduna yesterday when she paid a condolence visit to Mrs Amina Yakowa, wife of Gov. Patrick Yakowa, who died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.

“I am sorry I am crying because I am a woman; I know what she (Amina) is passing through. It’s quite unfortunate that we lost a peaceful and supportive man, a man who was always filled with joy.
“My only advice to you my friend is that you should take heart, have faith in God because only God can comfort and protect you and your kids”, the first lady said.

A man was lynched in Nyeri, Kenya by angry residents after he was caught raping an 80-year-old woman.

The man’s accomplice was also severely injured in the incident.
According to residents of Kahacha village, the two robbers attacked the elderly woman at her home where they raped her in turns before robbing her off Sh. 15, 000. The woman managed to raise alarm as the two tried to escape.

Neighbors who heard her cry for help caught up with the two men and beat them severely. One of the assailants succumbed to the beating while the other was rescued by police officers who had rushed to the scene of the incident.

The assailant and the woman were taken to Karatina District Hospital where they were treated and discharged. The assailant however is in police custody and will be arraigned in court this week.

Nyeri police boss said that the assailant will face charges of rape and robbery with violence.

The Presidential (Special) Visitation Panel to the University of Abuja, in its report to the Federal Government, has said that the university graduated students who had carryovers in its 2003/2004 session. It also identified the absence of an academic culture in the management of the affairs of the institution from inception.
The Dr. T. C Osanakpo-led Panel in the report which was exclusively obtained by our correspondent, and accessed on Monday, said it took into cognizance the general environment, conduct and the host community as the major concepts in the term of reference addressed under the focus area of conduct of academic and non-academic staff.
The panel noted that the graduation of 31 students of the English Department who had varying numbers of carry-over courses in the 2003/2004 session, “indicates the highest degree of carelessness, incompetence, and insensitivity.’’
It added, “We have every reason to believe that there could be more of such cases. The Senate should be directed to revisit these cases and take appropriate action.”
The panel examined the general atmosphere in the university under different administrations from the first (Prof. Isa Mohammed) to the fifth and current (Prof. JSA Adelabu), and the conduct of academic and non-academic staff before reaching its conclusions.
It noted among other things, that” In terms of management of academic matters, the Panel noted that it is characterised by non-existence/lack of examination and student record office/unit (s) at the university, and management’s/vice chancellor’s reluctance to deal/dispense with proven cases of examination misconduct and malpractices (e.g. the case of graduation of unqualified students (31 No. 2003/2004 session) by Dr. Nnadi of English Department.
“There is also evidence of confirmation of results administratively on behalf of Senate by the Vice Chancellor without due diligence and authorisation ( the case of 31 No. unqualified graduates from English Department);
“Over-admission of students in all programmes of the university resulting in over-stressing, over crowding and over-use of available university physical and manpower resources, and ineffective performance of personnel in carrying out examination administration functions.’’
The panel indicted the university administration for poor record keeping and computation of students Grade Point Average
“It was characterised, in the case of academic staff, by absence from examination invigilation without approval, lack of diligent supervision of postgraduate students, delays in the marking of examination scripts, grading and release of results as well as in the conduct of postgraduate examinations.
“In the case of non-academic staff, they participate in examination invigilation, particularly the junior non-academic staff cadres, too low by training, rank and experience to be part of academic affairs of the university, overstay (surprisingly, in the examinations of the regular programmes of the University).”
The Panel also found out that N98m was expended on ICT from 1999 to date out of which N18. 52m was expended on networking at the Mini Campus aside from the many special grants received from agencies like TETFUND and the National Communications Commission.
It, however, noted that, “Despite the various huge investments, there is no functional e-library on the campuses of the university in a Federal Capital Territory.”
Courtesy Punch