Journalists Leaders Launch The Congress of African Journalists

See press release below

CONGRESS OF AFRICAN JOURNALISTS (CAJ)*

23 JUNE 2020

*PRESS RELEASE*

*Journalists Leaders Launch The Congress of African Journalists (CAJ)*

Leaders of African Journalists organisations have today launched the 

Congress of African Journalists (CAJ) to face the current challenging 

effects of COVID-19 and the collateral impacts on press freedom, the 

safety of journalists, access to information, affecting journalists in 

the course of their work.

The inaugural meeting to launch the Congress was hosted by the Nigeria 

Union of Journalists (NUJ) with the attendance of participants from: 

Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, 

Senegal, Somalia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, and Zimbabwe. The Congress 

set-up an Interim Governing Council of six (6) members presided by 

Alexandre Niyungeko (President of Union of Burundi Journalists).

Other members of the Interim Governing Council consists of Foster 

Dongozi (Secretary General of Zimbabwe Union of Journalists) 

Vice-President, William Oloo, (Chairman of Kenya Correspondents 

Association) Secretary, Patricia Adjissekou (Secretary General of Togo 

Union of Independent Journalists) Treasurer; Christopher Isiguzo, 

(President of Nigeria Union of Journalists), and Aicha Ahmed Youssouf 

(President of Djibouti Union of the Press and Audiovisual).

  “On the launch of this Congress of African Journalists we commend all 

African journalists for their dedication to press freedom and access to 

information for the general public. We call on African Governments to 

empower the journalists and media organisations to do their work 

efficiently in this trying moment of COVID19.” said the Interim 

President of CAJ

Reports have noted that many journalists have fallen sick or died of 

COVID19, and others have been victimised in the course of their duties 

as essential workers in the frontline to inform the general public. “We 

condole with the victims and their families ” the CAJ added.

The CAJ condemns all attacks on journalists, and calls for the release 

of all journalists in prison in Africa.

The CAJ will continue to engage with all Governments, the African Union 

and partners in expanding freedom of expression and access to 

information for good governance and welfare of the people in Africa.

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*For more information, contact: admin@africanjournalists.org;* 

*cajournalists@gmail.com*

*Tel of Secretary : +254 786 396 945;  Tel of President:+250 738 286 581*

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*CONGRES DES JOURNALISTES AFRICAINS (CAJ)*

23 JUIN 2020

*COMMUNIQUE*

*Les dirigeants des journalistes lancent le Congrès des Journalistes*

*Africains (CAJ)*

Les dirigeants des organisations des journalistes africains ont lancé 

aujourd'hui le Congrès des Journalistes Africains (CAJ) en vue de faire 

face aux défis actuels de la Covid19 et ses impacts collatéraux sur la 

liberté de la presse, la sécurité des journalistes, l’accès à 

l’information, qui affectent les journalistes dans leur travail.

La réunion inaugurale du lancement du Congrès a été accueillie par 

l’Union des Journalistes du Nigéria (NUJ) avec des participants du 

Bénin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopie, Kenya, Nigeria, 

Sénégal, Somalie, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, and Zimbabwe. Le Congrès a 

désigné un Conseil de direction Intérimaire de six membres présidé par 

Alexandre Niyungeko (Président de l'Union Burundaise des Journalistes).

Les autres membres du Conseil de direction provisoire sont Foster 

Dongozi (Secrétaire Général du syndicat des journalistes du  Zimbabwe) 

Vice-Président, William Oloo, (Président de l’Association des 

Correspondants du Kenya) Secrétaire, Patricia Adjissekou (Secrétaire 

Générale de l’Union des Journalistes Indépendants du Togo) Trésorière; 

Christopher Isiguzo, (Président of de l’Union des Journalistes du 

Nigéria), et Aïcha Ahmed Youssouf (Présidente du syndicat de la presse 

et de l’audiovisuel de Djibouti)

“A l’occasion du lancement du congrès des journalists africains nous 

félicitons tous les journalists africains pour leur engagement à la 

liberté de la presse et à l'accès à l'information du public. Nous 

appelons les Gouvernements africains à soutenir les journalistes et les 

organisations des médias à accomplir leur travail efficacement en ce 

moment difficile de la COVID19” a dit le Président intérimaire de la CAJ

  Des rapports notent que plusieurs journalistes sont malades ou morts de 

la COVID19, et d'autres ont été victimisés au cours de leur travail en 

tant que travailleurs essentiels au front pour informer le public. “Nous 

compatissons avec les victimes et leurs familles ” a ajouté le CAJ.

Le CAJ condamne toutes les attaques sur les journalistes et demande la 

libération des journalistes emprisonnés en Afrique.

Le CAJ va continuer à interpeller les Gouvernements, l'Union Africaine 

et les partenaires en vue de la défense de la liberté d'expression et 

l'accès à l'information pour la bonne gouvernance et le bien-être en 

Afrique.

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*Pour plus information, contacter : admin@africanjournalists.org;* 

*cajournalists@gmail.com*

*Tél du Secrétaire: +254 786 396 945; Tél du Président: +250 738 286 581*

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Congress of African Journalists (FAJ)

Maison de la Presse

5, Rue x Corniche, Medina

Dakar Senegal

E-mail: admin@africanjournalists.org

            cajournalists@gmail.com

NO UNIFORM UTME MINIMUM SCORE FOR ADMISSION

NO UNIFORM UTME MINIMUM SCORE FOR ADMISSION

 

There is a layer of misconceptions on what is generally described as “uniform minimum national UTME score” for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria. For long, many candidates and some members of the general public have come under erroneous impression that there is a minimum national UTME score, which they also refer to as “cut -off point”. The truth is that there is no one particular national minimum UTME score for all Universities, Polytechnics or Colleges of Education in Nigeria.  It has never been.  Similarly, in most cases, UTME score is not the sole determinant of placement of candidates into tertiary institutions. The undue attention to the so-called national minimum UTME score (UTME cut-off point) is a major source of failure of many ill-informed candidates who assumed that they have finally attained the benchmark having achieved the so called minimum national score or “cut off point’ for admission.

It is therefore a double jeopardy for many candidates who swallow the popular myth that there is a uniform UTME score (cut-off) for all Universities, Polytechnics or Colleges of Education in Nigeria. The myth also incorporates the erroneous impression that it is only the UTME score that constitutes the benchmark for admission. These are far from the truth.  Such candidates on attainment of particular grade in UTME celebrate in advance their imminent placements, which in reality may not be at the end of the day. 

The Board has repeatedly stated that:

1) No uniform minimum UTME score (cut -off) for all Universities, Polytechnics or Colleges of Education in Nigeria; each Institution determines and submits to JAMB its minimum UTME score; after having analyzed the UTME performances of its applicants against its available quota. Decisions at the annual Policy Meeting on Admission does not reduce the minimum prescription of the institutions except the few institutions whose submitted minimum UTME- scores fall below what the Policy Meeting considers as the minimum score acceptable.

2) UTME score is just one of the two or three scores that are generally added together to obtain the eventual aggregate score and ranking of the candidates.  Other parameters are Post-UTME /Post -A/L qualifications screening/test score; O/L grade score; and in some cases, physical test (such as applicable in the Nigerian Defence Academy/Police Academy).Therefore, It is the score from all the segments that are added together to have eventual ranking table or “cut off” score.

For the 2020 admission exercise, for example, no candidate with a UTME score of 209 can be considered for admission into any programme at the Pan African University (PAN) whose minimum UTME score is 210.  Also, no candidate with a UTME score of 199 can be admitted into any of the following universities whose minimum score is 200. 

i. Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife;

ii. University of Ibadan;

iii. Covenant University, Ota;

iiii. University of Lagos;and

v. University of Benin

No candidate with a score  less than 180 can be admitted into many of the universities including, the Lagos State University(190); Afe Babalola University(180);Nigerian Army University, Biu (180);University of Jos (180); University of Abuja (180); Redeemers University(180) University of Ilorin (180); Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (180), Bayero University Kano(180); Alex Ekwueme University(180) and PAMO University of Medical sciences, Port Hacourt(180)

Similarly for Polytechnics; no candidate with a UTME score of 199 is admissible into the School of Orthopedic Cast Technology,Ilorin, which has set 200 as its minimum UTME score; just as the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Imo State has set a minimum UTME score of 180; Airforce Institute of Technology, Kaduna(170) and Abdu Gusau Polytechnic, Talata Mafara, Zamfara State (160)

As for the Colleges of Education, the 100 minimum score being paraded is not generally correct because no candidate can be admitted into any of the following Coleges of Education with a UTME score less than 180 :

i. College of Education, Maru, Zamfara State;

ii. Federal College of Education, Eha-Amufu, Enugu State

iii. Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha-Nsit, Akwa Ibom State.

iiii. Onit Colleg of Education, Mbaukwu, Anambra State

In the category of Innovation Enterprise Institutions, the minimum UTME score for some of the institutions are as follows:

i. Laurel School of Mines, Ogudu, Lagos    - 180;

ii. NTA College, Jos – 170; and

iii. Oluaka Institute of Technology, Owerri,- 150

 

Again, it is important to note that there are cases of candidates with UTME scores of above 300 that may eventually rank below some other candidates with UTME score of 200 when all other scores are aggregated.

Even within each institution, there is a different minimum score (cut –off) for admission into different programmes (courses).They are usually significantly higher for courses such as MBBS, Engineering, Nursing, Law, etc, with overall available space of less than 10% of the applicants.

the Board has over the years reiterated the above points to sentizise the general public on the so the called national minimum scores for all tertiary institutions which has continued to generate confusion on the quality of candidates being admitted into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

It is also noted that UTME is a ranking examination designed to place the best available registered candidates into Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and other accredited tertiary institutions in Nigeria. As such, the minimum scores into each institution or programme varies; based on academic performances of candidates who applied to such institutions. Over the years, few programmes such as MBBS, Engineering, Law and Pharmacy are oversubscribed by candidates. Also, some of the institutions attract more candidates than many others, thereby making it imperative for each institution to set its own minimum score, based on its circumstances and as approved at the Policy Meeting.

The Board had always published on its website

(www.jamb.gov.ng) full details of minimum  UTME score for each institution. The body has also always reminded candidates to note that each programme (course) has a different minimum score which is usually very high for competitive programmes.

POLICE PARADE 24 CYBERCRIME SUSPECTS INCLUDING ONE FEMALE

PRESS R

ELEASE

POLICE PARADE 24 CYBERCRIME SUSPECTS INCLUDING ONE FEMALE

·         Three (3) brothers arrested for running fake Frank Mba Foundation Facebook and Bank Accounts  

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested twenty-four (24) suspects comprising twenty-three (23) male and one (1) female for cybercrime and other related offences. The suspects were arrested for their involvement and indictment in cases of romance and online dating scams, generating and deployment of fake bank alerts, hacking and fraudulent wire transfers, cyber stalking and impersonation of high-profile personalities in Nigeria and across the world.  

Exhibits recovered from the suspects include:

i.             11 Laptop Computers

ii.           37 Mobile Phones

iii.          11 SIM cards of different telecoms networks

iv.          5 International passports

v.            12 ATM Cards

vi.          Fake US Dollar notes.  

vii.         Quantities of dry leaves suspected to be Marijuana    

Notable amongst the cases is the arrest of three brothers - Emmanuel Ushie - 23yrs; Henry Ushie - 30 years old and a graduate of Statistics from Anambra State University and Matthew Ushie - 28 years old and an OND graduate from Federal Polytechnic Oko, for running a fake Frank Mba Foundation bank account with FCMB. The trio used a fake Facebook account and the fraudulently operated bank account to defraud innocent Nigerians of their hard earned monies under the pretext that the Foundation is raising money to help vulnerable Nigerians during the Covid-19 pandemic. Investigations by the police operatives attached to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) reveal that the brothers engage extensively and serially in such frauds and other related cybercrimes.

During unrelenting manhunt of the fraudsters, Henry Ushie 'm' 30yrs, an elder sibling to Emmanuel Ushie, was identified as the gang leader of the syndicate behind the scam. He went underground as his younger siblings also involved in the crime were arrested.

Following weeks of intense follow-up and meticulous investigations, the kingpin - Henry Ushie 'm' was arrested on Thursday 11/6/2020 at about 1255hrs at a hideout in Ihiala, Anambra State. His arrest eventually led to the arrest of his younger brother Mathew Ushie 'm' who is also an active member of the syndicate.

Further investigation reveal that Mathew Ushie 'm' had been arrested in Ghana last year in a well publicised bust of fraudsters where he and other international fraudsters used the name of the Inspector General of Police of Ghana, John Kudalor to defraud unsuspecting Ghanaian policemen in the guise of providing opportunity for them to attend United Nations peacekeeping mission using a fake Facebook account. Information about his arrest and parading before the press in Ghana is available on the internet.

Similarly, Henry Ushie had also been arrested in 2017 by the IRT for impersonating then ACP ABBA Kyari, the Commander IRT on Facebook and defrauding many innocent Nigerians before he was arrested and subsequently charged to Court for impersonation. He eventually got bail from the court and went back to same crime.

All the suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations.

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Abubakar Adamu once again uses this medium to assure Nigerians of the continued resolve of the Force to rid the country of all forms of crimes and criminality including cybercrimes. He also urges citizens to redirect their energy to the positive utilization of the cyberspace, cyber resources and the social media, and shun their related negative influences. 

DCP FRANK MBA

FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

FORCE HEADQUARTERS

ABUJA