Aisha Sani Maikudi, the acting vice-chancellor (VC) of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), says the school management is working to improve security on its campus.

Lately, there have been reports of purporting abduction attempts targeted at some members of the institution.

Addressing the situation in a statement on Friday, Maikudi described the reports as “baseless”.

She urged the UniAbuja students and members of staff to remain calm and continue with their regular activities.

Maikudi, however, said the school management had engaged the Nigerian military and some other security agencies to patrol the school campus.

She also urged the members of the institution to be vigilant and security conscious henceforth.

“It has come to my attention that rumours are circulating on social media concerning insecurity issues around the campus. Though baseless, we take all security issues very seriously,” the statement reads in part.

“In light of this, I encourage everyone to remain calm and go about their daily activities as usual.

“I ask that we all continue to be vigilant and security conscious, as has become the norm for us all. Your safety is our priority, and we must remain alert but not alarmed.

“Additionally, you may observe security personnel and vehicles on campus in the coming days. Please note that this is part of a routine security procedure aimed at strengthening our overall security architecture.

“These movements are conducted periodically, not only with the military but also with other security agencies, to ensure the continued safety and well-being of everyone within the University.

“We deeply appreciate your cooperation and understanding in maintaining a secure and safe learning environment for all.”

A Nigerian lecturer, Dr Nsikak Akpan is currently on a quest to break the Guinness World Record, GWR, for the longest lecture.

Akpan was permitted by the GWR to break the existing longest lecture currently held by an Indian Professor, Arvin Mishra who lectured for 139 hours 52 minutes 42 seconds lecture in 2014.

The Provost of Foreign Links College started the quest on Monday, September 23 inside the school campus, Moro, Ife-North local government, and as of the time of filing this report Wednesday afternoon, has lectured for 54 hours.

The Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, alumni is delivering a lecture on, “the relationship between man’s environment and health”, with students of the school sitting as audience.

He is set to complete the task on Sunday, September 29, 2024, by 5 pm.

When completed, he would be the first Nigerian lecturer to complete such a task.

According to him, the quest is aimed at giving back to the academic environment as he attempts to tell the world about the consequences of abusing the environment on man.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has given the federal government a fresh 14-day pre-strike notice.

ASUU has long been demanding the review and signing of its renegotiated 2009 agreement with the federal government, emergency revitalisation fund for public universities, the payment of outstanding earned academic allowances, and the release of withheld salaries.

It has also been seeking the remediation of promotion arrears and third-party deductions targeted at its members.

The union is also aggrieved about what it describes as illegal recruitment, the proliferation of public universities, and the abuse of university laws.

Also sought is the removal of the universities from the Treasury Single Account and the IPPIS to aid financial autonomy for universities.

In August, ASUU issued a 21-day notice to the federal government for a nationwide strike based on these demands.

The notice was to elapse on September 8 after which the union was to decide on protests and a nationwide strike.

After failed negotiations and unimplemented agreements, the federal government reconvened a meeting with ASUU on September 9.

A joint committee comprising ASUU, the education ministry, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and the labour ministry was set up to escalate the implementation of all residual issues.

The federal government, within that time, granted public tertiary institutions the right to operate endowment funds outside the treasury single account.

ASUU was expected to provide detailed information on the unpaid salaries of university staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments that are due to the application of the government’s coordinated payroll software IPPIS.

It was also asked to detail outstanding third-party deductions for onward transmission to the accountant general’s office.

Punch reports that ASUU has resolved to grant the federal government a fresh 14-day ultimatum to implement these demands.

Emmanuel Osodeke, the ASUU president, was quoted as saying the ultimatum is to count from September 23.

The president warned that the union would not be held responsible if the government caused a strike by failing to seize the new window.