VP Osinbajo
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, today delivered the keynote address at the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit.

The VP commended the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and stressed that the effort of Nigerians who are abroad was vital for national economic development.

Some of those who reacted, said it was good that the Federal Government recognized the contributions of Nigerians abroad to national economic development, adding that this would spur them to do more.

IPPIS
Hope seems to be in sight for Nigerian students after the Federal Government accepted the demand by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, that they be exempted from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System(IPPIS).

The government also shifted grounds on a number of issues, including the insistence that all academic staff of federal universities must be paid through the IPPIS platform.

Reading out the communique at the end of a seven-hour negotiation with ASUU members in Abuja, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said the government also agreed to ASUU’s demand to pay their members’ salary arrears from February to June through the old salary payment platform, Government Integrated Financial and Management Information System.

The development has generated a series of reactions with many commending the Federal Government for its decision to reach compromise with ASUU for the overall interest of Nigerian students and the future of education in the country.

They said it was now left for ASUU to call off the strike so that students can resume academic activities in earnest.

Gbajabiamilla, DSS
President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has again demonstrated its high level of intolerance to extrajudicial killings of innocent citizens by security personnel.

This was as the Department of State Services (DSS) effected the arrest of a security aide attached to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila.

The DSS in a statement issued on Friday said the personnel was detained following the alleged shooting of a vendor, Ifeanyi Okereke in the FCT, Abuja.

The Service assured Nigerians that it would be transparent and accountable in handling the issue, adding that “it is liaising with appropriate authorities to achieve this objective.”

Some Nigerians who reacted to the arrest, said it was the best thing to do, stating that it would further build confidence in the government's resolve to end all forms of brutality perpetrated by security personnel on innocent members of the public.

They also demanded adequate compensation for the bereaved family.

Umahi
There was a sharp division on social media over the statement by Ebonyi State Governor, Engr Dave Umahi, that the administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is far better than the 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Umahi who spoke in Abuja made this known on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

According to the governor, his decision to dump the PDP for the ruling party wasn’t done out of protests.

To Umahi, Ebonyi State has benefitted from the five-year administration of the ruling party unlike the 16 years PDP held sway at the nation’s helm of affairs.

Those in support of Umahi said his statement reflects the salient truth that some have not really been able to come to terms with. They ventilated their position by enumerating several developmental projects embarked upon by the APC-led administration, which according to them, are unrivaled by the 16 years of PDP rule.

9 police officers
Many Nigerians have described the successful rescue of all 9 police officers who went missing in Katsina State as a sign of improvement in the security and intelligence gathering architecture in the country.

Frank Mba, the Force Public Relations Officer, on Friday, confirmed the rescue of the security operatives, almost two weeks after they were declared missing. They were all assistant superintendents of police.

But few others have, however, expressed doubt over the rescue, alleging it was possible that the whole thing was stage-managed.