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Senate passes bill to establish university of mining
The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill to establish the Federal University of Mining and Geo-Science in Jos, Plateau State.
The upper chamber passed the bill after considering the report of its Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, presented by Muntari Dandutse, its Chairperson.
Sponsored by Diket Plang (APC, Plateau Central), its provisions repeal the Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geo-Science Act, 2018.
The Committee of the Whole had considered the bill clause by clause. Thereafter, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced its passage after a majority of the senators supported it through voice vote.
Mr Dandutse, while presenting the report of his committee earlier, said many stakeholders unanimously supported the establishment of the mining university.
The Katsina South senator said the committee had critically examined the provision of the bill and that majority of the senators supported it during the public hearing.
He, therefore, recommended that the Senate pass the bill.
Okechukwu Ezea, the senator for the Enugu North Senatorial District, seconded the bill’s passage.
During the debate on the bills, Mr Plang said his state governor, Caleb Mutfwang, six first class monarchs from the state and other stakeholders in the mining sector attended the public hearing on the bill.
“The public hearing on this bill was overwhelming where we even have the governor of Plateau, and six first class traditional rulers and various stakeholders in the mining institute came,” he said.
He said the bill presents Nigeria another opportunity to have a university of mines and geo science.
“I feel that this bill is another opportunity for us to have a university of mines where Nigerians and Nigerian locality are blessed with minerals. And if God has blessed us with mineral resources, it becomes our duty to deepen our knowledge in the area of where we are gifted so that the exploration, exploitation and mining of minerals will be done by Nigerians themselves,” he added.
After the debate, Mr Akpabio put the bill’s passage to vote and the majority of the senators supported it.
In his remarks, the senate president congratulated Nigerians for the move to establish the university.
“I congratulate all Nigerians. Indeed we now have a mining University and then we will now focus on mining. Mining is a major revenue source. This Senate is taking the right direction,” he said.
With the passage of the bill at the Senate, it will now be transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s family residence in Kogi was reportedy invaded by gunmen around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, April 16, leaving damaged windows but no injuries.
The incident happened at her hometown residence in Obeiba-Ihima, located in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Sources familiar with the event said the attackers arrived around 1:00 a.m. Armed with cutlasses and guns, they damaged parts of the building, smashing windows and causing panic in the area. At least three men were involved in the attack.
Senator Natasha’s Chief Security Officer, Yakubu Ovanja, quickly informed the appropriate security agencies.
In response, officers from the Okehi Police Division rushed to the scene.
Although nobody was hurt and no suspects have been arrested yet, security officials recorded the extent of the damage and launched a preliminary investigation.
The reason behind the attack is still unknown, and as of now, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has not released any official statement. She represents Kogi Central in the Senate and is known as a vocal figure in Nigerian politics.
According to Zagazola Makama, police are still trying to figure out what motivated the attackers and are working to find those responsible.
The communities came under simultaneous attacks just a day after the killing of 11 persons at Otobi Community also in Otukpo LGA.
Benue has in the past decade experienced incessant attacks.
Suspected herdsmen have again stepped up violent attacks as no fewer than three communities in the Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State were attacked on Wednesday.
The communities affected during the fresh attacks include Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju all in Otukpo where five persons were killed in February. The communities came under simultaneous attacks just a day after the killing of 11 persons at Otobi Community also in Otukpo LGA.
Local sources confirm that several people may have been feared dead again in the fresh attack.
Wednesday’s attack came hours after Governor Hyacinth Alia confirmed the arrest of three suspected herders in connection with the invasion of Otobi village on Tuesday night.
When contacted, Otukpo LGA Chairman, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the attack on the three communities, saying that the attackers stormed the communities at the time when the Commissioner of Police was still at the Ochidoma Palace over the previous day’s attack on Otobi.
He added that three people sustained injury in the attacks on the three communities, leading to women and children abandoning the communities for fear of being killed.
“Only young men were in the communities when the attackers arrived. The prompt response from combined security operatives made the attackers flee and none of them were arrested,” Ogiri stated.
The police spokesperson in the state, Sewuese Anene, was yet to confirm details of the attacks on the three communities.
The 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has hailed the Northern Traditional Rulers for taking bold steps on the menacing security challenges in the region and in the country.
Obi, who was reacting to the ‘Enough is Enough’ declaration of the royal fathers on the security situation, said that their courageous steps are needed to find a lasting solution to the menace.
Writing on his X handle, Obi said “I would like to sincerely thank the Northern Traditional Rulers for their courageous and timely emergency declaration of the security situation in the region. I cannot agree less with them that “Enough is Enough” regarding the persistent killings and insecurity plaguing our nation.
“Their collective voice, as reported, underscores the urgent need for decisive action to protect lives and restore peace in our communities.
“I urge governments at all levels to work closely with these royal fathers who are closest to the people at the grassroots. Their commitment to addressing these challenges and offering counsel to regional governors reflects true leadership and a deep concern for the well-being of their communities.
“The stance of the Northern Traditional Rulers serves as a clarion call to all stakeholders. We must unite, irrespective of political affiliations, to implement lasting solutions that address the root causes of our nation’s challenges.
“Let us work together to build a Nigeria where every citizen feels safe, valued, and empowered.
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