News
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.
A fresh outbreak of ethnic violence between the Jukun and Tiv communities has erupted in Taraba State, with suspected Jukun militias launching an early-morning attack on Dekeh Village along the Wukari–Kente Road.
According to security sources available to Zagazola Makama, the incident occurred at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
About six armed assailants stormed the village, opening fire indiscriminately and setting 15 huts ablaze. The attack forced residents to flee in panic, leaving behind food items, including yam seedlings, which were destroyed in the blaze.
One resident identified as Mdue Saaondo, sustained gunshot injuries during the assault. He was rescued by a joint team of police and military personnel and transported to the Federal University Teaching Hospital in Wukari for medical treatment.
The Taraba State Police Command has launched an investigation to identify and apprehend those responsible. Authorities have also scheduled a security meeting with the Wukari Local Government Traditional Council as part of efforts to restore peace and encourage dialogue between the Tiv and Jukun communities, who have long-standing disputes over land and territorial claims.
“Patrol and surveillance operations are ongoing to forestall further violence and ensure stability in the area,” police authorities stated.
The incident adds to the growing list of violent clashes that have plagued southern Taraba in recent years, underscoring the urgent need for a sustainable resolution to the communal tensions.
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles booked a place in the quarter-final at the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations after playing out a 2-2 draw against Kenya.
Aliyu Zubairu’s side finished second in Group B with five points from three games.
The Atlas Cub of Morocco top the group with seven points after beating Tunisia 3-1 at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia.
Kenya started the game strongly, and deservedly took the lead after six minutes.
Nigeria defender Emmanuel Chukwu handled the ball inside the box, and after initially awarding a free kick to Kenya, the centre referee pointed to the spot following consultation with VAR.
Captain Kevin Wangaya Colly slotted the ball past Ebenezer Harcourt to give the Rising Stars the lead.
The Flying Eagles fought back seven minutes later with Lillestrøm striker Kparobo Arierhi netting after he was put on through on goal by Simon Cletus.
Nigeria dominated the game in the second half but failed to test the Kenyan goalkeeper.
Kenya took the lead for the second time in the game through substitute William Nwangi on 68 minutes.
Nwangi lashed home Humphrey Kegengo’s free kick from inside the box.
Daniel Bameyi, however, converted from the spot to hand the Flying Eagles a share of the spoils.
United States President Donald Trump has announced a fresh slate of judicial nominees in a series of posts on Truth Social on Tuesday.
The president, who has repeatedly expressed frustration over what he sees as judicial obstruction, followed up on Wednesday with a post criticising the judiciary for allegedly preventing him from carrying out the mandate of the American people.
The Republican leader, whose second-term agenda has encountered multiple judicial roadblocks, wrote: “Our Court System is not letting me do the job I was Elected to do.
“Activist judges must let the [Donald] Trump Administration deport murderers, and other criminals who have come into our Country illegally, WITHOUT DELAY!!!”
Trump named Maria Lanahan, Missouri’s Principal Deputy Solicitor General, as a nominee for a judgeship on the US District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. He praised her as “a true patriot” in a post on Tuesday.
The 78-year-old also nominated Judge Cristian Stevens to serve on the same court, describing him in another post as “a Great Patriot.”
The announcements came a day after a federal appeals court declined the Trump administration’s request to revoke temporary legal status from hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans, Venezuelans, Haitians, and Cubans living in the United States.
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