By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

It is really sad that no fewer than 63 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the Home for the Needy Foundation (IDP) camp, Uhorgua, Edo, may be stopped from writing their semester exams at the Niger Delta University, Oghara.

This is as the management of the camp’s inability to pay the N116. 3 million owed the institution for sponsorship of the IDPs.

This was disclosed in a letter from the institution authorities signed by the Acting Registrar, Mr Elvis Ofotokun, which was cited by NAN, on Thursday in Abuja.

The letter which has as its headline: Re: ‘’Overdue Payment of School Fees for IDP Sponsored Students’’ said that the amount was the total outstanding amount for the 2024/2025 academic session.

“We write to follow up on our previous correspondence regarding the outstanding debt incurred by your organisation for sponsored students in Western Delta University, Oghara.

”As you recall your team visited our institution twice to discuss payment modalities as we were assured of regular payment to settle indebtedness.

”Unfortunately, our records indicate that only N7.5 million has been paid since March 2024. The total outstanding amount for the 2024/2025 academic session now stands at N116, 323,000.

”This significant debt poses a substantial challenge to the university operations. In light of the above, management has decided to take drastic action to recover the debt,’’ it said.

Consequently, all your sponsored students will not be permitted to sit for the upcoming first semester examinations until this debt is settled,’’ the institution said.

Mr Solomon Folorunsho, Coordinator of the camp told NAN that the camp was appealing to kind hearted Nigerians to assist in offsetting the bill.

He said presently about 60 of the IDPs were in 400 and 500 level in the institution, adding that the years they have already spent should not be allowed to be a waste.

”I am appealing to kind hearted Nigerians whether in the country or outside the country as well as corporate orgnisations with educational foundations like the Tony Elumelu Foundation, TY Danjuma foundation among others to come to our aid.

”MTN, Glo, and other telecom giants, multi-national oil companies as well as indigenous oil companies, please see these students as your brothers and sisters and contribute to their achieving a life-long feat.

”We cannot allow them to drop by the way now that they are almost at the goalpost, please help the camp to help.

”We cannot do it alone, please help us. This education funding challenge is one among many other challenges we are facing in the camp,” the coordinator appealed

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The British High Commission in Nigeria has warned Nigerians against fake visa and admission offers UK.

It issued a warning urging Nigerians to be cautious of scams related to UK work and study opportunities if they are planning to migrate to the United Kingdom.

The warning, which was made in a press statement, follows increasing reports by universities in the UK of fraudulent schemes targeting foreign students, reports The Guardian.

The UK memo lists the types of scams that have been found to target foreign students, saying, “Over the years, there have been reports of the sharing of worthless visas and work offers, especially for care homes that do not exist in the UK, have become more widespread in recent years. These schemes have left many individuals stranded in the UK, having invested all their savings in what turned out to be fake opportunities.”

A BBC investigation revealed that, in September 2024, a network was found selling bogus work visas and care worker jobs, leading to the exploitation of unsuspecting applicants.

Some victims, particularly women, are now trapped in the UK, unable to return home without losing the money they paid for these fraudulent offers.

The British High Commission has specifically warned against offers that guarantee visa approval or claim to provide quicker, easier entry into the UK than official methods. They also cautioned against requests for money to prove financial support, as genuine visa processes do not ask for such payments.

The UK government urges applicants to verify job and study offers using official sources, including the government’s Register of Worker and Temporary Worker licensed sponsors, to ensure the legitimacy of potential employers and institutions. It is also important to avoid paying fees to agents claiming to work for UK authorities, as these are often scams.

For those considering UK opportunities, the British High Commission stressed the importance of researching official guidance pages to identify common fraud tactics and ensure their applications are legitimate.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

There’s joyful noise in different parts of Nigeria as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has reduced the price of petrol at its retail stations from N960 to N945 per litre.

The new price took effect on Thursday, February 13, following directives from the company.

At an NNPC filling station in Ejigbo, attendants confirmed the price change, noting an increase in customer turnout and long queues.

However, some consumers believe the reduction is too small to impact their expenses.

The commercial driver at the station stated that he would not lower transport fares due to the slight difference in price.

Other filling stations, including Ardova, Mobil, and Petrocam, have not made any changes.

Ardova continues selling at N970 per litre, while Mobil and Petrocam sell at N960 and N970 per litre, respectively.

This adjustment follows a similar move by MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, which recently set its petrol price at N925 per litre in Lagos. MRS also announced regional prices of N935 per litre in the South West, N945 per litre in the North, and N955 per litre in the South East.

The recent price changes are linked to global energy trends and a drop in crude oil prices.

Since the removal of fuel subsidies, petrol prices have fluctuated, reaching nearly N1000 per litre.

When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, the product was sold at N198 per litre.