VISITATION PANEL REPORT ON BOWEN VERSITY READY.

THE Professor Olawale Moronkola-led 10-man visitation panel constituted by the President, Nigerian Baptist Convention and Visitor to Bowen University, Revd (Dr) Samson Ayokunle, to appraise the needs, prospects, challenges and general academic progress of the university in the last five years has submitted its report.
While receiving the report on Wednesday at the Baptist Building, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Revd Ayokunle stated that a copy of the report would be sent to the National Universities Commission (NUC).
He expressed his satisfaction with the panel’s expertise and commitment towards the exercise. He also commended the principal officers of the university, headed by Professor Matthews Ojo, for their cooperation with the panel.
Revd Ayokunle said the convention would not derail from its vision to make the university a world class institution that would produce employable, self-efficient, and God-fearing graduates for national and international labour markets.
He also appealed to every member of the Baptist Church, home and in the Diaspora, to participate in the ongoing development process of the institution.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the panel, Professor Morounkola, in his address stated that the panel examined the state of teaching, research and community service activities in the university; physical development; financial management; staff development, and its level of impact on the socio-economic and cultural development of the host communities.
According to him, going by the panel’s findings, the university has what it takes to produce world class graduates.

NIGERIA GOVERNMENT IS NOT STOPPING ISLAMIC RADICALS' 'RELIGIOUS CLEANSING OF CHRISTIANS, SAYS HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP.

Fears that Nigerian Christians are facing ever-increasing bloodshed and violence are growing, human rights groups have warned, with the government failing to persecute and bring to justice the Islamic radical factions that killed over 4,000 Christians in 2015 alone. "As we speak, none of the perpetrators has been fished out and put on trial. That is to say the government is fully aiding and abetting the sundry ethno-religious cleansing and butcheries. It also partakes circumstantially and vicariously, if not directly," said Emeka Umeagbalasi, chairman for the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law. Christians, who make up close to half of the population in the country, have been targeted by major terror groups, such as Boko Haram and the Muslim Fulani herdsmen, News24 noted. Persecution watchdog groups such as Open Doors have warned that believers in the north of the county are especially in danger, with at least 4,028 reported Christian deaths in 2015, along with 198 attacks on churches. Boko Haram has been seeking to take down the Nigerian government and force Christians to flee the country, with Open Doors estimating that as many as 11,500 Christians have been killed since the insurgency started in 2009. Although President Muhammadu Buhari had promised to be tough on terrorism and help protect civilians, Umeagbalasi said the "unwillingness" and "inability" of the administration to protect Christians is "alarming" and "deafening." Umeagbalasi called on Christian leaders to "rise to the occasion" and stand up to the slaughter of Christians. "Advocacy steps must also be taken by Christian bodies and leaders to force the administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to jettison the administration's obvious State Jihadism and Islamist policies and return Nigeria back to practicable constitutionalism, rule of law and secularity," he added. AllAfrica reported that the Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, has also called on Christians to defend their faith against persecution and violence. "It was so in the Bible time. If you read Revelation, you will find out that it is not new. What we charge them is to be diligent in prayer, monitor their environment and stand firm in the Lord," the cleric said. "Those in the volatile areas should pray and wait on the Lord, follow the examples of Christian leaders of old, some of them even died in order to defend their faith. They should not sell out but be strong and defend their faith." Former Congressman Frank Wolf, who is a distinguished senior fellow of the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, told The Christian Post  last week that Nigerian Christians are looking to Western governments and churches for help, but at the present feel abandoned by them. "They feel abandoned by the West, and by the Church in the West. You are not hearing many in the West advocating (for them). They would expect that the faith community in the West, Europe, would be advocating, speaking out," Wolf told CP, noting that he visited Nigeria in February and spoke with local leaders. The 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative is calling for President Obama to establish a Special Envoy for Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region, who would address and engage with the wide range of complex realities facing refugees and internally displaced people facing terrorism and insecurity.

INCEST BETWEEN FATHER AND DAUGHTER NO LONGER FAMILY AFFAIRS-POLICE

LAGOS State police command, on Thursday, described prevalent domestic violence against women and young persons in the society as unfortunate, noting that cases of fathers who rape their daughters should henceforth not be regarded as a family affair but rather a national issue.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dolapo Badmus, gave the remarks while speaking at a protest march organised by Women Arise, at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, Ikeja. The protesters were led by the convener of the group, Dr Joe Odumakin. In his address, Speaker of the assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, appreciated the group for campaigning against domestic violence, saying that “I would congratulate you for this beautiful outing.”

Obasa stated that the assembly had passed a number of laws that were related to protection of women and children’s rights, saying that it would continue to support the cause of the group to ensure a violence-free society. While lending her voice to the campaign, Badmus said “I am here representing the Lagos police command. We are aware of the various laws passed by the Lagos Assembly to address domestic violence. People should come up regularly with the issues for us to execute the laws.” She urged those who had experienced domestic violence to summon the necessary boldness to report such cases as the command would always come to their aid in ensuring that justice was done.

 The march culminated in the decoration of “champions” and “ambassadors” of campaigns against domestic violence. Some of the ambassadors included Nollywood actors such as Tunde Kelani, Saheed Balogun, Dayo Badmus, Dayo Amusa and the popular comedian, Ali Baba, among others.

MOBILE POLICE STRAY BULLET KILLS FATHER OF FIVE IN LAGOS.

Drivers of mass transit buses yesterday boycotted Okoko / CMS route to protest the alleged killing of their colleague Sunday evening by a Mobile policeman.
The deceased, identified simply as Fatai was said to have been hit by a stray bullet from a Mobile policeman , at Doyin bus-stop in Orile area of Lagos. The policeman with an undisclosed identity, who was said to be escorting a jeep, reportedly fired some shots into the air apparently to disperse vehicles which blocked the road, only for a bullet to hit the mass transit bus driver.
One of the protesting drivers , Ishola Manni, who spoke with this reporter, said: Our friend and colleague, Fatai , popularly called Oshe was killed by a Mobile policeman on Sunday.
He died leaving behind a wife and five children. Who will take care of them?, he asked. An eye witness, Ebere Madu explained that: “ I was attending to some customers when we heard some gun shots. Everyone ran away, thinking it was a robbery operation, but by the time the whole place was calm, we were told that a man who was hit by a stray bullet fired by a Mobile policeman was lying in the pool of his blood. When the Policeman realised what happened, he disappeared from the scene, leaving the vehicle he was escorting . Boys in the area swung into action and arrested an occupier of the jeep whom they handed over to policemen at Orile division. The corpse was taken to the police station, from where it was taken to another location.