A federal judge on Thursday blocked the Trump administration from dismantling the Department of Education, marking the first time a judge declared the administration’s extensive changes to the department unlawful.

Judge Myong Joun from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, who former President Joe Biden appointed, issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the administration from dismissing half of the department’s employees.

It also prevented the department from shifting the management of federal student loans to the Small Business Administration.

President Donald Trump has long criticised the department, arguing that despite significant federal investment in education, the quality of education has not met expectations.

Citing low proficiency in reading and math among students in U.S. elementary, middle and high schools, Mr Trump said that the department is “doing us no good’’ and his administration is returning education to the states.

In March, he signed an executive order to formally begin the process of dismantling the department.

The department previously initiated a large-scale layoff.

According to earlier U.S. media reports, the department, which originally had 4,000 employees, would cut nearly half of its workforce.

The establishment and dismantling of federal agencies generally require Congressional approval through legislation.

The Saudi Arabian Government, through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), has provided free eye care services to 4,000 individuals in Lagos as part of its ongoing global health outreach.

The volunteer medical mission, which began on May 20 at Gbagada General Hospital, is scheduled to conclude on May 27.

Speaking on Thursday, Mohammed Alsahabi, Saudi Arabia’s press attaché in Nigeria, described the initiative as part of the Kingdom’s broader commitment to delivering essential healthcare to underserved populations worldwide.

According to Alsahabi, patients received a range of services including eye screenings, cataract surgeries with intraocular lens (IOL) implants, treatment for refractive errors, and prescription eyeglasses.

He explained that the program is being conducted under the directive of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the custodians of the two holy mosques.

Governor Dikko Radda has urged stakeholders to find lasting solutions to the slow pace of development at the sub-national level.

He made the call in Katsina on Wednesday during the opening of the two-day bi-annual meeting of the National Consultative Committee on Statistics.

The governor called for an improved method for compiling the state’s gross domestic product.

Mr Radda assured the audience that future S-GDP compilations in the state would be based on a sound methodology that reflects economic diversity.

He stated that for GDP to measure well-being and living standards, it must capture the total market value of all final goods and services.

Mr Radda stressed the need for an inclusive methodology recognising contributions from micro, meso, medium, and large-scale enterprises within Kaduna.

According to the Katsina governor, since small businesses comprise over 70 per cent of the economy, omitting their input makes S-GDP a purely academic exercise.

He encouraged the participants to apply their expertise to achieve the meeting’s goals and expected outcomes.

“I hope meaningful resolutions are reached that benefit federal, state, and local governments,” the governor added.

Mr Radda said his government would use S-GDP for macroeconomic planning, medium-term expenditure framework, and the fiscal strategy paper. These, he explained, would spur development and boost investor confidence in Katsina.

He noted that the administration values statistical data for evidence-based governance and efficient resource management.

Delivering his keynote, statistician general of the federation, Adeyemi Adeniran, urged participants to focus on progress, especially concerning the S-GDP exercise and the Integrated System of Administrative Statistics.

Adeniran said, “It was logical for NBS to partner with states to produce S-GDP figures for all 36 states and the FCT.

“Despite progress on S-GDP, more effort is needed to finalise, validate, and prepare results for dissemination. If state authorities do not embrace this effort, the usefulness of the data could be significantly undermined.”

The House of Representatives has resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate operational issues related to driver’s licence issuance, revenue generation and usage within the last three years.

The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion by Victor Ogene (APC-Bayelsa) at the plenary on Wednesday.

Moving the motion, Mr Ogene said that a tripartite arrangement between the Federal Road Safety Corps, state boards of internal revenue and the Vehicle Inspection Office led to the digital issuance or renewal of a driver’s licence.

He said the approving signature on a driver’s licence typically comes from a designated officer at the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency in the state where the licence application originated.

He explained that a learner’s vehicle permit was first issued at a prescribed fee by MVAA in the relevant state before releasing a driver’s licence.

According to him, FRSC operates a VIP centre for renewing a driver’s licence, which is reportedly used to issue fresh driver’s licences not preceded by a learner’s permit.

Mr Ogene said the Joint Tax Board reviewed the fees payable for a five-year and three-year driver’s licence to N21,000 and N15,000 for a vehicle, N11,000 and N7,000, respectively, for a motorcycle or tricycle from November 1, 2024.

The lawmaker said, “FRSC is alleged to use its Information Processing Centre for warehousing data for driver’s licences and shortchange the state boards of internal revenue and the Vehicle Inspection Office in the collection and usage of fees for processing driver’s licences.

“Worried that FRSC is reportedly controlling and receiving accounts for drivers’ licence fees, the yearly revenue generated from chargeable fees which amounts to hundreds of billions of naira, is also allegedly unaccounted for by the VIO and various state boards of internal revenue.”

Mr Ogene added, “Disturbed that the processing of drivers’ licences is unexplainably being delayed for upward of two to three years after the biometric data capturing of applicants.

“Also disturbed that the huge debts the FRSC owes Galaxy Backbone Ltd. and other system consultants who are the network providers and maintainers of the biometrics data capturing system are responsible for the system slowdown and the resultant long delay in the issuance of driver’s licences.”

In his ruling, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen said the committee, when constituted, would report its findings within four weeks for further legislative action.

The Lagos government has joined energy, transportation, and education stakeholders to launch the compressed natural gas conversion training for 500 polytechnic students in the South-West.

The event, held on Wednesday in Lagos, was organised by Mofe Foundation in partnership with the National Association of Polytechnic Students.

It brought together 500 polytechnic students from across the South-West states to address the skills gap in the CNG sector.

The initiative aims to promote sustainability, reduce emissions, and empower the next generation of technicians and engineers in Nigeria’s growing energy sector.

Speakers highlighted Nigeria’s abundant natural gas reserves and emphasised the urgent need to harness its economic and environmental potential.

They explained that natural gas is cleaner and safer than petrol, urging its adoption to support national energy security and reduce costs.

Transportation commissioner Oluwaseun Osiyemi said Lagos was actively involved in CNG conversions and infrastructure development. He noted that through IBILE Holdings, Lagos was building 17 CNG filling stations to be completed by October.

He added that the training will boost student employability and increase the number of skilled CNG professionals across the region.

Mr Osiyemi said the initiative would also reduce transport costs by up to 70 per cent, mitigating the effects of subsidy removal.

The energy and mineral resources commissioner, Biodun Ogunleye, described CNG as the future.

Mr Ogunleye praised the training for bridging the gap between academia and industry while promoting job creation and economic transformation. He noted ongoing inter-ministerial collaboration to ensure quick access to CNG stations and wider conversion services in Lagos.

The youth and social development commissioner, Mobolaji Ogunlende, highlighted youth potential in driving economic and social change.

A United States judge has rejected the petition filed by Nigerian national, Chibueze Hilary Idoko, against the Trump administration to block his deportation back to Nigeria after he was arrested by immigration authorities, according to legal filings sighted by Peoples Gazette.

Court documents showed that Mr Idoko had filed a petition for a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration over a potential deportation to Nigeria following his arrest by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), arguing that he faces persecution in the West African country.

The plaintiff also prayed to the court to order his release from the Prairieland Detention Centre in Alvarado, Texas, where is currently being held following transfer from Bluebonnet Detention Centre in Austin, Texas, alleging his continuous detention by ICE without a valid removal order violates the constitution.

In his ruling on May 15, 2025, Judge James Hendrix of the United States District Court Northern District of Texas Abilene Division, deemed the arguments lodged by Mr Idoko, who represented himself in the case, insufficient and subsequently denied his request for a temporary restraining order.

“First, the Court notes that Petitioner did not verify his allegations with a declaration under penalty of perjury, nor did he describe any effort to notify Respondents of his request for emergency relief or attempt to show that notice should not be required. For these reasons alone, the Court cannot issue a TRO in this case,” Mr Hendrix.

He added, “Moreover, Petitioner has not demonstrated an immediate risk of irreparable injury, loss, or damage. He focuses on the potential harm he could face if he were removed, but he suggests no reason to believe that he is threatened with imminent removal.

“In fact, he states the opposite. In his petition he states that there is “no foreseeable likelihood of removal.” Thus, he has failed to show an immediate risk of irreparable injury, and the an emergency motion for TRO must be denied. Petitioner’s request for a hearing is also denied.”

Governor Alex Otti says the Abia government’s new transport system will commence operation before the end of July.

Mr Otti said this during the ‘Promise Kept Carnival’, organised jointly by the Aba Business Community and Landlords Association to celebrate the completion of the reconstruction of the Port Harcourt Road, Aba.

He said the transport system would begin with introducing 20 electric buses and completing modern bus terminals across key locations.

The Abia governor also mentioned that the construction of new transport terminals was progressing rapidly.

The governor described the project as part of his administration’s commitment to transforming Abia’s public infrastructure and embracing clean energy solutions.

“In the next two months, not more than two months, our transport system will start working. If you go around, you will see the bus terminals we are building,” Mr Otti said.

He further said the initial phase of the transport upgrade would include deploying 20 fully electric buses, which the state had paid for. He described the vehicles as world-class, drawing comparisons with international standards.

The speaker of the Abia House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emeruwa, commended the state government for evolving programmes and policies that facilitate development.

Mr Emeruwa said the parliament under his watch would continue to give the government adequate support to achieve its rebuilding agenda.

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria says 25,075 Nigerian pilgrims have been transported to Makkah from Madina with their Nusuk cards.

Abdulkadri Oloyin, NAHCON’s spokesman, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Madina on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has made it mandatory for pilgrims from all countries participating in the 2025 hajj to have Nusuk cards displaying their details.

The ministry explained that the card was for easy identification of genuine pilgrims and for gaining access to the holy sites in Makkah.

Mr Oloyin, who said no pilgrims left Madina for Makkah without Nusuk cards, noted that NAHCON had already collected 25,075 Nusuk cards.

“They have already been collected by Nigeria and distributed to our pilgrims. And if you compare it with the number of those that have left Madina for Makkah, it is accurate.

“Anyone that has not collected it, there may be those who will move among officials ahead, but they have registered them, and they will collect their Nusuk cards. As for ordinary pilgrims, all their Nusuk cards have been issued already,” Mr Oloyin said.

He added, “But there is no serious challenge that has not been attended to. The biggest challenge that we had when we started the operation in Madina was cooperation from the local authorities.”

President Donald Trump maintained his claims of state-sanctioned persecution of South African White farmers during a meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House on Wednesday.

It was the first time that the two had faced each other after Mr Trump cut all federal aid to South Africa in his first days in office, accusing the African country of “treating its white population badly” after Mr Ramaphosa signed a controversial Expropriation Bill into law.

The law provides the government the right to seize lands without compensation under certain conditions where it is “just and equitable and in the public interest”, which Mr Trump tagged a state-sponsored attempt to seize control of lands belonging to the country’s white population.

Mr Trump subsequently directed the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to commence the process of relocating more than 2.7 million White farmers from South Africa, with 59 of them arriving in the United States almost two weeks ago as the first set of beneficiaries of the expedited refugee program.

The meeting began on Wednesday with the two leaders discussing golf and trading opportunities before Mr Trump took a detour and jumped on his claims about the alleged ongoing genocide of white farmers, who are often referred to as Boer or Afrikaners.

He ordered that the light in the room be dimmed. He played the mashed-up video to support his claims about genocide in South Africa, including footage of the country’s opposition leader Julius Malema’s rallying cry of “Kill the Boer”, a line which U.S. officials and Afrikaner activists have cited as evidence that White South Africans are being persecuted.

“We’ve had tremendous complaints about Africa, about other countries too, from people,” Mr Trump said. “They say there’s a lot of bad things going on in Africa, and that’s what we’re going to be discussing today.”

Mr Ramaphosa acknowledged that South Africa suffers from a general crime problem, which is not targeted at White farmers alone, pointing out that the video did not capture the full narrative of the situation.

“We have a multiparty democracy in South Africa that allows people to express themselves,” Mr Ramaphosa said. “Our government policy is completely against what he was saying. We were taught by Nelson Mandela that whenever there are problems, people need to sit down around a table and talk about them.”

Embittered former Governor Nasir El-Rufai says he and other opposition figures held a nocturnal meeting on how to oust President Bola Tinubu from office in the 2027 presidential election.

Mr El-Rufai, formerly of the All Progressives Congress and a one-time ally of Mr Tinubu, recently defected to the Social Democratic Party.

He said his main goal was to ensure the incumbent did not win his reelection bid come 2027.

Mr El-Rufai stated this at the Arewa TechFest in Katsina on Wednesday.

“Yesterday at 8:00 p.m., there was a very important meeting of the coalition we’re putting together to ensure that President Tinubu goes back to Lagos,” Mr El-Rufai said.

The former Kaduna governor added, “Though we will still keep Bosun Tijani. We will still keep the minister because he is doing good work.”

In March, when he defected to the SDP, Mr El-Rufai vowed to lead a coalition to challenge Mr Tinubu in the 2027 election.

The former Kaduna governor fell out with Mr Tinubu when he did not get a ministerial nod.

2025 Budget Padding: Obi condemns Tinubu’s govt, national assembly over N7 trillion ‘loot’ uncovered by BudgIT
“We face widespread hunger, yet our leaders neglect agricultural investment due to persistent mismanagement and lack of accountability,” Mr Obi lamented.

Ambali Abdulkabeer • May 22, 2025
Akpabio, Obi, Tinubu
Akpabio, Obi, Tinubu
Again, former presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential poll, Peter Obi, has excoriated the Nigerian government and its parliament over fiscal recklessness, brazen impunity and “entrenched corruption”.

“This brazen impunity by our leaders is precisely why the country cannot invest adequately in education—hence the existence of nearly 20 million out-of-school children. It is the same corruption that has crippled primary healthcare, resulting in alarming levels of malnourished children,” Mr Obi stated this on Wednesday while reacting to an allegation by BudgIT that the National Assembly inserted 11,122 projects valued at N6.93 trillion in the 2025 budget.

He added, “This entrenched corruption —persistent and deeply rooted —must be nipped in the bud if there is to be any meaningful turnaround. I have consistently maintained that for this country to make progress, Nigeria must cease to function as a crime scene and be repositioned for genuine development.”

Mr Obi described Nigeria as a relentless scene of corruption, stating that the mismanagement and fiscal recklessness stall the country’s investment in critical areas of development.

“How else can we explain the distressing revelations by BudgIT, which uncovered a staggering ₦7 trillion in questionable projects inserted into the 2025 national budget? I am convinced that this figure represents only a fraction of the actual amount misappropriated. These findings are deeply troubling and confirm my long-held position that we have turned our country into a crime scene.

“We must urgently and aggressively combat corruption, misappropriation, and fiscal recklessness in order to manage our resources effectively and efficiently, and invest in critical areas of development: health, education, and lifting our people out of poverty,” the former Anambra governor stated.

The Labour Party chieftain explained that the inserted figure, representing 12.5 per cent of the N54.99 trillion budget signed by President Bola Tinubu in February, was “even greater than the combined allocations to the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and the Ministry of Agriculture —ministries that are fundamental to national development”.

“Combined, these four ministries were allocated ₦6.896 trillion—an already inflated amount—yet still less than the ₦7 trillion dubiously inserted into the budget,” Mr Obi noted. “That ₦7 trillion figure is even more than the ₦6.1 trillion allocated to national security—at a time when Nigeria is among the most terrorised nations in the world.”

Mr Obi stated that the government “must confront this corruption, misappropriation, and fiscal recklessness with unwavering resolve”, advising that “our national resources must be transparently managed and strategically invested in key sectors—health, education, and poverty alleviation—to secure a better future for our people. We must turn this nation around”.

“We face widespread hunger, yet our leaders neglect agricultural investment due to persistent mismanagement and lack of accountability,” the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party lamented. “The same disregard affects our capacity to fund national security effectively, or to support Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which are vital to national growth.”

Governor Babagana Zulum, on Wednesday, accused Nigerian soldiers and politicians working for Boko Haram.

In an interview on News Central’s Breakfast Central, Mr Zulum said, “We have informants and collaborators within the Nigerian armed forces, within the politicians, and within the communities.

“What we shall do is to strengthen our intelligence and to deal with them ruthlessly.”

The Borno governor added, “Let’s remove contractocracy. In six months, we can put an end to this madness. We need not politicise insecurity.”

Mr Zulum’s statement comes amid the resurgence of Boko Haram, a terrorist group that has been terrorising the North-East for over a decade.

Over the weekend, Mr Zulum lamented that Marte LGA was under the control of Boko Haram.

“Marte local government comprises over 300 towns and villages. Now we have only one standing.

“If we cannot maintain this one, then we will lose the whole local government to the insurgents, which will be very obnoxious, and I think we will not allow this to happen,” Mr Zulum said.

Mr Zulum declared a one-day prayer and fasting to combat insecurity in Borno over the weekend.

The United Nations Development Programme estimated that about 350,000 persons have been killed by Boko Haram insurgents.

According to Human Rights Watch, as of July 2022, the Boko Haram conflict had displaced about 2.2 million people in the Northeast, the vast majority, over 1.8 million, in Borno.

Nigeria’s first lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has urged Nigerians to embrace their cultural diversity and promote unity and respect.

The first lady made the call in her message on Wednesday commemorating the 2025 World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

“The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development highlights the profound strength that lies in our differences and the shared humanity that connects us all.

”There is indeed strength and unity in diversity. Nigeria, for example, is blessed with over 250 ethnic groups, each speaking a different language, but it is through our dialogue, our interactions, and our mutual respect that we find true identity and unity.

“On this day, I encourage every Nigerian to celebrate our cultural richness, to listen with empathy, and to lead with understanding. Let us embrace this journey together and shape a brighter future for Nigeria and the world,” Mrs Tinubu said.

The day is celebrated every year on May 21 to raise awareness of the role of culture in sustainable socio-economic growth and development.

The police command in Bauchi says it has apprehended five suspects for circulating adulterated fertilisers and herbicides.

The command’s spokesman, Ahmed Wakil, who confirmed the arrest on Wednesday in Bauchi, said the police also sealed three illegal production facilities.

He said personnel of the command monitoring unit, acting on credible intelligence, arrested a suspect at the Bauchi Central Market on May 10.

The spokesman said the operatives recovered six bags of suspected adulterated fertilisers and 46 bottles of fake herbicide from the suspect.

“A subsequent search at his residence in Magaji Quarters yielded incriminating evidence, including sacks of raw materials, charcoal, stoves, a bundle of nylon, and empty herbicide cartons,” he said.

He said operatives of the command also detained one suspect and recovered 44 bags of fake fertilisers during a raid at a shop along Gombe Road.

Mr Wakil said the shop owner claimed to have sourced the raw materials from his accomplice in the Bakaro area of Bauchi metropolis.

“Further investigations led to the arrest of three suspects, who exposed two more illegal factories,” he said.

Mr Wakil added that the operatives recovered 150 bags of adulterated fertilisers, raw materials, tools and machinery used in the illicit operations

Residents of Jalingo, the Taraba capital, have lauded the 24-hour uninterrupted power supply in the metropolis ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s one-day official visit.

On Wednesday, Vice-President Kasshim Shettima was delegated by Mr Tinubu to represent him in the state and to declare open the Taraba International Investment Summit 2025.

Donald Musa, a resident of Nukkai, a suburb of Jalingo town, described the electricity supply as unprecedented.

Mr Musa observed that the city had experienced an epileptic power supply in recent times and prayed that the stable supply continued even after the presidential visit.

Similarly, Maimuna Abubakar, another resident of Jalingo, observed that the previous supply was four hours daily, noting that the sudden uninterrupted power supply may not be unconnected with the president’s visit to the state.

She called on the Yola Electricity Distribution Company to improve its supply even after the presidential visit, while also commending them.

Grace Ishaku, another resident, observed that the sharp improvement in the power supply was because of the presidential visit and urged that the development be sustained to boost the state’s economy.

The state is billed to host the Taraba First International Investment Summit, with high-profile guests expected during the event.

No fewer than 20 people have been killed, including several children, since early Wednesday morning in the Gaza Strip in renewed Israeli attacks, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

WAFA, citing Gaza medical sources, also reported that there were airstrikes and fatalities in Jabalia and Deir al-Balah, as well as near Khan Younis in the south of the territory.

The information, however, could not be independently verified as the Israeli army had not yet provided any information on the matter.

Dozens of deaths have been reported daily from the coastal area after Israel’s military launched a major new offensive late last week.

Ground troops are now also deployed in the area, with Israel’s actions in the region facing increasing international criticism, including from close allies.

On Tuesday, the United Kingdom suspended trade talks with Israel, sanctioned some West Bank settlers and summoned Israel’s ambassador to the UK.

Also on Tuesday, EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said that the European Union intends to review its cooperation agreement with Israel in view of the situation in Gaza.

The current conflict began on October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian Islamist Hamas militia and others invaded Israel, killing 1,200 and taking some 250 hostage.

Israel responded with a massive attack, which has since killed more than 53,000 in Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority.

The figures do not distinguish between civilian and militant casualties.

Taku Eto, Japan’s agriculture minister, has resigned after boasting that he gets free rice from his supporters and has plenty of it at home amid a shortage of the staple food.

Mr Eto tendered his resignation on Wednesday, amid public uproar over his statement on Sunday.

“I have never bought rice myself,” Mr Eto said on Sunday in a speech on the country’s agricultural policy. “Frankly, my supporters give me quite a lot of rice. I have so much rice at home that I could sell it.”

Though Mr Eto has apologised for his statement, it sparked reactions from Japanese who berated him for being insensitive about prevailing economic realities.

Some berated the Japanese government for its inability to resolve lingering rice scarcity and soaring staple food prices.

Addressing an upper house session, Prime Minister Shigeru said he “approved” Mr Eto’s resignation, taking responsibility for his minister’s statement.

Mr Ishiba described Mr Eto’s statement as “extremely unfortunate” and said, “I apologise to the Japanese people. It is my responsibility that I appointed him

A Ukrainian national has become the third man to be charged over the arson attack on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The Metropolitan Police said Petro Pochynok, 34, had been charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life and would appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning.

Mr Pochynok is accused of conspiring with fellow Ukrainian Roman Lavrynovych and Ukrainian-born Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, who have both also been charged over the incident.

He was arrested on Monday in the Chelsea area of west London.

Two of the fires reportedly happened in Kentish Town, north London; one was in the early hours of May 12 and took place at the home where Mr Starmer lived before he became prime minister and moved into Downing Street.

A car was set alight in the same street four days earlier on May 8.

The other fire took place on May 11 at the front door of a house converted into flats in Islington.

Mr Lavrynovych, 21, of Sydenham, south-east London, has already been charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life in connection with the fires.

He denied the charges in a police interview.

He appeared in court on Friday and was remanded in custody until a further hearing at the Old Bailey scheduled for June 6.

Mr Carpiuc appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday and was remanded in custody to appear alongside Mr Lavrynovych on the same date.

Nigeria has lauded Cameroon’s commitment and collaboration in fostering stability in West Africa amidst complex security threats by Boko Haram and other armed groups on the occasion of its 53rd independence anniversary.

In a statement, foreign affairs minister Yusuf Tuggar said, “As Cameroon celebrates this significant milestone, Nigeria reaffirms its dedication to deepening the existing bonds of friendship and cooperation between our two nations.

“We also look forward to continued collaboration within the frameworks of the African Union and other global multilateral platforms to advance the interests of our peoples and the broader continent.

“Nigeria remains steadfast in supporting Cameroon’s efforts to promote unity, peace and sustainable development.”

The minister wished the government and people of Cameroon a peaceful and prosperous independence anniversary and many more years of progress and harmony.

The Federal University of Transportation, Daura, Katsina, says plans to ensure that students of the institution go to China and Russia for their practicals are in the pipeline.

The university’s vice-chancellor, Umar Adam-Katsayal, disclosed this in Daura on Wednesday, while briefing journalists on his two-year scorecard.

According to him, the university is working with a Chinese company that is handling the institution’s construction.

”In 2018 and 2019, the federal government, in collaboration with the company, selected and interviewed some students from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, specifically from civil and mechanical engineering, who were taken to China for a two-year practical.

”The students did what is called three plus two, they spent two years here for the theory, and also spent three years there for the practical components.

”These are some of our pioneer academic staff today, and they are preparing our students towards realising this plan and others,” he said.

He disclosed that other achievements of the institution include strategic collaborations with prominent home and foreign institutions, especially key transport regulatory bodies.

”Additionally, the university has now been listed among institutions eligible for TETFund support, a development that will significantly enhance academic infrastructure and staff training,” he said.

The vice-chancellor further revealed that the university planned to expand the campus infrastructure, including lecture halls, laboratories, workshops, and accommodations for staff and students.

”We are integrating modern technology in teaching, with plans to introduce smart classrooms and expand virtual learning platforms. Sustainability initiatives such as solar-powered facilities and green campus are also being prioritised.

”The university is set to expand its academic offerings to include programmes in transportation security, aviation technology, smart transport systems, and sustainable urban mobility.

”Short and executive courses will soon be introduced to satisfy the needs of working class and executive officers. The university also plans to intensify research efforts in autonomous vehicles and green logistics, as well as further develop its academic staff capacity and industry partnerships,” Mr Adam-Katsayal added.

He, however, disclosed that the institution was having funding challenges and urgently needed additional resources due to the rising costs of running and maintaining existing infrastructure, among others