Nigeria must protect the rights of civilians and avoid any “heavy-handed” response as it moves against Islamist rebels to enforce a state of emergency, a top US official said Wednesday.

UNREPENTANT Niger Delta militant, Asari Dokubo, said there will be no peace in Nigeria if President Goodluck Jonathan is not re-elected in 2015. I want to put my mouth in this matter before it dies down.

For as much as some Nigerian universities are recognised and well known abroad, some others are reduced to A’ levels overseas.

DE-SPITE Monday’s court order charging the Police to vacate Obio/Akpor council secretariat, the police maintained its presence there, yesterday, as workers remain out of sight.

OWERRI—The people of Nnarambia, Mbiase, Imo State, have raised alarm over alleged plot to use security personnel to install new Bishop of Ahiara Catholic Diocese, Monsignor Peter Okpaleke, whose appointment as priest was rejected on the grounds that the appointee was not of their ethnic stock.

Troops, yesterday, moved into Yola, Adamawa State capital and Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, barely 24 hours after President Goodluck Jonathan declared a State of Emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states in response to Boko Haram insurgency which has claimed several lives and destroyed many property.

•103, 000 candidates will get into IEIs and VEIs •Students may choose eight institutions from next year
Though the 2013 edition of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) has partially come and gone, with about 91,610 candidates yet to sit for the Computer Based Test (CBT) billed to hold from Saturday, May 18 to June 1, 2013, candidates have charged government, school authorities and other stakeholders to regulate the 2013/2014 admission season to ensure that qualified candidates gain admission.

There was no doubt that the Senate President, David Mark and other principal members of the Senate in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were privy to the decision to proclaim state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states before the commencement of last Tuesday’s plenary. Any doubt was betrayed by the mood of the affected officers in the chamber while deliberation on issues of the day lasted on Tuesday.

AGGRIEVED workers, yesterday, crippled operations at the corporate office of Diamond Bank in Lagos, over alleged unfair labour practices and poor working conditions.

Wayne Rooney could be handed the England captaincy for the May 29 friendly against the Republic of Ireland as national team boss Roy Hodgson looks to boost the star’s flagging confidence.

ORGANISED labour in public service has petitioned Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, urging him to positively engage labour leaders in the state to resolve ongoing industrial dispute over non-payment of six months salaries .

In finding a cost-effective solution to the problem, some students of TCNN Staff Secondary School, Jos, Plateau State, came up with a water treatment device. They spoke with Vanguard Learning at the University of Lagos during the 9th edition of the annual Nigerian Secondary Schools Science Fair and Quiz Competition organised by Genius Illumina where they exhibited the device. Excerpts

A SENIOR lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Dr Kehinde Ayoola, has blamed desperate parents for the increasing rate of examination malpractice.

The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, has trained no fewer than 50 female student-journalists in 11 tertiary institutions in the South-West on investigative journalism.

WARRI—chairman, Transition Committee, Patani Local Government Council, Delta State, Dr. Chris Ekiyor; Lagos lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo and Warri-based activist, Mr. Oghenjabor Ikimi, have called on Nigerians, especially Northern leaders, to support President Goodluck Jonathan in his battle against Boko Haram insurgents.