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EU Offers Postgraduate Scholarships to 142 Young Nigerians Under its Erasmus+ programme

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EU Offers Postgraduate Scholarships to 142 Young Nigerians Under its Erasmus+ programme

By: Michael Mike

The European Union has offered postgraduate scholarships to 142 young Nigerians in top European universities in the 2024-25 academic session, under its flagship educational programme, Erasmus+.

Nigeria with this number, retains its number one spot among beneficiaries of the EU postgraduate scholarships in Africa for the 6th year, as well as a place among the top five recipient countries globally.

At a pre-departure orientation organised for the scholarship awardees in Abuja on Thursday, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Samuela Isopi, underlined the significance of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) programme, now in its 20th year, with its highly transformative impact on individuals, higher education institutions, and countries both within and outside of the EU.

The 142 Nigerian EMJMD awardees are among the initial batch of beneficiaries, announced by the organisers of the programme in Brussels. The number is likely to increase. Most of awardees will start their Erasmus plus journey in September 2024. The pre-departure orientation aimed to provide the recipients with hands-on tips on how to make the best of the immense opportunities inherent in the prestigious scholarship.

The programmes that will run for 12-24 months, with each beneficiary studying in at least three different universities in as many countries within and outside the EU during the period.

The Nigerian awardees have been admitted into some of the most in-demand cutting-edge programmes including: Renewables-based Power Systems, Chemical Innovation and Regulation, Public Health in Disasters, Bio refinery, European MSc in Marine Environment 2030, Soils science, Systems for Sustainable Engineering, Sustainable Mineral and Metal Processing Engineering, Sustainable Ship and Shipping – and several more.

On the successful completion of the programme, an EMJMD scholar will receive a master degree to be jointly awarded by a consortium of universities, in the framework of the EMJMD programme – a key component of Erasmus+.

Over the last two decades, Erasmus Mundus has brought together top universities from all over the EU and beyond to jointly organise excellent Master’s courses, merging the best parts of each national programme to form a new, integrated and unique international study programme. The programme offers a unique appeal to prospective students, with its high academic standards, unparalleled mobility paths and attractive financial support.

The EU has been ramping up support to Nigeria’s higher education sector through its key funding programmes – Erasmus+ in the higher education sector, and Horizon Europe for research and innovation.

Erasmus+ offers many opportunities apart from its flagship scholarship programmes: it supports mobility and short stays in Europe for researchers, students and staff, capacity-building of universities and TVET institutions through joint projects with sister European institutions, etc. Horizon Europe offers opportunities for Nigeria-based researchers and research institutions, in particular through the “Africa Initiative II”, which is addressed to African scientists.

The EU’s support for education in Nigeria aligns to national objectives and focuses on equitable access to quality education and teacher training. In its education sector support, the EU works with the governments of Kano, Sokoto, Jigawa, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Oyo, Katsina, Enugu and Plateau states.

The projects aim at strengthening the education system, increase the use of digital technology for teaching, learning and system management, and mainstream green skills and knowledge by investing EUR 45.4 million, in total during, 2021-2027 in the education projects.

EU Offers Postgraduate Scholarships to 142 Young Nigerians Under its Erasmus+ programme

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Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction

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Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction

By: Michael Mike

A former coordinator of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, has called on the political class across party lines to support ongoing security efforts of the federal government.

Onaiwu in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday noted that insecurity is colour blind, has no party affiliation and was religious neutral, therefore, the need for politicians to eschew partisan slant on security matters.

He cautioned that failure by the political elite to support the fight against insecurity leading to several ungoverned spaces could disrupt elections, stressing that except there is a country, then elections are guaranteed.

The former NGF coordinator particularly commended the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his coordination and strategic efforts in streamlining security policies and engagements in tackling insecurity.

According to him, the recent delivery of military hardware by the United States Government to Nigeria is a demonstration that the NSA was working and his recent foray to the U.S. is yielding the desired results.

“The season requires patriots and this means that irrespective of party affiliations, every politician worth his name needs to support ongoing security efforts as coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

“Insecurity is colour blind, has no party affiliation, it is religious blind and those not respect societal status. Therefore, Nigerians, especially our political class, should lend their support, proffer solutions and galvanise the people to back the government’s security initiatives.

“Only on Tuesday, the federal government received critical military hardware from the United States Government. This is cheering and it shows that the NSA’s recent visit to the United States and the subsequent hosting of delegations in the country is bearing the desired results.

“Also, renewed military and police onslaughts against terrorists and bandits show that the federal government is taking the fight to those who are intent on denying us our peace and well-being.

“The least we can do as citizens is to support the government, provide real time intelligence from our communities and do not engage in fake news on social media against government’s efforts,” Onaiwu stated.

He further called on governors to match the energy of the federal government by supporting the NSA to address the various security challenges in their states as well as continued logistics and equipment to the military and police.

Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction

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Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case

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Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case

By: Michael Mike

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, is facing possible committal to prison following contempt proceedings initiated over an alleged failure to comply with a Federal High Court order relating to the abduction and disappearance of Mr. John Chukwuemeka Anozie.

The action was instituted by legal counsel to Mr. Anozie’s wife, Mr. Vincent Adodo, who accused the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of the IGP of willfully disobeying a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court, Abuja, on September 24, 2025.

In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/865/2025 between Mrs. Nnenna Anozie v. Inspector General of Police, Justice Binta Nyako ordered the IGP to produce for prosecution operatives of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) alleged to have abducted Mr. Anozie from his Lekki residence in Lagos on June 15, 2017.

The court also directed the police authorities to forward the investigation report and legal advice on the matter to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation for appropriate action.

The court further awarded ₦2 million in damages against the IGP for failing to respond to a Freedom of Information request submitted by Mrs. Anozie seeking details of investigations into her husband’s disappearance.

The SARS operatives listed in the judgment include officers attached to the former SARS unit in Akwuzu, Anambra State, who were accused of involvement in the alleged abduction.

According to court documents, despite being served with the judgment in October 2025, the IGP has neither complied with the orders of the court nor paid the damages awarded. This development prompted Mrs. Anozie’s legal team to initiate contempt proceedings by serving the IGP with Form 48 (Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Court Order) and Form 49 (Notice of Committal to Correctional Centre).

The applicant is now seeking an order of court committing the IGP to Kuje Correctional Centre until he complies fully with the judgment.

The motion for contempt has been scheduled for hearing on February 9, 2025, before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force has not issued an official response to the contempt proceedings.

Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case

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VP Shettima Lauds Massachusetts Tech Institute’s Impact On Global Innovation Ecosystem

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VP Shettima Lauds Massachusetts Tech Institute’s Impact On Global Innovation Ecosystem

Urges African entrepreneurs to close ranks to fully harness continent’s huge potentials

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has lauded the transformative impact of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on the global entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem that has raised over $1.5 billion dollars and created over 30,000 direct jobs in 20 years.

He, however, urged African entrepreneurs to close ranks in order to fully harness the continent’s huge potentials, leveraging MIT’s resource mobilization network and job creation opportunities.

The Vice President made the remarks on Wednesday when he received a delegation from Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship 2025-2026 led by MIT’s Executive Director for the Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, Dina Sherif, on a courtesy visit at the presidential villa.

Senator Shettima called for unity of purpose among African professionals and entrepreneurs, saying “Africa is the new frontier and future belongs to the continent but its people must unite to transform potentials into tangible results that impact lives and livelihoods.

“Africa is blessed with enormous human and material resources but its people must fuse into one to benefit from the tremendous opportunities that abound across the continent,” he added.

He disclosed that Nigeria President Bola Tinubu is daring to leverage available opportunities to transform the entire economy, noting that “President Tinubu is not afraid of taking bold decisions that will reposition Nigeria’s economy and better the lives of the livelihoods of the people.”

Earlier in her remarks, the leader of the delegation, Sherif, said the delegation was at the Presidential Villa to brief the Vice President on the activities of MIT’s Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, assuring that the Centre is dedicated to “fueling the engine of entrepreneurship across the world”.

She noted that the team was in Nigeria in view of the Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship programme, which, according to her, has helped to entrench the spirit of entrepreneurship across the continent.

Sherif underscored the significance of collaboration among African startups, noting that Nigeria is a leading country, as evidenced in the progress recorded by startups across the continent.

She further assured of improved support for African-based startups from the centre through its various initiatives.

Also present at the meeting with the Vice President were the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, and some fellows of the Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship 2025 – 2026 Session across Africa.

VP Shettima Lauds Massachusetts Tech Institute’s Impact On Global Innovation Ecosystem

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