NUC suspends licences of Lead City, six varsities

NUC suspends licences of Lead City, six varsities

 

The National Universities Commission has suspended the operational licences of seven private universities for allegedly violating its guidelines in physical facilities and academic programmes.

The affected universities are Lead City, Caritas, Joseph Ayo Babalola, Tansian, Madonna, Achievers and Obong.

The Director of Press and Public Relations of NUC, Mallam Ibrahim Yakassai, confirmed this in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Wednesday night.

A top source, who pleaded anonymity, said the decision to suspend the operational licences of the affected universities was due to their non-compliance with the regulations guiding the operations of universities in the country as stipulated by the NUC.

“The operators of the universities affected know their offences because so many times, we have informed them about their failings but they did not take necessary steps to address their shortcomings. Anyway, It’s just a suspension and it will be lifted as soon as they do the correct things,” the sourced said.

Stop Spilling Blood of Innocent People – Pope

By AFP June 20, 2012

Pope Benedict XVI

VATICAN CITY (AFP) – Pope Benedict XVI called ,Wednesday, on those responsible for violence in Nigeria to “stop spilling the blood of innocent people”, and urged all parties involved not to seek revenge.

“I appeal to those responsible for the violence to immediately stop spilling the blood of innocent people,” he said, following attacks on churches in northern Nigeria and reprisal violence that saw Christians target Muslims.

Pope Benedict XVI waves as he arrives for his weekly general audience at the Paul VI hall at the Vatican on June 20, 2102.

“I hope all parts of society will collaborate in not taking the road of reprisals,” Benedict said during a weekly general audience.

Sunday’s attacks against churches, claimed by Islamist group Boko Haram, and a wave of revenge attacks that followed, were the latest in a series.

In front of 8,000 faithful gathered at the Vatican, the pope appealed on “all Nigerian citizens to cooperate in the construction of a peaceful and reconciled society in which the right to freely express faith is guaranteed.”

Nigeria’s main Christian body on Tuesday said the attacks by Boko Haram suggested a “systematic religious cleansing”.

There have been renewed concerns over whether the violence could lead to a wider sectarian conflict in a country roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and mostly Christian south.

Boko Haram’s demands have varied, prompting speculation that the group is composed of disparate cells, including a hardcore Islamist wing.

The extremists have previously said they intended to create an Islamic state across the mainly Muslim north of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation of 160 million and the continent’s largest oil producer.

Pray for Nigeria

Friends it is high time we prayed for our beloved country fervently that God will roll away every wild attack of the enemy. We can all witness the steady inflow of violence, destruction, kidnaps and many other heart breaking events. God has to be called on the scene to do something for our beloved country.

Psalm 91

King James Version (KJV)

91 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

² I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
³ Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
⁴ He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
⁵ Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
⁶ Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
⁷ A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
⁸ Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
⁹ Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
¹⁰ There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
¹¹ For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
¹² They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
¹³ Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
¹⁴ Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
¹⁵ He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

The Showdown: iOS 6 Versus Blackberry 10

Now that Apple has finally unveiled the new features and additions for iOS 6 we have what is necessary to compare it with RIM’s upcoming Blackberry 10 OS.

Apple’s iOS is now considered to be an aging platform, and aside from RIM’s BBOS, it is the oldest. Every year Apple tweaks the iOS platform a little more, adding in some new features and making minor changes. After all, most Apple fans will claim, “why change perfection?”

The problem is this, even if that statement were true, and the iOS platform truly was “perfect,” eventually it would get old and stale. Consumers, especially in the world of tech, always want the latest and greatest. Some folks can not even wait the full two years for their contract term to complete before they are ordering new devices.
Sure, Apple announced some exciting features for iOS 6 this year, but what have they actually done to innovate in the last few iOS upgrades? Apple has slowed down their rate of innovation, both in software updates and product updates. Hell, the new iPad’s biggest selling point was the display, and that’s it. There’s an entire commercial talking about the new and improved screen, and quite frankly so what?

RIM Will Innovate With Blackberry 10

RIM has finally decided to innovate with their latest OS. Yes, it would be relevant to argue that the many failures they’ve had recently are what caused them to change their game. Honestly though, is that any different than how Apple started their climb back up to the top?

Apple summed it up perfectly in their new Macbook Pro commercial.“When you build on top of something else you’re stuck with incremental changes. When you start with something new you can totally redesign it.”

That is exactly what RIM has done with BB10, even if it is out of necessity, they’ve created something new, something fresh. Provided they do not botch this opportunity, which is probably their final attempt, everyone will be looking to have something fresh.

BB10 Vs. iOS 6

Blackberry 10 will provide an entirely fresh experience, and instead of just implementing new features, RIM has designed the entire OS from the ground up. Blackberry 10 will include an innovative user interface and navigation mechanics like bezel gestures, window FLOW and swipe support, and a brand new typing experience. On top of those features, BB10 will also include the new and improved camera that allows users to rewind frames in order to get that perfect picture.

Apple, on the other hand, has improved the iOS platform with new features like Facebook integration (it’s about time), some new phone modes, a proprietary GPS and Navigation app, and an updated browser.

Of course, there were more improvements, and they just work to compound an already successful OS. Argue what you will, but Apple does know how to design fantastic software. Unfortunately, the software will only be tolerated for so long until consumers want something new.

So far, it looks as if RIM may have the proper innovation to pull this off. Only time will tell.

30 killed in Yobe attacks

...As govt imposes 24-hour curfew

By: 

 TIMOTHY OLA, Maiduguri

Date: 

 Wed, 06/20/2012 - 22:38

No fewer than 30 people including policemen and soldiers were killed yesterday in Damaturu when bombers and gunmen suspected to be of Boko Haram sect launched coordinated attacks on the town. The attack, which led to gun battle between the security forces and the Boko Haram men left in its wake woes as scores died while many were injured.     

A very dependable source at the State Specialist Hospital, Damaturu, hinted that 30 corpses were brought to the hospital in the afternoon before they were taken to the morgue. Among the dead, according to the hospital source were two soldiers and two policemen (one from the mobile unit). A police officer also claimed that 15 of the sect members were killed, adding that the patrol team was still picking corpses in different places.   

But the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Patrick Egbuniwe told Daily Sun that the police lost three of their personnel while four were wounded. He said the command was yet to ascertain the number of casualties on the civilian side, adding that he “can only give the casualtirs figure on the side of the police.” He said the police have intensified “robust patrol” with other security agencies in the state. 


“You know after any problem, what we do immediately is to condone off the affected areas and then intensify patrol and surveillance. So we’ve started robust patrol operation, I mean joint patrol with other security agencies,” CP Egbuniwe disclosed.    
  Residents have remained indoor since yesterday evening when sporadic gun shots were heard in different parts of the town, including Gwange, Pompomari and Sabon Pegi. Many of the travelers and motorists were turned back from Ngelzerma, few kilometers to Damaturu following the announcement of 24 hours curfew yesterday morning, while luxury buses on night journey from Lagos and eastern part that arrived the state in the early hours of the day were stranded on the way.         

The state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam said the government resolved to impose the 24-hour curfew because of the “prevailing security situation in the state capital.” Gaidam through a statement signed by his media adviser, Abdullahi Bego directed residents to remain in their homes while the security agencies continue with their effort to ensure the protection of life and property. 


“The 24-hour curfew directive is for Damaturu metropolis only. Restriction of movement for other parts of the state, except Potiskum town, still remains 10PM to 6AM daily. Restriction of movement in Potiskum town remains 6.00PM to 6.00AM daily,” the governor said even as he called on people “to continue to give maximum cooperation to the security agencies in their effort to ensure the safety of life and property.” 


Gov Gaidam also urged people not to relent in their prayers “for the Almighty Allah (SWT) to restore peace in our state and the nation in general.”

Blackberry Market is Growing Drastically In Nigeria

A recent study and analysis shows that the Nigerian Blackberry Market is really appreciating.

I’ve read some articles that stated that the future of Blackberry (and RIM in general) isn’t very bright. Well I beg to differ. Maybe a larger part of people in North America go for iPhones or Androids, but RIM isn’t dead. In fact, it is doing great in many parts of the world. Countries like Mexico, Indonesia, and South Africa are contributing largely towards the revenues of Blackberries. As revealed by Robert Bose, the chief of RIM in Africa, Middle East, and Central Europe, RIM will soon open another Blackberry office in Lagos, thus making Nigeria a perfect target for marketing.

Nigeria has a very small mobile market and only 5% of phone users have a smartphone. But out of these 5%, Blackberry takes more than half of the market share. Since the Blackberry Messenger has immense popularity in this region, there is a lot of scope for market expansion. Plus RIM is offering unlimited and inexpensive plans to advantage more from the situation. More than 97% Blackberry users in Nigeria use BBM.

Also, there are many inexpensive Blackberry phones like the Curve 8520, which means that many people can connect to their peers without paying much. Due to all these factors combined, Blackberry was recently voted as the number one smartphone of the country among teenagers. The phone has just gone viral and there were some ‘Nollywood’ movies released last year on Blackberries. They focused on ‘Blackberry babes’, and how your social status can be affected if you don’t have a Blackberry. And all this didn’t even require any direct representation from the brand itself.

Curled from: Blackberry Rocks

Microsoft Windows 8 Surface Tablets: Big Hardware Play

After days of speculation about a Microsoft-crafted Windows 8 tablet, the software giant delivered the goods Monday night in Los Angeles, in the form of Surface--one tablet for Windows 8 RT running on NVidia's ARM processor, and one for Windows 8 Pro, running on Intel's Ivy Bridge (using the i5 core). Despite rampant speculation, the announcement still felt a little like a surprise.

The Surface for Windows 8 RT weighs 676 grams and is 9.3 mm thick. By way of comparison, the iPad weighs 652 grams and measures 9.4 mm thick. Using a 10.6-inch ClearType HD display, this Microsoft tablet includes USB 2.0, Micro HD, and microSD options for connectivity. The 2x2 MIMO antennas give it the strongest WiFi capability of any tablet, according to Microsoft's Windows chief Steve Sinofsky.

The Surface for Windows 8 Pro is heavier, at 903 grams, and thicker at 13.5 mm. It also includes the 10.6-inch ClearType display, but Microsoft's spec sheets say it is "Full HD." It includes USB 3.0 along with microSD, and a Mini DisplayPort Video--so users can send video to a full screen or other compatible display.

Microsoft spent a great deal of time talking about the design of Surface, with its VaporMG case. Microsoft claims the tablet is scratch and wear resistant, and designed to be both sturdy and light. The display uses Corning's Gorilla Glass. The device also includes a built-in kickstand, made with the same material and integrated so that it doesn't stick out or add very much to the Surface's weight (it is .7 mm thick and fits into the device). Microsoft is also including a magnetic cover. But this cover doesn't just snap on and sit there--its underside is actually a touch keyboard, with a track pad and Metro user interface keys. The cover is 3 mm thick.

Microsoft provided a few other details: The camera is angled at 22 degrees, which Sinofsky said lets everyone at a table (presumably gathered around the tablet) be in the frame. And of course, the Surface serves as a good Skype device, Sinofsky pointed out. The Surface includes dual array microphones and speakers.

The Windows 8 Pro version includes pen input. Because the screen is optically bonded, it feels as if you're actually writing on it, said Microsoft VP Michael Angiulo. The Surface includes what Angiulo called Palm Lock, so that the image doesn't move while you're writing on it. The writing input is sampled at 600 dpi, for sub pixel accuracy and smoothness, Angiulo said.

Microsoft didn't give shipment dates or pricing, but said the Windows RT version would ship around the time when Windows 8 is made available, and the Pro model will come three months later.

The RT version comes in 32 GB and 64 GB models, and will be priced comparably to other consumer tablets. The Windows Pro version will come in 64 GB and 128 GB versions and will be priced like ultrabooks. Both will be available via the Microsoft physical stores, and online.