At least 40 people were killed and many others wounded in an attack by gunmen on Zurak village in Nigeria's north-central Plateau state, where clashes between herders and farmers are rife, the police and residents said on Tuesday.

Plateau police spokesperson Alfred Alabo said armed men, often referred to locally as bandits, fleeing an "aggressive onslaught" by security agents in Bangalala forest of Wase local government area of the state attacked Zurak and Dakai villages late on Monday.

While seven of the assailants were neutralised by security agents, fleeing gang members killed nine people and burnt down six houses, Alabo said in a statement.

Residents say the death toll is much higher. They told Reuters that dozens of gunmen had stormed the village on motorcycles, shooting indiscriminately, abducting an unspecified number of people, and setting houses ablaze.

"As they entered our village, they began shooting sporadically at anyone they saw. They killed more than 40 people without any mercy. I managed to escape to a nearby village. Until now, I haven't seen many of my family members," said Babangida Aliyu, a resident of Zurak who fled.

Another resident, Timothy Haruna, told Reuters: "They killed many people and abducted a lot. Many others sustained gunshot injuries. They also set our houses ablaze."

Attacks in rural areas and kidnapping for ransom have become commonplace in northern Nigeria in recent years where armed gangs have targeted villages, schools and travellers, demanding millions of naira in ransom.

Nigeria is plagued with security challenges, including a 14-year-long Islamist insurgency in its northeast, separatist violence in the southeast, and frequent deadly clashes between farmers and herders in the central region.

Alabo said the Plateau police command has deployed more officers to the area to secure the villages.

Reuters

Israeli forces raze parts of Gaza's Jabalia, hit Rafah with airstrikes

Israeli forces thrust deeper into Jabalia in northern Gaza on Tuesday, striking a hospital and destroying residential areas with tank and air bombardments, residents said, while Israeli airstrikes killed at least five people in Rafah in the south.

Simultaneous Israeli assaults on the northern and southern edges of the Gaza Strip this month have caused a new exodus of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing their homes, and sharply restricted the flow of aid, raising the risk of famine.

In Jabalia, a sprawling refugee camp built for displaced civilians 75 years ago, the Israeli army used bulldozers to clear shops and property near the local market, residents said, in a military operation that began almost two weeks ago.

Israel said it has returned to the camp, where it had claimed to have dismantled Hamas months ago, to prevent the militant group that controls Gaza from regrouping.

In a roundup of its activity over the past day, the Israeli military said it had dismantled "about 70 terror targets" throughout the Gaza Strip, including military compounds, weapon storage sites, missile launchers and observation posts.

Palestinian medics said Israeli missiles struck the emergency department of Jabalia's Kamal Adwan Hospital, prompting panicked staff to rush patients on hospital beds and stretchers to the rubble-strewn street outside.

"The first missile when it hit, it hit the entrance of the emergency department. We tried to enter, and then a second missile hit, and the third hit the building nearby," said Hussam Abu Safia, the head of hospital.

"We cannot go back inside to them ... The emergency department provides a service for children, the elderly and people inside the departments of the hospital."

Residents and medics said Israeli tanks were besieging another Jabalia hospital, Al-Awda Hospital, for the third day. In Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said northern Gaza's sick and wounded were running out of options.

"These are the only two functional hospitals remaining in northern Gaza," Tedros said. "Ensuring their ability to deliver health services is imperative."

More than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war in Gaza, which is now in its eighth month, according to the Gaza health ministry. At least 10,000 others are missing and believed to be trapped under destroyed buildings, it says.

Israel is seeking to eradicate Hamas after militants from the group stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 and taking more than 250 hostages, by Israeli tallies.

The war has devastated the overcrowded coastal enclave, destroying houses, schools and hospitals and creating a dire humanitarian crisis.

Aid from a U.S.-built pier resumed moving into warehouses in Gaza on Tuesday using alternative routes, the Pentagon said. The distribution was halted for three days after crowds of needy residents intercepted trucks.

AIRSTRIKES

In the south, airstrikes killed three children in a house in Khan Younis and at least five people including three children in a home in Rafah, health officials said.

East of Khan Younis, residents said they were fleeing Khuzaa town after Israeli troops began an incursion on the eastern edge of the territory, bulldozing across the border fence.

"Bombing everywhere, people are leaving in panic. It was a surprising incursion," one resident from Khuzaa told Reuters by phone as he and his family were leaving.

Israel is pushing on with its operations in Rafah on Gaza's southern border with Egypt, where more than half of the territory's 2.3 million population had sought refuge after being displaced from areas further north.

UNRWA, the main United Nations agency in Gaza, estimated as of Monday that more 800,000 had fled since Israel began targeting the city in early May, despite international pleas for restraint over concern about civilian casualties.

On Tuesday, the agency said food distributions had been suspended in Rafah due to lack of supplies and insecurity.

Israel has pledged to continue with the Rafah assault to root out what it says are four remaining battalions of Hamas fighters holed up there. Tanks made incursions into the eastern Rafah suburbs of Jeneina, Al-Salam, and Brazil, according to residents.

The Israeli military said over the past day it had "identified a terrorist shooting mortar shells at IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) troops," though no injuries were reported. It said it had taken out the enemy with an airstrike and had located rockets and additional military equipment in the area.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukrainian gunners finally get shells to stop Russians near Kharkiv

Ukrainian servicemen operating a howitzer in Kharkiv region near the Russian border work around the clock to stop an incursion by Moscow's troops, and they are finally getting the shells to do it.

Ukraine's defenders were hamstrung for months by shortages of artillery shells and other weapons as U.S. Congress held up billions of dollars worth of military aid. As the lawmakers in Washington argued, Russia's forces pressed their advantage on the frontlines, pushing forward on the eastern front.

With a $61 billion aid package belatedly approved by Congress last month, Ukraine's gunners say the crippling shortages are starting to ease.

Those in the northern districts of Kharkiv region say the fighting is more intense than their previous assignment in Bakhmut, the town in eastern Ukraine seized by Russia last year and reduced to rubble by months of fighting.

"It's 24/7, their infantry keeps coming, we keep fighting their attacks. At least we are trying to. Whenever possible, we take them down," said Pavlo, a gunner of Ukraine's 92nd Separate Assault brigade operating a howitzer.

"We were positioned in the Bakhmut area before, now we have been transferred here. It's much 'hotter' here. We didn't have shells there. Here, at least we have shells, they started delivering them. We have something to work with, to fight."

Russian forces pushed across the border earlier this month and say they have captured about a dozen villages.

The town of Vovchansk, 5 km (three miles) inside the border, remains the focal point of the incursion. Ukrainian forces control about 60 % of the town and are fighting house-to-house to fend off Russian attacks.

The stakes are high - capturing Vovchansk would be Russia's most significant gain since launching the assault. Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, lies 70 km away.

"We see them walking down the road, 5 km away all the way from Shebekino," said Vitalii, commander of the brigade's artillery unit, referring to a town on the Russian side of the border.

"We see them walking on foot to their positions. As they move, we of course try to hit them , to inflict maximum casualties."

Officers pore over drone footage of Vovchansk, with smoke rising over different districts, to assess the situation below. Monitors are checked, calculations made.

Two men are tasked with ensuring the howitzer is well camouflaged - with tree boughs.

Vitalii is confident that the shells will keep coming as everyone is aware of the importance of holding their line.

"Yes, we will be getting ammunition because we are up against a large and serious enemy group," he said.

"If we can demonstrate now that we are able in such an extreme situation to stop the enemy's big scale assault on Kharkiv and Kharkiv region, the enemy will not dare to think of attacking Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy or Poltava region."

** Russia starts exercise to simulate launch of tactical nuclear weapons

Drills ordered by Putin begin in southern Russia

Simulation will be closely watched in the West

Putin seen warning against deeper Western role in Ukraine

Russian forces have started the first stage of exercises ordered by President Vladimir Putin to simulate preparation for the launch of tactical nuclear weapons, the Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.

Moscow has linked the exercises to what it calls "militant statements" by Western officials, including French President Emmanuel Macron, which it said created security threats for Russia.

Nuclear analysts say the exercises are designed as a warning signal by Putin to deter the West from wading more deeply into the war in Ukraine. Western countries have provided weapons and intelligence to Kyiv but have refrained from sending troops.

The Defence Ministry said the first stage of the exercise involved Iskander and Kinzhal missiles.

It is aimed at ensuring that units and equipment are ready for "the combat use of non-strategic nuclear weapons to respond and unconditionally ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian state in response to provocative statements and threats of individual Western officials against the Russian Federation", the ministry said.

The drills involve missile forces in Russia's Southern Military District, which lies adjacent to Ukraine and also includes parts of Ukraine that Russia now controls.

Belarus, where Russia said last year it was deploying tactical nuclear weapons, will also be involved, the two countries have said.

Tactical, or non-strategic, nuclear weapons are less powerful than the strategic arms designed to wipe out whole enemy cities, but they nevertheless have vast destructive potential.

Some Western analysts believe non-strategic nuclear weapons have acquired greater importance in Moscow's thinking since the start of the war in Ukraine, where its conventional forces struggled in the first two years.

In theory the use of such a weapon could deliver a stunning shock to the West without necessarily triggering a full-blown nuclear war, though the risk of triggering a cycle of escalation would be huge.

'SPECIAL AMMUNITION'

Russia has about 1,558 non-strategic nuclear warheads, according to the Federation of American Scientists, although there is uncertainty about exact figures. They are controlled by the Russian Defence Ministry's 12th Main Directorate, known as 12th GUMO.

The ministry said troops were practising obtaining "special ammunition" - meaning nuclear warheads - for Iskander missiles, equipping launch vehicles with them and "covertly advancing to the designated position in preparation for missile launches".

It said aviation units were also practising the fitting of special warheads to Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, and flying into designated patrol areas.

Video released by the ministry showed missiles being transported in a convoy of military vehicles and placed in position ready for firing.

"The exercises are, obviously, a signal in response to discussion of NATO countries' troops in Ukraine. The most important features are advance announcement and visibility," Nikolai Sokov, a former Soviet and Russian arms control official, told Reuters.

Western militaries will be watching the exercises closely and seeking to draw conclusions about how much warning time they would have if Russia deployed such weapons for real, he said.

"The involvement of 12th GUMO can produce insights into how much time the release of warheads takes, how well detectable, how much warning," said Sokov, a senior fellow at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation.

The involvement of Kinzhal, he said, was "a new element I did not expect to see", although there was no doubt about its capability to carry both nuclear and conventional warheads.

When Putin ordered the drills this month, Russia's Foreign Ministry linked them to comments by France's Macron, who floated the possibility of sending European troops to fight Moscow in Ukraine, and British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who said Kyiv had the right to use weapons provided by London to strike targets inside Russia. It also cited the provision of long-range British, French and U.S. ATACMS missiles to Kyiv.

The Foreign Ministry said on May 6 the exercises should send a "sobering signal" to the West and its "puppets" in Ukraine.

"We hope these drills will cool the hot heads in Western capitals," it said, adding the West should realise "the potential catastrophic consequences of the strategic risks they are generating" and stop short of direct military confrontation with Russia.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russia’s strikes hammer Ukrainian troops, equipment in 95 areas over past day

Russian forces struck Ukrainian manpower and military hardware in 95 areas over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck amassed manpower and military equipment of the Ukrainian army in 95 areas," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian troops repel three Ukrainian counterattacks in Kharkov area over past day

Russian troops kept advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and repelled three Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Kharkov area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup North units continued advancing deep into the enemy defenses. They inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 125th mechanized, 112th and 113th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Konstantinovka, Okhrimovka and Granov in the Kharkov Region. They repelled three counterattacks by enemy assault groups near the settlements of Volchansk and Staritsa in the Kharkov Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kharkov direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 245 personnel, two tanks, two armored combat vehicles, two pickup trucks, three 152mm 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled artillery systems, a 152mm D-20 howitzer and a US-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 counterbattery radar station, it specified.

Kiev loses 425 troops, tank in Kupyansk area over past day

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 425 troops, a tank and two armored personnel carriers in battles with Russian forces in the Kupyansk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup West units took more advantageous positions and inflicted casualties on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 14th, 21st and 66th mechanized brigades in areas near the settlements of Novosadovoye and Ivanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Nevskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic. Over the past 24 hours, they repelled six counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army near the settlements of Stelmakhovka and Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Grigorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kupyansk direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 425 personnel, a tank, two armored personnel carriers, six motor vehicles, a 122mm D-30 howitzer and a 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika motorized artillery system, it specified.

Russian troops also destroyed two US-made AN/TPQ-37 counterbattery radar stations of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Kiev loses over 320 troops, ammo depot in Donetsk area over day

The Ukrainian army lost more than 320 troops and an ammunition depot in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Southern Battlegroup units improved their forward edge positions and inflicted casualties on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 57th mechanized, 105th and 118th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Konstantinovka, Razdolovka and Chasov Yar in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy lost more than 320 personnel, a tank, two infantry fighting vehicles and two US-made 155mm M777 howitzers. An ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army was destroyed," the ministry said.

Russian forces repulse seven Ukrainian counterattacks in Avdeyevka area over past day

Russian forces repulsed seven Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Avdeyevka area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Center units improved their tactical position and inflicted damage on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 68th jaeger and 24th mechanized brigades in areas near the settlements of Semyonovka and Novgorodskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repulsed seven counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 71st jaeger, 47th and 110th mechanized brigades near the settlements of Ocheretino, Solovyovo and Umanskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Avdeyevka direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 420 personnel, five armored combat vehicles, among them four US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, six motor vehicles, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, a 122mm Gvozdika motorized artillery system and a 122mm D-30 howitzer, it specified.

Russian troops strike three Ukrainian army brigades in Kherson area over past day

Russian troops inflicted casualties on three Ukrainian army brigades in the Kherson area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 37th marine infantry, 65th mechanized and 15th National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Vesyoloye in the Kherson Region, Rabotino and Malaya Tokmachka in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kherson direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 105 personnel, seven motor vehicles, two US-made 155mm M777 howitzers, a 152mm 2A36 Giatsint-B howitzer and a 122mm BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher, it specified.

Russian air defenses down 45 Ukrainian UAVs, two ATACMS missiles over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down 45 Ukrainian UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), two ATACMS, eight SCALP-EG and four HARM missiles over the past day, the ministry reported.

"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities shot down 45 unmanned aerial vehicles, two US-made ATACMS tactical missiles, eight French-made SCALP-EG cruise missiles, five French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, four US-manufactured HARM anti-radar missiles and eight US-made HIMARS rockets and Olkha rockets," the ministry said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 601 Ukrainian warplanes, 274 helicopters, 24,464 unmanned aerial vehicles, 523 surface-to-air missile systems, 16,114 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,306 multiple rocket launchers, 9,717 field artillery guns and mortars and 21,872 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.

Reuters/Tass

Bola Tinubu has been a politician for the better part of his life. He has the uncanny reputation of seeking to do the impossible, in very difficult circumstances. By his own declarations, the presidential ambition has been in the works for a very long time, so he was well prepared for the job and nobody should pity or cry for him. We were taught that the best way to know somebody is through what other people say about him, what he does and what he says about himself. This piece is a simple analysis of the impact of Tinubu’s government upon the people of Nigeria since May 29, 2023, when he commenced his four-year tenure.

The President gave out himself as a progressive, by which term it is understood that he would implement programmes and policies that will lead to major and remarkable improvements in the lives of the people. The President is seen as a welfarist, judging by his eight-year tenure as governor of Lagos State, during which time his supporters claimed that he executed people-oriented programmes of mass transit, that he revolutionized the judicial sector and even increased the internally generated revenue of the State.

You would have a hard time convincing them that he was not a thorough democrat as they would cite examples of his legal battles to enthrone true federalism, when he pioneered the creation of local government development areas and dared the federal government. You will not be able to convince his fans that the President as governor of Lagos State could not guarantee water supply to many homes, that he was not able to arrest the incidences of cultism, the ‘area boys’ syndrome and that he did nothing to upgrade the various slums that littered the State beyond primitive land acquisition and reallocation.

The governance structure in Nigeria is designed to deliver durable infrastructure and guarantee inclusive government for the people. This is clearly the purport of Chapter 2 of the Constitution. In its various sections, the Constitution provides for a government of the people, for the people and by the people. Section 13 enjoins all persons exercising legislative, executive and judicial authorities to uphold the provisions of the Constitution. Section 14 (1) states clearly that the Nigerian State shall be governed on the principles of democracy and social justice, while section 14 (2) (a) gives ultimate power (sovereignty) to the people. Section 14 (3) prohibits nepotism by stating that the composition of the Government of the Federation and indeed the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and to promote national unity, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few States or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government. What do we have in the current Tinubu dispensation? The judiciary is headed by the South-West, the Army is headed by the South-West, the police is headed by the South-West, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is headed by the South-West, the Immigration is headed by the South-West, the Customs is headed by the South-West, the FIRS is headed by the South-West, the Governor of Central Bank is from the South-West, the Comptroller-General of the Correctional Centre is from the South-West and the Minister of Petroleum (Tinubu) is from the South-West. In simple terms, the South-West region of Nigeria controls the executive, the judiciary, the security and the finance architectures. This is one of the causes of constant agitation in the land, when the leader in power sees himself as the representative of his region alone. And as if following Tinubu’s example, I was shocked to read that in the composition of the new governing councils of federal universities, Adamawa, the home-state of the Minister of Education, produced a whopping 22 chairmen. Section 15 (2) requires the President to promote national integration and to avoid all forms of discrimination.

For this to happen, the government will provide adequate facilities for and encourage free mobility of people, goods and services throughout the Federation. But you and I know that the roads are not motorable and even when they are, the fear of terrorists discourages people from using the roads.

In section 15 (3) (b), the government is to secure full residence rights for every citizen in all parts of the Federation. Some weeks ago, it was reported in the news that the Lagos State Government gathered persons suspected to be from Osun State into a truck and dropped them off in Osogbo to go back to their State. This is not new. Should other States of the Federation retaliate this gesture, there will be crisis everywhere. Section 15 (5) enjoins the government to abolish all forms of corrupt practices and abuse of power. Since the advent of the Tinubu administration, the State Security Service (SSS) has been let loose on Nigerians. The agency invaded a court in Ota area of Ogun State to arrest litigants right inside the court. Journalists are languishing in various detention centres on account of their professional engagements. The sad impression being conveyed by the President and his team is that might is right.

Section 16 (1) (a) directs the government to harness the resources of the nation to promote national prosperity and an efficient, dynamic and self-reliant economy, with equality of status and opportunity granted to all citizens. The question to ask is this: what is the current state of the Nigerian economy? Inflation is at its highest ever (33%), energy cost has gone beyond reach, many companies are closing down due to negative economic factors and the unemployment rate is rising daily. The ballooning exchange rate has worked to cripple many businesses, with the unfortunate result that purchasing power has dwindled drastically whilst the cost of living has quadrupled. This has led to mass exodus of Nigerians to other climes in search of greener pastures.

In section 16 (1) (b), the State is directed to control the national economy in such a manner as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity. I am pretty sure you can resolve this issue yourself, if you go by the increasing cases of suicide, mental illness, broken homes and crime rate. From being the happiest people on earth a while ago, most Nigerians have been turned into emergency beggars, barely able to eke out a decent living. If you get fifty messages in one day, forty of them must come from those who claim not to have eaten the whole day or to have medical bills to settle or they need your support to pay their children’s school fees or settle their accommodation bills. The fuel subsidy removal has only worked to pauperize the people, creating lamentations in various homes and businesses. Section 16 (2) states that the government shall ensure that the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good. Nigeria has oil and gas in very large quantities but they are not harnessed for the benefit of the people. If you go to the Niger-Delta area you will see degradation and the wicked effects of oil production and pollution on the ecosystem. We also have gold, bitumen and other natural and mineral resources. The real issue is that our leaders are not deploying these huge resources for the common good.

In section 16 (2) ©, the government is to ensure that the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of a few individuals. It is the opposite that operates presently, as the same people who control the banks also control the real estate sector, they play in the oil and gas sector, they dominate the power sector and indeed all other important sectors of the Nigerian economy. It is a circle of friends who have not allowed and will not allow any outsider to invade their “privacy”.

In particular and for loud emphasis, section 14 (2) (b) states that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of the government. And this is the real deal. Or how do you promote the welfare of people by keeping them in perpetual darkness without electricity? I cannot remember anytime that we have enjoyed stable power supply for up to one week since May 29, 2023 when Tinubu was sworn in. We are currently experiencing the worst in power supply because all we hear across the land is the sound of generators. To make matters worse, the government empowered the power distribution companies to extort money from their consumers, when the nebulous Band A group was purportedly created, with the assurance of 18-22 hours of power supply everyday. It was only a clever design to milk the people dry, given that those who are touted to be in Band A have since confirmed the scheme to be false. The Tinubu administration has not done anything to improve the lives of Nigerians since it assumed office. Insecurity is at its worst and nobody is ever sure of who is next but for God. Nigeria is presently an open field of suffering such that even those who have are themselves victims. No government should pride itself for foisting suffering on its citizens.

It is no secret that the number of open positions currently far outstrips the number of candidates available to fill them. According to March 2022 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the gap between the current number of job openings and the total level of unemployment now exceeds 5 million. 

Given such a dramatic and critical imbalance, making good hires is among the most important priorities for HR leaders in organizations of all sizes and stripe this year. And it's not just because people are hard to find.

A Harris Poll for Career Builder found that 74% of employers admit to having at one time hired the wrong person. Then, a Robert Half study looking at the cost of bad hires reported that a total of 16 weeks is wasted when a bad hire is made. Hiring the right people the first time is critical.

Many H.R. leaders and recruiters in small and medium enterprises have turned to pre-hire assessments as a means of attempting to isolate on great hires. Recent research from The Aberdeen Group found that just over half, some 57%, of all companies use some form of pre-hire assessment, ostensibly to improve selection. But the trouble is, they don't work that well. 

Besides opening the door to the creation of discriminatory and highly homogenous workplaces dominated by very similar individuals, these tools are frequently misunderstood both by the user and those administering them. 

About the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), arguably the industry's most popular pre-hire personality screening tool, Wharton Organizational Psychologist and New York Times #1 best-selling author, Adam Grant said, "The MBTI is astrology for nerds." 

Worse, the most clever candidates try to beat the test; they will tailor responses to better align with what they perceive to be the cultural and practical requirements of the position. According to 2019 research by Nicolas Roulin and Franciska Krings, which appeared in the Journal of Applied Psychology. 

"On the basis of readily available information about the culture, applicants derive the profile of an individual who potentially would thrive in this context, and then adapt their responses accordingly." 

So, it's not uncommon for pre-hire assessments to deliver the exact opposite of their intended result - a good hire. So, many firms, then, turn to targeted selection for help.

Targeted selection is a process whereby same questions, or very reasonable facsimiles thereof, are divvied up among multiple interviewers who, later, compare candidate replies for consistency. 

An example of a targeted selection question might be, "Give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to solve a problem." 

The logic behind targeted selection is that it eliminates bias across multiple candidates while creating an objective frame of reference to discuss and rate candidates across multiple interviewers. 

Additionally, proponents of targeted selection believe that a candidate, under pressure, will have difficulty "tricking" the system. That is, they won't be able to sustain consistent dishonesty across multiple versions of the same question. 

Therefore, they assume, targeted selection will reveal the best, highest quality hires. The problem is, the brightest candidates prepare for targeted selection questions, and likewise prepare answers designed to please the interviewer. 

Whether their answers are true or not, authentic or not, or credible or not take a back seat to whether or not they are more likely to check a box the interviewer is seeking to check. So, targeted selection is (or should be) out. There is, though, a far better, and far more practical way of finding quality hires than costly assessments and complex group interviewing schemes. Just ask, "Oh?"

I've been using this simple two letter interrogative in interviews for more than 3 decades now to help separate winning candidates from everyone else. I use, "Oh?" as a follow-up to bold statements, insufficient statements, superficial statements, or just statements I want to know more about. 

"Oh?" has a sort of magical quality about it. It cannot be ignored. It's too informal to have meant, "I don't believe you." It doesn't invite any sort of canned response. 

It might mean, "Tell me more," or something altogether different; but most wouldn't be caught dead asking you to clarify what you meant by it. "Oh?" is just "Oh?"

But academics, psychologists and business leaders all agree that using "Oh?" in the interview process can lead to better outcomes. 

"Open ended and exploratory questions, like "oh?," allow for an organic conversation, and result in a more accurate evaluation of the candidate's relevant and transferable experience," says Carnegie Mellon University's Diane Taylor. 

Used along with other intelligent and well thought out queries, "Oh?" can produce higher quality hires by addressing some of the shortcomings found in other recruiting tools.

"Oh?" will require a candidate to think on their feet. "Oh?" almost always elicits a completely candid and honest response - because most don't have a repertoire to draw from that includes responses to "Oh?" That's because virtually no one spends time getting ready for the "Oh?"

According to Agnieszka Goulin, head of People at Spacelift.IO, "I like asking the "oh?" question as most candidates do not expect such a question, they have not prepared their answer prior, and thus their answer will be a unique response they came up with at the moment. It showcases their critical thinking and their ability to remain calm under pressure." 

Responses to "Oh?" will typically most closely match the personality and cultural orientation of the responder; because in responding they are foremost considering only how to answer the question, not how to make a cultural impression.

Adam Sanders, Founder and Director of The Relaunch Pad agrees. He told me, "There is more information out there than ever before about what hiring managers want to hear. This makes the typical interview questions easier than ever to answer if you're willing to prepare a bit beforehand. 

All of this leads to candidates interviewing with a persona of what they think will get them hired and companies hiring that persona. It's a bad match for both parties in the long-run but it happens all the time. I've found that "Oh?" is a very effective method to take the interview from canned responses into a more self-reflective conversation. 

Most candidates only prepare for the typical surface-level questions and "Oh?" requires them to dig deeper and improvise on the fly. I've found that I get more honest and authentic answers this way." But beyond reducing bad hire risks often missed by assessments and targeted selection, there are other reasons to use the "Oh?" - like tearing away at veils.

"'Oh?' is an excellent interjection when an applicant has been giving superficial responses. According to Stephan Baldwin, founder of Assisted Living, a digital marketing agency in the healthcare industry. 

"When an interviewer says "Oh?," candidates usually get uneasy and start digging deep into your questions. They assume that the phrase signals inadequacy as if you were expecting more from their reply. 

And sometimes, you really are ... healthcare demands employees who are wholeheartedly interested in what they're doing. It's worth finding out what really drives people to join your team." Making quality hires requires that hiring managers know more about a candidate than meets the eye. 

"Oh?" helps them get to a deeper level of dialogue. It encourages people to talk freely and to share openly in a way that few other questions do. It's disarming and welcoming. When used properly and sparingly, the "Oh?" can enable interviewers to collect a depth of information that before would have remained hidden. The "Oh?" can also quickly build relationships between interviewers and interviewee.

Finally, the tremendously casual nature of "Oh?" can help rapidly create bond and rapport then a deeper connection with a candidate. Few candidates will expect the informality of "Oh?" 

Using it can change the tenor of not only their responses, but likely the nature of their relationship with the questioner and the company. Done well, the interviewer is inviting the candidate to a much broader conversation about possibilities, dreams, and, hopefully, mutual ambitions. 

It's a moment when the candidate may, or may not, start to take ownership of their future role. As psychotherapist, Dr. Heather Browne shared with me, "Oh?" can lead to a place where the interviewer and candidate "then can dream together. 

"And in this way, the candidate will stand out if they so choose. These are the moments we live for in an interview. It's either the transformative connect where you create together or it's the clarity of misaligned thought/belief/mission."

It all starts with two simple letters - "Oh?" - a tiny little word that can have huge implications for the quality of your future hires.

Inc

Ahead of the Students' Loan portal launch this Friday, the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced that it will initially offer loans to students in federal tertiary institutions. The Fund specified that only students from institutions that have uploaded their data onto its dashboard will be eligible to apply.

Akintinde Sawyerr, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NELFUND, made this announcement on Monday during a Pre-Application Sensitisation Press Conference in Abuja. He stated that the first phase of the scheme will benefit 1.2 million students from federal universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and technical colleges.

Sawyerr encouraged students in federal institutions to visit the website [www.nelf.gov.ng](http://www.nelf.gov.ng) to apply starting May 24. Students from state universities and vocational skills centers will be able to apply at a later date.

To apply, students will need a Joint Admission and Matriculation Board admission letter, National Identity Number, Bank Verification Number, and a completed application form from the website.

“Applicants can access online support for any questions or concerns during the application process. We believe that education is a vital investment for the future, and this student loan initiative by Mr. President is a testament to that commitment,” Sawyerr said.

One key feature of the program is the absence of physical contact between the loan applicants and NELFUND, with a user-friendly portal allowing students to submit their applications conveniently. Sawyerr urged students to apply promptly to ensure timely processing.

In addition to the interest-free loan, applicants will also receive monthly stipends for upkeep, though the amount has not been disclosed. “We will look closely at each application and decide based on several factors what fees will be paid. The fees for the institution will be paid directly to the institution per session,” Sawyerr explained.

Sawyerr emphasized the role of institutions in providing data on fees at various levels and highlighted ongoing collaborations with security agencies to prevent fraud.

Last month, President Bola Tinubu signed the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024, into law. This Act empowers NELFUND to provide loans for tuition, fees, and upkeep to qualified Nigerian students in approved public tertiary institutions and vocational establishments. The new law, which repeals the Student Loan Act of 2023, removes the family income threshold, allowing all Nigerian students to apply for loans and take responsibility for repayment according to the Fund’s guidelines.

Air Peace, Nigeria’s flag carrier, has responded to allegations of safety violations in the United Kingdom. The airline, in a statement on Monday, asserted that its operations have been under intense scrutiny by authorities since its inaugural flight to London.

The allegations stem from a report titled "Ramp Inspection," dated April 7, in which the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA) raised concerns about Air Peace’s compliance with certain UK safety regulations. The UK CAA claimed that Air Peace was using Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) functions without operational approval.

However, Air Peace described the report as false, stating that it had obtained the necessary approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

“Our attention has been drawn to media reports alleging a safety breach by Air Peace in the United Kingdom, which contain a lot of falsehoods aimed at creating fears and doubts in the minds of the flying public,”

Air Peace stated. “From the commencement of our inaugural flight to London, our operations have been subjected to intense scrutiny by the relevant authorities, which we most welcome as we pride ourselves in our continued pursuit of operational excellence and unwavering commitment to the safety and security of our esteemed passengers."

The airline confirmed that the UK CAA contacted Air Peace after a statutory Ramp Inspection on April 7, 2024, requesting clarification on the use of the EFB and other concerns. Air Peace provided the necessary information, resolving the matter without issues.

“It is, therefore, wrong to say we do not have approval for our EFB. Air Peace received approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and all our Boeing 777 aircraft are certified to operate with EFBs,” the airline clarified.

Air Peace also addressed the claim that its B777 aircraft lacked iPad mounts and charging ports in the cockpit. The airline stated, “All B777 aircraft are equipped with charging ports in the cockpit, and we ensure that all our B777 aircraft have iPad mounts.”

Another concern raised by the UK CAA was the location of the cockpit library on the B777. The airline explained that the B777 designates two locations for storing manuals and books: one behind the captain and one under the jumpseat. During the inspection, the books were stored under the jumpseat, which is common practice.

“We understand the inspector’s preference for the books to be placed behind the captain and have ensured this preference is accommodated for all operations going forward,” Air Peace said.

Regarding the captain’s choice of runway exit after landing, Air Peace acknowledged that instead of using the middle runway exit, the captain chose to exit at the end of the runway, potentially delaying the arrival of another aircraft. The airline has addressed this matter with the captain to ensure adherence to preferred exit procedures in the future.

Air Peace emphasized that Ramp Inspection is a standard procedure conducted by aviation authorities globally, and the UK CAA followed proper protocol by notifying the NCAA of their inspection results. The airline expressed surprise at the exaggerated and sensationalized media reports on the matter, which was resolved over a month ago.

“Air Peace’s safety record is second to none, and we comply with all established safety standards,” the airline concluded.

Customers of Heritage Bank Plc, a major Nigerian financial institution, have called on the government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to urgently address ongoing issues that have left them unable to conduct transactions for the past three weeks.

In interviews with PREMIUM TIMES, many customers expressed frustration over their inability to withdraw funds from their accounts, leading to significant hardship. Despite the bank's notification of a "system refresh exercise" on May 13, which it claims to have completed successfully, customers reported continued difficulties accessing their money.

Several account holders noted that while deposits into their accounts were not problematic, withdrawals remained impossible. At various branches visited by reporters, customers recounted receiving minimal cash withdrawals or none at all. For instance, at branches in Wuse Zone 5 and the Abuja head office in Garki Area 3, customers were still unable to access their funds as of Monday afternoon.

Hassan Omotayo, Secretary of the Joint Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union, detailed his futile attempt to withdraw money after driving 20 kilometers to the Wuse branch, only to be told that earlier arrivals had been paid. Similarly, a long-time customer named Shola shared his frustration over being unable to withdraw more than ₦10,000 in the past three weeks, despite multiple attempts.

The situation has affected customers' daily lives, with one individual unable to buy food for his family and another, a hypertensive patient, unable to purchase medication due to the lack of access to their funds. Both customers urged the CBN and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to intervene.

On social media platform X, customers have voiced their dissatisfaction with Heritage Bank’s services, tagging the CBN in hopes of prompt action. Some users reported issues such as failed fund transfers, non-functional ATMs, and inoperative mobile banking apps, describing the situation as dire and pleading for regulatory intervention.

When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, Heritage Bank's spokesperson, Ozena Utuku, reiterated that customers had been notified of the system refresh and that subsequent communications confirmed the completion of the exercise. Despite this, customers continue to report unresolved issues.

Attempts to reach CBN spokesperson Hakama Ali for comment were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report. Calls and messages to her known contacts went unanswered.

The ongoing troubles with Heritage Bank’s systems have left many customers in a state of uncertainty and frustration, highlighting the need for immediate and effective resolution.

Residents of Dawaki, near Kubwa in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have been abducted in a recent bandit raid. According to sources, 20 individuals were kidnapped during the incident, which has caused significant tension in the area.

The attackers reportedly targeted homes on Frank Opara Street before security forces could respond to distress calls. Tunde Abdulrahim, Chairman of Dawaki Rock Heaven Community, reported that the attack occurred around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. He stated that approximately 50 heavily armed bandits, including both men and women, invaded the community and broke into six houses.

FCT police spokesperson Josephine Adeh said Commissioner of Police Benneth Igweh led the police response and engaged the kidnappers in a gun battle. "In an immediate and strategic response to a distress call on the attack by unknown gunmen in Dawaki on May 19, 2024, at about 11:30 p.m., the operatives of the FCT Police Command, led by Igweh himself, swiftly mobilized to the scene," Adeh reported.

"The police, in coordination with local hunters, advanced on the assailants, tactically ambushing them at Ushafa Hill via Bwari and Shishipe Hills via Mpape. This led to a fierce gun duel. Overwhelmed by the operatives' firepower, the hoodlums fled with various degrees of bullet injuries, and the victims were rescued. While one of the rescued victims remains in the hospital receiving medical attention, the Commissioner of Police reaffirms the Command’s steadfast dedication to maintaining peace and security in the Territory. Search operations are ongoing to rescue other hostages who fled during the shootout," Adeh added.

Earlier, Daily Trust reported that bandits abducted five people from Shagari Quarters, Dei-Dei in the FCT on Sunday morning. Vigilante sources revealed that the attackers arrived around noon and targeted the compound of a senior customs officer, abducting his wife, three children, and a younger brother. They spent over two hours before moving to the neighboring Dakwa community, where an attempt to attack houses was thwarted by a fierce exchange of fire with security personnel, forcing the bandits to withdraw, according to the Chief of Dakwa, Alhassan Musa Babachukuri.

The traditional ruler lamented that the bandits have established a base behind Zuma Rock in Chachi community near Dakwa in neighboring Niger State, which connects to forests around Bwari. He urged the government to take serious action against the bandits to prevent further escalation of their activities.

War crimes prosecutor seeks arrest of Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Netanyahu

The chief prosecutor of the world’s top war crimes court sought arrest warrants Monday for leaders of Israel and Hamas, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over actions taken during their seven-month war.

While Netanyahu and his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, do not face imminent arrest, the announcement by the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor was a symbolic blow that deepened Israel’s isolation over the war in Gaza.

The court’s prosecutor, Karim Khan, accused Netanyahu, Gallant, and three Hamas leaders — Yehya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh — of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip and Israel.

Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders condemned the move as disgraceful and antisemitic. U.S. President Joe Biden also lambasted the prosecutor and supported Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas.

A panel of three judges will decide whether to issue the arrest warrants and allow a case to proceed. The judges typically take two months to make such decisions.

Israel is not a member of the court, so even if the arrest warrants are issued, Netanyahu and Gallant do not face any immediate risk of prosecution. But the threat of arrest could make it difficult for the Israeli leaders to travel abroad.

Netanyahu called the prosecutor’s accusations against him a “disgrace,” and an attack on the Israeli military and all of Israel. He vowed to press ahead with Israel’s war against Hamas.

Biden said the effort to arrest Netanyahu and Gallant over the war in Gaza was “outrageous,” adding “whatever this prosecutor might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas.”

Hamas also denounced the ICC prosecutor’s actions, saying the request to arrest its leaders “equates the victim with the executioner.”

Netanyahu has come under heavy pressure at home to end the war. Thousands of Israelis have joined weekly demonstrations calling on the government to reach a deal to bring home Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity, fearing that time is running out.

In recent days, the two other members of his war Cabinet, Gallant and Benny Gantz, have threatened to resign if Netanyahu does not spell out a clear postwar vision for Gaza.

But on Monday, Netanyahu received wall-to-wall support as politicians across the spectrum condemned the ICC prosecutor’s move. They included Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, and his two main political rivals, Gantz and opposition leader Yair Lapid.

It is unclear what effect Khan’s move will have on Netanyahu’s public standing. The possibility of an arrest warrant against Netanyahu could give him a boost as Israelis rally behind the flag. But his opponents could also blame him for bringing a diplomatic catastrophe on the country.

Yuval Shany, an expert on international law at Hebrew University and the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem think tank, said it was far more certain that Netanyahu’s already troubled international standing could be further weakened.

“This is going to make Netanyahu an outcast, and his ability to move around the world will be seriously compromised,” said Shany. Even if the ICC does not issue the arrest warrant, other countries may now be more reluctant to provide support and assistance, he said.

Hamas is already considered an international terrorist group by the West. Both Sinwar and Deif are believed to be hiding in Gaza. But Haniyeh, the supreme leader of the Islamic militant group, is based in Qatar and frequently travels across the region. Qatar, like Israel, is not a member of the ICC.

The latest war between Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 7, when militants from Gaza crossed into Israel and killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 250 others hostage.

Since then, Israel has waged a brutal campaign to dismantle Hamas in Gaza. More than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, at least half of them women and children, according to the latest estimates by Gaza health officials.

The war has triggered a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, displacing roughly 80% of the population and leaving hundreds of thousands of people on the brink of starvation, according to U.N. officials.

Speaking of the Israeli actions, Khan said “the effects of the use of starvation as a method of warfare, together with other attacks and collective punishment against the civilian population of Gaza are acute, visible and widely known.”

The United Nations and other aid agencies have repeatedly accused Israel of hindering aid deliveries throughout the war. Israel denies this, saying there are no restrictions on aid entering Gaza and accusing the U.N. of failing to distribute aid.

Of the Hamas actions on Oct. 7, Khan, who visited the region in December, said that he saw for himself “the devastating scenes of these attacks and the profound impact of the unconscionable crimes.”

In their rampage, Hamas militants gunned down scores of revelers at a dance party and killed entire families as they huddled in their homes. “These acts demand accountability,” Khan said.

International human rights lawyer Amal Clooneyserved on a five-member expert panel that advised Khan. She said the panel had agreed unanimously that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that both the Hamas and Israeli leaders had committed war crimes, according to a statement.

South Africa, which has been leading a genocide case against Israel at the U.N. world court, welcomed Khan’s announcement seeking the arrest of Israeli and Hamas leaders. “The law must be applied equally to all in order to uphold the international rule of law,” the office of President Cyril Ramaphosa said.

The ICC was established in 2002 as the permanent court of last resort to prosecute individuals responsible for the world’s most heinous atrocities — war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression.

The U.N. General Assembly endorsed the ICC, but the court is independent.

Dozens of countries don’t accept the court’s jurisdiction over war crimes, genocide and other crimes. They include Israel, the United States, Russia and China.

The ICC accepted “The State of Palestine” as a member in 2015, a year after the Palestinians accepted the court’s jurisdiction.

In 2020, then U.S. President Donald Trump authorized economic and travel sanctions on the ICC prosecutor and another senior prosecutor. The ICC staff were looking into U.S. and allies’ troops for possible war crimes in Afghanistan. Biden lifted the sanctions in 2021.

Last year, the court issued a warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putinon charges of responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine. Russia responded by issuing its own arrest warrants for Khan and ICC judges.

AP