Canada has announced the closure of a key pathway for international students to transition from study permits to permanent residency, marking a significant shift in the country’s immigration policy.

The government is also ending the popular Student Direct Stream (SDS) program, which expedited study permit processing for students from select countries.

The decision, confirmed by Immigration Minister Marc Miller, means that international students will no longer be able to rely on their time studying in Canada as a guaranteed route to permanent residency.

Under the new regulations, students must return to their home countries once their study permits expire, with no automatic extensions or transitions to permanent residency status.

The SDS program, which was launched in 2018, allowed eligible students from 14 countries, including India, China, and the Philippines, to have their study permit applications processed in as little as 20 days.

Initially introduced to ease political tensions and attract international talent, the program will now be phased out as part of broader changes to Canada’s immigration strategy.

The announcement comes in the wake of protests by international students across Canada, who had been advocating for easier pathways to stay in the country after completing their studies.

However, Minister Miller stated that while students have the right to voice their concerns, Canada’s immigration system must remain balanced and orderly, emphasizing that study permits do not guarantee a route to permanent residency.

As the countdown to the 2027 general elections accelerates, the Labour Party (LP), under the leadership of Julius Abure, has unveiled a bold plan to expand its membership to over 20 million across Nigeria.

The initiative aims to enhance the party’s national presence and increase its political influence in the coming years.

To kick off this ambitious goal, the LP has launched an online membership registration and revalidation process to attract new members nationwide.

This effort will run concurrently with the party’s congresses, beginning at the ward and state levels.

The plans were outlined in a communiqué released after the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which was held virtually on Saturday.

Obiora Ifoh, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, confirmed the restructuring of the Directorate of Mobilization and Integration, and the creation of a new Directorate of International and Diaspora Affairs.

The communiqué, in part, read: “NEC approved the expansion of the party’s membership, and all current members are required to revalidate their membership. New members can register online via [link].”

The first phase of the membership exercise will begin immediately and end on January 31, 2025.

This phase aims to update the ward-level membership registers ahead of the congresses, which will take place between February and March 2025.

The party encouraged members who wish to contest for positions at the ward level to begin their preparations now.

The communiqué further outlined the positions available for election at each level of the party’s structure:

At the Ward Level: 17 positions, including Chairman, two Vice-Chairmen (one male and one female), Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Publicity Secretary, Legal Adviser, Auditor, Woman Leader, Youth Leader, and five ex-officio members.

At the Local Government Level: 21 positions, including Chairman, four Vice-Chairmen (including one female and one representing the platform), Secretary, three Assistant Secretaries, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Publicity Secretary, Legal Adviser, Auditor, Woman Leader, Youth Leader, and five ex-officio members.

At the State Level: 29 positions, including Chairman, six Deputy Chairmen, Secretary, two Assistant Secretaries, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Publicity Secretary, Organizing Secretary, Legal Adviser, Auditor, Woman Leader, three Assistant Women Leaders, Youth Leader, three Assistant Youth Leaders, and five ex-officio members.

The party also announced that states meeting the basic requirements for congresses, especially with regard to membership registration, would be issued official notifications to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the congresses within the stipulated time frame.

The restructuring of the Directorate of Mobilization and Integration, which has already made significant strides in less than six months, will now focus on broadening the party’s base.

Additionally, the newly established Directorate of International and Diaspora Affairs will be led by Prof. Eddie Oparaoji, with Ms. Aju Elumelu appointed as Secretary.

This directorate will oversee the engagement of LP members abroad and encourage participation in the congresses, including those at the ward level.

NEC also approved the formation of several new committees, including the Electoral Reform Committee, Political Education Committee, and the State Elders Council.

Addressing the creation of the Electoral Reform Committee, LP National Chairman Julius Abure reiterated the party’s commitment to electoral reform.

“Labour Party was a major victim in the 2023 elections, and we are determined to push for comprehensive reforms to ensure future elections are credible, free, and fair,” he stated.

The Electoral Reform Committee will be chaired by Hon. Benedict Etanabene, with Hon. Okey Joe as Co-Chair and Dudu Manuga serving as Secretary.

The committee is expected to submit its findings within eight weeks.

Abure also spoke about the Political Education Committee, stressing the need to reorient and empower the electorate.

“We must prepare our people for active political participation. The leadership in Nigeria is a reflection of the people, and we must ensure our members are ready for meaningful engagement in governance,” he said.

The Political Education Committee will be chaired by Rt. Hon. Ativie Elizabeth, former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, with Mr. Bulus Maisamari as Secretary.

Other committee members will be announced soon.

Abure reaffirmed the party’s goal of becoming Nigeria’s largest political force, with a focus on preparing for the 2027 elections.

“Nigeria has been in stagnation for too long, and the Labour Party is committed to rescuing the nation,” he declared.

Four members of the Anambra Vigilante Services (AVS) were killed on Monday morning by gunmen in Anambra State.

According to Daily Trust, three of the vigilante members were killed in Ukpo, Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state while one was killed in Abatete, Idemili North LGA.

It was learnt that the gunmen had stormed Abatete, firing indiscriminately, which led to the death of one person.

The attacks occurred following Governor Charles Soludo’s directive, urging traders to ignore the Monday sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and go about their normal business.

An eyewitness reported that after killing the three AVS members in Ukpo, the gunmen set their operational vehicle ablaze and fled, taking about seven people with them and injuring many others in the process.

It was learnt that a trader and a vigilante member escaped with bullet wounds.

According to the eyewitness, the gunmen arrived at Ukpo roundabout, shooting sporadically.

Upon sighting a Sienna bus transporting the vigilante members, they opened fire, killing three of the personnel.

The eyewitness stated, “They came from nowhere, shooting sporadically and chanting ‘No Biafra, No Freedom.’ People started running for safety.”

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident but stated that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ukpo was on the ground to investigate the matter.

Recall that two weeks ago, Governor Soludo ordered all markets in the state to open and disregard the sit-at-home order enforced by the gunmen.

Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has called on the country’s anti-corruption agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to adopt the investigative methods used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Speaking at the Food and Energy Security in Africa Conference in Lagos, Fagbemi advocated for a more discreet and thorough approach to corruption investigations, similar to the FBI’s model.

He emphasized that these agencies should focus on completing comprehensive investigations before taking public actions like arrests.

“My approach has always been that when EFCC or ICPC is investigating anyone, I would prefer them to follow the FBI model,” Fagbemi said.

He praised the FBI’s method of conducting investigations in secret, only revealing their actions once they are ready to make a move.

“In the FBI, you don’t hear about investigations until they knock on your door. At that point, you have your rights, and you can call your lawyer, but by then, they are ready with a case,” he explained.

The Attorney General further criticized the practice of media trials, where suspects are publicly accused and tried before investigations are concluded.

He suggested that such practices, fueled by social media, can damage the reputations of those involved even before the truth is known.

“We need a more civilized approach to combating corruption, where actions are not made public until the investigation is complete,” Fagbemi stressed.

Fagbemi acknowledged the role of social media in amplifying public perceptions of corruption cases, but warned that this can lead to a premature judgment of suspects.

“Social media can bastardize and abuse suspects before the truth even comes out,” he said, advocating for a fairer process that upholds the legal rights of those under investigation.

The Minister also reassured the public that the Nigerian government remains committed to fighting corruption, citing laws such as the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022 and the Corruption Act of 2022 as steps in the right direction.

He highlighted that the anti-corruption agencies had made significant progress, securing nearly 4,000 convictions in 2022 alone.

Fagbemi emphasized that, in addition to prosecuting corruption, the EFCC and ICPC are focusing on preventative measures to curb future offenses.

He also addressed concerns about inconsistent judicial rulings, noting that new technologies are being introduced to improve the predictability and consistency of court decisions.

“Technology is being implemented to track judicial decisions and ensure that rulings in similar cases across different courts are aligned. This will help address issues of conflicting decisions and make the legal process more transparent and reliable.”

The Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS), led by Olumba Olumba, has dismissed rumors of a crisis within the organization, urging the public to ignore misleading videos circulating on social media.

Dr. Amah Williams, the spokesperson for BCS, made the clarification in an interview with journalists in Lagos on Sunday.

He stressed that the videos circulating online, which suggested unrest within the group, were false and did not originate from the organization’s headquarters in Calabar, as claimed.

“These videos are nothing but fabrications created by mischief-makers aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the Brotherhood,” Williams said.

“Our headquarters in Calabar is peaceful, secure, and preparations are underway for our annual divine manifestation event.”

Williams confirmed that the BCS headquarters in Calabar is in full preparation for the 2024 Universal Celebration of the Divine Manifestation of Olumba, which is scheduled to take place from November 18 to 24.

The theme of the event is “The Unshakable King.”

He called on the public to disregard the fake videos and assured that the Brotherhood remains calm and united.

“We want to reassure our members and the public that the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star is not in crisis. We are focused on the upcoming event, and our headquarters is safe and serene,” Williams added.