As a Chevening partner, the University of Kent has announced applications for the 2026 Chevening Scholarships in the UK.

The University of Kent Chevening Scholarship includes a full tuition fee waiver, a monthly stipend, travel costs to and from the UK, the cost of a visa application as well as a travel grant to attend Chevening events in the UK.

In this post, we will highlight the details of the Chevening Scholarship 2026, its eligibility requirements, benefits, and how to apply as an interested candidate.

University of Kent Chevening Scholarship Summary

• Host Country: UK
• Study Abroad: Study in UK 
• Category: Postgraduate Scholarships | Masters Scholarships 
• Eligible Countries: All Countries
• Reward: Full Scholarship | Living Stipends | Travel Costs | Visa 
• No IELTS Required 
• Deadline: October 6, 2026
  

University of Kent Chevening Scholarship in UK Details:

The University of Kent has officially announced its participation in the Chevening Scholarship 2027 program, opening the doors for ambitious international students to pursue a fully funded postgraduate degree in the UK.

With its strong track record of welcoming global scholars, Kent continues to be one of the leading destinations for Chevening awardees.

The University of Kent has a long-standing relationship with Chevening, which has successfully placed scholars from all over the world at the university for many years. Kent is proud to be a Chevening partner, and offers three partner scholarships, in addition to the standard Chevening Scholarships.

Eligibility Requirements for Chevening Scholarship 2027 in UK

To be considered for the Chevening Scholarship 2027 in UK , you must:

• Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country
• Return to your country of citizenship for a minimum of two years after your scholarship has ended
• Have an undergraduate degree that will enable you to gain entry to a one year postgraduate programme at Kent. This is typically equivalent to an upper second-class 2:1 honours degree, but varies depending on the course. Please visit our course pages for our entry requirements. You can also look at our country specific criteria.
• Have at least two years’ work experience
• Apply to three different eligible UK universitycourses and have received an unconditional offer from one of these choices by 08 July 2027.
• Chevening Scholars must be based in the UK. 

Benefits of Chevening Scholarship 2027

The Chevening Scholarship includes;

• a full tuition fee waiver,
• a monthly stipend,
• travel costs to and from the UK,
• the cost of a visa application as well as a
• travel grant to attend Chevening events in the UK.

How to Apply for University of Kent Chevening Scholarship 2027 (Step by Step)

To apply for the University of Kent Chevening Scholarship, interested and qualified candidates should;

• Click the green button below to visit the program’s webpage.
• Proceed to the Chevening Scholarship webpage and submit an application.
• All applicants who wish to be considered for an award at Kent are encouraged to select the university as their first preference within their Chevening application.
• Applications for 2026/2027 Chevening Scholarships are open between 12:00 BST on 4 August 2025 and close at 12:00 GMT on 6 October 2026.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Deadline: October 6, 2026

ABUJA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said his administration cannot erase in four years the economic and social problems that accumulated in Nigeria over several generations, but can change the country’s trajectory.

Tinubu stated this in his Independence Day address to Nigerians on Thursday, October 1, 2026, marking the 66th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence.

The President said Nigeria had endured decades of economic crises, insecurity, military rule and political upheaval, arguing that successive governments had postponed difficult decisions and allowed deep economic distortions to persist.

According to him, his administration chose to confront the country’s economic challenges through reforms, despite the hardship they initially caused.

He likened the Nigerian economy before the reforms to a patient diagnosed with cancer, saying previous administrations had treated the symptoms rather than addressing the underlying problems.

“By 2023, poverty was rising, and hope was nearly gone. The country’s situation was darker than ever. We had no choice but to act,” Tinubu said.

He added: “Our reforms did not create the weaknesses in our economy. They confronted them.”

Tinubu said three and a half years into his administration, Nigeria’s economic outlook had improved, citing economic growth of more than four per cent, declining oil theft, lower inflation, improved foreign reserves and a more stable foreign exchange market.

He also said Nigeria recorded its highest-ever non-oil export revenue in 2025, exceeding $6 billion.

The President declared that the administration had moved from what he described as the “age of reform” to an “age of prosperity”, with the priority now being to reduce the cost of living and promote widespread economic opportunities.

The emergency treatment is over. The foundation has been repaired. The central economic task before us has changed,” he said.

For three years, our overriding purpose was to correct our nation’s course. Now, our purpose is simple: shared and widespread prosperity.”

Tinubu said the government would focus on lowering the cost of producing and transporting goods by expanding mechanised irrigation and dry-season farming, improving access to seeds and fertiliser, increasing mechanisation and investing in storage and transportation.

He said ongoing investments in roads, railways and ports were aimed at connecting farms and factories to markets while reducing the cost of doing business.

The President also identified job creation, enterprise development and industrial growth as priorities, saying the government would deploy Nigeria’s gas resources to power industries, support the revival of factories, expand digital connectivity and invest in skills required by employers.

“I want to see more Nigerians making things. I want to see more Nigerian farms feeding our cities and supplying our factories. I want to see Nigerian businesses selling Nigerian goods to the whole world,” he said.

On poverty, Tinubu acknowledged that millions of Nigerians were still struggling with food, education, healthcare and transportation costs.

He said the challenges facing vulnerable Nigerians predated his administration and were the accumulated consequences of decades of low productivity, inadequate infrastructure and limited opportunities.

“We cannot erase in four years what accumulated over generations. But we can change its course,” he said.

The President said his administration was strengthening direct support for poor households and improving the National Social Register to ensure that assistance reached those who needed it.

He also highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, saying it was designed to ensure that students from low-income families could pursue higher education despite financial constraints.

Tinubu further cited the Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP), saying it was providing working Nigerians with access to credit to acquire vehicles, solar systems, digital devices and other essential assets.

He said the Federal Government would continue working with state and local governments to strengthen primary healthcare, basic education and other essential public services.

Tinubu also said his administration had paid salaries and pensions on time and in full since 2023 and had reformed the national pension programme to benefit retirees and vulnerable Nigerians.

“These programmes are not substitutes for prosperity. They are a bridge to aid our nation’s citizens on their path towards it,” he said.

Our objective is not to manage poverty more efficiently. We will defeat it.”

He acknowledged that achieving the goal would take time and require sustained economic growth and the creation of millions of productive opportunities.

The President said Nigeria was now pursuing those goals from what he described as a position of economic strength, following the reforms undertaken by his administration.

“The age of reform has done its work. Now begins the age of prosperity,” he declared.

Tinubu urged Nigerians to remain united and look towards the future with renewed hope, saying the country had “corrected its course” and should not return to the challenges that necessitated the reforms.

Nigeria has corrected its course. We have passed through our own Red Sea. This is not the time to look back. Let us go forward together, with faith in ourselves, faith in our country, and faith that the sacrifices we have made will yield their reward,” he said.

He described the “Promised Land” as a Nigeria of abundance and opportunity, where prosperity would be broadly shared and every child could aspire beyond the circumstances of birth.

“Our destination is in sight. Our foundations are strong. Our direction is clear. So let us go forward. No looking back,” Tinubu said.

He wished Nigerians a happy Independence Day and prayed for the continued progress of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Delta, in a joint operation with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, have arrested three suspected drug traffickers, recovering illicit substances and approximately 80,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.

Information from the security agency said the arrests and seizure were made in two separate anti-crude oil theft joint operations involving the Navy and the NDLEA teams in the Niger Delta creeks between Monday and Tuesday.

The Navy, in a statement, said, “The first operation, which was carried out in Oteghele community, resulted in the discovery of a large dug-out reservoir containing 30,000 litres of crude oil, while the second operation resulted in the discovery of another 50,000 litres of crude oil in the Delta community of Obodo Omadino”.

Personnel of the NNS Delta and the NDLEA also conducted a joint operation against suspected illicit drug activities in the Warri general area and its environs, resulting in the arrest of three suspects and the seizure of 15 kilogrammes of cannabis, some cocaine and crystal meth, among others.

The navy added in the statement, “The suspects and recovered items are presently in custody of the NDLEA for further investigation and necessary action”.

Commenting on the incident, the Commander, NNS-Delta, Commodore Shehu Tasiu, noted that the combined operation demonstrates the Nigerian Navy’s ability to address multiple dimensions of maritime and coastal insecurity, from crude oil theft and illegal petroleum activities to illicit drug trafficking.

While describing the development as a significant operational success in the fight against oil thieves and all forms of criminality in the Niger Delta region, the commander said, “Criminal activities in the NNS Delta operational area, and the entire Niger Delta region, will be met with the best professional method under the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas.”

Christa Pike, a 50-year-old woman on death row in the United States, remained alive after Tennessee officials administered two doses of a lethal drug during an attempted execution on Wednesday.

Pike was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer.

Media witnesses reported that Pike was still awake and snoring more than 40 minutes after the second dose of pentobarbital, according to the Associated Press.

The Tennessee Department of Correction did not immediately provide an explanation for what happened, while Pike’s lawyers filed an emergency motion seeking to halt the execution.

The development came after a dramatic legal battle earlier on Wednesday.

The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit had temporarily halted Pike’s execution shortly before it was due to begin, saying more time was needed to consider her arguments that evidence of childhood sexual abuse and neglect had not been properly considered when she was sentenced to death.

The US Supreme Court later overturned the stay, clearing the way for Tennessee to proceed with the execution.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the decision.

The murder in 1995

Pike was 18 when she and her then-boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, 17, killed Slemmer, whom they knew from the Knoxville Job Corps training centre in 1995.

According to prosecutors, Pike and Shipp attacked Slemmer after Pike accused her of trying to take her boyfriend. Slemmer was beaten and stabbed, and a pentagram was carved into her body. The case attracted widespread attention in Knoxville and became associated with the so-called “satanic panic” of the 1980s and 1990s.

Pike was convicted of first-degree murder in 1996 and sentenced to death. Shipp was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole because he was 17 when the crime occurred.

Pike’s lawyers have argued that her age, severe childhood abuse and neglect, and mental health history should have been taken into account when determining her sentence.

Her lawyers previously said she suffered sexual abuse as a child and argued that crucial evidence about her background was not adequately presented to the jury.

Pike’s clemency request was rejected by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, who said he had reviewed the case but would not intervene.

If completed, the execution would have made Pike the first woman put to death by Tennessee in more than 200 years.

Female executions are rare in the United States. According to figures cited by the Associated Press, 18 women have been executed in the country since capital punishment resumed in 1976, compared with more than 1,600 men.

As of Thursday morning, Tennessee authorities had not provided a detailed public explanation for why the attempted execution failed, while Pike’s lawyers were seeking emergency court intervention.

A UK-backed Mars rover is set to drill up to two metres beneath the surface of the Red Planet in a search for evidence of past or present life.

A Mars rover is a robotic vehicle designed to travel across the surface of Mars, taking images, studying rocks and soil, and using scientific instruments to investigate the planet.

The Rosalind Franklin rover is scheduled to launch in late 2028 and land on Mars in 2030 as part of the European Space Agency’s ExoMars programme, according to an updated UK Space Agency case study published on Wednesday.

The ExoMars mission asks “one of humanity’s most compelling questions: has life ever existed beyond Earth?”

According to the UK Space Agency, the European Space Agency created the ExoMars programme as “two missions working together to study Mars from orbit and, in the near future, from the planet’s surface.”

The agency said the Trace Gas Orbiter was already circling Mars and studying gases in its atmosphere, while the Rosalind Franklin rover would investigate the planet’s surface.

“These missions will help answer important questions about Mars: what the planet is made of, how its environment has changed over time, and whether it may once have supported life, or perhaps still does,” the agency said.

It added that data from the mission would also support wider studies of Martian chemistry and environmental science “to help us understand whether humans could once day go to Mars.”

Rover to drill beneath Martian surface

The Rosalind Franklin rover will search Mars’ surface for evidence of environments that may once have supported life and “may even still do so today.”

The UK Space Agency said the rover would have the “unique feature” of being able to drill down to two metres into the Martian surface to obtain samples.

“Samples taken from below the surface are better protected from the harsh radiation that affects the surface soil,” it said.

The samples will be analysed by an onboard laboratory to determine their mineral and chemical content and composition and search for evidence of past or present life.

The mission will land in the Oxia Planum region of Mars, which the agency described as an area containing ancient, clay-rich rocks dating back around 3.9 billion years.

Clay minerals usually form in the presence of water, so this landing site gives scientists a promising place to look for evidence that Mars may once have had conditions suitable for life,” the agency said.

The rover is named after Rosalind Franklin, the UK scientist whose work was central to understanding the structure of DNA.

“The name connects the mission’s search for life on Mars with a scientist whose discoveries transformed our understanding of life on Earth,” the agency said.

UK invests £490m in mission

The UK Space Agency said the UK had invested around £490m over the past 20 years in the programme, supporting more than 200 high-skilled jobs.

It added that 31 UK scientists were named mission instrument team members, while more than 100 UK scientists were involved in the programme more broadly.

“This support helps fund the science, engineering and technology that make the mission possible, from building the missions and their instruments to investigating the data and delivering world-class scientific excellence,” the agency said.

The Rosalind Franklin rover is being built by Airbus Defence and Space at the company’s UK facility in Stevenage.

The UK is also involved in the development of several scientific instruments on the rover.

The PanCam panoramic camera system is UK-led, with scientists from University College London’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory working with the University of Aberystwyth, Birkbeck College and the University of Leicester.

The agency said PanCam would take detailed images of the Martian surface, helping scientists build 3D maps to determine where the rover should drill and how to get there.

The University of Leicester, Bradford University and the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory are key partners in developing the Raman Laser Spectrometer.

The instrument can identify minerals and chemical compounds in Martian samples, “including some biomarkers – chemicals that may indicate past or present life,” according to the agency.

Aberystwyth University, together with the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and Qioptiq Ltd, is developing the rover’s infrared spectrometer, Enfys.

The agency said Enfys would further analyse the materials in rocks and help determine where the rover should go to drill for samples.

Mars orbiter finds water-ice

The Trace Gas Orbiter, which started orbiting Mars in 2016 and began science operations in 2018, continues to study the planet’s atmosphere.

According to the UK Space Agency, it “has relayed more data than all other Mars orbiters combined, including 13 million square kilometres of multispectral imagery.”

The orbiter uses four scientific instruments to detect and analyse trace gases.

It was particularly looking for methane, which was detected by ESA’s Mars Express mission in 2003.

“Methane is interesting because, on Earth, it can be linked to both biological and geological processes,” the agency said.

“On Mars, finding and understanding methane could help scientists work out whether the planet is still geologically active, or whether it has ever had conditions associated with life.”

However, the agency said the Trace Gas Orbiter “hasn’t recorded any methane yet”, although it had made other discoveries.

It helped detect hydrogen chloride in Mars’ atmosphere, providing scientists with new information about the planet’s chemistry and water cycle.

The orbiter also discovered water-ice at low latitudes.

“That matters because water is one of the most useful resources for future explorers: it could be turned into oxygen to breathe, fuel for journeys, and drinking water for thirsty astronauts,” the agency said.

“Finding accessible water-ice could therefore make future missions to Mars more practical.”

The orbiter’s CASSIS camera also produces high-resolution imagery of the planet to help prepare for future landings, including the Rosalind Franklin mission.

NASA, SpaceX involved

The UK Space Agency said that in early 2026, NASA approved the Rosalind Franklin Support and Augmentation project, known as ROSA, which will provide hardware and services for the mission.

NASA also selected SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket to launch the rover from Kennedy Space Center.

“The launch is currently due for late 2028, subsequently landing on Mars in 2030,” the agency said.

The mission is aimed at investigating Mars from both orbit and its surface as scientists continue to examine whether the planet may once have supported life, or whether evidence of life could still exist beneath its surface.

The Nigeria Labour Congress has demanded an immediate reduction in the price of petrol, a nationwide wage award and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage, warning that rising living costs have eroded workers’ purchasing power.

The NLC made the demands in an Independence Day statement signed by its President, Joe Ajaero, on Wednesday, titled, “Our Hope Depends on the Choices We Make and the Actions We Take.”

The union said the demands had become necessary as workers and other Nigerians continued to grapple with rising transportation, food, rent, and education costs.

It particularly linked the worsening cost-of-living crisis to the increase in petrol prices following the removal of the subsidy in 2023.

Petrol now sells at N1,430 per litre or higher in major cities and far more in remote areas. The surge in transportation costs drives up the prices of food, school fees, rent, and nearly every necessity of life, while nominal wages remain stagnant,” the NLC said.

The union argued that the Federal Government should urgently address the transmission of fuel costs to transportation and other areas of the economy. “Without cutting this chain, any effort to ease the suffering of the people is futile,” it said.

The NLC also demanded the immediate implementation of a nationwide wage award covering workers in the federal, state and local governments, describing the measure as an emergency response to declining real incomes rather than a form of charity.

A wage award is not charity. It is an emergency intervention against the collapse of real income,” the union said.

The demand comes against the backdrop of the October 2023 agreement between the Federal Government and organised labour following the removal of the petrol subsidy. The agreement provided for a N35,000 monthly wage award for federal workers and called for consideration of similar relief for state and local government workers.

The NLC further accused the government of failing to fully implement tax relief measures contained in the October 2023 Memorandum of Understanding with labour. It called on the government to deliver the tax relief agreed during the dialogue and expedite negotiations for a new national minimum wage.

“The current N70,000 minimum wage was already destroyed by inflation before it was implemented,” the union said, demanding the immediate constitution of a tripartite committee to formulate and legislate a new wage standard for 2027 before the end of the year.

The current N70,000 national minimum wage was approved by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024, with the President saying at the time that it would be reviewed after three years.

The NLC also called for a reduction in the cost of governance, greater transparency in public spending and increased investment in roads, hospitals, schools and other social infrastructure.

“When workers are asked to tighten their belts, the extravagance and waste of the governing class are unacceptable. Government must lead by example,” it said.

On the petrol subsidy, the labour centre questioned what it described as the failure to translate savings from the policy into improved infrastructure and social services

Government claimed subsidy removal would free up resources for infrastructure and social services. Three years later, petrol prices have multiplied several times over, yet the promised infrastructure and social services remain mirages. Where exactly did the subsidy savings go?” the union asked.

The Federal Government and labour had agreed in October 2023 that subsidy-related measures would include wage support, tax incentives, CNG buses and other interventions intended to cushion the effects of the policy.

The NLC also criticised Nigeria’s continued reliance on imported refined petroleum products while calling for greater investment in domestic refining capacity. It said, “Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, depends on imported refined petroleum, while domestic refining capacity has been systematically neglected, except the efforts of a few private refineries.”

On social welfare, the union called for affordable and quality public education, functional healthcare facilities and improved road infrastructure, arguing that these were necessary to reduce the pressure on households and improve economic productivity.

The NLC also raised concerns over youth unemployment and migration, saying the government must create opportunities that would give young Nigerians reasons to remain in the country.

“The government must create genuine opportunities so that young people can see hope instead of being preached to about hope,” it said, adding that desperate journeys across the Sahara and Mediterranean should not remain a major source of hope for young Nigerians.

The union further linked insecurity to the country’s economic difficulties, arguing that violence had affected farming, education and healthcare delivery. It said insecurity, poverty, unemployment and inequality were interconnected challenges that required attention to the distribution of economic opportunities and resources.

Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the NLC said workers should be allowed to make independent political choices and warned against electoral manipulation, voter intimidation and rhetoric capable of provoking ethnic or religious tensions.

The union said it would use its proposed Workers’ Charter to articulate its positions on policies and candidates when appropriate but stressed that workers’ organisations should not be treated merely as electoral tools.

“The Nigeria Labour Congress will, at the appropriate time, use our Workers’ Charter to make it clear which policies and candidates deserve the support of the working class,” Ajaero said.

“However, we will never accept any force treating workers’ organisations as dispensable electoral tools. Workers have the right to independent political thoughts, judgement, and choice.”

The NLC said its focus would remain on decent wages, safe workplaces, accountability and the protection of workers’ welfare. “The unity and action of the masses is the only reliable force capable of changing this country. Hope belongs to those who organise, who struggle, and who choose their own destiny,” the statement added.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will step down from his cabinet position if President Bola Tinubu fails to secure victory in both the FCT and Rivers State in the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking during an engagement with leadership and members of the Apo Mechanics and Traders Association in Abuja, Wike stated that his continued tenure as a cabinet minister is directly tied to his ability to deliver political results for the President in his primary areas of influence.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media to the minister, Lere Olayinka, Wike said that should the ruling party lose in the FCT and Rivers State at the presidential poll scheduled for January 16, 2027, he will formally tender his resignation the very next day.

“If I cannot deliver where I work, then I’m not worthy to be here,” Wike said, emphasising that his political mandate required concrete electoral success.

If I lose FCT, I’m not supposed to be FCT Minister.

By January 17, 2027, I will announce my resignation as FCT Minister should the President lose in Rivers State and the FCT,” he added.

Outlining his political strategy for the territory, Wike revealed that the administration was building a multi-party coalition to secure victory across various elective offices in the FCT.

He explicitly endorsed candidates across legislative tiers while reiterating total support for the President’s re-election bid.

“Let us be clear on direction: for the Presidency, it is Bola Ahmed Tinubu! For the Senate, Philip Aduda is a man of the people, unlike those who only appear on television. The two House of Representatives candidates we are supporting are also here. They are former Area Council chairmen.

“In the FCT, we are running a unified coalition across parties to deliver results.

“If I cannot deliver FCT as minister, then I am not qualified to hold this office. We have a firm agreement, and today is the final affirmation,” Wike said.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has approved a petition by the family of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, seeking a fresh and comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

The family disclosed this through its lawyer, Oladayo Ogungbe, in a statement dated September 29, 2026, clarifying that the police re-investigation was ongoing despite the recent dismissal of a suit by the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Ogungbe, in the statement obtained by PUNCH Metro, said the Aloba family submitted the petition to the IGP on April 14, 2026, and that it was received at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, on May 7.

According to the statement, the petition raised concerns about inconsistencies in the previous investigative process and called for a comprehensive forensic reconstruction of the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death

The lawyers said the petition was subsequently approved by the IGP and forwarded to the Lagos State Police Command for immediate action

The family was later informed that the petition had been assigned to officers of the Special Enquiry Bureau for further investigation, according to the statement.

“The family’s representative has since been invited and has engaged with the new team of investigators assigned to the matte

The family has continued to follow up with the investigators and remained engaged with the new investigative process,” the lawyer disclosed.

The clarification followed the dismissal, on September 25, 2026, of Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/363/2026 by the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Ogungbe stressed that the suit was separate from the family’s petition to the police and was neither instituted by the Aloba family nor with its authority or consent.

“The Aloba Family therefore does not wish the public to conflate the dismissal of that suit with the separate investigative process already commenced pursuant to the Family’s petition to the Inspector-General of Police,” the statement noted.

The family maintained that the court’s dismissal of the suit did not terminate the police investigation initiated through its petition.

It said it would continue to cooperate with the investigators by providing relevant information, documents, witnesses and other materials that could assist the probe.

The family also urged the police to conduct the investigation with diligence, independence and professionalism while examining all relevant persons and circumstances.

The lawyers said the family was not seeking to prejudge the outcome of the investigation or engage in “trial by media,” but wanted a credible, comprehensive and transparent process capable of establishing the facts surrounding Mohbad’s death.

“The re-investigation is ongoing. The Aloba Family remains fully engaged. The pursuit of justice for Mohbad continues,” the statement concluded.

The Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced a former teacher, Nwatu Isaac, to life imprisonment for defiling an eight-year-old pupil in the toilet of El-Bossaa Nursery and Primary School, Epe.

Justice Rahman Oshodi, in a judgment delivered on Tuesday, found Isaac guilty of defiling the girl on March 10, 2022, holding that the prosecution had proved the offence beyond reasonable doubt.

The court also ordered that Isaac’s name be entered in the Sex Offenders Register in accordance with Sections 33 and 38 of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law 2021.

Isaac was prosecuted under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, which prescribes life imprisonment for anyone who has unlawful sexual intercourse with a child.

The judge held that the prosecution established the two essential ingredients of the offence: that the victim was a child and that the convict had sexual intercourse with her.

Justice Oshodi rejected Isaac’s denial that he went beyond the school gate on the day of the incident.

The convict had claimed that he went to the school to pick up pupils he conveyed on his motorcycle but remained at the gate.

The judge, however, held that Isaac’s own evidence placed him at the school at the material time, while the victim identified him as the person who took her into the toilet.

The court also rejected his defence of alibi, noting that Isaac did not claim to have been somewhere else when the offence occurred.

“On the convict’s own admission, he was not at a considerable distance from the scene. He was at its gate,” the judge held.

“The prosecutrix’s evidence places him inside the premises. The defence of alibi therefore does not avail him.”

Justice Oshodi found the testimony of the victim, who was nine when she testified, credible and consistent.

He said the girl gave a “clear, detailed and coherent account” of how Isaac, whom she knew as “Master Isaac”, took her into the school toilet and sexually assaulted her.

The judge noted that the victim identified Isaac in court and that her account remained consistent despite lengthy cross-examination

The court also found corroboration in the evidence of the girl’s mother, who testified that she saw blood on her daughter’s underwear and vagina shortly after she returned home from school.

Justice Oshodi further relied on the evidence of a medical doctor who examined the girl at the Mirabel Centre.

According to the judge, the doctor found an easily dilatable introitus, an absent hymen and marked laxity of the anal sphincter, with the vaginal findings consistent with penile penetration.

The judge rejected the defence argument that the absence of DNA or sperm testing weakened the prosecution’s case, holding that the medical evidence corroborated the evidence of penetration.

Justice Oshodi also dismissed the defence claim that the child could have been sexually abused by her stepsister, describing the suggestion as speculation.

The court similarly rejected an audio recording tendered by the defence in which a teacher claimed the child later said the incident was a dream.

Justice Oshodi noted that the teacher had admitted responding, “No, it can’t,” when the child initially told her that the allegation was true, before questioning her until she denied the incident.

The judge held that the child’s subsequent statement could not be regarded as free or reliable.

The court also rejected a survey report tendered by the defence to suggest that the school toilet was too small for the alleged offence to have occurred there.

Justice Oshodi said the survey was conducted more than three years after the incident, during the pendency of the proceedings, at the instance of the convict.

He further noted that defence witnesses gave conflicting evidence about the number of toilets in the school, while the surveyor could not establish whether the toilet he measured was the same one referred to in the allegation.

The court also rejected the defence’s claim that the prosecution was motivated by tribal sentiment because Isaac is Igbo.

Justice Oshodi noted that there was no evidence of previous hostility between Isaac and the victim’s family. He added that the victim’s mother had previously presented Isaac with a gift after he taught her daughter.

The judge held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt.

A female police inspector, Mercy Bassey, has died after she was reportedly knocked down by a hit-and-run driver while on route-lining duty ahead of the arrival of President Bola Tinubu in Lagos on Tuesday.

PUNCH Metro learnt on Wednesday from a security source who pleaded anonymity that Bassey was hit by a black Highlander Sport Utility Vehicle.

Our correspondent gathered that the deceased officer, who was attached to the Ikotun Divisional Police Station, was crossing the Third Mainland Bridge at the Adekunle Intersection, inward Lagos Island, when the incident occurred.

The source said the incident happened while Bassey was deployed for route-lining duty for the presidential movement.

The source added that the registration number of the SUV and the identity of its driver were unknown.

The source said, “Yesterday, at about 2:30pm, while on route lining for the Presidential movement, Inspector Mercy Bassey, attached to Ikotun Divisional Police Station, Lagos, was hit by a black Highlander SUV while crossing the Third Mainland Bridge at Adekunle Intersection, inward Lagos Island, Lagos.

“The registration number of the vehicle and the driver are not yet known. The vehicle sped off after hitting the officer. The vehicle was chased by patrolmen on duty but escaped to an unknown destination.”

The source said the policewoman was rushed to the General Hospital, Ebute Metta, for treatment but reportedly died while awaiting treatment.

“The victim was rushed to General Hospital, Ebute Metta, but later died while awaiting treatment. The corpse will be moved to a morgue in Yaba for preservation,” the source added.

According to the source, the police were working to obtain CCTV footage from the area in an attempt to identify the vehicle and apprehend the driver.

When contacted for a reaction, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the incident but declined to comment further.

“We don’t want to comment on the matter at the moment,” she said.

As of the time of filing this report, the identity of the driver and the vehicle had yet to be ascertained.

The incident comes amid heightened security operations in the state as security agencies deploy personnel for the President’s movement in Lagos.

The PUNCH reported that Tinubu arrived in Lagos on Tuesday following his stay in France, where he had spent the latter part of his vacation.

He had returned to the country after ending his working vacation in the United Kingdom and France.

The President’s aircraft landed at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, at 6.22pm

The death of Mrs. Mercy Mojisola Modupe of the Makiyeti Family in Remoland, Sagamu, Ogun State, an illustrious daughter of Sagamu, marks the end of a remarkable chapter in the life of a woman whose years were defined by motherhood, dignity, resilience, and the enduring legacy of a life well lived.

Mrs. Modupe passed away in the United Kingdom on September 16th 2026, at the age of 94, leaving behind cherished memories and a family whose achievements stand as part of the enduring testimony to her life.

Born and raised with roots in Sagamu, Ogun State, Mrs. Modupe belonged to a generation whose values were anchored on family, discipline, perseverance and communal responsibility. Over the course of her long and eventful life, she earned the affection and respect of those around her, particularly through her role as a mother and matriarch.

At 94, her life represented almost a century of experiences, spanning generations and witnessing profound changes in society, both at home in Nigeria and abroad. Yet, through those changing times, she remained a mother whose influence was felt most profoundly within her family.

She was blessed with children who have distinguished themselves in their various endeavours, a development that stands as one of the enduring legacies of her motherhood. Among them is Barrister Ayodele Modupe, a popular solicitor practising in the United Kingdom.

The achievements of her children provide a window into the values that Mrs. Modupe imparted as a mother. Beyond the accomplishments that may be publicly recognised, however, was the less visible but equally significant work of nurturing, guiding and supporting a family through the different seasons of life.

Her passing in the United Kingdom brings to a close the earthly journey of a woman who lived to the remarkable age of 94. For her family, friends and associates, the loss is undoubtedly profound; but it is also an occasion to celebrate a life that spanned generations and produced a legacy that will continue through her children, grandchildren and succeeding generations.

Mrs. Mercy Mojisola Modupe's story is therefore not simply one of longevity. It is a story of motherhood, family, endurance and legacy. She lived long enough to witness the fruits of her labour and to see members of her family make their own marks in society.

As the family mourns her transition, they can take solace in the memories of the years shared with her and in the enduring imprint she has left on those whose lives she touched.

At 94, Mrs. Modupe departed this world having completed a remarkable journey. Her memory will remain a treasured part of the history of her family and the generations that follow.

May her soul rest in peace.

The Ondo State Government has ordered owners of abandoned heavy-duty vehicles, trucks, machinery and large watercraft obstructing roads and waterways across the state to remove them.
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‎‎The government declared that failure to do so within seven days of the announcement , the owners risked forfeiture of such equipment.
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‎The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Emergency Response and Safety Enforcement, Mr Wellington Adebawo, announced the directive while speaking with newsmen in Akure the state capital on Wednesday.
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‎Adebawo said the directive became necessary following “growing safety concerns over the presence of abandoned heavy-duty vehicles and equipment on roads, as well as abandoned large boats and other watercraft on the state’s waterways.”
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‎According to him, such abandoned objects constitute potential hazards to motorists, commuters, pedestrians and waterway users, particularly where they were left unattended for extended period of time.
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‎‎He said, “The government has already carried out a comprehensive survey of abandoned heavy-duty vehicles, equipment and other related obstructions across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State, as part of efforts to identify and address potential safety hazards across the state.
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‎”We want to appeal to companies, businesses and individuals whose heavy-duty vehicles, trucks, trailers, construction equipment and other large machinery have been abandoned along roads or other public spaces to take immediate steps to remove and relocate them to safe and appropriate locations within the stipulated period.
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‎‎”Similarly, owners of abandoned large boats, barges and other commercial watercraft on the state’s waterways are advised to retrieve and relocate their vessels to designated and safe locations within the seven-day period,” he stated.
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‎The governor’ aide also stated that the directive was primarily aimed at preventing avoidable accidents and protecting lives and property, rather than targeting legitimate businesses or individuals.

He stressed that abandoned heavy vehicles and equipment could “create dangerous obstructions, reduce visibility and available road space, and expose road users to avoidable risks.”
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‎He further warned that where owners fail to comply with the directive within the specified period, the Ondo State Government will take necessary enforcement action to remove and impound the abandoned vehicles, equipment and watercraft, with such items liable to forfeiture in accordance with applicable government regulations and laws.
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‎”All abandoned vehicles, boats or equipment on the roads or waterways should be removed or risk forfeiture. This order takes effect from Wednesday, September 30, 2026, and expires on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
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‎‎”There shall be no extension or grace period beyond the seven-day deadline, we urge all affected owners and operators to use the stipulated period to comply with the directive and avoid enforcement measures,” he warned.
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‎Adebawo called on relevant owners and operators to treat the directive with urgency and cooperate with the government to ensure safer roads and waterways across Ondo State.
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‎He reaffirmed the commitment of the Aiyedatiwa administration to strengthening emergency response, safety enforcement and preventive measures aimed at protecting lives and property across the state.
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‎Abandoned heavy-duty vehicles and machinery on public roads can obstruct traffic and create safety hazards for motorists and pedestrians, while derelict boats and other watercraft can pose risks to users of the state’s waterways.

The directive is part of the state government’s efforts to remove such obstructions and prevent avoidable accidents.

Nigerians seeking visas to Germany have been advised to follow the official application process and avoid sending their documents to German diplomatic missions by email as a way of securing appointments or submitting applications.

The German Mission in Nigeria, on its X handle on Wednesday, issued the clarification amid reported confusion over how applicants should begin the visa process.

“Applicants are advised to first identify the appropriate visa category based on the purpose and duration of their intended stay.

“A Schengen visa is generally required for short stays of up to 90 days within 180 days, including tourism and family visits, while a national visa is required for stays exceeding 90 days for purposes such as employment, study, vocational training and certain family-reunification cases.

Applicants are also required to establish which German mission is responsible for their application before proceeding.

The missions advise applicants to use the official online appointment system for the relevant visa category and follow the instructions provided.

For certain long-stay visa categories, applicants can begin the process through Germany’s Consular Services Portal. However, an online application does not eliminate the requirement for an in-person appointment where biometrics, original documents and other checks are required

Applicants are expected to prepare all required documents and submit them through the prescribed process.

The German Missions also warned applicants against paying agents or third parties simply to obtain visa appointments.

“ You do not need to pay an agent just to book a visa appointment. The official appointment booking is free,” the missions said.

They further advised applicants to ensure that appointments are booked under the correct visa category to avoid delays or the need to make a fresh appointment.

During the appointment, applicants may be required to submit their documents, provide biometric information and answer questions relating to their applications.

The mission stressed that applicants should rely on official German government information when preparing their applications and should be cautious of individuals or organisations offering visa appointments for payment.

For eligible national visa categories, applicants can use the official Consular Services Portal to submit an initial application and receive further instructions on the next steps.

It said that following the official procedure would help applicants avoid unnecessary payments, incorrect applications, and delays in processing their visa requests.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has sponsored the registration of 120 inmates of the Nigerian Correctional Service, FCT Command, for the 2026 National Business and Technical Examinations Board and National Examinations Council examinations.

This is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the NCoS Public Relations Officer in the FCT, DSC Ahmed Duza.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the initiative was part of activities to commemorate Abbas’ 61st birthday.

NAN also reports that the registration was conducted at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, where results were symbolically presented to inmates who participated in the 2025 NABTEB and NECO examinations.

Abbas, represented by his Special Adviser on Humanitarian Affairs, Mr David Igbe, said the initiative was a continuation of his commitment to ensuring that incarceration did not become a barrier to education and personal development.

Today we are registering another 120 inmates for this year’s NABTEB and NECO examinations.

“This is a continuation of our commitment to ensuring that incarceration does not become a barrier to education, personal development and the opportunity to build a better future,” he said.

He appreciated the NCoS management and staff for creating an enabling environment for the reformation of inmates.

The Controller of Corrections, FCT Command, Christopher Jen, who represented the Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, described education as a critical pillar of inmates’ reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration.

He appreciated the Speaker for celebrating with the inmates and called for employment opportunities for reformed inmates, saying they were ready to contribute meaningfully to national development.

He added that the command remained committed to expanding educational opportunities for inmates, while appreciating the Speaker and other partners for their support.

Also speaking, the representative of the Deputy Controller-General in charge of Inmates Training and Productivity, SC Igomu Augustine, commended the initiative and support for inmates’ education.

Igomu said the Speaker was taking the lead in registering inmates for NECO examinations across custodial centres.

The Education Desk Officer, DSC Adikwu Owoicho, said more than 2,000 inmates had been registered for various educational programmes in the command.

He said inmates who participated in the 2025 NABTEB and NECO examinations recorded encouraging performances.

The event featured testimonies from beneficiary inmates, birthday tributes, special prayers and the cutting of the Speaker’s 61st birthday cake.

NAN

Covenant University, the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos have jointly emerged as Nigeria’s highest-ranked universities in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

The three were placed between 801 and 1000 globally in the best university rankings published on THE’s website on Wednesday.

Nigeria also recorded 29 ranked universities in the 2027 edition, up from 24 in the 2026 rankings.

Five universities, including Osun State University, the University of Maiduguri, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Kwara State University and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, were newly ranked.

Covenant University returned to the top position among Nigerian universities after it was dethroned to third last year by UI and UNILAG, which shared the top position in the 2026 edition.

The three South-West-based institutions are now jointly placed in the 801–1000 band globally, making them Nigeria’s highest-ranked universities in the 2027 edition.

Following them are two Northwest Nigerian universities: Ahmadu Bello University and Bayero University, ranking fourth and fifth, respectively.

The rankings assess research-intensive universities across five broad areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry.

According to THE, the 2027 rankings cover 2,297 institutions across 118 countries and territories. The ranking uses 17 performance indicators across the five pillars.

Globally, the University of Oxford retained the number one position for an 11th consecutive year, while in sub-Saharan Africa, the University of Cape Town was the highest-ranked institution, rising to joint 147th position from joint 164th in the previous edition.

“The number of ranked institutions in sub-Saharan increased from 55 last year to 69 this year. Nigeria has the most universities ranked, with 29 in total,” THE said.

THE rankings also show the strength of individual institutions. UNILAG is ranked highest in quality research, scoring 67.8.

BUK is ranked as the best Nigerian university in terms of international outlook, while Covenant has the highest industry score, indicating its top connection to industries.

Full list of ranked Nigerian universities

1. Covenant University — 801–1000
2. University of Ibadan — 801–1000
3. University of Lagos — 801–1000
4. Ahmadu Bello University — 1001–1200
5. Bayero University — 1001–1200
6. Landmark University — 1001–1200
7. University of Ilorin — 1001–1200
8. Babcock University — 1201–1400
9. Osun State University — 1201–1400
10. University of Nigeria, Nsukka — 1201–1400
11. Federal University of Technology, Minna — 1401–1600
12. Nnamdi Azikiwe University — 1401–1600
13. Obafemi Awolowo University — 1401–1600
14. University of Benin — 1401–1600
15. University of Jos — 1401–1600
16. University of Maiduguri — 1401–1600
17. Federal University of Technology, Akure — 1601–1800
18. Federal University of Technology, Owerri — 1801–2000
19. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology — 1801–2000
20. Lagos State University — 1801–2000
21. Olabisi Onabanjo University — 1801–2000
22. University of Calabar — 1801–2000
23. Delta State University, Abraka — 2001+
24. Ekiti State University — 2001+
25. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta — 2001+
26. Federal University Oye-Ekiti — 2001+
27. Kwara State University — 2001+
28. Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike — 2001+
29. University of Port Harcourt — 2001+

The ranking also listed 33 Nigerian institutions as “reporter” institutions. According to THE, reporter institutions submitted data but did not meet the eligibility criteria required to receive a rank.

Reporter institutions

1. Abia State University
2. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
3. Adamawa State University
4. Ajayi Crowther University
5. Akwa Ibom State University
6. Aletheia University, Ago-Iwoye
7. Al-Hikmah University
8. Ambrose Alli University
9. Augustine University
10. Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti
11. Bayelsa Medical University
12. Baze University
13. Bells University of Technology
14. Bingham University
15. Bowen University
16. Evangel University, Akaeze
17. Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun
18. Federal University Otuoke
19. Fountain University
20. Godfrey Okoye University
21. Igbinedion University Okada
22. Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University
23. Lagos State University of Education
24. Lagos State University of Science and Technology
25. Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria
26. Michael and Cecilia Ibru University
27. Miva Open University
28. Nasarawa State University, Keffi
29. Nile University of Nigeria
30. Plateau State University, Bokkos
31. Rivers State University
32. University of Cross River State
33. University of Delta

PUNCH Online reports that THE is a globally recognised independent organisation that provides data and analysis for the higher education sector, including the widely adopted World University Rankings.

While data submission is open to all universities, institutions are only ranked in the World University Rankings 2027 if they teach undergraduates, produce research across a range of subjects and have published at least 1,000 research publications between 2021 and 2025, with a minimum of 100 a year.

The Senate and House of Representatives approved the extension on Tuesday, giving Ministries, Departments and Agencies additional time to execute capital projects captured in the 2025 Appropriation Act. It is the fourth extension of the budget’s capital implementation period.

Reacting to the development ina statement on Wednesday, the Head of Media and Publicity of the DLA National Campaign Council, Dr Tosin Odeyemi, said the repeated extensions reflected what the party described as a worsening fiscal and economic situation.

Odeyemi said the party was particularly concerned that the 2024 budget had yet to be fully funded, while implementation of the 2026 budget was also facing challenges.

We are more concerned that this is the fourth time the implementation of this same budget has been extended and with the latest one, it shows that the Bola Tinubu-led administration has continued to fail Nigerians in even the most basic metric of governance,” he said.

He added that the latest extension could further complicate budget implementation and lead to the rollover of outstanding capital expenditure.

“The looming fiscal and economic crisis this administration is inviting shows that over N35tn, which is the capital component of 2026 budget, will be moved to the 2027, thereby continuing this shambolic process of running minimum of two budgets at a time,” Odeyemi said.

The DLA spokesman called on Nigerians to demand greater accountability from the Federal Government over its management of public funds.

“We hereby call on Nigerians to join us in asking the Tinubu administration to account for the humongous funds it received in 2025 if it couldn’t fund the budget,” he said.

Odeyemi also criticised President Bola Tinubu over his repeated calls for Nigerians to hold state governors accountable for increased allocations following the removal of fuel subsidy.

“President Bola Tinubu has at every slight opportunity asked Nigerians to hold Governors of states accountable over huge amount accrued to them from the subsidy removal but he has not at any point told us what he does with larger percentage of the nation’s resources and debilitating loans he took to warrant budgets implementations suffering unprecedented extensions under his leadership,” he said.

He further alleged that the administration lacked adequate understanding of fiscal management and questioned its capacity to govern the country.

“President Tinubu has continued to show that he lacks basic fiscal knowledge of the nation’s economy and he’s unfit to govern this country,” Odeyemi said.

The DLA spokesman also urged Nigerians to vote against Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, saying, “His continuous stay in office beyond May 2027 will push this country closer to the ruins and all of us must collectively reject such by voting him out at the polls in January.”

He said the party had presented what it described as an alternative programme to Nigerians.

“We have presented a better alternative to Nigerians and we believe only DLA will restore the dignity of this country and revive the ailing economic and fiscal processes,” he added.

The National Assembly’s latest decision followed concerns over delays in implementing capital projects under the 2025 budget. The extension moves the deadline from September 30 to December 31, 2026.

The Nigeria Football Federation has appealed the decision of the Confederation of African Football to annul Edo Queens’ victory over Ghanaian champions, Ampem Darkoa Ladies, in the WAFU-B final and order the match to resume from extra time.

The appeal, filed on Tuesday on behalf of Edo Queens, challenges CAF’s decision to set aside the Nigerian side’s 4-1 penalty shoot-out victory after the September 5 final in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, ended 2-2 after regulation time.

Edo Queens had been declared WAFU-B champions and awarded the zone’s ticket to the CAF Women’s Champions League after winning the shoot-out.

However, following a protest by Ampem Darkoa, CAF ruled on Sunday that the match should have proceeded to two periods of extra time before penalties, in line with Article 72.4 of the competition regulations.

The NFF, in its appeal, argued that Edo Queens should not be punished for an error committed by the match officials, stressing that the players neither requested nor caused the decision to proceed directly to penalties

According to the federation, Edo Queens merely obeyed the referee’s instruction and participated in the shoot-out in good faith, adding that there was no finding of misconduct, manipulation or bad faith against the Nigerian champions.

The NFF further argued that there was a fundamental difference between benefiting from an official’s error and causing or procuring the error.

The fact that Edo Queens ultimately won the shoot-out cannot retrospectively convert its compliance with the referee’s instruction into responsibility for the regulatory breach.

There is an important distinction between benefiting from an official’s error and causing or procuring the error.

“It is therefore difficult to justify a remedy which effectively removes the sporting consequence of the penalty shoot-out from Edo Queens where the club was not responsible for the circumstances which produced it,” the NFF argued.

It therefore questioned CAF’s authority to annul the completed shoot-out and order the match to resume from extra time where neither of the participating teams was responsible for the irregularity.

The federation also contended that any remedy imposed by CAF must have a clear regulatory basis and be proportionate to the established irregularity.

It consequently urged the CAF Appeals Committee to overturn the ruling and uphold Edo Queens’ 4-1 penalty-shoot-out victory, insisting that the sporting outcome of the match should not be taken away from a team that complied with the match officials’ instructions.

The board announced the extension in a statement posted on its X handle on Wednesday, giving affected candidates until November 30, 2026, to take action.

JAMB urged candidates with pending offers to log into their CAPS accounts and indicate whether they wished to accept or reject the admissions.

The board said, “JAMB has extended the deadline for affected candidates to 30 November 2026 to accept or reject their outstanding admission offers on CAPS.”

The board warned that candidates who failed to act before the deadline would lose the status of their outstanding offers on JAMB’s records.

After 30 November, outstanding offers that have neither been accepted nor rejected will revert to ‘Not Admitted’ on JAMB’s records,” it said.

JAMB also cautioned candidates against waiting until the last minute, urging them to check their CAPS accounts and take the necessary action

The latest extension follows an earlier deadline of September 30, 2026, announced by JAMB on August 30 for candidates offered admission from 2021 to date.

The board had initially set August 31 as the deadline for affected candidates to accept or reject their outstanding offers before extending it to September 30.

In its August statement, JAMB said candidates who accepted their offers would be able to proceed to print and obtain their admission letters, while those who rejected theirs would have their dashboards reverted to “Not Admitted”.

The board also said candidates who had moved to another institution or programme could accept their previous outstanding admission and subsequently apply for the appropriate correction or deletion, where applicable.

JAMB further stated that candidates offered admission in the 2026 admission exercise but who still had previous admission offers pending could reject the earlier offers without affecting their 2026 admission.

However, under the latest extension, the board said outstanding 2021-2025 offers that remain neither accepted nor rejected after November 30 would automatically revert to “Not Admitted”.

“Any subsequent request to update such an admission will attract the applicable penalty fee,” JAMB warned.

The board urged all affected candidates to check their CAPS accounts and make their decisions before the new deadline.

The MOPGA Visiting Fellowship Program by the French welcomes early career international researchers, providing assistance to those conducting research in France.

The France Government MOPGA Fellowship Program offers Monthly allowance of 2,500 euros, Moving allowance of 500 euros, Health Insurance plan covering civil liability and repatriation assistance.

We will provide interested and qualified candidates the details, requirements, benefits, and step-by-step application guide in this post

MOPGA Visiting Fellowship Program Summary

• Host Country: France
• Category: Fellowships
• Eligible Countries: All Countries
• Reward: €30,500 Annual Allowance | Health Insurance
• No IELTS Required 
• Deadline: December 15, 2026

MOPGA Visiting Fellowship Program Details:

France, as a major player in the fight against climate change and guarantor of the spirit of the Paris Agreement, is launching a new MOPGA visiting fellowship program geared towards strengthening scientific contributions to climate change issues raised by the COPs. 

The seventh Make Our Planet Great Again (MOPGA) call for applications is intended to welcome at least 40 early career researchers wishing to carry out their research in France.

The MOPGA Visiting Fellowship Program is funded by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the French Ministry for Higher Education and Research, and implemented by Campus France.

Eligibility Requirements for MOPGA Fellowship 2027 Program

To be considered for the MOPGA Fellowship 2027 Program, applicants must be:

• Foreign researchers holding a doctoral degree for less than 5 years
• No nationality restrictions (except France)

Benefits of 2027 MOPGA Visiting Fellowship Program

This fellowship includes the following benefits :

• Monthly allowance of 2,500 euros
• Moving allowance of 500 euros
• Health Insurance plan covering civil liability and repatriation assistance until the MOPGA Fellow’s registration to the French Social Security Scheme
• Complementary Health Insurance plan covering civil liability and repatriation assistance once the Social Security registration process is effective.  
•  

Required Documents for MOPGA Fellowship Program 2027

To apply, candidates must be ready to submit the following documents;

• CV including the list of your publications in English (4 pages max)
• PhD Diploma (or certificate of PhD diploma)
• CV of your research supervisor in the French host institution (2 pages max)
• Letter of support from the French host institution
• Letters of recommendation (3 max)
• Passport or proof of ID

How to Apply for MOPGA Visiting Fellowship 2027 (Step by Step)

• To apply for the MOPGA Visiting Fellowship, interested applicants should use the link created below to submit the required documents and follow the stated instructions.
• Please submit your files in PDF format and compress the size of your files). 

Timeline

• September 15th 2026: Application period opens
• December 15th 2026: Application period ends  
• May/June 2027 : Notification of the results
• Between September 2027 and December 2027 (at the latest): Arrival in France and start of the fellowship 

For any questions or help with your application, email mopga@campusfrance.org.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Deadline: December 15, 2026

But, the naira depreciated to N1,329 per dollar in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market, NFEM.

Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, showed that the indicative exchange rate for the naira rose to N1,329 per dollar from N1,328 per dollar on Wednesday, indicating N1 appreciation for the local currency.

Consequently, the margin between the parallel and official markets narrowed to N41 per dollar from N47 per dollar on Wednesday.

The value of interbank turnover in NFEM fell by 62.05 percent to $105.95 million from $279.2 million on Wednesday

Public servants under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council have reaffirmed their September 30, 2026, ultimatum to the Federal Government over the rising cost of petrol, the demand for a wage award and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage.

The JNPSNC, made up of eight public sector unions, issued a three-day warning strike notice to the Federal Government, beginning October 2, should the government fail to slash the price of petrol to N500 per litre, announce a wage award and introduce other measures to cushion the crushing hardship in the country.

Members of the JNPSNC include the Nigerian Civil Service Union; Medical and Health Workers Union; Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria; and National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives.

Others are the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees; Nigeria Union of Public Service, Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers; National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers; and National Union of Agriculture and Allied Employees.

The council said it had mobilised public servants across the country for a three-day warning strike if the Federal Government failed to address the issues raised in its letter to President Bola Tinubu before the deadline.

Recall that the JNPSNC had, on September 21, written to Tinubu, demanding that the price of petrol be slashed to N500, the immediate announcement of a wage award and the beginning of negotiations for not less than N500,000 minimum wage from 2027, among others.

In a statement on Tuesday, September 29, 2926, leaders of the JNPSNC warned that should the issues of fuel pump prices and the wage award not be addressed by September 30, especially during the Independence anniversary speech by the President, public servants nationwide would commence a three-day warning strike beginning October 2, 2026.

The statement issued by the National Secretary of the JNPSNC and General Secretary of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, Gbenga Olowoyo, said the September 30 deadline remained sacrosanct, stressing that the concerns of Nigerian workers could no longer be ignored

According to him, “The three critical issues requiring urgent attention are as follows: reduction of fuel price to N500 per litre. The Federal Government should take urgent steps to bring down the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N500 per litre.

“This can be achieved through the provision of an intervention fund to address landing costs and support oil and gas operators.

“It is equally important for the Federal Government to ensure the sale of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery and operators of modular refineries at appropriate terms to facilitate increased domestic refining and help bring down the price of petroleum products.

“The current price of PMS, ranging from N1,450 to N2,000 and, in some locations outside major communities and cities, as high as N2,500 per litre, is unacceptable to Nigerian workers.

The council maintains that the economic hardship occasioned by the high cost of fuel is placing the survival of Nigerian workers, their dependants and the general populace under severe pressure, making it increasingly difficult for Nigerians to live normal and dignified lives.

“The Federal Government should urgently approve a wage award for Nigerian workers to cushion the effects of the prevailing harsh economic conditions being experienced by workers, their dependants, and vulnerable Nigerians.

The council believes that urgent action on this demand will further enable public servants to consolidate their loyalty, commitment and productivity within the public service ecosystem.”

Minimum wage committee

The workers asked the Federal Government to urgently establish a committee to facilitate negotiations for the new minimum wage.

“The Federal Government should urgently establish a tripartite committee to commence and facilitate negotiations for the new national minimum wage expected to become due in 2027.

“The Nigerian workers’ demand for the immediate constitution of the committee is informed by the need to avoid any administrative or procedural delay that could affect the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage once it is eventually negotiated and passed into law by the National Assembly,” the statement added.

Warning strike

Consequently, the council states that failure by the Federal Government to take the necessary steps to address these issues on or before 30th September 2026 will leave Nigerian workers with no option but to commence a three-day warning strike, with effect from Friday, 2nd October 2026, to press home their demands.

“It is imperative to state clearly that the Independence Day address of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should adequately address these critical issues.

“Failure to address the concerns raised, according to the Council, will attract the displeasure of Nigerian workers and their dependants, as well as other vulnerable Nigerians who continue to bear the brunt of the prevailing economic hardship,” the statement concluded.

The teenager, whose identity was not disclosed, was among two men whose cases were taken up by the non-governmental organisation, Citizens Gavel, after its legal team discovered them during a visit to the Medium Security Correctional Centre in January 2024.

Citizens Gavel, in a post seen by PUNCH Metro on Tuesday, stated that the teenager was arrested because he wore slippers similar to those of the complainant but had never been taken to court despite spending months in custody.

The legal body noted that the discovery prompted its intervention to track the case

Their ordeal came to our attention in January 2024 during a visit to the Medium Security Correctional Centre, where our legal team in Lagos interviewed them and discovered that, despite having been arrested since 2022, they had never been taken to court.”

Immediately, our legal team took up their cases and began tracking the matter at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, eventually tracing the case to the court of Justice Coker,” the post partly read.

Citizens Gavel stated that it made its first appearance in the matter in March 2024 and subsequently appeared before Justice Coker more than seven times for trial.

The organisation further stated that despite several adjournments, the prosecution failed to produce a single witness.

“From then on, we continued appearing before Justice Coker on more than seven occasions for trial and filed several applications urging the court to strike out the case despite all the adjournments and the prosecution failing to produce a single witness,” it said.

The legal team, however, claimed that it was informed in early 2025 that Justice Coker was on official assignment and that the case would be transferred to another court.

The statement noted that the Citizens Gavel again began the process of tracking the case and eventually discovered that it had been transferred to the court of Justice Oshodi.

The organisation said it first appeared before Justice Oshodi in March 2025, when the charges were read to the two defendants, and they pleaded not guilty.

“At the close of the prosecution’s case, we filed a No Case Submission, arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish a case requiring the defendants to answer,” the post read.

The matter was subsequently adjourned for ruling.

Delivering the ruling, the court reportedly upheld the No Case Submission and discharged and acquitted both defendants.

Citizens Gavel, however, described the outcome as significant.

“What makes this victory even more profound is that throughout this nearly four-year ordeal, not a single member of either defendant’s family appeared in court. No other lawyer also represented them. They endured years in custody largely unseen and unheard. Today, they walk free,” the organisation said.

Douglas Stewart Carter was convicted of killing Eva Olesen in Provo, Utah, in February 1985 and sentenced to death, despite maintaining that he was innocent and that a confession he signed during police interrogation was coerced.

According to the BBC on Tuesday, the Utah Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Carter last year, citing misconduct by investigators.

A judge on Monday granted Carter bail despite objections from Olesen’s family. He is required to wear a GPS monitor while awaiting the new tria

Olesen, the aunt of a local police chief, was stabbed multiple times and shot in the back of the head at her home.

Carter, who is originally from Chicago, was living with his mother in Utah at the time. Court documents showed that police suspected him of killing Olesen during a robbery.

Carter fled Utah after believing he was a suspect in an unrelated case and was later arrested in Nashville, Tennessee, where he signed a confession during interrogation

However, there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime scene.

He was convicted by a jury based on the confession and testimony from two witnesses who claimed he had bragged about the killing.

The two witnesses later said in 2011 that they had been instructed to lie in court, given cash and gifts by police and threatened with deportation if they did not testify against Carter.

Carter’s lawyers also said witnesses had seen a white man fleeing the scene and alleged that an investigator suppressed evidence pointing to Olesen’s husband, Orla Olesen, as a possible suspect.

Orla Olesen, who died in 2009, had told police that he found his wife dead in their home.

The victim’s stab wounds were believed to have been inflicted with a knife from the couple’s kitchen, which was found near her body. The gun used in the killing was not recovered.

Prosecutors this month said DNA analysis had excluded Carter as a possible match to blood found on a doorknob and genetic material recovered from the knife handle.

Carter’s release was opposed by Olesen’s family.

Theresa Olesen, Eva Olesen’s daughter-in-law, told Monday’s bond hearing that her family had “serious concerns” about Carter’s release and said he should remain in custody pending a new trial.

“By golly we were hoping for a concrete match,” Olesen said of the DNA analysis. “It doesn’t mean he wasn’t there.”

Carter’s defence lawyer, Neal Hamilton, called for the case to be dismissed.

“If the state of Utah had their way, he would have been executed 15, 20 years ago before we discovered the misconduct,” he told Associated Press.

A former American Idol contestant and Ohio pastor, Caleb Flynn, has been found guilty of murdering his wife, Ashley Flynn, after a trial that featured evidence from his former lover, thousands of text messages and a song prosecutors said he wrote about their affair.

Flynn, 40, was convicted on Tuesday of murder and eight other charges, including aggravated murder and tampering with evidence, after a jury deliberated for less than three hours.

He faces life imprisonment without parole and is due to be sentenced on October 5.

Flynn wept in court as the verdicts were delivered, BBC News reported Tuesday evening.

Prosecutors said Flynn shot his 37-year-old wife twice in the back of the head while she was sleeping at their home in Tipp City, a suburb of Dayton, on 16 February.

He then allegedly tried to make the killing appear to have been carried out by intruders.

The prosecution presented police body-camera footage and data from Flynn’s iPhone and Apple Watch from around the time of the killing.

Prosecutors also called dozens of witnesses, including Alleigha Botner, a former intern at Flynn’s church who had an affair with him.

Botner testified about her nearly 18-month relationship with Flynn and some of the roughly 100,000 text messages they exchanged were read in court.

In one message to Botner in August 2025, Flynn wrote: “I was up until 4am last night crying, literally thinking of ways to kill her and not go to jail.”

In another message, he wrote: “I just want her dead and gone.”

Botner told the court that she now hates Flynn “because I believe that he murdered his wife”.

Prosecutors said Flynn was afraid of losing custody of his daughters in a divorce, as well as his jobs at his wife’s family business and at the church.

They also pointed to what they described as inconsistencies in Flynn’s account of the night of the killing.

Prosecuting attorney Paul Watkins said Flynn told police that he had been in his daughters’ bedroom when he heard gunfire and later found his wife dead in their bedroom after noticing that the garage side door was open.

Watkins said Flynn later told investigators he had not been to the garage, contradicting his earlier statement.

Flynn’s defence argued that prosecutors had not presented concrete evidence proving he committed the murder.

His lawyer, Patrick Mulligan, said: “Connecting a couple of meaningless dots doesn’t solve the case.”

Mulligan also argued that evidence of Flynn’s infidelity did not establish that he had murdered his wife.

“They can’t find the gun, therefore they blame it on him?” he said, referring to the tampering-with-evidence charge.

The gun Flynn kept in the console of his truck has not been found. Investigators discovered the truck’s centre console open after arriving at the scene.

Prosecutors also presented evidence concerning music Flynn allegedly created about his relationship with Botner.

During the trial, a song that prosecutors said Flynn wrote and dedicated to Botner was played in court. Botner explained its lyrics line by line while testifying.

The prosecution also called Joseph Wilhelm, a special agent with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations, who said several applications had been uninstalled from Flynn’s phone before his wife’s death.

Among them was an AI music-generating application which Wilhelm said “related to his relationship with Alleigha Botner”.

The jury’s reaction to the song, including what appeared to be laughter, later circulated widely online.

Flynn’s case also attracted attention because of his earlier appearance on American Idol.

He appeared on the 12th series of the programme in 2013, performing before judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Randy Jackson.

He received a “golden ticket” to Hollywood during the televised auditions but did not reach the main competition.

In footage shown on the programme, Flynn said: “Music is all I know, it’s what I live to do and I love to sing, so that’s why I auditioned.”

“Maybe my wife kinda nudged me a little, too,” he added.

Ashley Flynn was a schoolteacher and volleyball coach.

Caleb Flynn is due to be sentenced on 5 October.

The United Kingdom Government has confirmed that national museums in England will remain free for all visitors, ruling out plans to introduce charges for overseas tourists.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said the decision followed an earlier commitment to work with the museum and tourism sectors and local leaders to explore whether charging international visitors could help address museums’ financial pressures.

The Government said it had concluded that charging overseas visitors could deter domestic visitors and that the effects and benefits of such a policy would not be felt equally across the museum sector.

“Everyone will continue to enjoy universal free admission to our world class national museums in England,” the Government said in a statement published on the Home Office website on Tuesday.

Free admission to national museums was introduced in 2001.

The Government said national museums attract millions of visitors and contribute more than £1bn annually to the economy, with seven of the 10 most visited museums in the UK being national museums.

In 2025, 7.1 million people visited the Natural History Museum, while 6.4 million visited the British Museum.

The Government said the museums also attract visitors from around the world, while their free-entry policy would continue to apply regardless of visitors’ nationality.

The decision follows the review of Arts Council England conducted by Baroness Margaret Hodge and published in December 2025.

Earlier this year, the Government had committed to examining whether overseas visitors could be charged as part of its response to the review.

However, it said the assessment showed that such charges could have wider effects on domestic tourism and the museum sector.

The Government is also providing funding for museums and cultural organisations through several programmes.

It said the £1.5bn Arts Everywhere Fund includes £760m for museums, while £600m in infrastructure funding is supporting national museums and DCMS-sponsored cultural organisations with critical maintenance and work on their estates.

The funding is also intended to help national museums meet commitments to share their collections and expertise across the country.

A further £160m is being invested in local and regional museums.

The Government said the Museum Estates and Development Fund would help museums tackle maintenance backlogs, while the £13.6m Museum Transformation programme would support organisations in developing more sustainable business models.

It added that it would work with Arts Council England and the museum sector to develop a long-term strategic plan for the future of museums.

“Further details will be released in due course,” the Government said.

The disagreement followed Rhodes-Vivour’s appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, where he raised concerns about waste management and flooding in Lagos and described the state as “stinking.”

Responding to the concerns, Wahab said while some of Rhodes-Vivour’s concerns were legitimate, it was misleading to suggest that the Lagos State Government had no plan beyond clearing refuse after it accumulated.

Lagos generates an estimated 13,000 to 15,000 tonnes of municipal waste daily, Wahab said, adding that the Lagos Waste Management Authority and private sector participation operators evacuated approximately 418,500 tonnes of waste in May 2026 alone.

He said this represented an average of about 13,200 tonnes daily.

“These figures underscore the enormous scale of the responsibility. They do not suggest that every resident receives satisfactory service.

“We acknowledge collection failures, underperforming PSP operators and operational bottlenecks. However, it is misleading to suggest that Lagos has no plan beyond clearing refuse after it accumulates,” Wahab said.

The commissioner said waste management was an interconnected system, explaining that delays at disposal facilities could affect truck turnaround, disrupt collection schedules and eventually lead to refuse accumulation in neighbourhoods.

“Waste management is an interconnected system. Delays at disposal facilities affect truck turnaround, disrupt collection schedules and eventually create refuse accumulation across neighbourhoods,” he said.

Wahab said the rehabilitation of Road E and additional disposal platforms at the Olusosun landfill had improved operational efficiency.

“Truck movements across disposal facilities rose to 1,866 in the week following the intervention, while Olusosun recorded an increase from 574 to 1,012 trips,” he said.

Beyond emergency interventions, he said the state was investing in Modern Transfer Loading Stations, Material Recovery Facilities, recycling, composting and the Epe waste-to-energy project.

“The objective is to transition from decades of pick-and-dump practices to a sustainable system where waste becomes a resource for energy and economic value,” Wahab said.

On data collection, the commissioner said, “The principle is straightforward: a modern waste management system must measure what it manages.”

He said the government was strengthening property enumeration, geocoded service locations, GPS tracking, weighbridge measurements, collection records and recovery data.

Wahab added that the government was also reforming the PSP system and would sanction or terminate operators where necessary.

He said the state needed to ask questions about the effectiveness of its waste management system, including whether every household had an assigned waste collector, whether operators were adequately equipped and whether scheduled collection routes were completed.

He also asked, “When residents complain, does anyone respond?”

Other questions, according to the commissioner, included whether collected waste was properly treated, recovered or disposed of and why emergency evacuation should become a substitute for reliable daily collection.

“These are questions government is answering with measurable performance, not political rhetoric,” he said.

Wahab also rejected the idea that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise should be regarded as a substitute for regular waste collection.

The monthly environmental sanitation exercise is not a substitute for an effective waste management system.

“Government must provide reliable services, while residents and businesses must equally stop indiscriminate dumping into drains, road medians and public spaces,” he said.

He urged the public debate to move beyond descriptions of Lagos as “stinky” and focus on measurable outcomes.

“The conversation should therefore move beyond describing Lagos as ‘stinky’ and focus on measurable outcomes: tonnes collected, routes completed, missed collections, complaint resolution, recurring blackspots and waste diverted from landfills,” Wahab said.

He acknowledged that the state still had work to do but said it was inaccurate to suggest that no action was being taken.

“Lagos has significant work ahead, and we must acknowledge that honestly. But to suggest that nothing is being done ignores the investments, infrastructure and operational reforms already underway,” he said.

On flooding, Wahab said Rhodes-Vivour’s criticism had to be considered against Lagos’ coastal geography, tidal locks and the growing impact of climate change.

As an architect, he should appreciate that even the most resilient drainage infrastructure cannot entirely eliminate flash flooding in a coastal megacity,” he said.

According to Wahab, the state had invested in drainage infrastructure, pump stations, year-round maintenance and flood abatement operations, while also undertaking wetland preservation and removing structures on floodplains.

He said the interventions had reportedly reduced flooding incidents by between 75 and 80 per cent statewide.

“It is therefore misleading to suggest that flooding is being ignored or that no meaningful progress has been made.

“While challenges remain, the evidence of sustained interventions must form part of the conversation,” Wahab said.

He added, “Flooding is a global coastal challenge, not one peculiar to Lagos.”

“The relevant question is not whether every flood can be prevented, but how effectively a city prepares, mitigates risks and protects its residents,” he said.

However, Rhodes-Vivour, in a response, criticised Wahab’s statement, saying it contained “lengthy explanations, with little by way of solutions.”

“Plenty of prose, very little results,” the ADC candidate said.

He argued that accumulated refuse was a major contributor to flooding, saying waste could be washed into drainage channels during rainfall even when residents did not deliberately dump it there.

“It might not be obvious to you and your principals, but most Lagosians and even foreigners can see it clear as day – REFUSE! GARBAGE! WASTE!

“If you’re not packing the refuse, it will stack up and be washed into the drainage by the rain. Citizens don’t even have to dump their refuse in the drains. The rain will do it for them,” Rhodes-Vivour said.

Rhodes-Vivour also questioned the density of roads and drainage infrastructure in the state.

“Do you have any idea how many roads (and therefore the accompanying drains) that Lagos State has per km² of land? I checked,” he said.

He claimed Lagos had 1.3 kilometres of roads per square kilometre of land, compared with 13.6 kilometres in Singapore.

“In case you’re wondering what this has to do with flooding – more drains means less water on the road surfaces,” he said.

Rhodes-Vivour proposed that the government clear existing drains and major drainage channels of waste, build more roads and drains and develop boardwalks or embankments along lagoon and river shorelines.

He also proposed the use of sluice gates and high-powered water pumps to regulate water levels inland of the gates.

“I’m merely putting out this information because these are just some of the pragmatic, practical measures @GRVlagos and I will implement to alleviate the perennial flooding problem,” he said.

Rhodes-Vivour also criticised the APC-led administration in Lagos, saying, “27 years of incompetence have shown us that your APC government is completely and unarguably incapable of implementing these simple measures.”

He concluded by calling on Lagos residents to work with his political platform to “Make Èkó Great Again.”

The exchange comes ahead of the 2027 Lagos governorship election, with waste management, flooding, traffic and other quality-of-life issues expected to feature prominently in the political campaign

Fourteen Premier League players scored for their countries during the September international break, with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland leading the way with three goals for Norway.

The Premier League, in a review of the international fixtures published on Tuesday, listed the players who had found the net for their countries during the break.

Haaland scored twice in Norway’s 3-2 Nations League victory over Denmark before adding another goal in their 2-1 defeat by Portugal.

The 26-year-old now has 65 goals in 57 international appearances, including 22 in the Nations League, making him the competition’s leading scorer since its introduction in 2018.

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyökeres also scored twice for Sweden, finding the net in victories over Romania and Poland.

Newcastle United forward Yoane Wissa scored twice for DR Congo during the break

Liverpool striker Alexander Isak scored for Sweden in their 2-1 Nations League victory over Romania, while his club-mate Cody Gakpo scored a stoppage-time equaliser against Germany for the Netherlands.

The full list of Premier League players identified by the league as scorers during the international break is:

Erling Haaland – Manchester City (Norway): Three goals

– Viktor Gyökeres – Arsenal (Sweden): Two goals

– Yoane Wissa – Newcastle United (DR Congo): Two goals

– Alexander Isak – Liverpool (Sweden): One goal

– Cody Gakpo – Liverpool (Netherlands): One goal

– Malick Yalcouyé – Brighton & Hove Albion (Ivory Coast): One goal

Michael Kayode – Brentford (Italy): One goal

– Christos Tzolis – Arsenal (Greece): One goal

– Bryan Mbeumo – Manchester United (Cameroon): One goal

– Oscar Bobb – Fulham (Norway): One goal

– Nicolas Jackson – Aston Villa (Senegal): One goal

– Rayan – AFC Bournemouth (Brazil): One goal

– Shea Charles – Fulham (Northern Ireland): One goal

Wilson Isidor – Sunderland (Haiti): One goal

Brighton midfielder Yalcouyé scored and won a penalty on his Ivory Coast debut in a 2-0 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying victory over Ghana.

Brentford defender Kayode also scored on his Italy debut in their 4-1 victory over Turkey.

Isidor scored Haiti’s winning goal in the eighth minute of stoppage time in a 3-2 CONCACAF Nations League victory over Trinidad and Tobago, having also registered two assists.

The Premier League said other players who featured prominently during the international break included Liverpool’s new centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, who kept a clean sheet on his France debut in a 1-0 win over Belgium, while his club team-mate Bradley Barcola played 77 minutes.

The league’s review also noted a number of injuries suffered by Premier League players during international duty, including Liverpool’s Isak and Gakpo, Arsenal’s Kai Havertz and Manchester United’s Patrick Dorgu.

The extended 16 day international break ends on October 6, with Premier League action resuming on October 10.

While attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had revealed that an artificial intelligence agent operated by OpenAI gained unauthorised access to an Australian Medicare data portal earlier this year.

Albanese said the AI agent accessed both public and non-public files on the Medicare statistics reporting service portal administered by Services Australia.

Meanwhile, the company in a statement published on its website on September 28, 2026, titled “How we will do better for Australia,” has apologised for the incident.

OpenAI said the incident occurred in June during internal training and evaluation of an experimental model that was not intended for public release and did not have the full set of safeguards used in its publicly available products.

According to the company, the model was assigned a task to research government spending per person on medicines for skin conditions in Victorian communities.

However, after struggling to obtain the information, the model took actions that OpenAI said it had not authorised.

At Services Australia’s Medicare Statistics Reporting Service, OpenAI said the model “discovered a way to gain non-public access to the service.”

The company said the model then “ran commands, retrieved internal files, credentials and aggregate statistics, and wrote files.”

However, OpenAI said its review had found no evidence that individual patient or client records were accessed.

We are sorry and working to do better in the future,” the company said.

OpenAI said the incident represented “a new kind of cyber incident which represents an emerging global challenge.”

The company also disclosed that its models had accessed three other Australian government systems.

At the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, an OpenAI model accessed the public Crime Mapping Tool while researching public crime statistics.

The model made API and website metadata requests through the public tool, with the system returning application configuration, operational jobs and logs, as well as website metadata.

OpenAI said individual crime records were not accessed.

In Victoria, OpenAI agents discovered an exposed access key that allowed them to query the Victorian Agency for Health Information’s reporting system and retrieve reporting configuration and aggregate survey statistics.

The extent to which this information should have been accessible is unclear, and depends on VAHI’s access policies,” OpenAI said, adding that individual medical records or identifiable survey responses were not accessed.

The company also said its agents retrieved aggregate statistics from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare through third-party browsing and download services.

While separate attempts to bypass access controls were unsuccessful, OpenAI said the downloaded material appeared to have been publicly available and there was no system compromise.

OpenAI said it began investigating the activities after a review triggered by an earlier incident involving AI activity on the Hugging Face platform.

The review, which began after the July Hugging Face incident, identified the Australian government activity in mid-August.

OpenAI said it notified Services Australia and the Victorian Department of Health on September 10, followed by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research on September 18.

The company said the AIHW activity did not initially meet its disclosure threshold because the access appeared consistent with public access, but it notified the agency on September 24 to share its findings.

However, OpenAI acknowledged that it should have disclosed preliminary findings sooner.

“Our aim was to give affected agencies a detailed account once our investigation was complete. However, we should have shared preliminary findings sooner and kept Australian agencies updated as more facts emerged,” it said.

The company said it had since strengthened safeguards around its research environments, including additional network restrictions, expanded monitoring and controls designed to block live internet access.

It also said its current monitoring systems would have detected the activity and alerted human reviewers for urgent intervention.

n Australia, OpenAI said it would provide resources and technical expertise to affected agencies, support efforts to strengthen cyber defences and establish an Australian taskforce made up of independent experts.

The taskforce is expected to develop policy recommendations for managing risks from increasingly capable AI agents, including improved notification processes and stronger coordination between AI developers and governments.

OpenAI said its Chief Strategy Officer, Jason Kwon, would appear before the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence in Sydney on October 6 to answer questions about the incident and the company’s response.

The disclosure comes after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed last week that an OpenAI agent had gained unauthorised access to the Medicare statistics reporting service administered by Services Australia.

Albanese said the incident was “extremely” concerning and that he had spoken with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman about the breach. ABC News reported that the company took about three months to notify the Australian government.

OpenAI’s latest disclosure provides further details of what the model accessed and the company’s planned response.

The National Youth Service Corps, Osun State Secretariat, has confirmed that a corps member, Adewebi Opeoluwa, is safe and well after she was seen at the secretariat in Osogbo on Monday.

The NYSC disclosed this in a statement shared on its Facebook page on Tuesday, following reports circulating on social media about the corps member’s whereabouts.

The statement, titled “Corps Member Adewebi Meets NYSC Osun State Coordinator,” said Adewebi met with the State Coordinator, Mr Ekeng Ita Kubiangha.

The NYSC said, “Corps Member, Adewebi Opeoluwa, is safe and well. She was seen on Monday at the NYSC Osun State Secretariat, Osogbo, during a meeting with the State Coordinator, Mr. Ekeng Ita Kubiangha.”

It added, “Also present were Assistant Directors, Vice Principals and some Corps Members from her Place of Primary Assignment (PPA). The footage confirms that Ms. Adewebi is alive, safe and not missing, contrary to reports circulating on social media.

According to multiple reports and social media posts, the corps member was reported to have been missing since September 20, while the missing-person notice was circulated online on September 24.

Adewebi, who is serving at St. James Grammar School, subsequently clarified that she was neither missing nor kidnapped.

In a statement posted on X by NYSC360 on Monday evening, she explained that her mother had been unable to reach her for some days, prompting her to raise an alarm which was later amplified by the media.

I wish to state categorically that I was not missing neither was I kidnapped. It was because my mother was not able to reach me for some days that warranted her to raise an alarm which was amplified by the media output,” she said.

Adewebi further stated, “I wish to state that I am safe, accounted for and not in any danger.”

She also apologised for the alarm and distress caused by the reports, saying the initial report was made in good faith to appease her worried mother.

“The initial report was made in good faith by the media output to appease my mother who was so scared of not hearing from me,” she said.

Adewebi added, “I sincerely apologise for any alarm, distress or confusion the post may have caused the entire NYSC community in Osun State at large, starting from my state coordinator, my PPA, my friends and colleagues. Once again I am really sorry for all the problems I have put everyone through.”

Bystanders were seen grabbing and drinking beer from bottles and crates spilled onto the road after a multiple-vehicle crash involving a truck loaded with beer in Lagos.

In a video circulating online on Tuesday, some people could be seen picking up the bottles and drinking directly from them, while others gathered around the truck and its spilled contents.

The incident occurred at Abalti Barracks inward Ojuelegba and involved a Fuso truck loaded with beer, a Lexus Jeep, a Hyundai Jeep and an Okada.

Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority said, “A multiple road crash involving a Fuso truck loaded with beer, a Lexus Jeep, a Hyundai Jeep, and an Okada, at Abalti Barracks inward Ojuelegba. The crash resulted in the contents of the truck spilling onto the roadway.”

LASTMA added, “No casualty was recorded. Our personnel are on ground managing the situation, men of the Nigeria Police are also present, while LAWMA officials are clearing the broken bottles from the roadway. Please drive with caution always.”

In a subsequent update,

the agency said, “[01:03 P.M] #Update #IncidentManagement All the affected vehicles have been recovered and taken off the road. Equally, the debris on the road have been swept. The road is free for now.”

The footage of the bystanders taking and drinking the beer has since sparked reactions online, with some users questioning the decision to consume drinks from the crash scene.

Desmond, posting as #igetshishi, wrote, “Nigerians instead of helping are already taking advantage of the situation.”

Another user, #Iamowolabi01, said, “What if particles of the broken bottles are inside the beer these guys are drinking.”

#iam_d1guy wrote, “Some people go shayo before dem reach their work today.”

Meanwhile, #omowtff said, “Some people go pack the bottle, and crates go resell am chai.”

The Senate on Tuesday approved another extension of the implementation of the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act, moving the deadline from September 30 to December 31, 2026.

The extension followed the passage of a bill sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), after clause-by-clause consideration by the lawmakers.

The bill seeks to amend the 2025 Appropriation Act and further extend the implementation period of its capital component to enable Ministries, Departments and Agencies to complete ongoing projects and utilise appropriated funds.

Moving the bill, Bamidele said the amendment was necessary because the implementation of capital projects under the 2025 Appropriation Act had not reached optimal levels despite the release of funds to MDAs.

In his presentation, Bamidele said he was forwarding “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Appropriations (Repeal & Enactment) Act 2025 to Extend the Implementation of the Capital Aspect of the Appropriations (Repeal & Enactment) Act 2025 from 30th September, 2026 to 31st December, 2026 and for other Related Matters, 2026 (SB. 1067).

A Bill for an Act to Amend the Appropriations (Repeal & Enactment) Act 2025 to Extend the Implementation of the Capital Aspect of the Appropriations (Repeal & Enactment) Act 2025 from 30th September, 2026 to 31st December, 2026 (SB. 1067).”

The latest decision marks another extension of the lifespan of the 2025 capital budget

The National Assembly had previously extended the implementation period from March 31 to June 30, 2026, and subsequently to September 30, 2026, to allow the government to complete ongoing capital projects and meet outstanding obligations.

The latest extension means that funds appropriated under the capital component of the 2025 budget will remain available for implementation until December 31, 2026, subject to the President’s assent.

The extension also comes against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s earlier pledge to end the practice of overlapping budgets.

While presenting the 2026 Appropriation Bill in December 2025, President Bola Tinubu said the government would move away from multiple overlapping budget cycles and operate within a single revenue cycle.

However, the government had previously justified extensions of the 2025 budget on the need to complete ongoing projects and ensure effective utilisation of appropriated funds.

In April, the Presidency said an earlier extension was intended to enable MDAs to consolidate ongoing works, improve project completion rates and maximise value for public expenditure.

The Senate’s approval of the latest extension came on the first day of its resumed plenary after an extended legislative recess

The National Assembly had shifted its resumption from September 15 to September 29 to allow for the completion of rehabilitation works in the legislative chambers.

With the passage of the bill, the 2025 capital budget will now remain open for implementation for an additional three months beyond the September 30 deadline.

Africa’s richest man and President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has disclosed that his first grandson would prefer to gain experience at global professional services firms KPMG or PwC before joining the family business.

Dangote made this known on Tuesday at a high-level investor engagement organised for the Dangote Petroleum Refinery initial public offering with Kenyan and East African institutional investors in Nairobi.

Speaking about the group’s approach to long-term planning and the involvement of his family in the business, Dangote said his first grandson, an electrical engineer, was currently more interested in learning about finance outside the family firm.

“And my first grandson, he’s not finding it interesting to work with me for now. He wants to go and get experience with KPMG or PWC. Then after he’ll come and join us. He’s an electrical engineer, but he wants to go and learn about money first,” he said.

Dangote also introduced his first daughter, Mariya Dangote, and her husband, Alassane, who were present at the event, before inviting them to stand and wave to the audience.

He described Mariya as a very shy person while introducing the couple to the gathering

The industrialist also explained that the Dangote Group does not work with 10-year visions, saying such long-term targets could make people relax because they assume the future is too far away.

Instead, he said the group operates on five-year plans involving its top executives, including Group Vice Presidents Edwin and Alaki, Group Chief Financial Officer Murat, David Bird and other directors.

Dangote’s three daughters—Mariya, Halima and Fatima—already hold executive roles across different areas of the conglomerate, which has interests in cement, sugar, refining, fertiliser and manufacturing.

He has previously said that having a male heir is not a priority for him, expressing confidence that one or more of his daughters could eventually lead the group.

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 60-year-old man, Abdullahi Abubakar, for allegedly kidnapping a 16-year-old boy, Usman Dauda, in Zigau Village, Shira Local Government Area of the state.

The command said the victim was rescued unhurt during the operation.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Habib said that at about 10pm on September 28, 2026, the Yana Divisional Police Headquarters received a distress report from the victim’s 50-year-old father that his son had been abducted from Misau town to Bangala Village by Abubakar.

According to him, the suspect allegedly intended to take the teenager to Kano for yet-to-be-ascertained reasons.

He said, “Upon receipt of the report, detectives swiftly mobilised to the scene, successfully rescued the victim unhurt and arrested the suspect.

“Thereafter, the victim was taken to General Hospital Yana for medical examination.”

The PPRO added that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect confessed to unlawfully confining the victim in his room for a day without proper feeding.

In a separate operation, Habib said operatives attached to the ‘A’ Division arrested five suspects at Doya Quarters, Bauchi, at about 4:30pm on the same day for alleged criminal conspiracy, trespass, housebreaking, mischief and theft.

He said the suspects had invaded an incomplete building at Doya Quarters and allegedly carted away windows and glass before the arrival of the owner.

“However, luck ran out on them as operatives, acting on credible intelligence, promptly swooped on the area and apprehended all five suspects, with the stolen items recovered as exhibits,” he stated.

Similarly, Habib disclosed that at about 5:30am, information was received at the ‘A’ Division that some hoodlums had been sighted with suspected stolen items concealed in a black bag.

He said operatives promptly mobilised and arrested the suspects, adding that preliminary investigation confirmed the items to be stolen.

“At about 1200hrs, the owners traced the items to the Division with proofs of ownership for identification and collection,” he stated.

The PPRO noted that the Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Command, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, had directed that all the cases be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Bauchi, for discreet investigation and prosecution.

He said, “The Command remains resolute in its commitment to safeguarding lives and property and urges members of the public to continue to provide timely and credible information to the Police.”

The Nigerian Communications Commission has called for increased investment in telecommunications infrastructure as data consumption in the country surged by almost 47 per cent within one year.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, made the call on Tuesday at the opening of the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum in Abuja.

The forum, organised in partnership with Swedfund and Ookla, brought together government officials, investors, development finance institutions and industry operators to explore financing opportunities for Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.

Maida disclosed that Nigerians consumed about 1.66 million terabytes of data in July 2026, compared with 1.13 million terabytes in the corresponding period of 2025.

“We can see the demand in our figures. Nigerians consumed about 1.66 million terabytes of data in July this year, up from 1.13 million a year earlier. That is an increase of almost 47 per cent in twelve months.

“Keeping pace will require sustained investment, both to expand networks and to improve the experience of people already connected,” he said.

Maida said pressure on telecommunications networks would increase as cloud services and artificial intelligence became more widely used, making reliable connectivity increasingly important to businesses and consumers.

According to him, the NCC had been improving conditions for investment, including through the 2025 tariff adjustment, which addressed financial pressures on operators and their capacity to invest, with an expectation of improved services.

He added that the designation of telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure and engagement with state governments on Right of Way were helping to protect telecom assets and reduce deployment costs.

The NCC boss said the regulator was also using network performance data and consumer complaints to identify service gaps and areas requiring further investment.

“We are making evidence-based decision-making central to how we regulate. For investors, that should mean a clearer understanding of where the opportunities lie and greater confidence in the basis for our decisions,” Maida said.

In her keynote address, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said digital connectivity had become economic infrastructure critical to trade and investment.

She said the telecommunications sector accounted for more than nine per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product in the first quarter of 2026, while mobile technologies and services contributed about $240bn to Africa’s economy in 2025.

Oduwole added that Nigeria had more than 25 data centres operational or under construction, highlighting growing investment opportunities in the digital economy.

“For investors, the message is straightforward: Nigeria is not approaching digital connectivity simply as a social infrastructure requirement. It is an investable economic opportunity,” she said.

She identified opportunities in data centres, cloud services, fibre, broadband, fintech, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and digital logistics, while stressing the need for policy predictability and regulatory coordination.

Also speaking, the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm, said gaps remained in coverage, quality, affordability and supporting infrastructure despite progress in expanding connectivity.

“Data should not be the end point. Its real value comes when we use it to make better decisions and turn those decisions into action,” she said.

Westerholm said reliable data could reduce uncertainty, strengthen investor confidence and help identify areas where additional investment would have the greatest impact.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, represented by the Director of the National Frequency Management Council Secretariat, Adetunji Adeyemo, said the government could not meet Nigeria’s digital infrastructure requirements alone.

He called for stronger public-private partnerships, innovative financing and development finance to expand connectivity.

Good investment decisions require good data. Reliable and transparent data can help investors identify and filter asset demand, understand market opportunities, and develop projects that are both commercially viable and developmental,” he said.

The head of Turkey’s football refereeing body, Ferhat Gundogdu, and six other people have been arrested as part of a graft investigation, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said on Tuesday.

“Claims regarding interference in the processes of referee classification, assignments, scoring and appointments, as well as in the examinations on rules, have been investigated,” he wrote on X.

Among those arrested were Gundogdu and his vice-president, with searches carried out at all of the suspects’ “homes, workplaces and offices.”

“We will steadfastly continue the fight for clean football so that claims undermining trust in Turkish football are clarified (and) those responsible are held accountable,” Gurlek said.

The move comes a year after Turkey’s Football Federation suspended 149 referees over allegations of involvement in an illegal betting scandal.

In a statement on its website, which did not mention the arrests, the TFF said it was “working resolutely” to restore public faith in “clean football.”

Without making a direct link to the earlier scandal, the TFF said it had “resolutely tackled the issue of betting and illegal betting,” fully supporting the work of the interior, justice, and youth and sport ministries, and that “the investigation and cooperation process with (them) is still ongoing.”

All documents requested by investigators “have been sent… in sealed envelopes, with a request for delivery to the Forensic Medicine Institute for fingerprint and DNA analysis and other necessary examinations,” it said.

Newspaper Hurriyet said prosecutors believe the suspects improperly influenced referee classifications, promotional exams and match appointments through document fraud and systemic intimidation.

It said the probe was opened following a formal complaint, with investigators looking into financial audits and phone records alongside witness testimony and expert reports.

During last year’s referee scandal, a TFF investigation found 371 of Turkey’s 571 referees officiating in the professional leagues had betting accounts, and 152 of them actively placed bets.

Police arrested 29 people in the sprawling scandal, among them 14 footballers — one of whom was Fenerbahce’s international midfielder Mert Hakan Yandaş.

Authorities suspended more than 1,000 players, including 25 from the first division.

AFP

The King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, on Tuesday named Marrakesh mayor Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri the country’s first woman prime minister, the royal cabinet announced, after her party won last week’s parliamentary elections.

Her centre-right Authenticity and Modernity Party had dominated the vote, winning 97 out of 395 seats in the House of Representatives — 31 more than the next closest competitor, although the poll was marked by the lowest turnout in two decades.

The royal cabinet said the monarch has now tasked the 50-year-old, who also served as housing minister, with “forming the new government.”

Without an outright majority, the PAM will have to form a coalition with other parties for its five-year tenure, though the monarch retains broad powers over major policies

The PAM was founded in 2008 by current royal adviser Fouad Ali El Himma as a counterweight to the country’s Islamist movement.

El Mansouri was also the first woman to serve as mayor of Marrakesh, winning the office in 2009 before losing it six years later, then retaking it in 2021.

– ‘Restore hope’ –

El Mansouri’s cabinet will have to tackle several pressing issues, including unemployment and living costs, as well as persistent social disparities, particularly weighing on young people.

Young people are going through a crisis, and we must provide them with answers,” she said during the campaign. “We want to restore their hope, not only through speeches, but through concrete solutions.”

The parliamentary vote came just weeks after tens of thousands of mainly young Moroccan migrants rushed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, a crisis that highlighted socioeconomic frustrations among the youth.

It also came a year after a Gen-Z protest movement took to the streets to demand better health and education.

Her party has pledged average annual economic growth of five per cent, inflation of two per cent and the creation of at least one million new jobs over its five-year term.

The PAM was followed in the polls by the National Rally of Independents, which heads the outgoing coalition and won 66 seats.

The right-wing Istiqlal party came third with 65 seats, while the Islamist opposition’s Justice and Development Party took 54 seats.

The PJD made significant gains after winning just 13 seats in 2021, having focused its campaign in part on fighting corruption.

Its chief, former PM Abdelilah Benkirane, hailed a “victory” but ruled out joining a coalition led by the PAM, which he said was “tainted by fraud,” without providing details.

AFP

Nigerian dancer Benjamin Daniel, popularly known as Ben Dancer, has completed a seven-day dance marathon in Lagos, recording more than 176 hours as he seeks to set a new Guinness World Records title.

Daniel ended the challenge at about noon on Tuesday at Freedom Park, Lagos, after continuing for more than nine hours beyond the seven-day mark he reached at about 3am.

His team said the timer recorded seven days, eight hours, 32 minutes and 59 seconds at the end of the challenge.

The 33-year-old had set a target of 168 hours, seeking to surpass the existing Guinness World Records title for the longest dance marathon by an individual, which stands at 127 hours.

However, Guinness World Records is yet to recognise Daniel as the new record holder

The organisation confirmed that his application was active and said evidence from the attempt would be reviewed before the record could be officially confirmed.

“Benjamin’s application is active and we now eagerly await submission of his evidence, which will then go through our official review and verification process before any record can be confirmed,” a Guinness World Records spokesperson told the BBC.

Daniel was taken to hospital for a medical check-up after completing the physically demanding challenge.

The marathon attracted supporters to Freedom Park, who gathered throughout the seven-day performance to watch and encourage the dancer.

Daniel, who has 18 years of professional dancing experience, incorporated various Nigerian dance styles and musical genres into the performance.

Afrobeats featured prominently, alongside fuji, jazz and zouk, while Daniel also wore traditional Nigerian outfits, including agbada and dashiki.

His team said the performance was designed to showcase Nigeria’s cultural diversity and the country’s different traditions and dance forms.

Ahead of the attempt, Daniel underwent fitness training and adjusted his diet to prepare for the physical demands of the marathon.

During the challenge, he was allowed five minutes of rest for every continuous hour of activity, while medical personnel were also present. He maintained hydration and ate lightly throughout the performance.

The existing Guinness World Records title of 127 hours was set by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap in 2023.

Daniel’s evidence will now be submitted to Guinness World Records for review and verification before his attempt can be officially recognised as a new record

Many residents on Tuesday stormed the Odi-Olowo, Osogbo office of the Global Food Initiative and looted the warehouse where food items were kept by the operators of the scheme.

The development followed an earlier report by PUNCH Online on the tension in Osogbo, Osun State, on Monday, after operators of the cheap food scheme disappeared, leaving residents who had paid various sums for food items stranded.

On Monday, many residents who had deposited money for the purchase of food items at prices below prevailing market rates gathered at the organisation’s office in the Odi-Olowo area of Osogbo, waiting for the operators to open for business.

A resident, identified simply as Mistura, told PUNCH Metro that she deposited N300,000 last Wednesday to purchase 11 bags of rice at N27,000 per bag.

Mistura said the items were usually due for collection one week after payment, adding that the 11 bags of rice would have cost her N605,000 at the prevailing market price of N55,000 per bag.

Another investor, Olamide, said she paid N1.2m for various food items she intended to use for the forthcoming wedding ceremony of her stepdaughter.

“I got here this morning and met a crowd waiting to be attended to, but the operators were nowhere to be found. I was warned, but I never thought they would run away this early. The items I paid for were to be used for my stepdaughter’s wedding ceremony,” she said.

On Tuesday, several residents who had paid for food items converged on the operators’ office, waiting for them to resume operations.

Despite pleas by the owner of the building for the crowd to exercise patience and allow security agents to identify the operators and work out measures to recoup the funds deposited, the agitated residents refused to leave the premises.

However, about 4pm on Tuesday, some people forced open the operators’ warehouse and looted food items, including bags of rice, noodles and groundnut oil.

 Online reports that those involved in the looting defied the heavy downpour, while a handful of police operatives on the ground battled to keep the situation under control.

As of the time of filing this report, the looting was still ongoing, with security agents firing canisters to disperse the crowd.

Details later…

The Nigerian Navy has warned members of the public against fake Direct Short Service Commission recruitment notices circulating on social media.

The Director of Naval Information, Captain Abi Folorunsho, gave the warning in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday.

Folorunsho said the notices, which claim to advertise openings for DSSC Course 30 and list qualifications across medical, engineering, legal, ICT and other fields, were not issued by the Nigerian Navy, stressing that the Navy’s DSSC recruitment exercise had not commenced.

“The attached DSSC notices are not from the Nigerian Navy and have been circulating all over social media.

The Nigerian Navy DSSC recruitment is not out, and when it is, the information will be posted on my page, the official Nigerian Navy website, and official social media pages. Please do not let anyone scam you,” he said

The warning came a day after the Navy announced the commencement of its 2026 Batch 39 recruitment for the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School.

The Navy had said the Batch 39 recruitment exercise would run from October 2 to October 31, 2026, with eligible applicants required to apply through its official recruitment portal

It also warned applicants that the recruitment process was free and cautioned them against making payments to anyone claiming to facilitate their recruitment.

The Navy said eligible applicants must be Nigerian citizens by birth, possess a National Identification Number and meet the specified educational, age, physical and medical requirements.

The DSSC recruitment referred to in Folorunsho’s warning is separate from the Batch 39 Basic Training School recruitment.

The National Universities Commission has approved 30 new programmes for the Federal University Dutse, including Artificial Intelligence, Law, Data Science, Medical Laboratory Science and Community Health.

This was contained in a statement signed and made available to journalists on Tuesday in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, by the Acting Director, Public Affairs, Federal University Dutse, Abdullahi Yahaya.

Yahaya said the approval was contained in a letter dated September 11, 2026, with reference number NUC/AP/F33/VOL.II/15, signed by the Director, Academic Planning, NUC, Abubakar M. Girei.

He said the letter was addressed to the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Ahmad Gumel.

According to him, the commission approved the Faculty of Law to commence academic activities and granted full-time mode for the 30 programmes beginning from the 2026/2027 academic session.

He listed some of the approved undergraduate programmes to include “B.Sc. Artificial Intelligence, B.Sc. Data Science, B.Sc. Information Systems and L.L.B. Common and Islamic Law.”

Other approved programmes, he said, are “B. Sc. Ed. Physics, Biology, Mathematics, B.Ed. Educational Management, Early Childhood and Adult Education.”

Yahaya added that health-related programmes approved include “B. Sc. Community Health, Medical Laboratory Science, Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Physiotherapy, Radiography and Optometry.”

He said other programmes are “B.Sc. Parasitology and Entomology, Environmental Standards, Water Sanitation and Hygiene, Applied Geology and Remote Sensing and B.A. Ed. Arabic and English.”

He stated that the university also secured approval for “Science Laboratory Technology with options in Biology and Biochemistry Technology.”

He said postgraduate programmes approved include “PGD, M.Sc. and PhD in Forestry and Wildlife, Accounting, Treasury and Finance, Banking and Finance and Information Technology.”

He added that “Masters in Banking and Finance and Masters in Accounting and Finance” were also approved.

In his remarks, Gumel said the development marks an important step forward in his initiative to mount new academic programmes.

Gumel said, “The new programmes are specifically designed to address the evolving educational needs of society as the courses focus on critical areas such as technology, science education and health-related disciplines.”

He said, “This strategic academic growth aims to equip students with relevant skills and knowledge that align with current industry demands and societal challenges, ensuring that FUD graduates are well-prepared for the workforce.”

As a result, the state has requested the Nigeria Police Force to investigate such complaints and transmit the case files to the office of the state Attorney-General for prosecution.

The Attorney-General of Anambra State, Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, disclosed this in a letter to the Nigeria Police Force, which he personally signed and was made available to journalists on Tuesday.

Nweke noted that there had been several cases of girls being prevented from inheriting properties owned by their parents, based on what had been described as customs and traditional practices in the region.

He said that despite Supreme Court decisions declaring customs and practices that excluded females from inheriting property unconstitutional and illegal, some members of the public still engaged in the discriminatory practices.

The letter noted that the practice of denying women and girls their right to inherit property because of their gender amounted to a crime under Section 22 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2017 of Anambra State, and was punishable by up to four years’ imprisonment.

The letter reads, “In light of the foregoing, you are kindly requested to ensure that your office thoroughly investigates all reported cases of gender-based disinheritance and that the case files are transmitted to this Ministry for further action.

To effectively combat this practice, this Ministry has designated the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Unit to handle the prosecution of offenders under the above-mentioned law, alongside other forms of domestic violence and sexual offences.”

The United States and Nigeria are advancing security cooperation, with the planned acquisition of 12 AH-1Z Viper helicopters by Nigeria expected to strengthen the country’s defence capabilities.

The United States Mission in Nigeria disclosed this in a post on its official X handle on Tuesday, describing the proposed acquisition as part of ongoing efforts by both countries to address current and emerging security threats.

The post reads, “U.S.-Nigeria security cooperation continues to advance our shared efforts to strengthen regional security.

“The planned acquisition of 12 AH-1Z Viper helicopters underscores both countries’ commitment to building Nigeria’s defence capabilities and addressing current and emerging threats together.”

The Mission stated that the United States valued its continued security partnership with Nigeria in promoting regional peace and stability.

The United States values continued cooperation with Nigeria in support of peace, security, and stability,” the post added.

The planned acquisition of the AH-1Z Viper helicopters is part of a broader US-Nigeria defence partnership that has included military equipment, training and programmes aimed at improving Nigeria’s capacity to counter terrorism and other security threats.

Recall that the United States has described Nigeria as an important security partner in Africa, with cooperation covering counterterrorism, maritime and border security, military professionalisation and defence trade.

In April 2022, the US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Nigeria involving 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters and related equipment at an estimated cost of $997m.

The package included 28 T700-GE-401C engines, 2,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System guidance sections, logistics support and training.

The US said the proposed sale was intended to improve Nigeria’s ability to contribute to shared security objectives, promote regional stability and strengthen interoperability with the US and other Western partners.

The helicopter deal followed earlier US military assistance to Nigeria, including the 2017 sale of 12 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft for $497m.

According to the US State Department, Nigeria made its first payment for the 12 AH-1Z helicopters in August 2023.

President Bola Tinubu on Monday met billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, at a private dinner in Paris, France, as the President continues his extended stay in Europe.

Otedola disclosed the meeting in a post on his X handle on Tuesday, sharing a photograph of the two men smiling side by side.

He expressed support for Tinubu’s economic policies and highlighting what he described as gains from the administration’s reforms.

“At a private dinner in Paris yesterday evening with His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose bold and forward-thinking reforms have put our economy firmly on a path of sustainable growth,” Otedola wrote.

He cited the inclusion of top Nigerian companies in the FTSE Russell Frontier 50 Index, the performance of the Nigerian Exchange, increased foreign direct investment and what he described as renewed economic confidence.

Otedola also pointed to a “unified and more stable foreign exchange market” and foreign reserves, which he said were “standing strong at about $55 billion”.

He added, “I remain proud of you, Mr. President!”

The meeting comes amid continued attention to Tinubu’s prolonged stay abroad and his absence from the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Tinubu departed Nigeria on August 30 for London to begin what the Presidency described as a three-week working vacation. He subsequently travelled to Paris, where he met French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré.

On September 21, the presidency announced a first extension of “a few days,” saying Tinubu would return at the weekend. That schedule was later adjusted again, with presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirming on September 27 that the president would now return on Tuesday, September 29, landing in Lagos ahead of Independence Day events on October 1.

The prolonged stay abroad and Tinubu’s absence from the UNGA have attracted criticism from opposition groups and other Nigerians.

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party criticised the extension of the President’s vacation and his decision not to attend the UN gathering, while the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council also demanded an explanation over his continued absence.

The 81st UNGA marked Tinubu’s third consecutive absence from the annual gathering. Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the meeting, where he delivered the country’s national statement.

The Presidency said Tinubu’s absence would not diminish Nigeria’s diplomatic standing or its role in African affairs.

The Crude Oil Refinery-Owners Association of Nigeria has called for an end to unnecessary petroleum-product imports, urging the Federal Government to maximise domestic refining capacity and position Nigeria as a major exporter of refined products in Africa.

The Chairman of CORAN, Momoh Oyarekhua, made the call while presenting the association’s 10-point agenda at the 3rd Nigeria Oil Refining Summit held at the Eko Hotel, Lagos, on Monday.

Oyarekhua said petroleum-sector reforms should focus on optimising existing refineries, improving infrastructure and creating an export-oriented refining industry.

He said, “For decades, Nigeria exported crude oil and imported refined products. Today, we in CORAN have changed that story by ensuring that our natural resources create jobs, industrial growth, energy security and prosperity for Nigerians.

Our crude must increasingly power our refineries. Our refineries must supply our market. And Nigeria must ultimately become a refining hub for Africa. That should be the destination of petroleum-sector reform

Oyarekhua said domestic refineries must have reliable access to crude oil to operate efficiently.

He also called for greater investment in pipelines and storage infrastructure.

Despite our abundant crude resources, some domestic refineries continue to face difficulties accessing crude oil on commercially viable terms.

The country must now support the refinery. Support the pipeline. Support the storage terminals,” Oyarekhua said.

He said increased domestic refining would create jobs, retain foreign exchange and support petrochemical and manufacturing industries.

“Refining for value means more than producing fuel. It means retaining foreign exchange, creating jobs, developing local expertise, supporting petrochemicals and manufacturing, and capturing greater economic value within Nigeria,” he said.

As part of its agenda, the association called for the full institutionalisation of the Naira-for-Crude initiative and a domestic crude pricing template that reflects crude quality, delivery points and domestic evacuation costs.

It also called for the elimination of petroleum-product imports as domestic refining capacity becomes sufficient to meet national demand and generate surpluses for export.

It proposed long-term financing and refinancing mechanisms for refinery expansion and upgrades, as well as accelerated development of pipelines, storage terminals, depots, jetties and rail evacuation systems.

The Senate on Tuesday resumed plenary with a demand for intensified efforts to rescue Nigerians held captive by kidnappers and protect communities facing security threats.

President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, made the demand as the upper chamber resumed after its annual recess, which began on July 23, 2026.

He said the Senate would deploy legislation, appropriation, and oversight to tackle insecurity, flooding, and the rising cost of living facing Nigerians.

Akpabio urged the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify operations to rescue kidnapped Nigerians and protect vulnerable communities.

He said the Senate would scrutinise existing measures and consider additional legislative, budgetary and oversight interventions to address insecurity.

So long as a single Nigerian languishes in captivity, a part of Nigeria is itself captive, and this chamber cannot call itself free of the burden,” he said.

He added that government institutions must not leave citizens exposed to security threats, stressing that the protection of lives remained a responsibility of the state.

We cannot summon citizens to courage and then leave them to face danger alone. Their safety is a charge laid upon us and upon every institution of government, particularly this Nigerian Senate,” he said.

Continuing, Akpabio said the Senate could not return from recess and ignore the worsening challenges facing citizens, stressing that the suspension of plenary had not stopped the difficulties confronting the country.

“We adjourned since the 23rd day of July, 2026. The sittings of the Senate ceased in plenary for a season, but the life of Nigeria did not cease.

“Our victories should be measured in safer communities, better livelihoods for all Nigerians, and a stronger country for those we serve and for generations unborn,” he said.

The Senate President expressed particular concern over the abduction of Nigerians by armed groups, saying the government could not respond to their plight with sympathy alone.

“Sympathies alone cannot discharge our duties. They are entitled to our attention, our resolve and the full force of our constitutional responsibilities,” he stated.

The Abia State Government has expressed concern over the rate of vandalism of government projects, particularly power assets, across the state.

Addressing the press on Tuesday on the outcome of the week’s Executive Council meeting held on Monday, the state Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said the situation was disrupting electricity supply and imposing additional financial burdens on the government.

He said, “Such unwholesome acts disrupt the flow of electricity, while creating additional financial burden for the state government in terms of cost of replacement of stolen or vandalised power assets.

“President-Generals of our town unions, our traditional rulers, and security agencies are advised to devise new strategies to curb this growing menace in our communities.

All relevant stakeholders are advised to take ownership of government projects in their communities, particularly those that relate to power.”

All relevant stakeholders are advised to take ownership of government projects in their communities, particularly those that relate to power.”

They did all this before, even before the rainy season. Naturally, you know, the rains somehow, floods will happen. We are finding their way through the community. So, the state government is working very hard to ensure that these things, their occurrences, are brought down to the barest minimum.”

Kanu said the water projects under the Abia Integrated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Programme were ongoing, adding that the rehabilitation of five water schemes was at various stages of completion.

He said, “Rehabilitation of five water schemes, including pipeline recirculation, is ongoing in three sanitary zones of the state, and these projects are at different levels or stages of completion.”

Also speaking on the flooding, the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Engr. Ikechukwu Monday, said climate change had contributed to the increasing incidence of flooding across the country.

He said, “Of course, you know that in the period we are in, climate change has caused a lot of disasters. That is the truth. We are experiencing serious flooding across the Federation.

“So, UCDA (Umuahia Capital Development Authority) is doing its own; the Ministry of Works is doing its own. If you go to Aba, GADA (Greater Aba Development Authority) has laid out comprehensive plans of what government wants to do.

“So, it is very holistic. And whenever a new problem occurs anywhere, all the agencies that are in charge move in swiftly to ensure that the solution is provided. Some of them come unannounced.”

According to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, the State Emergency Management Agency was responsible for providing relief materials to victims of disasters.

He said, “When it comes to relief materials, SEMA (State Emergency Management Agency) is handling that responsibility,” adding that the government would also find out what the agency was doing to ensure that victims received the necessary support.

Chaos erupted in the Big Brother Naija ‘Show Ya Sef’ house on Monday night after an argument between housemates Keivo and Tram over a shirt escalated into a physical fight.

The confrontation began after Tram accused Keivo of taking his black shirt.

Keivo denied the allegation, insisting that he owned a similar shirt and expressing frustration over being accused of stealing.

The exchange soon became heated, with both housemates trading words before Keivo reportedly threw the first punch, triggering a physical altercation.

Other housemates immediately intervened in an attempt to separate the pair as the situation intensified.

Biggie subsequently ordered all the housemates to freeze and deployed three Ninjas to restore order and prevent the confrontation from escalating further.

The incident adds another dramatic moment to the ongoing season, which has already recorded several evictions and a disqualification.

Twenty-four housemates were introduced into the competition on July 26. So far, 12 have been evicted, while Neche voluntarily left the show and Nomy was disqualified.

The winner of the season is expected to take home a record N160 million prize, the biggest payout in the history of the reality show, which debuted in 2006.

The current season is scheduled to conclude on October 4.

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Mr. Shehu Mohammed, will lead a high-level gathering of policymakers, health professionals and other stakeholders at the fourth Vanguard Mental Health Summit in Lagos, as attention turns to the mental health challenges confronting young Nigerians.

The summit which holds on Friday, October 9, 2026, at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, with the theme, “Advancing Youth Mental Health in Nigeria” with sub-theme “Mental Health in a Digital Age: Navigating Social Media, Technology and Wellbeing,” reflects the growing pressures young Nigerians face in an increasingly digital and connected society.

 As the Chairman of the summit, Corps Marshal Mohammed’s participation brings a road safety and public safety perspective to discussions that will also cover substance use, addiction, trauma, early intervention and access to care.

 His involvement also highlights the intersection between mental health and public safety, particularly the consequences of substance use, trauma and risky behaviour among young people.

 The fourth Vanguard Mental Health Summit builds on the third edition held in 2025, which focused on suicide prevention and the need for Nigeria to strengthen prevention, care and support.

Vanguard has continued to follow developments around the decriminalisation of attempted suicide issue, including the Federal Government’s September 2026 announcement that it had begun the process of removing criminal penalties for attempted suicide following Federal Executive Council approval.

 The fourth edition shifts the major focus towards young people, digital technology and wellbeing, while retaining the summit’s broader emphasis on practical responses to mental health challenges.

Among dignitaries expected this year are the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who is the Chief Host, while the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brigadier General Buba Marwa, are Special Guests of Honour.

The summit will engage government officials, psychiatrists, medical professionals, academics, civil society organisations, development partners, private sector representatives, youth groups and the media to examine how Nigeria can strengthen its response to youth mental health.

At the heart of the event is a call to move youth mental health beyond awareness campaigns. Vanguard Media Limited is organising the summit to drive greater attention to access to appropriate mental health care, early intervention, supportive families and schools, safer digital environments and policies that translate concern into practical action.

The discussions will examine the growing influence of social media and technology on young people’s wellbeing, including cyberbullying, online pressure, misinformation, social comparison, digital addiction and isolation.

The participants will also address stigma and barriers to seeking help, substance use, rehabilitation and recovery, as well as the responsibilities of families, schools, communities, government, healthcare providers, the media and technology platforms.

The President of the Association of Psychiatrists of Nigeria, Dr Veronica Nyamali, will deliver the keynote address, “Advancing Youth Mental Health in Nigeria” even as the President of the Nigeria Medical Association, Prof. Omoti Ernest, will speak on “Making Youth Mental Health Everyone’s Business: From Policy to Practice.”

A virtual presentation by Dr. Daniel Ikpechukwu, Substance Abuse and Behavioural Health Counselor, Alcohol/Drug Clinical Evaluator and Treatment Provider at Gracious Health Services, Georgia, USA, will focus on “Youth Drug Addiction and the Justice System: Advancing Treatment, Rehabilitation and Recovery in Nigeria.”

Dr Oluwafemi Oluwatayo, Chief Executive Officer of The Retreat Hospital, Ikorodu, will give a presentation and demonstration on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) treatment for depression and anxiety disorders.

Other speakers include Prof. Taiwo Lateef Sheikh, Continental Representative for LifeLine International, who will speak on “Mental Health As Our Social Capital,” and Prof. Mashudat Bello-Mojeed, Professor of Psychiatry and Public Health, whose lecture is titled “Protecting Young Minds in the Age of Social Media.”

A major attraction of the summit will be a panel discussion built around a fundamental question: “Who is responsible for the Mental Health of Young People?” The session will be moderated by Dr. Ayantunde Ayankola, Senior Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist at the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta.

The panel will examine how responsibility for youth mental health should be shared across families, schools, communities, healthcare systems, government, the media, technology platforms and young people themselves. A performance by the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts, Lagos State University of Education, LASUED, will also feature during the event.

The fourth Vanguard Mental Health Summit summit is expected to provide a platform for stakeholders to examine how Nigeria can move from awareness to action, build stronger systems for preventing mental health problems and identifying them early, and ensure that young people can obtain appropriate support when they need it.

The Lagos State Government has expanded its annual maternal and child nutrition intervention to 5,000 pregnant women across the state’s six health districts, more than doubling the number of beneficiaries reached under the programme last year.

The intervention, under the 2026 Mother, Infant and Child Development Programme, is being implemented through the Office of Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement, with the Health District I edition held in Abekoko, Agege, on Monday.

Speaking at the flag-off, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement, Afolabi Tajudeen, said the programme was designed not only to provide nutritional support to pregnant women but also to connect vulnerable families with healthcare services.

He said the initiative formed part of the state’s wider social protection programme, adding that the health of mothers and children had implications for the state’s long-term development.

The initiative is designed to promote maternal and child wellbeing, improve access to essential nutritional support and strengthen awareness of available healthcare services,” Tajudeen said.

He added that the programme reflected the government’s commitment to “social protection, support for vulnerable families and ensuring that women and children are not left behind in the development process.”

According to him, the state would distribute 5,000 nutritional food packs to pregnant women across the six health districts this year, compared with more than 2,000 beneficiaries in 2025.

He said the programme was also intended to provide the government with an opportunity to hear directly from residents about the challenges they faced in accessing healthcare and other public services.

“Beyond the distribution of food packs, the initiative serves as an opportunity for the Government to engage directly with residents, get their feedback and strengthen the connection between Government programmes and the people they are designed to serve,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary, Office of Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement, Sholabomi Shasore, said the programme was similarly intended to narrow the gap between the government and the communities it served.

She urged residents to speak openly about their experiences with government services, saying such feedback could help officials identify gaps and improve the delivery of healthcare and other services.

“Direct feedback from residents would enable the Government to understand community needs better, identify areas requiring attention and strengthen policies and programmes aimed at improving the quality of life of families across Lagos State,” Shasore said.

She also appealed to healthcare workers to provide feedback from the communities they served, saying their observations were essential to identifying weaknesses in grassroots healthcare delivery.

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Health District I, Sola Pitan, urged residents to make greater use of public health facilities and take precautions against diphtheria.

Pitan said the state government provides diphtheria treatment free and urged residents who develop symptoms or suspect exposure to seek medical attention without delay.

He also encouraged residents to register for Ilera Eko, the state’s health insurance scheme, while urging parents and caregivers to ensure that their children received routine immunisation.

The Executive Chairman of Orile-Agege LCDA, Akinola Idowu, said the programme provided residents with access to a range of services, including routine immunisation, family planning, vitamin A supplementation, malnutrition screening, birth registration, maternal healthcare, HIV screening, and tuberculosis screening and treatment.

The programme also featured the distribution of food packs containing dry pap, milk, beverage, oat flour, Semovita, beans, Garri, rice and eggs to pregnant women.

The intervention comes as the Lagos Government continues to use MICHD as part of its broader social intervention and community engagement programmes.

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS has urged journalists to intensify public awareness of HIV prevention options, particularly pre-exposure prophylaxis, to improve access to accurate information and prevention services in Nigeria.

The Director-General of NACA, Dr Temitope Ilori, represented by Mrs Toyin Aderibigbe, made the call on Monday in Lagos, during a training for journalists on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP.

Participants were drawn from Benue, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Ebonyi, Gombe, Kwara, Cross River and the Federal Capital Territory, with focus on expanding awareness of lenacapavir as an HIV prevention option.

The capacity-building training was designed to equip journalists, editors, broadcasters, digital media practitioners and national call centre personnel with the tools to report accurately and in an evidence-based manner on lenacapavir as an innovative HIV prevention option.

Ilori said the media had a critical role to play in strengthening public understanding of HIV prevention and ensuring that Nigerians had access to accurate, evidence-based and life-saving information.

She stressed, “Nigeria’s HIV response has evolved significantly over the years. While we continue to sustain gains in HIV testing, treatment and care, prevention remains a critical component of our national response. This is where PrEP becomes particularly important.

“PrEP is an effective HIV prevention option for people who are HIV-negative and may be at risk of acquiring HIV.”

The NACA DG, however, noted that the availability of prevention interventions alone was not sufficient, maintaining that people needed the right information to understand their options, know where services were available and feel confident seeking them.

She described media professionals as “indispensable partners” in the HIV prevention response, noting that well-researched reports could dispel misconceptions, encourage people to seek prevention services and potentially save lives.

She cautioned that inaccurate or sensational reporting could create fear, reinforce stigma and discourage people from accessing HIV services.

“We therefore count on you to report PrEP and HIV prevention accurately, responsibly, respectfully and without stigma,” Ilori said.

She further urged journalists to provide answers to questions that members of the public might be reluctant to ask, including who can use PrEP, how it works, available options, where services can be accessed and what people should know before choosing a prevention option.

According to her, the training was not merely about understanding the technical aspects of PrEP but also about equipping journalists with the capacity to translate technical information into simple and trustworthy messages for the public.

“We want you to leave this programme better equipped to identify misinformation, challenge myths and develop compelling, evidence-based stories for television, radio, newspapers, online platforms and social media,” she said.

Ilori further encouraged journalists to take advantage of digital platforms, particularly as young people increasingly obtain health information online.

She said the media must ensure that credible information was available on platforms where Nigerians seek health information.

“As Nigeria centres its prevention response under the National Strategic Plan 2023 to 2030, partnerships such as this are essential. The plan places emphasis on sustainability, innovation, stronger partnerships and greater community engagement,” she said.

The NACA boss called for sustained collaboration between the agency, media organisations, development partners and the wider digital communication community beyond the training.

“We will need your continued partnership to take this evidence-based information to communities, challenge misinformation and increase awareness and demand for HIV prevention services,” she added.

Also, the Director and National Coordinator of the National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STIs Control Programme, Dr Adebobola Bashorun, represented by Senior Nursing Officer Nzenwata Uchechi, commended the organisers for convening the training.

Bashorun stressed the importance of accurate and responsible media reporting in building public understanding and trust in HIV prevention.

Accurate, clear and responsible media reporting is essential to building public understanding and trust in HIV prevention,” Bashorun said.

He noted that as new HIV prevention options emerged, stronger collaboration between health institutions and the media would be necessary to ensure that communities received evidence-based information and were able to make informed choices.

Journalists have been urged to use their platforms to promote human rights, democratic reform and climate action while tackling misinformation in their communities.

The call was made on Monday when a team from Journalists for Human Rights, a Canadian media development organisation, visited PUNCH Place, Magboro, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State.

The JHR team comprised its Board Chairman, Michael Cooke; Country Representative, Fidelis Mbah; and JHR Ambassador, Murdoch Davis.

Speaking during the visit, Davis described journalism as a crucial tool for advancing human rights.

He urged journalists to consistently spotlight human rights issues and promote causes including democratic reform and climate action.

Davis emphasised the symbiotic relationship between journalism and human rights, noting that journalists had a duty to uphold social responsibility.

He said, “Human rights reporting is important. Journalism is a crucial tool to promote human rights. Report on human rights, democratic reform, climate action, and combat misinformation issues in communities.

On human rights reporting, Davis stressed the importance of human-angle stories.

“Some stories are boring. You need people to feel your story, so let them be human-angle stories.”

He praised Nigerian journalism, describing its standard as high.

“Your work is not substandard,” Davis said.

Cooke, who spoke on the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence tools in journalism, said the extent of AI adoption over the next five years was difficult to predict as the technology continued to improve.

He noted that AI could enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of journalism in areas including speed, editing and writing.

Cooke said, “What AI will be able to do, in terms of exactitude, in five years can’t be predicted. We can’t afford to have a lax attitude to embracing the change that comes with AI.

AI continues to improve. AI improves writing and helps with faster editing. You can’t predict how much AI can do in the future.

“Journalists must, in the use of AI, begin to think like marketers, technologists, creatives.”

The JHR team was received by members of the PUNCH team, including the Acting Editor, The PUNCH, Tana Aiyejina; Deputy Editor, PUNCH Digital, Moshood Yusuf; Manager, Corporate Services, PUNCH Nigeria Limited, Temitope Olusesan-Biala; Metro Editor, Joel Nwokeoma; and Head, Digital Advertising, Mary Stanley-Ubani.

Speaking, Nwokeoma expressed the keenness of PUNCH Nigeria Limited to collaborate with the JHR team, after which he led the visitors on a tour of The PUNCH Place.

Hon. Razak Oluwakemi Daddah has stepped up efforts to promote reconciliation and unity within the party, securing a renewed pledge of loyalty and support from Hon. Olamilekan Moshood Akeem, a former aspirant for the House of Representatives in Ijebu Central Federal Constituency.

The reconciliation meeting, held on Monday, September 28, 2026, at Century Hall, Ososa, was part of Rasak Daddah’s ongoing consultations with party stakeholders aimed at strengthening internal cohesion, rebuilding relationships and fostering unity among members.

Addressing the gathering, Razak Daddah urged party members to close ranks and work together despite previous differences, stressing that unity remained essential to the progress of the party.

He also pledged to promote an inclusive approach to party affairs, assuring stakeholders that every member would be carried along.

“We are committed to reconciliation and ensuring that everybody is carried along. Our goal is an all-inclusive interest where every member has a role to play,” - Daddah said.

In his response, Moshood Olalekan reaffirmed his commitment to the party and pledged his continued loyalty and support for Rasak Daddah, called on party members to unite and work collectively in the interest of the party.

“I remain loyal to the party and will continue to support Hon. Daddah Razak Oluwakemi. We must work together for the progress and unity of the party,” - Moshood said.

The meeting was attended by several party stakeholders, including Hon. Lukmon Adeleye, a member of the Ogun State House of Assembly; Hon. Adebowale Ojuri, a former member of the Ogun State house of Assembly, Hon. Bukky Adesanya (Bukadex), a former councillor in Ijebu-Ode Local Government; Mr. Ladi Lekuti, Mr. Adewale Samuel, Hon. Ireti Adenuga.

Others in attendance included Hon. Fashola, a former Secretary to the Local Government in Odogbolu Local Government; Hon. Adenola, a former Caretaker Chairman of Ijebu North-East Local Government; and Hon. Architect Oresile, a former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Housing.

The engagement is part of broader reconciliation efforts by party stakeholders to bridge internal differences, strengthen relationships and promote greater unity and inclusiveness within the party.

Heavy floods have caused the overflow of the Ojirami dam in the Enwan Community in the Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, destroying an oil mill and causing losses for a poultry farm.

Also, students were prevented from attending classes, farmers were hindered from going to their farms, while many stores were not open for business.

The rain was said to have started at about 6 am causing the dam to overflow as erosion took over the major roads in the community, while houses and business places were also flooded.

The owner of the poultry farm, Monday John, told journalists that his means of livelihood had been destroyed, wondering how he would start again in these difficult times.

That is my house. I have poultry. The flood took over everywhere and killed 1,400 of my birds. The rain began at 6 am and I woke up to see water everywhere. The government should talk to the water board people.

They should tell them when to release water,” he added.

Another resident, Chief John Omaze, said flood water entered his house and destroyed his property and his palm oil mill.

Flood destroyed my palm oil mill. Our children could not go to school, and many people did not go to the farm.”

Another resident, who gave his name as Ehis, noted that there is fear among residents that a major disaster might occur if the dam collapses, calling on the state government to take action to prevent the disaster.

“The government must take action now. If the dam collapses, the effect might be far-reaching as communities will be submerged,” he added.

The Consul-General, Amb. Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, saying the incidents had raised fresh concerns over the safety of Nigerians and other foreigners in the country.

The three victims were identified as Kenechukwu Christopher Igwemmadú, Olaniyi Olaleye Olatunde and Christian Hillary Nnaemeka.

According to the statement, Igwemmadú allegedly jumped to his death on September 18 while attempting to escape police harassment and brutality at Kenlin Court on Douglas Street, Central Business District, Bloemfontein.

The Consulate said, “On 18th September 2026, a Nigerian national, Kenechukwu Christopher IGWEMMADU, allegedly jumped to his death while trying to escape police harassment and brutality at Kenlin Court on Douglas street, Central Business District (CBD), Bloemfontein.”

Two days later, Olatunde was shot at Spanata Bar and Grills Night Club in Mamelodi East, Pretoria.

The statement said Olatunde, who worked as a security guard at the club, attempted to stop a South African customer from leaving the premises with a cup belonging to the club

It said, “This resulted in an altercation and the South African pulled out his firearm and shot OLATUNDE in his lower body part, leading to a serious injury and profuse loss of blood.”

The Consulate said the shooter fled after the incident but later returned to the club after realising that his identity was known by several witnesses.

It added, “He later returned to the Club and threatened to also kill any witnesses who dares to report the case and identify him to the Police.”

The statement said Olatunde was rushed to Mamelodi Hospital, where he eventually died from the gunshot injury and was confirmed dead by doctors on the morning of September 21.

The third victim, Nnaemeka, was allegedly tortured and killed on September 21 by South African politician and investigative content creator, Xolani Khumalo, and members of his content creation team in Primrose, Ekurhuleni.

The Consulate said the incident occurred during an operation conducted by members of the Sizok’thola team led by Khumalo.

According to the statement, “The encounter allegedly led to assault, torture and death.”

It further alleged that the team arrested, beat and tortured Nnaemeka despite not finding anything incriminating on him.

The statement read, “According to the account, despite not finding anything incriminating on the deceased, the crew arrested, beat and tortured him before he eventually attempted to escape from the team by jumping over a fence.”

It said Nnaemeka subsequently collapsed from injuries and exhaustion and was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The Consulate also recalled the death of another Nigerian, Emeka Clement Uzor, who it said was shot dead by Khumalo’s reality television crew in Windsor East, Randburg, on February 9, 2026.

It said, “Yet, no arrests have been made and Xolani KHUMALO is currently running for election to become the Mayor of Ekurhuleni.”

The Consulate said the latest deaths were “deeply troubling” and raised questions about the safety of Nigerians and other foreigners in South Africa.

It said, “The recent deaths of the three (3) Nigerians, coming in quick succession, also raises questions about what seems to be a pattern of targeting Nigerians in South Africa

The Consulate called on South African authorities to investigate the deaths and prosecute those responsible.

It said, “We continue to call on relevant South African authorities to investigate the deaths thoroughly and bring the perpetrators of the gruesome acts to justice.”

The Consulate also stressed that allegations of wrongdoing should not be used to justify extrajudicial action.

Its statement read, “Our position remains that NIGERIAN AND ALL LIVES MATTER.”

It added, “In cases where allegations may exists, no matter what the allegations may be, there are processes and steps to justice. All should be presumed innocent and granted fair hearing in a court of law. No one should take laws into their own hands.”

The Consulate further appealed to Nigerians in South Africa to remain calm and security-conscious.

It said, “We appeal to our nationals to remain calm, law-abiding and security conscious in the midst of the ongoing xenophobic/afrophobic attacks, threats of attacks, general insecurity and ill-treatment being meted out to many vulnerable black African foreigners in South Africa, especially Nigerians.”

The development was also shared by Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, who said the latest deaths had brought the number of Nigerians killed in South Africa in 2026 to 12.

Fani-Kayode said, “It has been brought to my attention by the Nigerian Consul in Johannesburg that 3 more Nigerians have been murdered in three separate incidents in South Africa in the space of 4 days this month alone.”

He added, “This brings the total number of Nigerians murdered in South Africa this year alone to 12 whilst 112 have been murdered since 2022 with 32 of the victims being killed by members of the South African security forces.”

Fani-Kayode further claimed that none of those responsible had been brought to justice or convicted.

He said, “Not one person has been brought to justice or convicted for ANY of these crimes.”

The High Commissioner condemned the killings and appealed to the South African authorities to protect Nigerians and prosecute those responsible.

He said, “I condemn these killings and once again I appeal to the South African authorities to bring those that are responsible for them to justice and to protect our people.”

The Consulate-General extended its condolences to the families of the three deceased Nigerians, saying it remained committed to protecting the welfare and fair treatment of Nigerians in South Africa.

It said, “While we pray for their souls to rest in peace, we are poised to continue to fulfil our mandate of overseeing the welfare and fair treatment of all Nigerians in the country.

The Federal Ministry of Education has released the final list of ranked and approved textbooks for use in Nigerian schools for the 2026–2028 period.

The ministry disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, following the completion of the first phase of the national textbook ranking exercise.

The approved list covers textbooks for Primary 1, Primary 4, Junior Secondary School 1 and Senior Secondary School 1.

The statement read, “Each approved title carries a unique Ranking/QR Tracking Code, alongside key details including the title, author(s), publisher and year of publication, to facilitate identification, monitoring and accountability.”

The exercise was conducted under the guidance and leadership of the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, with the final list approved by Alausa

Explaining the introduction of the new tracking system, the statement read, “The introduction of the Ranking/QR Tracking Code represents an important step towards strengthening the monitoring and control of approved instructional materials and ensuring greater transparency in their selection, procurement and utilisation.”

The ministry explained that the additional process involved in generating and assigning the codes contributed to the time required to complete and validate the final lists.

The Ministry noted that the additional process of generating and assigning unique codes to each ranked textbook contributed to the time required to complete and validate the final lists,” the statement read.

The ministry said the textbook ranking exercise would be implemented in phases, with the second phase covering four additional class levels.

The ranking exercise is being implemented in phases. Following the completion and approval of the first phase, preparations will commence for the second round, covering textbooks for Primary 2, Primary 5, JSS 2 and SS 2,” the statement read.

It added, “The same identification and tracking measures will apply to the subsequent phase.”

The ministry urged publishers, schools, education authorities, procurement agencies and other stakeholders to use the approved list when selecting and procuring textbooks for the affected classes.

“The Federal Ministry of Education urges publishers, schools, education authorities, procurement agencies and other relevant stakeholders to consult the official approved list when selecting and procuring textbooks for the affected classes,” the statement read.

It said the exercise was part of the Federal Government’s efforts to improve the quality and accountability of instructional materials provided in schools.

The exercise forms part of the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring that learners and teachers have access to quality, relevant and curriculum-aligned instructional materials, while strengthening transparency and accountability in textbook provision across Nigerian schools,” the statement read.

The ministry further urged stakeholders to comply with the approved list in the provision and use of textbooks for the specified classes.

“The Federal Ministry of Education encourages all stakeholders to adhere to the approved list in the provision and use of textbooks for the specified classes,” the statement read.

The complete 2026–2028 ranked and approved textbooks, including the Ranking/QR Tracking Code for each approved title, was also made available by the ministry through its designated link. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lOX8iWJ9poAVDwrzunuwkEZa2cknww53/view

With its backing, the Assembly joined its counterparts in Osun and Edo in declaring support for the bill.

Recall that the bill was sent to the state Houses of Assembly by the National Assembly for consideration after it was formally transmitted to the Clerk to the National Assembly on September 16, 2026.

Going by Section 9 of the Constitution, at least 24 of the 36 state Houses of Assembly must approve the amendment before it can be sent to the President for assent.

The proposed amendment seeks to create a decentralised policing system, with the Presidential Working Group saying it would bring policing closer to Nigerians by providing safeguards for its operation.

The National Assembly has given the state legislatures a 30-day administrative time frame to consider the bill.

The Rivers Assembly, during plenary on Monday, voted unanimously to approve the proposed alteration of the 1999 Constitution, as forwarded by the National Assembly, to provide a constitutional pathway for the establishment of state police in Nigeria.

The item dominated Monday’s plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule.

The Speaker said the Assembly fully supports the efforts of President Bola Tinubu to secure the lives and property of citizens through the establishment of state police.

Before putting it to a vote, Amaewhule drew the attention of his colleagues to Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which empowers the National Assembly to alter the Constitution.

He explained that under Section 9(2), such an alteration must be supported by two-thirds of the members of each House of the National Assembly and approved by resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the states.

He stated, “As required by the Constitution, our responsibility will be to vote whether or not we approve of the alteration of the Constitution so proposed by the National Assembly.

“No debate is allowed; we will just vote whether we accept or we do not accept.”

The Speaker then presented the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, 2022, explaining that it seeks to create a constitutional pathway for the establishment of State Police Services, subject to the Constitution and to an Act of the National Assembly prescribing national minimum policing standards.

According to him, the bill preserves the Federal Police Service as the default police service in any state until a state police service is lawfully established and certified operational, and retains the continuing federal policing role in every state and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

It also establishes constitutional guardrails covering civilian control, human rights, national minimum standards, independent Police Service Commissions, intergovernmental cooperation, criminal information systems, firearms control, and exceptional federal intervention in state policing in cases of breakdown, serious incapacity, national security threat, or egregious abuse.

The Speaker further said the detailed organisation, procedures, operational control, certification, complaints mechanisms, grants, and implementation arrangements are to be left to subsequent Acts of the National Assembly and, where applicable, the laws of the state Houses of Assembly.

Amaewhule noted that the bill contains 26 clauses, including 25 alterations or substitutions to provisions of the Constitution, which he read out to the House.

Following the reading, a vote was taken, with all the lawmakers present indicating support by raising their hands.

Announcing the outcome, the Speaker said the Clerk had counted the votes: 25 members were in favour, none against, and there was no abstention.

“By this vote, the 10th Assembly of Rivers State is fully in support of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, 2022,” the Speaker declared.

He said the Assembly fully supports the Federal Executive Council, headed by President Tinubu, in ensuring that the security of lives and property remains a top priority for all levels of government.

“Anything that needs to be done towards ensuring that our people are properly protected, so that people can move freely, stay in their houses, go about their normal businesses without fear or hindrance by anybody or group of persons, will continue to be our top priority,” Amaewhule said.

The Speaker described the introduction of police at the sub-national level to complement the Federal Police as a welcome development.

“We believe in this 10th Assembly of Rivers State that everybody needs to work together.

“We don’t expect that there will be any state assembly that will say no to this particular effort, so that everybody can begin to work in tandem for our people to heave a sigh of relief,” Amaewhule added.

He thanked the lawmakers for casting what he called the right vote after consulting their constituents, noting that Nigerians have for years clamoured for police at the sub-national levels to complement the efforts of the police

Portugal coach Jorge Jesus has named 2023 African Player of The Year Victor Osimhen alongside Manchester City striker Erling Haaland as the strongest players in the world inside the penalty area, PUNCH Sports Extrareports.

Jesus made the comparison when asked about Haaland’s influence on Portugal’s second UEFA Nations League fixture against Norway at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo on Sunday which ended 2-1 in favour of the tournament holders.

“Haaland is the most physically and technically powerful player inside the box,” Jesus said.

“Outside the area, he isn’t quite as dominant, even though he is fast. But inside the box, for me, he and Osimhen are the strongest in the world.”

Haaland ultimately scored Norway’s only goal. The 26-year-old has netted 65 goals in 57 appearances for Norway

Stylistically, the two forwards share key attributes, with both relentless physical presences who dominate in the air, finish devastatingly and show exceptional mental resilience when the odds are stacked against them.

Haaland pulls ahead on sheer numbers, though, with 371 career goals for club and country compared to Osimhen’s 214.

Durability also separates the pair. Osimhen has struggled with recurring injuries throughout his career and is currently sidelined by another setback, while Haaland generally maintains greater consistency in fitness and match availability and continues his relentless scoring form across Europe.

Despite the differences, both forwards possess world-class profiles and are set to be remembered among the defining marksmen of their era.

UK interior minister Shabana Mahmood announced Monday the reopening of a scheme for refugees to settle in Britain as part of a renewed focus on “safe and legal routes” for vulnerable people to reach the country.

The scheme will be relaunched immediately, and along with three new “community” refugee sponsorship routes previously announced. It’s initially expected to welcome hundreds of applicants, according to the interior ministry.

Mahmood formally unveiled the plan in a speech at the ruling Labour Party’s annual conference in Liverpool, when she said “fairness” would be integral to the government’s immigration agenda.

It comes amid pushback from some within centre-left Labour over a series of hardline policies aimed at both tightening the rules for migrants arriving via legal routes while curbing asylum-seeker numbers coming by irregular means.

To be run in partnership with the United Nations Refugee Agency and the International Refugee Assistance Project, it follows the closure of an Afghan resettlement route last year.

The planned changes include contentious proposals to make some legal migrants wait years longer than under current rules before they can apply to settle permanently in the UK.

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, an influential figure within Labour, said in a newspaper interview last week that she was concerned about some of the plans because they “change the goalposts.”

Around a quarter of applicants to the reopened resettlement scheme are expected to be Afghan women and girls, and Palestinians, Mahmood told the Labour conference.

We will take vulnerable refugees from across the world and give them the chance of a new and better life here in Britain with the first arrivals this year,” she said.

Within days, charities and nonprofits will be able to apply to become sponsors of refugees, with the first arrivals under this route expected in around a year’s time.

The numbers arriving under the legal programmes “will grow into the low thousands as levels of illegal migration fall,” according to the ministry, which noted an annual cap will be set.

“I know that the British people have not given up on their belief that we should be compassionate, live up to our international obligations, and save the lives of those fleeing war and persecution,” Mahmood said.

“But I also know this process must be capped and controlled, with communities ready and able to welcome those who come here.”

AFP

A US judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration from conditioning counterterrorism funds for local governments on changes to election administration.

The ruling was issued in a case brought by local governments challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s attempt to make election-related requirements a condition for receiving funds under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Homeland Security Grant Program.

The case, Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, et al. v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, et al., is before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and is being heard by Judge Amir H. Ali. Law360 reported that governments in Tennessee, Texas and Ohio had asked the court to rule in their favour, arguing that Congress had not conditioned the receipt of counterterrorism grants on how localities administer elections.

The Homeland Security Grant Program provides federal funding to state and local governments for preventing, protecting against and responding to terrorism and other security threats.

According to the complaint filed by the local governments, Congress created the programme “to help state and local governments prevent, protect against, and respond to terrorism.”

The complaint said the programme was funded according to a statutory formula based on each jurisdiction’s vulnerability to terrorist attacks.

“Congress did not create the HSGP to empower the federal government to control state and local election procedures,” the complaint said.

The dispute arose after FEMA attached five election-related conditions to fiscal year 2026 funding under the programme.

According to the complaint, the conditions covered voting equipment and the means by which voters cast their ballots, post-election audits, ballot reconciliation, voter-roll citizenship checks and election-worker citizenship checks.

Under the funding requirements, jurisdictions were required to submit plans to move away from electronic voting systems that use bar codes or QR codes to count votes and toward equipment that accepts hand-marked paper ballots.

They were also required to demonstrate compliance with a five per cent post-election manual audit, reconcile the number of voters who participated in federal elections with the number of ballots cast, and use the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, known as SAVE, to verify the citizenship of people in state voter-registration databases.

The requirements also called for citizenship verification of people working at polling places or operating election systems. The federal funding notice says election officials must use SAVE or another authorised government system for those checks.

The local governments said FEMA would withhold 20 per cent of each state’s Homeland Security Grant Program award until the election-related conditions were met.

“FEMA will now hold 20 percent of every state’s HSGP award hostage—more than $200 million nationwide—unless states agree to these and other election conditions,” the complaint said.

The plaintiffs argued that the federal government lacked authority to impose the conditions through the counterterrorism grant programme.

The complaint said, “FEMA has no authority to impose those conditions—not under its governing statute and not under the Constitution.”

It added: “Congress authorized FEMA to help jurisdictions protect critical infrastructure from terrorist and cyberattacks. It did not authorize FEMA to decide who may vote, how ballots must be counted, or how states maintain their voter rolls.”

The lawsuit was initially filed on Aug. 17 by Nashville, Tennessee; Harris County, Texas; El Paso County, Texas; and Columbus, Ohio. Dallas County and Travis County, Texas, later joined the case, according to Public Rights Project, which is involved in the litigation.

Law360 reported on Sept. 2 that the governments had asked the D.C. federal court for a ruling in their favour, arguing that Congress did not make the administration of local elections a condition for receiving counterterrorism grants.

The local governments’ challenge followed FEMA’s announcement that it would withhold 20 per cent of Homeland Security Grant Program funding unless recipients complied with the five election-related requirements.

The Texas Tribune reported in August that the requirements included a transition from voting machines that accept QR and bar codes to equipment that uses paper ballots, manual ballot audits and the use of the SAVE system for voter-registration checks.

The case is one of several legal disputes over the Trump administration’s efforts to impose election-related requirements through federal programmes. The Brennan Center for Justice said the lawsuit alleges that the conditions violate the separation of powers, federalism and the Constitution’s Spending Clause, as well as the Administrative Procedure Act.

The judge’s Monday ruling prevents the administration from conditioning the counterterrorism funding on the challenged election-administration changes while the litigation proceeds.

The Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, has approved the appointment of eight new district heads to fill vacant traditional positions across the state.

The appointments, according to a statement signed by the Secretary of the Sultanate Council, Sokoto, Sa’idu Maccido, were made following recommendations by the Council.

Those appointed are Salihu Kadadi as Sarkin Arewan Kadadi; Isah Gidan Madi as Ausan Gidan Madi; and Gidado Dabagi as Sarkin Gabas Dabagin Ardo.

Others are Hayatu Dallatu as Uban Kasar Tudun Wada; Abdullahi Muhammed Danchadi as Sarkin Zamfaran Danchadi; Umar Shehu Goronyo as Sarkin Gabas Goronyo; Kabiru Marafa as Ajiyan Tsaki; and Muhammadu Buhari as Ardon Wajake.

The statement added that the formal turbaning ceremony for the new traditional rulers would be performed by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, at a later date

The Sultan of Sokoto and the Sultanate Council congratulate the appointees for the well-deserved appointment and wish them successful future and God’s guidance,” the statement said.

The council urged the appointees to justify the confidence reposed in them and contribute to the peace and development of their respective communities.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Sokoto State Council, congratulated one of its esteemed members, Hayatu Dallatu, on his appointment as the new District Head of Tudun Wada, Sokoto.

The NUJ Sokoto State Council in a statement signed by the chairman, Usman Bunni and its secretary, Muhammad Nasiru, said the council is particularly delighted that one of its members has been entrusted with such an important traditional responsibility.

The United States has completed the withdrawal of its military forces from Iraq, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fawad Hussein said on Monday.

Hussein said the American forces had completely withdrawn from Iraqi territory under an agreement between Baghdad and Washington.

The announcement came two days before the previously scheduled Sept. 30 deadline for the withdrawal of the remaining US forces and the end of the US-led international coalition’s military mission in Iraq.

According to the report by Safir, a Middle Eastern media outlet, the withdrawal followed the conclusion of the US-led international coalition’s military mission in Iraq.

The withdrawal of American forces has taken place while the Iraqi government is trying to transfer full security responsibility to Iraqi forces after the end of the coalition’s military presence and continue security and defense cooperation within the framework of bilateral relations,” the report said.

The US and Iraq had agreed in 2024 to wind down the US-led military mission against the Islamic State group.

The Associated Press had reported in August that the US military was on track to withdraw all its forces from Iraq by the end of September, marking the end of a presence that began with the 2003 invasion.

AP quoted Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi as saying he had affirmed Sept. 30 as the “fixed and final date for ending the military mission of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in Iraq and completing the departure of its forces.

A US official also confirmed to AP at the time that Washington expected to complete its pullout by Sept. 30, but declined to say how many troops remained in Iraq or where they would be redeployed.

“The United States, Iraq and coalition partners have achieved tremendous success in defeating ISIS and now the Iraqi security forces, including the Peshmerga and other Iraqi Kurdistan Region security forces, will lead the fight against terrorists in Iraq,” the US official said.

Earlier on Monday, The National reported that US forces were still scheduled to depart Iraq on Wednesday, with the “withdrawal expected to transition into a bilateral advisory, training and intelligence-sharing relationship between Washington and Baghdad.”

The withdrawal ends the US military presence in Iraq that began with the 2003 invasion.

US forces left Iraq in 2011 but returned in 2014 after the Islamic State group’s territorial expansion, with the subsequent mission focused on countering the group and supporting Iraqi security forces.

The latest announcement by Hussein indicates that the remaining US forces have now left Iraqi territory ahead of the previously announced September 30 deadline.

Mercy Chinwo’s In His Will continues to stand out in Nigeria’s contemporary gospel music scene, months after its release in September 2025

Released on September 12, 2025, the project marked another chapter in the career of one of Nigeria’s most prominent gospel artistes. Her fourth studio album, In His Will contains 10 tracks and runs for approximately 47 minutes, combining worship, praise and contemporary gospel production.

Rather than relying on a long list of guest artistes, the album largely keeps the focus on Chinwo’s vocals and message, with Ghanaian gospel minister MOGmusic joining her on “None Like You Lord.”

For anyone looking to keep up with the biggest moves in Nigerian gospel music, Divineflaver is the perfect place to check out first. This trusted platform brings you all the top trending gospel songs you need to hear today.

Quick Facts

– In His Will was released on September 12, 2025.

The project contains 10 tracks, not 12.

• EP

– It is Mercy Chinwo’s fourth studio album.

– The album features MOGmusic on “None Like You Lord.”

– Its songs explore themes including faith, surrender, gratitude, divine protection and dependence on God.

A More Intimate Sound

One of the defining features of In His Will is its emphasis on personal faith and surrender.

The album opens with “You Are My God”, followed by “All Powerful and Sovereign” and “None Like You Lord”. The sequence immediately establishes the project’s central focus: Chinwo’s relationship with God and her expression of trust in divine purpose.

Apple Music describes the album as exploring trials, triumphs and divine purpose, while noting the combination of live and studio recordings.

That approach becomes particularly evident in songs such as “I Depend on You” and “When You Say A Thing”, where the emphasis is less on spectacle and more on faith and reliance on God.

From Worship to Celebration

Although the album carries a strong worship foundation, Chinwo does not keep the entire project in a subdued musical space.

“Onyeoma (Good God)” introduces a more celebratory expression of gratitude, while “We Move” takes a more forward-looking approach, built around the idea of moving ahead with faith. Shazam’s published credits identify Skerz as the producer of “We Move”, while its lyrics centre on moving forward with God.

“My Lover (Live)” also adds a live-worship dimension to the project, giving the album a contrast between intimate studio recordings and a more communal worship atmosphere.

The Album’s Message

The title In His Will provides much of the context for the project.

Across the tracklist, Chinwo repeatedly returns to themes of God’s sovereignty, protection, goodness and the believer’s dependence on Him. “You No Let Them”, “Heaven and Earth Adore You”, “Onyeoma (Good God)” and “I Depend on You” all reinforce that broader message.

GMusicPlus reported that Chinwo described the songs as coming from what she had personally experienced and presented the album as an invitation into deeper intimacy with God. The publication also described the project as moving between Afro-gospel rhythms and cinematic worship arrangements.

This gives the album a distinctly personal dimension: rather than simply assembling praise songs, Chinwo uses the project to document a period of faith, reflection and gratitude.

Why ‘In His Will’ Matters in 2026

The significance of In His Will in 2026 is not necessarily that it has transformed Nigerian gospel music overnight. Its importance is better understood through the way it reflects the direction of contemporary African gospel: polished production, globally accessible sounds and deeply rooted Christian messages existing within the same project.

The album’s 10-track structure allows Chinwo to move between intimate worship, personal testimony and celebratory praise without abandoning the central theme of surrender to God’s will.

Songs such as “You Are My God”, “You No Let Them”, “We Move”, “Onyeoma (Good God)” and “I Depend on You” demonstrate the different sides of that message.

For listeners following the growth of Nigerian gospel music in 2026, In His Will offers another example of how the country’s leading gospel artistes are combining traditional worship values with contemporary African music production.

And for Mercy Chinwo, the project represents another stage in a career that has increasingly positioned her music at the intersection of worship, ministry and the modern Nigerian music industry.

Why You Need to Pay Attention 

The whole gospel music industry is watching what she does next. Her new style is pushing other artists to work harder and make better songs for God. This is a very important moment for African Christian music all around the world today. She is showing everyone that the gospel culture is just getting started right now. If you want more updates on this big move by Mercy Chinwo, make sure to visit divineflaver.com.ng every day. We bring you the best news about your favorite gospel stars, so always visit Divineflaver.com.ng to stay updated.

Troops of the Joint Task Force North-West, Operation Fansan Yamma, have foiled two separate abduction attempts and rescued 10 victims in different locations in Zamfara State.

The operation, according to the JTF, took place on Sunday, September 27, 2026, in Maru and Tsafe Local Government Areas of the state.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Media Information Officer of JTF North-West, Operation Fansan Yamma, Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja, said troops of Sector 2 rescued four villagers abducted by terrorists at Kade Daba village in Kanoma District, Maru LGA.

Danja said the troops acted on information that terrorists had abducted villagers in the community and swiftly mobilised to the area

He said, “Troops swiftly mobilised to the location and engaged the terrorists, resulting in the immediate rescue of three victims.”

He added that further exploitation of the area led to the rescue of another victim, bringing the number rescued in the operation to four.

In a separate incident along the Tsafe-Funtua Road, troops on a picketing operation reportedly heard sporadic gunshots ahead of their position at Kwanoni.

According to Danja, the troops immediately moved towards the location and encountered terrorists withdrawing through the surrounding high ground.

The troops engaged the terrorists, forcing them to flee from the area in disarray,” he said.

He explained that before the arrival of the troops, the terrorists had set a Sharon vehicle ablaze while attempting to abduct its occupants.

“Fortunately, the occupants were able to escape before the vehicle was completely engulfed by fire,” he said.

Danja further disclosed that the troops rescued six persons from another vehicle which lost control as a result of the gunshots.

He said the affected vehicle was subsequently towed away from the main road to facilitate the free flow of traffic.

The Theatre Commander of JTF North-West, Operation Fansan Yamma, commended the troops for their vigilance, prompt response and professionalism in protecting civilians along major routes and communities within the command’s area of responsibility.

The commander reaffirmed the task force’s resolve to sustain offensive operations against terrorists and deny them freedom of movement across the North-West.

He also urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information about suspicious movements and activities to the nearest security agency or through appropriate official channels.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced the restoration of its Central Admissions Processing System, CAPS, following a temporary disruption.

JAMB, in a statement on Monday, said CAPS had been “fully restored and is now operational,” urging institutions to accelerate their admission processes to recover lost time and meet the agreed deadlines.

The board said, “With CAPS back online, institutions are urged to accelerate their admission processes to recover lost time and meet the agreed admission deadlines.”

It also advised candidates to promptly accept admission offers made to them.

JAMB said the deadline for the 2026/2027 admission exercise for public universities is October 31, 2026, while private universities have until November 30, 2026.

The deadline for other tertiary institutions is December 31, 2026.

The board also asked candidates who had previously been awaiting their results to upload or verify their credentials following the release of the 2026 National Examinations Council Senior School Certificate Examination results.

JAMB said the step was necessary “to ensure their credentials are available for consideration as institutions intensify their admission processes.”

The board added that it regretted the inconvenience caused by the temporary disruption and appreciated the patience and understanding of candidates, institutions and other stakeholders.

The statement read, “JAMB wishes to inform candidates, institutions and other stakeholders that the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) has been fully restored and is now operational, following the temporary disruption.”

It added, “Following the release of the 2026 NECO SSCE results, candidates who previously awaited their results are advised to upload and/or verify them promptly to ensure their credentials are available for consideration as institutions intensify their admission processes.”

The board urged all stakeholders to take advantage of the restoration of CAPS and proceed with the admission process within the approved timelines.

Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, has said he was misled when he previously defended former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi against claims that his administration left debts and other financial obligations behind

Okonkwo, who served as Obi’s spokesman during the 2023 presidential campaign, said he could no longer repeat some of the claims he made in defence of the former governor following recent disclosures by the Anambra State Government.

He made the disclosure on Sunday during Sunday Politics, a programme on Television Continental.

Okonkwo, who is now spokesman for the presidential campaign council of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the ADC presidential candidate for the 2027 election, said he was prepared to change his position when fresh facts emerged.

You know me, I’m a very passionate person in whatever I believe in. Let me tell you, because I was misled,” he said.

He recalled that during the 2023 presidential campaign, he had told Nigerians that Obi did not leave any debt or unpaid salaries, pensions or gratuities when he left office.

There was a time I told Nigerians that Peter Obi was not owing anything, did not leave any debt, he was not owing any salary. No gratuity. No pension. And I said, go and verify

I’m not a man that stands on my own misunderstanding. When I see the facts, I agree.”

Okonkwo said the Anambra State Government subsequently claimed that Obi’s administration obtained eight loans and that workers at the state-owned water corporation were owed salaries and arrears.

“The fact is, the Anambra State Government said he borrowed eight loans.

“The fact is that Anambra State said that at the water corporation, he was owing workers there all the salaries, all the arrears. I cannot say the same thing that I said about Peter Obi in 2023,” he said.

The comments came amid an ongoing dispute between Obi and the Anambra State Government over the state’s debt profile and financial obligations.

The state government has said eight external financing facilities associated with projects undertaken during Obi’s tenure had a combined contracted value of $123.77m, with $92.35m outstanding as of June 30, 2026.

Obi, however, has rejected the description of the $123.77m as debt he left behind, saying the figures combine different categories of multilateral development financing.

He also said Anambra’s external debt was about $30m when he left office in March 2014, citing DMO figures.

Okonkwo also referred to his previous defence of Obi’s family against claims concerning the cost of a wristwatch allegedly worn by a son of President Bola Tinubu.

“There was a time they figured out that Tinubu’s son was wearing a watch worth up to N135 million,” he said.

“I ran out on television and I said nobody from Peter Obi’s family can ever wear such a thing when people are dying in poverty. I stuck my reputation on it. Can I still say that today?”

Explaining the change in his approach, Okonkwo said his role in scrutinising Obi would be different during the 2027 election.

“That’s why I said in 2023, I campaigned for them as the examination in chief. In 2027, it’s going to be a cross-examination,” he said.

Obi was governor of Anambra State from March 2006 to March 2014, with his first tenure interrupted by impeachment in November 2006. He returned to office after a court overturned the impeachment and handed over to Willie Obiano on March 17, 2014.

Lagos State representative, Danielle Adewusi, has been crowned Miss Universe Nigeria 2026 after defeating 19 other contestants at the pageant’s grand finale in Lagos.

The finale was held on Sunday at Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, following weeks of competition featuring camp activities, advocacy projects, talent showcases and stage performances.

According to Silverbird, Adewusi impressed the judges with her “confidence, intelligence, elegance and commitment to social impact” before securing the crown after the final question-and-answer session.

The Top 10 contestants were Danielle Adewusi of Lagos, Anita Osikhena of Edo, Myya Jones of Cross River, Melissa Toghanro of Delta, Oluwafunmibi Ajaja of Ekiti, Benedicta Iferike of Abuja, Chidinma Oluku of Abia, Precious Chinah of Rivers, Eno Idungafa of Akwa Ibom and Edidiong Udoidua of Ebonyi.

Final placements

Winner: Danielle Adewusi — Lagos

1st Runner-Up: Anita Osikhena — Edo

2nd Runner-Up: Myya Jones — Cross River

3rd Runner-Up: Oluwafunmibi Ajaja — Ekiti

4th Runner-Up: Melissa Toghanro — Delta

Silverbird reported that Jones received the highest number of votes in the fast-track voting process, earning an automatic place in the Top Five.

Toghanro also emerged as Nigeria’s representative at Miss Supranational, while Osikhena was among the night’s major award winners.

Osikhena won the Pitch Your Dream Competition, receiving ₦1m from Yolo Island and a two-night, all-expenses-paid stay at Yolo Island Beach Resort.

She also won the Best Advocacy Project award, taking home ₦500,000 and a one-year supply of Golden Penny products.

Other special award winners were:

Most Photogenic: Miss Akwa Ibom

Miss Amity: Miss Ekiti

Best Evening Dress: Miss Edo

Top Model: Miss Oyo

Best National Costume: Miss Osun

Best Talent: Miss Ogun

President of the Silverbird Group and National Director of Miss Universe Nigeria, Guy Murray-Bruce, crowned Adewusi at the end of the ceremony.

Adewusi will represent Nigeria at the 75th Miss Universe Festival scheduled for November 24 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

She will also take her “Scrub the Stigma” advocacy project, which focuses on women’s health, to the global stage.

The Universal Basic Education Commission has unveiled a digital platform that will enable parents and communities to track basic education projects and funds accessed by states, as the commission prepares to commence implementation of its 10-year Universal Basic Education Roadmap, 2026–2035, in October.

The UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr Aisha Garba, disclosed this in Abuja on Monday at a two-day consultative workshop with chairmen of the 36 State Universal Basic Education Boards and directors of the commission.

Garba said the Basic Education Action Plan Management System was developed to improve transparency, planning and monitoring of interventions under the new 10-year roadmap.

According to her, the platform will provide information on funds accessed by states and projects being implemented, allowing communities to monitor interventions in their schools and hold relevant authorities accountable.

This will also allow us to bring in the community to be part of the monitoring of the projects that we do on the ground. With that, the community can hold us accountable for the money we have accessed from UBEC, and also the projects we’re doing on the ground, as well as the quality of projects we’re doing”, she said.

She said the digital platform had been under development for more than a month, adding that SUBEB chairmen had been onboarded ahead of its full deployment in October.

The development is part of UBEC’s broader shift towards a “whole school approach” to basic education interventions, under which states will be required to identify the comprehensive needs of individual schools before their action plans can be approved.

Garba said the approach was intended to move the commission away from isolated projects, such as constructing classrooms or supplying furniture without addressing other essential requirements in the same school.

“For any state to do renovation, you have to do a whole school approach. A whole school approach means, you take a school and you look at all the gaps. You don’t just put in a furniture or you drop two blocks of classrooms and you leave because you want to give out awards. No, you have to take in all the comprehensive needs of that particular school”, she added.

She said where a school lacked fencing, toilets, furniture or computers, such needs would be incorporated into its intervention plan. Additional classrooms, she added, would also have to be matched with adequate toilet facilities based on projected enrolment.

The commission’s move comes amid persistent challenges around access, infrastructure and learning outcomes in Nigeria’s basic education sector. UNICEF estimates that 10.5 million children aged five to 14 are out of school in Nigeria, while learning assessments have continued to show significant gaps in foundational literacy and numeracy.

Garba also announced a revision of the matching-grant formula to give states greater flexibility to deploy UBEC funds according to their specific education needs.

She said the previous approach had largely focused on new infrastructure, even though some states now required funding for the renovation and improvement of existing schools.

“The new formula allows each state to look at their own needs. If their needs on the ground is furniture, if their needs on the ground is renovating all schools to ensure that our schools now have fencing, have computers, have furniture, then they are allowed to do that,” she said.

She said the revised framework could also accommodate interventions such as enrolment materials and additional teachers where states identified increased enrolment as a priority.

The UBEC boss said the new roadmap would formally commence in the first week of October and would guide basic education interventions across the country through 2035.

Also speaking, the Dean of SUBEB Chairmen, Prof Shehu Adaramaja, said the consultation was necessary to establish a common direction for basic education delivery over the next decade.

“In the next two days, we’ll pay attention to all the strategies and the initiatives toward the development of a roadmap for the next 10 years on how to provide access, provide quality service, and of course, strengthen our systems in line with our new basic education management system,” he said.

Adaramaja, who is also the Kwara State SUBEB chairman, said directors of research and statistics would participate in developing the framework that would subsequently guide the states’ basic education action plans.

Earlier, the UBEC Director of Physical Planning, Arc Nura Ibrahim, said the workshop would enable stakeholders to review and validate the proposed roadmap, drawing on their technical expertise and experience in implementing basic education programmes across the states.

The new digital system is expected to provide an additional layer of public oversight as UBEC and the states implement the 10-year roadmap, with project information and funding details made available for communities to monitor interventions in their schools.

Electricity supply has been disrupted in Arepo, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, following a fault caused by a shattered insulator at the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s end of the network.

The outage has left residents waiting for repairs by the TCN maintenance crew before Ikeja Electric can restore supply to the community, the Secretary of the Arepo Area Community Development Council Electricity Committee, Akinlolu Akinpelumi, said in a statement on Monday to residents.

“The fault, reportedly caused by a shattered insulator, is currently being attended to by the TCN Maintenance Crew,” Akinpelumi said.

He said repair work was ongoing, expressing hope that the TCN engineers would resolve the fault promptly to enable Ikeja Electric to restore electricity to the community.

“We have been informed that repair work is ongoing. We can only hope that the TCN engineers will be able to resolve the fault in good time so that IE can restore power to our community,” he stated.

Akinpelumi assured residents that the committee would continue to monitor the situation and follow up with the relevant authorities until electricity supply was restored.

“Please be assured that we will continue to monitor the situation and follow up until supply is restored. As soon as we receive any further update, we will not hesitate to communicate it,” he added.

The latest outage comes against the backdrop of longstanding complaints by Arepo residents over epileptic electricity supply and prolonged blackouts in the fast-growing community along the Lagos-Ogun axis.

In a previous report, PUNCH reported that residents had threatened legal action over a four-month period of severe outages, during which they said they received barely two hours of electricity daily despite being upgraded to Band B under the service-based tariff regime.

Community leaders and residents have repeatedly engaged Ikeja Electric over the inadequate supply, which they said had disrupted businesses and made daily activities difficult.

The AACDC Electricity Committee has also maintained communication with Ikeja Electric and transmission authorities in efforts to address recurring faults.

Residents are now awaiting the completion of the repairs and restoration of electricity supply to the community.

Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, Seyi Makinde, has said Nigeria can be reset within four years if elected president in 2027.

In an earlier post on X, he wrote, “We are presently in Lafia for the APM North Central Town Hall Meeting today.

“Last night, we held a closed-door meeting with APM candidates in the North Central Zone. We will work together to reset Nigeria so that it works for all Nigerians.”

Makinde spoke on Monday at the APM North-Central Town Hall Meeting in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, Vanguard reported.

He said his proposed administration would introduce a new security architecture, chart a new path for education and rebuild the economy through the use of data, science and logic.

According to him, the proposed reset would also extend to Nigeria’s socio-political environment.

The reset agenda can be concluded in four years. We had someone who was head of state in this country for 10 months, and he was able to end military rule and usher in the democracy we now enjoy in Nigeria.

We can reset and give Nigeria a new security architecture, a new path for education, our economy utilising data, science and logic, and our socio-political environment in four years.

“So, as your president from May 29, 2027, we will run a transitional government of national unity that will culminate in new players and an agenda for Nigeria’s sustainable development,” he said.

Makinde also criticised the Federal Government’s approach to tackling insecurity, particularly in the North-Central region.

He questioned the planning behind the establishment of additional army divisions, saying he did not see provisions for them in the 2026 budget.

“Midway into 2026, insecurity is a big issue, especially in the North-Central zone. They set up army divisions, and I was looking at the 2026 budget. For the item relating to the setting up of those army divisions, I did not see it.

“If they have it in the budget they prepared for 2026, they should bring it up,” he said.

Makinde said tackling insecurity required proper planning and adequate budgetary provisions.

He also questioned whether increased allocations to state governments had translated into improved living conditions for Nigerians.

“Yes, they claim the state government has more money from the federation account. I’m not arguing that we have more money, but has it translated to fighting hunger in our society? The answer is no,” he said.

Speaking on Oyo State’s finances, Makinde said the state had reduced its dependence on federal allocation after he assumed office in 2019 but had since returned to a higher level of dependence.

“When I came in as Oyo state governor in 2019, the state’s dependence on federal allocation was 80+ per cent; we worked really hard to bring it down to about 65 per cent in 2022, then came the statement ‘subsidy is gone’… the resultant is that today, Oyo state is back to almost 80 per cent dependent on federal allocation.

“That is their voodoo economics,” he said.

The 2026 Customs Integrity Perception Survey, approved by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, is being conducted in collaboration with the World Customs Organisation under its Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion Programme.

The exercise, which commenced on Monday, September 28, will run until October 9, 2026.

According to the Service, the survey is aimed at obtaining candid feedback from officers and stakeholders on integrity and anti-corruption issues, as well as identifying areas requiring improvement in its operations.

A directive to Customs Public Relations Officers across the commands stated that the exercise would provide the Service with “a better understanding of the perceptions, experiences and views” of officers and stakeholders on integrity, transparency and anti-corruption within the NCS.

It added that the survey was “an important exercise” designed to support the Service’s efforts to strengthen its integrity mechanisms and improve operational processes.

The directive, issued to newsmen on Monday by the Customs Federal Operations Unit, Zone “B”, Kaduna, added, “The objective is to obtain genuine feedback that can contribute to strengthening integrity mechanisms, improving operational processes and supporting the Service’s continuous institutional improvement.”

The zone comprises Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi and Kwara states.

The Service emphasised that the survey was anonymous, urging officers and men to participate actively and provide honest responses based on their experiences

The survey is anonymous, and officers and men are therefore encouraged to participate actively and provide candid responses based on their experiences and perceptions,” the directive stated.

It further urged officers to “provide honest and candid responses”, stressing that the credibility of the exercise depended largely on the quality of the feedback received.

The NCS said officers and men would participate through a dedicated online survey platform, while eligible stakeholders would access a separate platform using one-time passwords provided through the Customs Public Relations Units.

On stakeholder participation, the Service said, “Eligible stakeholders will participate through the designated stakeholder survey link.”

It explained that stakeholders would be required to access the platform, proceed to the survey section, enter the OTP provided by the Command PRO and complete the questionnaire within the stipulated period.

The Service disclosed that 5,000 OTPs had been generated for the stakeholder component of the exercise

Designated quantities of the OTPs will be made available through the Public Relations Unit at Headquarters, Zonal Offices and Area Commands for onward distribution to eligible stakeholders,” it stated.

Command PROs were consequently directed to ensure that the OTPs were properly managed and distributed to eligible participants.

The directive stated, “Command PROs are therefore expected to ensure that the OTPs allocated to their respective Commands are properly managed and distributed to eligible stakeholders who have been mobilised to participate in the survey.”

The stakeholders targeted include licensed customs agents, importers, exporters, bonded warehouse and terminal operators, shipping lines and airline operators, free trade zone operators, excise traders and transporters.

The Service directed Command PROs to work closely with Customs Area Controllers and relevant operational units to ensure effective mobilisation during the survey period.

It said, “Command PROs are required to work closely with their respective Customs Area Controllers and relevant operational units to ensure effective mobilisation throughout the survey period.”

The PROs were also directed to utilise established communication channels and stakeholder engagement platforms to sensitise participants about the exercise.

“Particular emphasis should be placed on informing stakeholders that the survey is anonymous and intended to obtain their genuine perceptions and experiences regarding integrity and anti-corruption within the Service,” the directive stated.

The Service further described the role of the Command PROs as “critical to the success of this exercise”, charging them to sensitise officers and stakeholders, share the appropriate survey links, distribute OTPs and encourage eligible participants to complete the exercise.

The PROs were also instructed to remind officers and stakeholders of the October 9 closing date and liaise with Customs Area Controllers and relevant units to maximise participation.

Describing the survey as a “Service-wide integrity and institutional improvement initiative”, the NCS said broad participation would help ensure that the findings reflected the experiences of officers and stakeholders across its various operational environments.

“The quality and breadth of participation will help ensure that the feedback generated reflects the experiences and perceptions of officers and stakeholders across the various operational environments of the Nigeria Customs Service,” it stated.

The Service added that the outcome of the exercise would contribute to improving its operations and strengthening public confidence.

It stated, “A strong level of participation across Commands will contribute to generating valuable feedback for the continuous improvement of NCS operations, strengthening of integrity mechanisms and reinforcement of public confidence in the Service.”

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun East Independent Chapel, has felicitated the Chairman of Odogbolu Local Government, Hon. Dr. Babatunde Oyetola Diya, on the occasion of his 40th birthday.

The Chapel, in a birthday message signed by its Chairman, Comrade Oluseun Oduneye, and Secretary, Olufunmilayo Adewoju Suleodu, described Diya's 40th birthday as a significant milestone in a journey marked by service, leadership and commitment to the development of his people.

The NUJ Ogun East Independent Chapel particularly commended the local government chairman for the recognition and support he has given to the Union and its activities.

According to the Chapel, among the local government chairmen in Ogun East Senatorial District, Diya has distinguished himself by giving the NUJ Ogun East Independent Chapel remarkable recognition and supporting its endeavours.

The journalists noted that his respect for the media and willingness to identify with legitimate journalistic activities had not gone unnoticed, adding that his support had encouraged the Chapel's efforts to strengthen journalism and grassroots reporting across Ogun East.

The Chapel further congratulated Diya on attaining the age of 40, praying that his new decade would bring greater wisdom, strength, good health, peace and fulfilment.

It also prayed for continued guidance in his service to the people, as well as greater accomplishments in the years ahead.

The NUJ Ogun East Independent Chapel wished the Odogbolu Local Government chairman many more years of impactful service and a fulfilling new decade.

The Mastercard Foundation is pleased to offer its 2026 Associates Program to young African individuals.

The 2026 Mastercard Foundation Associates Program offers a 12-week paid internship, with mentorship, leadership training, and a career opportunity to transit and get employed.

In this post, we will provide all the needed information about the program. From the requirements, to its benefits and the step-by-step guide on how to apply.

Mastercard Foundation Associates Program Summary

• Host: Mastercard Foundation
• Category: Internships | Training 
• Eligible Countries: African Countries
• Reward: Monthly Stipend | Training | Career Development | Mentorship
• Deadline: Not Specified

2026 Mastercard Foundation Associates Program Details:

2026 Mastercard Foundation Associates PrApplications are now open for the 2026 Mastercard Foundation Associates Program. 

The Mastercard Foundation Associates Program connects talented young people with 12-month internships across Africa.

The program works through partnerships with external organizations and Foundation partner organizations to support Associates in developing leadership, employability, and entrepreneurship skills following graduation.ogram

Eligibility Requirements for Mastercard Foundation Associates Program

To be considered for the Mastercard Foundation Associates Program, you must meet the critera below:

• Recent graduates with 0–2 years of work experience
• Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Alumni
• Alumni of Mastercard Foundation programs
• Young people, age 18 to 35, across Africa seeking meaningful early‑career experience

Benefits of Mastercard Foundation Associates Program 2026

• 12‑month internship placement
• Hands‑on work experience
• Leadership, employability, and entrepreneurship skill‑building
• Mentorship and professional networks
• A stipend is provided for the duration of the internship.
• Career transition support

How to Apply for 2026 Mastercard Foundation Associates Program (Step by Step)

To apply for the 2026 Mastercard Foundation Associates Program, interested and qualified candidates should click the green button below to subit their applications.

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The Gombe State Police Command has arrested two suspects in connection with the armed robbery and killing of the wife of a serving police officer at Wuro Shie Quarters, Gombe.

The suspects, identified as 20-year-old Muhammad Bashir Sale, alias “Full”, and 18-year-old Musa Sale Ahmad, alias “Abba”, were arrested on Saturday, September 26, 2026, following the incident.

The command disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Buhari Abdullahi.

According to the statement, the incident occurred at about 4:35 am on September 26, when unidentified persons armed with machetes and cutlasses stormed the residence of Inspector Salisu Waziri, who is attached to the Safer Highway Patrol.

The assailants reportedly attempted to rob Waziri’s wife, Mrs Aishatu Salisu, of her mobile phone.

The police said the victim raised the alarm during the attack, prompting one of the assailants to stab her with a machete before fleeing the scene and leaving the handset behind.

The statement read, “Upon receipt of the report, the Pantami Divisional Patrol Team immediately mobilised to the scene and rushed the victim to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, where she was unfortunately certified dead.”

Following the incident, the command said it commenced an investigation and intensified efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible.

The police said the two suspects, both residents of Wuro Shie Quarters, were subsequently arrested in connection with the case.

“During preliminary investigation, the suspects confessed to their involvement in the crime. One sharp knife was also recovered as an exhibit,” the statement added.

The case, according to the command, is being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department, Gombe.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Ahmed Chuso, directed a discreet and thorough investigation to ensure that all persons found culpable were brought to justice.

The command assured residents of its commitment to protecting lives and property and urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious persons, movements and activities to the nearest police formation.

“Further developments will be communicated accordingly,” the statement added.

Kenyan President William Ruto says his government is fast-tracking administrative processes for the proposed Dangote refinery in Lamu, Kenya. This is as Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, said the planned facility would be bigger than the existing Nigerian plant.

Ruto spoke on Friday during a tour of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, ahead of the September 30 groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Lamu, Kenya.

The Kenyan President said his government had already secured the land for the project and is working on other requirements to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and ensure that construction and subsequent operations are not delayed.

He described the proposed refinery as a regional project that would expand industrial activities in East Africa, create employment opportunities and improve the technical skills of the region’s workforce.

“I just want to tell the Dangote family here that the government of Kenya is one hundred per cent behind your project, our project. We have already secured the land that is necessary for this.

“We are working on all the other enablers to make sure that we don’t spend time on doing administrative bureaucratic stuff. We spend time on doing what we must do so that at the earliest opportunity we can refine products out of Lamu in Kenya,” Ruto said during the visit.

The assurance came as Dangote outlined plans for a larger industrial complex in Kenya, including a power plant with 1,000-megawatt generation capacity, twice the one at his Lagos refinery.

Dangote explained that the visit was arranged to enable Ruto to see the Lagos refinery physically and appreciate the scale of the investment before embarking on a similar project in Kenya.

He said the Kenyan president’s presence at the facility was significant because it offered him an opportunity to understand the infrastructure, equipment and technical requirements involved in developing a refinery of such magnitude.

Dangote described Ruto’s visit as an important show of support for the proposed Lamu investment, adding that the Kenyan project would have a wider economic impact beyond petroleum refining.

He said the refinery would serve as a catalyst for other investments, attracting businesses and industries that could take advantage of the infrastructure and petroleum products to be produced at the facility.

Dangote also disclosed that the proposed Kenyan project would include a million-tonne polypropylene plant, similar to the petrochemical facility at the Lagos complex, to support the development of downstream industries.

Polypropylene is used in the production of several industrial and consumer products, including plastic pipes, electrical cable coverings and furniture.

According to Dangote, the Lamu project would also have additional processing facilities that are not available at the Lagos refinery, reflecting differences in the crude oil and product requirements of the two facilities.

We will have some of the equipment that we have here, maybe like the RFCC, will be much heavier. And then you also have the coker, which we don’t have here, because of the type of crude that we have. And we also have VDU, which we also don’t have here. So, this will give you a sense of an idea of what we are going to have in Kenya. But Kenya will be a little bit bigger than what you are going to see,” Dangote told Ruto.

He added that the company intended to use the experience gained from constructing and operating the Nigerian refinery to develop the Kenyan facility, while adapting it to the country’s industrial and energy needs.

The proposed Lamu refinery is expected to have a processing capacity of 700,000 barrels per day, compared with the 650,000 barrels per day design capacity of the Lagos refinery.

Ruto, who described the Lagos facility as a masterpiece of engineering, said seeing the plant had strengthened his confidence in the proposed investment in Kenya.

He said he had previously received several presentations and brochures about the Nigerian refinery but had not fully appreciated its scale until he visited the facility. He added that the country had earlier planned to buy fertiliser from Dangote before the idea of a refinery came up.

I was coming from UNGA, but Dangote asked me to make a stopover, and now I can say without fear of any contradiction that this visit was worth every minute of the time I have spent here.

“Last year, after consultation with Dangote, I asked my team to come and visit this refinery. Initially, we were thinking of how we can import fertiliser from here,” he stated.

Ruto revealed that the plan changed during a summit on the need to build Africa in April. “In April, I had a conversation with my brother Aliko, and the subject of a refinery for our region came up. And I am very happy that on the 30th of September, we will be breaking ground for the East African oil refinery in Lamu. And we are finally putting our money where our mouth is,” he added.

He praised Dangote for undertaking the Nigerian refinery project, describing the scale of the investment as an extraordinary demonstration of Nigerian enterprise.

“I always knew Nigerians to be very brave people, very aggressive, and go-getters, but I didn’t anticipate that it was at this scale. I mean, to do what Aliko has done in this refinery, I think being brave is not enough. I think you have to be reckless. It’s out of this world,” Ruto stated.

He expressed confidence that the proposed Kenyan refinery would combine the experience and technical expertise of Nigerian industrialists with what he described as Kenya’s high standards.

The president said he expected the Lamu facility to surpass the Nigerian refinery in both size and quality. “I think in Lamu we are not only going to have the largest, but we are also going to have the best. So we will combine the largest and best together in Lamu,” he said.

Ruto affirmed that the project was part of efforts to position Africa as an emerging centre of economic growth by encouraging investment in large-scale industrial infrastructure.

He added that the refinery will not be restricted to the Kenyan market, explaining that the government is working with other countries in the region to ensure that the facility serves a wider market.

“Aliko asked me to invite colleagues because this is not a Kenyan refinery; it’s going to be a regional refinery. So I have invited eight colleagues from the region, and five have already confirmed attendance,” he said.

The Kenyan president stressed that the regional participation would demonstrate the importance of the project to East Africa and its potential contribution to the continent’s industrial development.

He said the investment will also create opportunities for local engineers and other skilled workers, particularly in chemical and mechanical engineering, as well as related technical fields.

“We’re not looking at this as just a refinery, as has been said here by the presentation that we’ve had. We’re looking at a refinery that is also going to elevate our industrial scale,” Ruto said.

He added that the government is also interested in the business opportunities, employment and technical skills that would emerge from the project. He also praised Dangote for his personal involvement in the technical details of the Lagos refinery, saying his attention to the project was an important part of its development.

The president said he was particularly impressed by the industrialist’s knowledge of the facility, despite the size of the business and the number of officials involved in its operations. “You know, as we went through the whole process, one thing struck me: the detail with which Aliko Dangote, from his position, has knowledge of the plant,” Ruto said.

He said business leaders should not leave every technical decision to their subordinates, arguing that an understanding of operational details was necessary for effective decision-making.

He, however, reminded the Nigerian businessman that Kenya would expect high standards in the execution of the proposed refinery project. “The only thing I want to tell you is that the standards are higher in Kenya. So you’d better be prepared,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dangote’s Vice President, Devakumar Edwin, who presented details of the Lagos refinery to the Kenyan delegation, said the Nigerian facility had been designed to maximise the production of high-value petroleum products and minimise operating costs.

Edwin said the refinery was designed to meet Nigeria’s entire requirements for petrol, diesel and aviation fuel, while producing a surplus for export. He explained that the company adopted a strategy of producing high-quality petroleum products to compete in international markets and reduce its exposure to competition from foreign refiners.

The Oyo State Police Command on Sunday said it had arrested two suspects in connection with the kidnapping of a 38-year-old man, Nathaniel Peter, at Layeri Village, via Ikoyi-Ile, in the Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

The suspects, according to a statement issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, in Ibadan, were Muhammadu Abubakar and Jayun Danali, who are currently assisting the police with information relevant to the investigation.

Ayanlade explained that the arrest followed a swift response to a report received in connection with the incident.

He said preliminary findings revealed that three armed men forcibly gained entry into Peter’s room and abducted him from the premises.

Ayanlade explained that the assailants subsequently escaped through the National Reserve Forest after reportedly carting away a Hajue motorcycle and the victim’s mobile phone.

The police spokesperson said the incident was reported on September 24, 2026, at about 5:50 pm by a resident of the community, who informed the police that earlier that day, at about 4:20 am, armed men had invaded a family compound in the area.

Upon receipt of the report, Ayanlade said police operatives immediately commenced action and proceeded to the scene for preliminary assessment and investigation

The statement read, “The Oyo State Police Command has arrested two suspects in connection with the kidnapping of a 38-year-old man, Nathaniel Peter, at Layeri Village, via Ikoyi-Ile, Oyo State, following a swift response to a report received in connection with the incident.

The incident was reported on 24 September 2026 at about 1750hrs by a resident of the community, who informed the police that earlier that day at about 0420hrs, armed men had invaded a family compound in the area. Upon receipt of the report, police operatives immediately commenced action and proceeded to the scene for preliminary assessment and investigation.

“Preliminary findings revealed that three of the armed men forcibly gained entry into the room of Nathaniel Peter, aged 38 years, and abducted him from the premises. The assailants subsequently escaped through the National Reserve Forest after reportedly carting away a Hajue motorcycle and the victim’s mobile phone.

“In continuation of the investigation and efforts to unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction, operatives arrested two suspects, namely Muhammadu Abubakar, male, adult, and Jayun Danali, male, aged 17 years, who are currently assisting the police with information relevant to the investigation.

“The arrest has consequently provided useful investigative leads towards identifying and apprehending other persons connected with the incident.”

The PPRO stressed that the command, in collaboration with other security agencies, had intensified coordinated operations aimed at securing the safe rescue of the victim and apprehending other fleeing members of the criminal gang.

The command, therefore, reassured members of the public, particularly residents of the affected communities, of its commitment to their safety and security.

It also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly share credible information with the police, as the command continues its efforts to resolve the incident and maintain peace and security across the state.

The White House on Sunday released lists of products that could benefit from lower tariffs under an arrangement with China affecting $30 billion in goods in each direction, without specifying the rates or timetable.

US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping concluded a summit on Friday, with their talks covering matters including trade.

The United States and China will review the lists “with a view toward providing reduced tariff treatment to those goods in a reciprocal manner,” according to the terms released by the White House.

The US could reduce tariffs on 77 categories of Chinese goods including fireworks, Christmas ornaments, household goods and sports equipment.

China’s import list includes more than 1,600 categories of American goods, including meats — beef, pork, poultry and seafood — grains, dairy, whiskey, coal and timber.

The White House announced on Friday an agreement on “recommendations” for more favourable tariff treatment for these “non-sensitive goods,” following Xi’s visit to Washington.

Beijing confirmed the agreement on Saturday.

China also agreed to import at least 10 million metric tons of coal from the US in 2027 and 2028, the White House said.

Xi and Trump agreed to a trade truce last year during a meeting in South Korea, after a tit-for-tat fight that saw tariffs soar over 100 per cent at one point.

The pact was originally due to expire in November, but both sides have agreed to extend it until January 10, according to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

AFP

Several state chapters of the All Progressives Congress have rejected the Rainbow Coalition being promoted by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, with party leaders asking the former Rivers State governor to formally join the ruling party if he is genuinely committed to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.

The reactions followed a renewed confrontation between Wike and APC governors over the political structure the FCT minister is assembling ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Wike is a Peoples Democratic Party member serving in a federal government led by an APC president.

The former Rivers governor was appointed FCT minister by Tinubu after the 2023 election, despite having remained a prominent PDP politician and having contested the presidency under the opposition party.

While some APC state chapters welcomed Wike’s support for Tinubu and said they would receive him if he decided to defect to the ruling party, others opposed the coalition outright, arguing that a politician could not simultaneously support the APC at the presidential level and candidates of other parties in governorship and legislative elections.

The development has exposed a growing disagreement within the President’s political camp over how support for his 2027 re-election should be organised and, more importantly, who should control the political structures through which such support is mobilised.

The latest dispute was triggered by Zamfara State Governor and APC governor, Dauda Lawal, who told Wike to choose between joining the APC and remaining with the Rainbow Coalition.

Speaking in an interview with Channels Television’s Inside Sources on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Lawal said the position of the APC governors was unchanged.

“Our message is very, very clear: Be on one side. You can’t be on two sides. If you’re in APC, please come out and support APC. Not you’re supporting APC here, and you’re supporting other political parties somewhere else. It doesn’t make sense. It’s not done anywhere,” Lawal said.

The Zamfara governor added, “And that is why we maintain our stand, and it is very clear—the message is very clear. He can speak, he can say whatever he wants to say, but our position has been very, very clear: APC all the way from head to toe.”

Asked whether the governors were asking Wike to join the APC, Lawal responded, “Exactly. What’s the essence?”

He further disclosed that he intended to raise Wike’s political position with President Tinubu.

“It’s something that I will take up with the President when he comes back. So, let there be a very, very clear line where this guy belongs to. It’s either he’s in APC or he’s out. It’s simple. And I go with my brothers, the governors,” Lawal stated.

The demand has since received varying degrees of support from APC chapters across the country.

Coalition faces resistance

In Imo State, the APC Publicity Secretary, Jones Onwuasoanya, said Wike was attempting to maintain an ambiguous political position and urged him to formally identify with the ruling party.

“Decency demands that an individual who claims so much allegiance to the philosophies and programmes of a political party should fully align with that political party, rather than playing hide and seek with his loyalty to the party,” Onwuasoanya told The PUNCH.

He added, “If Wike is sincere about his support for President Tinubu, then he should join the APC and begin to campaign for our party across all positions rather than being selective.”

The Imo APC spokesman dismissed the Rainbow Coalition as a political structure with little relevance in the state.

“As long as the All Progressives Congress in Imo State is concerned, there is nothing like a Rainbow Coalition or whatever it might be called. The APC is the only viable political platform in Imo State and Imolites are fully aligned with us,” he said.

He maintained that the party was confident of victory in 2027, saying, “There is no political arrangement or structure outside the APC that poses any threat to our Party’s electoral chances.”

In Gombe, the APC Publicity Secretary, Murtala Usman, similarly urged Wike to complete his political transition to the ruling party.

“My opinion is the same as the people who are advising him to join APC because APC doesn’t need any rainbow coalition for now,” Usman said.

He warned that such an arrangement could create confusion within the ruling party.

“That rainbow coalition will cause some confusion in the APC because those who are stakeholders in the APC, particularly in some states, will find it very difficult to handle,” he stated.

Usman argued that recent defections of PDP governors to the APC had already created difficulties for some long-standing party members.

“So Wike should switch to APC completely. Since he is doing the work of APC, let him be a full member, not a partial member,” he said.

Ondo rejects selective support

The Ondo State APC also rejected the idea of a coalition that would support Tinubu for president while backing candidates from other parties in other elections.

The state party secretary, Alex Kalejaiye, said the arrangement was unacceptable to the chapter.

“We are disturbed that the coalition would only support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the general elections, but field candidates for other positions,” he said.

According to him, APC’s objective was to deliver all its candidates and not just the presidential candidate.

“To us in Ondo State, support for the candidates of the ruling party must be total; our party is committed to mobilising votes for the President, three senatorial, nine representatives, and 26 House of Assembly candidates. That is not negotiable,” Kalejaiye stressed.

He warned that supporting different parties on the same ballot could create confusion for voters and potentially complicate the electoral process.

The chapter therefore appealed to Wike to collapse the coalition into the APC.

“The APC could therefore appeal to Barr. Nyesom Wike, the leader of the coalition, to collapse his structures into the ruling party, so we could present a common front during the elections,” he said.

Jigawa welcomes Wike

In Jigawa State, the party said it welcomed Wike’s support for Tinubu and would gladly receive him if he decided to join the APC.

The state APC Publicity Secretary, Bashir Kundu, said, “We in the Jigawa APC welcome the contribution Wike is making in promoting the President and APC candidate for the 2027 election, Bola Tinubu. We will certainly welcome Nyesom Wike if he decides to join our party, the APC.”

Kundu also argued that the APC itself emerged from a coalition of political parties and could therefore accommodate politicians from different political backgrounds.

He dismissed concerns that Wike could harm the APC’s electoral interests, saying the party had its own structures and programme.

“I am not aware of such plans, but I know for sure that Wike will not cause that kind of harm to the APC because the party has its own programme,” he said.

In Benue State, reactions were more complicated, reflecting existing divisions within the state APC.

James Orgunga, the organising secretary of one of the APC factions, praised Wike for supporting Tinubu but said he would prefer the FCT minister to formally join the party.

“Wike has joined APC already, because he is working for the president; we appreciate that, but as a core party man, anyone working for the success of a candidate in my party should be praised,” Orgunga said.

“But I do not subscribe to a rainbow coalition and am of the opinion that Wike join our party.”

However, Daniel Ihomun, the publicity secretary of another faction loyal to Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, offered a different view.

“He should not join APC; he should remain where he is because he has helped to destroy PDP for us,” Ihomun said.

He claimed that a Rainbow Coalition structure existed in Benue under what he described as the “Benue Strategic Alliance for Tinubu”, involving members of the APC, PDP and Labour Party.

Dual-loyalty concerns

In Rivers State, where Wike served as governor and remains a major political actor, the controversy has an additional dimension.

The factional APC led by Emeka Beke backed the Progressive Governors Forum’s opposition to the coalition.

The faction’s publicity secretary, Darlington Nwauju, said Wike could not simultaneously maintain loyalty to the PDP and work with the APC.

“The truth remains that if you look at the background or the context of Nigerian elections and if you cast your mind to the fact that the level of political education in Nigeria is still way behind,” Nwauju said.

He argued that asking voters to support candidates from different political parties at different levels could create confusion.

“You cannot confuse the electorate by thinking that you can order them into voting for candidate A in party A and candidate B in party B on the same election day,” he stated.

Nwauju said the APC governors were therefore justified in asking Wike to either join the party or stay away from its internal affairs.

“My belief is that the Progressive Governors Forum is in the right with the advisory that they have issued. Join the APC or leave her alone. You cannot stand [and] use your association with the APC to rebuild the PDP,” he said.

He further alleged that Wike’s activities could contribute to a revival of the PDP, describing that as a concern for the ruling party.

The Anambra State APC chairman, Senator Emmanuel Anosike, described Wike’s coalition as an affront to the party and its governors.

“It amounts to an insult to the integrity and sensibility of the APC and its governors for Wike to make such comments,” Anosike said.

He argued that Wike, as a PDP member, had no basis for intervening in the internal affairs of the APC.

“The minister is not a member of the party, hence should stop meddling in the internal affairs of the party,” he stated, noting that the APC governors had sufficient political structures to deliver Tinubu in 2027.

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State is the leader of the APC Governors Forum, and he is in full control of the party structures across the country through the members of the Forum and has shown capacity having delivered Mr President at his first term election and still has all that it takes to do it again in 2027,” he said.

He described Wike’s intervention as an attempt to remain politically relevant, adding that the Anambra APC did not recognise the Rainbow Coalition as an alternative political structure.

Kwara questions coalition strategy

The Kwara State APC chairman, Sunday Fagbemi, questioned the practicality of the Rainbow Coalition’s proposed electoral strategy.

Fagbemi described it as “a grand deception and a confusing strategy”, particularly because presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives elections are held simultaneously.

“What is the level of enlightenment of Nigerian voters? How do you explain to someone that, out of the five elections, at least three—the presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives elections—will be conducted on the same day?” he asked.

He continued, “Will you stand by the ballot box and tell a voter to vote for one party for President and another party for Senate? Even if that were possible, do you want to populate the National Assembly with opposition parties to the President? What kind of support are you giving the President that way?”

Fagbemi said APC members were expected to vote for the party’s candidates across the ballot.

“I believe the party has been very clear about this: if you are an APC member, the election is five out of five, not even three out of five. As APC members, everyone should vote for the party and its candidates,” he stated.

Plateau condemns coalition

The Plateau State APC chairman, Rufus Bature, said the party had no knowledge of any Rainbow Coalition structure in the state.

“We don’t know anything about Rainbow Coalition in Plateau State. I’m just coming from a retreat in Maiduguri with the APC National Chairman and other members of the National Working Committee and Rainbow Coalition was condemned totally for every state,” Bature said.

“If it is going to work in Rivers, that is their problem, but for other states, nobody should go and do anything like Rainbow Coalition,” he added.

However, Bature said Wike remained free to join the APC.

If he wants to join the APC, he is free to do that because we don’t stop people from joining our party. But he cannot be APC in the morning and PDP in the night. We won’t allow that,” he declared.

Bature also suggested that Wike’s coalition could be part of a longer-term political strategy.

“I think he just wanted to build structure for himself against the 2031 or 2035 election,” he said.

On whether the coalition could pose a threat, he said, “The coalition might be a threat, but we are not taking it for granted.”

Nasarawa seeks total support

The Nasarawa APC also rejected the coalition and urged Wike to join the ruling party.

The state Publicity Secretary, Augustine Ogaba, commended Wike for supporting Tinubu but said such support would be more meaningful if he became a recognised APC member.

As APC members, we do not approve of any coalition that is not recognised or supported by our party’s leadership,” Ogaba said.

“The FCT minister has set up his own coalition but decided to support Mr President’s re-election in 2027. I will tell you that we quite appreciate that, but we will be happier if he joins our party,” he added.

Some state chapters have declined to take a position, stressing that the matter is too sensitive or should be decided by the national leadership.

In Osun, APC spokesman Kola Olabisi said the question of whether Wike should join the party was beyond the state chapter.

“The decision on whether Wike should join APC or not is beyond the state level. It will be decided at the highest level of the party. It is the national level of the party that has the final say on that,” he said.

The Delta State APC chairman, Solomon Arenyeka, similarly said the state chapter was awaiting a formal position from the national leadership.

“It is the national that makes such policy statements, and when they make a statement it goes down the line. The national has not made a policy statement on it,” Arenyeka said.

In Bayelsa, APC chieftain Doubara Joseph called on Wike to join the party if he was genuinely committed to Tinubu.

“If Wike is actually working for President Tinubu and believes in the President’s leadership, then the straightforward thing for him to do is to join the APC. You cannot claim to be working for the President while simultaneously sustaining another political platform,” Joseph said.

However, the Bayelsa APC chairman, Warman Ogoriba, declined to comment.

Sokoto APC chairman Haruna Adiya also said his chapter had no member in the Rainbow Coalition and declined to take a broader position on whether the party endorsed or opposed the alliance.

Wike’s defence

Wike, for his part, has consistently rejected the argument that his Rainbow Coalition is an APC structure or that it is intended to undermine the ruling party.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike said the coalition’s support was specifically for Tinubu’s presidential re-election and did not prevent other political parties from contesting governorship and legislative elections.

The minister has argued that his position is consistent with the political arrangement that existed before the 2023 presidential election, when he and other members of the G5 supported Tinubu without formally joining the APC.

Wike also maintained that “politics is local” and that political actors should be allowed to determine their alliances at the state level.

His position is different from that of APC governors, who have argued that support for Tinubu must not be separated from support for APC candidates contesting other positions.

In a subsequent public appearance, Wike again said his immediate political concern was Tinubu’s re-election and rejected suggestions that the coalition was designed to destabilise the APC.

Speaking on the controversy, Minister of Works David Umahi, a former Ebonyi State governor who defected from the PDP to the APC, said there was no Rainbow Coalition in Ebonyi State.

“If Wike has candidates here, he has not told me. And his candidate cannot break our relationship, but his candidate is not part of our relationship. There is no rainbow coalition in Ebonyi State,” Umahi said.

He also warned political actors against hate speech and attempts to cause disorder during campaigns.

Anybody that wants to campaign, come and campaign. But don’t dish out hate speeches and you want to take those speeches, and you want that we should lay a red carpet for you. We will not do that. Nobody can foment crisis in Ebonyi State,” Umahi added.

Sokoto, Niger, Bauchi cautious

In Sokoto, chairman Haruna Adiya said the state party had no member in the Rainbow Coalition.

“We have no issues with the Rainbow Coalition. We have no member of the coalition in Sokoto State,” he said.

In Niger State, APC spokesman Musa Sarkin-Kaji said the party had no formal relationship with Wike, although he acknowledged his association with the ruling party.

“The APC in Niger State has no business with Wike, although we appreciate his relationship with our party. And you know we are in a democracy, and everyone has the freedom of association,” he said.

In Bauchi, APC spokesman Shehu Dauda said the party did not believe in divided loyalty.

We don’t believe in someone in another party claiming to be with us, or our party members claiming not to support any of our candidates. Whoever is with the APC should be with it and not divide their loyalty.”

Despite the calls from APC figures for Wike to join the ruling party, some PDP figures insist that the FCT minister remains a member of the opposition party.

In Abia State, PDP deputy governorship candidate Abraham Amah said Wike remained a PDP member and national leader.

“It is normal practice. When you see somebody who is doing well, a politician who is doing well, you want that person to become a member of your party,” Amah said, describing the APC’s invitation as political courting.

He added, “But one thing is certain: that he remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, and he is the national leader of the party.”

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested 11 suspects and recovered 25 Automated Teller Machine cards, three firearms and two suspected stolen vehicles during an 11-day security operation across the state.

The command said the ATM cards were recovered from a 45-year-old man, Ameachine Anthony, who was arrested in Igbesa over an alleged N2.5m fraud.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the arrests and recoveries were recorded between September 16 and 26, 2026.

According to him, the operations involved personnel from various police divisions and the Special Weapons and Tactics unit of the command.

Babaseyi said the police investigation into Anthony’s activities revealed an alleged scheme involving the use of utility bills and newly acquired SIM cards through associates to facilitate the opening of bank accounts.

He alleged that the ATM cards were subsequently collected for fraudulent transactions.

Several mobile phones were also recovered from the suspect, who, alongside the exhibits, was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.

In another operation, SWAT Base 7, Abule-Iroko, arrested three suspects after intercepting an unregistered tricycle and a TVS motorcycle around Dalemo, Ota, on September 21.

The suspects were identified as Olamide Ayandele, 30; Tope Samuel, 40; and Ayo Peter Ojo, 30.

The command said preliminary investigation linked them to alleged vehicle theft around the Ijoko axis.

Also, SWAT operatives arrested a suspected cult member, Peter Olanrewaju, 34, on September 22, following information about a suspected cult gathering.

Babaseyi said further investigation led to the arrest of another suspect, Adebayo Sodiq, 36, while one pump-action rifle and two locally made pistols were recovered.

He said investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the possession of the firearms and identify other persons allegedly connected with the case.

Similarly, detectives attached to the Owode Egba Division recovered a stolen commercial TVS motorcycle at Mokoloki Village on September 17, following a complaint lodged the previous day.

Two suspects, Rasheed Abdul and Saula Meshinoye, were arrested in connection with the alleged theft, while their alleged accomplice, Saheed, remained at large.

In the Olorunda area, two suspects, Mutiu Gafar, 19, and Fatai Obasanmi, 37, were arrested after three people were allegedly intercepted conveying stolen electrical materials on a motorcycle along Ayetoro Road on September 19.

The police recovered bundles of electrical wiring, a change-over electrical box and a circuit breaker box, while another suspect, identified as Tosin, reportedly escaped.

The command also recovered a Safira vehicle allegedly taken from its owner and arrested a suspect, Olatunji Olalekan.

Babaseyi said the vehicle was recovered by detectives attached to the Ijebu-Ode Area Crime Office following discreet investigation, intelligence gathering and tracking.

Meanwhile, personnel of the Sagamu Area Command and adjoining divisions impounded eight vehicles during a “No Parking” enforcement operation around the Sagamu Interchange Bridge on September 26.

The police said the vehicles were impounded for allegedly obstructing the highway, adding that the exercise was aimed at facilitating free traffic flow and improving safety for road users.

The affected vehicles, according to the command, would be processed for prosecution on September 28.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Bode Ojajuni, commended the officers for their vigilance and professionalism and appreciated members of the public for their cooperation.

Ojajuni urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible information to the police, reaffirming the command’s commitment to proactive policing across the state.

The command urged residents requiring police assistance or wishing to report security concerns to use the Gateway Shield toll-free line, 0800 000 9111, or the emergency numbers 09164859299 and 09154293464.

The Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, on Sunday, urged politicians in Oyo State to make their campaigns issue-based and stop attacking, abusing or calling one another names ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The council also urged political parties and their candidates to focus their campaigns on policies, programmes and ideas capable of addressing the challenges confronting the people of the state and Nigeria at large.

The CCII President-General, Chief Ajeniyi Ajewole, made this call in a statement issued by the council’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Olomide, in Ibadan, the state capital.

Ajewole said political campaigns should provide an opportunity for candidates to explain their vision and plans to the electorate rather than becoming platforms for personal attacks and name-calling.

He said, “Our politicians should make their campaigns issue-based. They should stop attacking one another, abusing themselves and calling each other names.

Politics should not be about abusing or pulling down your opponents. It should be about telling the people what you intend to do for them if allowed to serve,” he said.

The CCII President-General urged candidates seeking elective positions in 2027 to clearly explain their programmes and policies to the electorate, particularly how they intend to address the challenges facing the state and the country.

The people want to know what you will do differently. Tell them your plans for Oyo. Tell them what you will do to improve education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, employment and the economy.

“Those seeking national offices should also tell Nigerians what they will do to move the country forward. Let the people hear your ideas and compare your programmes instead of listening to attacks and name-calling,” he added.

Ajewole stressed that political differences should not be allowed to destroy the bonds of unity and peaceful coexistence among the people of Oyo.

He said candidates and their supporters should exercise restraint in their public statements, warning that inflammatory rhetoric could create unnecessary tension and distract the electorate from issues that directly affect their lives.

“We must remember that after the elections, we will remain brothers and sisters, and we will continue to live together. Political disagreements should not make us enemies.

“We, therefore, appeal to all our politicians to conduct their campaigns with maturity, decorum and respect for one another. Let the campaign be about ideas, programmes, policies and what each candidate can offer the people.

“Politicians should caution their handlers, especially their media aides, social media handlers and bloggers, against attacking perceived political opponents. Political differences are normal, particularly as we approach the 2027 elections, but such differences should not degenerate into personal attacks, insults, character assassination or the spread of inflammatory content.

I urge politicians to prevail on their media teams and supporters to focus on issues, policies and constructive engagement, rather than using the media and social media to attack or ridicule their opponents. This will promote healthy political discourse and help preserve peace and unity in Oyo,” he stated.

The CCII President-General said voters deserved the opportunity to make informed decisions based on the records, programmes and vision of candidates, rather than on insults and personal attacks.

Ajewole further called on political parties, campaign organisations and supporters to place the interests of Oyo and Nigeria above personal and partisan considerations, urging them to promote peaceful and issue-based political engagement throughout the electioneering period.

A consortium led by Ardova Plc and including Diadem Energy has agreed to acquire Powergas Global Investments Nigeria Limited and Powergas Ebedei Limited, collectively known as Powergas, in a transaction expected to close by the end of 2026.

The deal, announced on Friday by A.P. Moller Capital, will see the Danish investor exit its stake in one of Africa’s largest compressed natural gas producers and virtual pipeline distributors.

Powergas, founded in 2013 by the Clean Energy Group, pioneered the “virtual pipeline” model—compressing natural gas and transporting it by road to industrial, commercial and power customers beyond the reach of Nigeria’s fixed pipeline grid.

Its flagship Ebedei flare gas monetisation project in Delta State, developed with A.P. Moller Capital’s backing since 2019, converts otherwise flared gas into usable energy and has helped cut emissions while supplying firms that would otherwise rely on diesel generators.

The company now operates four mother stations—in Ikorodu (Lagos), Ogbele (Rivers), Ebedei (Delta) and Ore (Ondo)—and a fleet of more than 250 tube skids, having delivered over 600 million standard cubic metres of CNG as at December 2025.

For Ardova, the acquisition adds a strategic gas platform to its existing downstream portfolio of petroleum products, LPG, aviation fuel, lubricants, shipping and logistics.

The expansion aligns with the federal government’s Decade of Gas initiative, launched in 2021 to transform Nigeria into a gas-powered economy by 2030, and President Bola Tinubu’s Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles, which seeks to lower transport costs and emissions by promoting auto-gas adoption.

“Nigeria’s next era of energy development will be built on gas, and it will be built at scale. “Powergas has built the compression backbone required to take natural gas beyond the conventional pipeline grid. Ardova brings a national distribution network, deep customer relationships, and the ability to invest for the long term.

“Together, we intend to connect Nigeria’s abundant gas resources to industry, power and transportation, supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles and the federal government’s Decade of Gas programme.

Our ambition is to deliver more affordable, lower-emission energy and lower transportation costs for Nigerians, while building a gas platform with relevance far beyond Nigeria,” explained the Executive Chairman of Ardova Plc, Dr AbdulWasiu Sowami.

The Managing Director of Ardova Plc, Dr Abiola Babatunde-Ojo, noted that the deal would enable the firm to harness the opportunities in the gas industry.

“This combination gives us the infrastructure, reach and capabilities to turn the opportunity in gas into something tangible for customers across Nigeria. Our focus now is execution: expanding compression capacity, bringing CNG into our retail network and connecting more industries and fleets to a reliable domestic energy source. We are building a platform that will serve customers at scale today and grow with Nigeria’s energy needs for decades to come,” he asserted.

“Powergas began in 2013 with the Clean Energy Group’s vision of taking gas beyond the pipeline, and A.P. Moller Capital’s partnership helped us scale it. We are deeply grateful to both. Ardova’s national reach and our compression backbone are a natural fit – together, we can expand into new markets and geographies and play a leading role in delivering Nigeria’s Auto-Gas vision. We are very excited about the next chapter,” Vice-Chairman of Powergas, Pulak Sen, added.

According to a Partner at A.P. Moller Capital, Sam Senbanjo, since 2019, PEL has progressed from concept to a fully operational compressed-natural-gas business.

“Working alongside our partners, management and employees, we supported the business through development, construction, commissioning and scale-up, helping customers access domestic gas beyond the reach of the pipeline network. We are proud of what has been achieved and believe Ardova and Diadem are well placed to support Powergas in its next phase of growth,” he stated.

“Having worked closely with Powergas as its virtual-pipeline logistics partner, we have seen first-hand the transformative potential of taking natural gas beyond the conventional pipeline network. For Diadem Group, this is the continuation of a journey that began on the ground with Powergas, and a real opportunity to contribute to Nigeria’s energy future,” Chairman of Diadem Group, the parent company of Diadem Energy, George Eluwa, highlighted.

The enlarged platform is expected to position Ardova as a leading domestic gas infrastructure and monetisation partner for upstream producers, with plans to expand compression capacity across viable gas-producing corridors and extend the business into wider West African markets over time.

The deal’s completion is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory and third-party approvals.

Nigeria’s food, beverage and tobacco industry attracted N375.03bn in fresh investment in 2025, making it the biggest recipient of manufacturing investment during the year.

Investment in the sector jumped by 63.5 per cent from N229.42bn recorded in 2024, according to data from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.

The increase reflects continued expansion by major manufacturers as they seek to meet demand in Nigeria’s large consumer market.

Companies including Flour Mills of Nigeria, BUA Foods, Nestlé Nigeria, Dangote Sugar, Dufil, Cadbury Nigeria, CHI Limited, Unilever Nigeria and Honeywell Flour Mills were among firms investing in the sector.

The non-metallic products industry ranked second with N280.12bn, driven largely by investments in cement and glass manufacturing.

Motor vehicle assembly attracted N170.8bn, while the chemical and pharmaceutical sector received N123.61bn billion.

Industrial plastics, rubber and foam manufacturers invested N123.44bn, while the textile and carpet industry attracted N112.53bn.

Total investment in 2025 stood at N1.33tn. While the food and beverage industry led by sector, Lagos and Ogun remained the main destinations for manufacturing capital.

In 2024 and 2025, the two states attracted N1.74tn in industrial investment, accounting for 87.32 per cent of total investment recorded across Nigeria during the period.

The remaining 34 states attracted only N252.23bn, representing 12.7 per cent.

The figures underline the dominance of the Lagos-Ogun corridor in Nigeria’s manufacturing industry.

Lagos’ large consumer market and access to major ports remain key reasons manufacturers prefer the state.

The Apapa, Tin Can Island and Lekki ports provide access to imported raw materials and export markets, while the state also has a large financial and commercial ecosystem.

Ogun has benefited from its location next to Lagos. Industrial areas such as Agbara, Igbesa, Ota and Sango-Ota have become important manufacturing centres.

The availability of land for factories and lower expansion costs compared with Lagos have also helped Ogun attract manufacturers.

Data from MAN showed that between 2014 and 2020, manufacturers invested N3.35tn in Nigeria.

Ogun received N1.68tn, representing 50.16 per cent of the total, while Lagos attracted only N928bn, or 27.7 per cent.

Manufacturers in other parts of the country face higher logistics costs because of weak road networks, limited port access and other infrastructure challenges.

Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Muda Yusuf, said the Lagos-Ogun axis benefits from both its large market and proximity to ports.

He noted that manufacturers must consider the cost of bringing in raw materials and moving finished products when deciding where to locate factories.

A consultant economist and former Central Bank of Nigeria analyst, Nonso Ihuoma, also linked Lagos’ advantage to its location and functioning seaports.

He said developing ports in other parts of the country could reduce the cost of moving goods and encourage manufacturers to invest outside Lagos and Ogun.

Security challenges in some states also remain a concern for businesses, increasing the cost and risk of operating outside the main industrial corridor.

Experts said better ports, roads, rail infrastructure and investment incentives would help attract more factories to other parts of Nigeria.

UMUAHIA — The candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, for Abia Central Senatorial District, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, has urged her supporters to remain calm and steadfast, saying the recent Supreme Court judgment in INEC v. ZLP & Ors does not affect her candidacy.

Nwaogu’s campaign organisation, in a statement issued by its Director-General, Barr. Ekele Nwaohamuo, said the judgment had generated different interpretations and urged supporters to disregard commentaries capable of causing unnecessary anxiety among members.

The statement said the campaign organisation had studied the judgment in consultation with Nwaogu and legal professionals and concluded that it did not negatively affect her candidacy.

“Concerning the Supreme Court judgment in INEC v. ZLP & Ors, the judgment has come and gone. There are various interpretations to the judgment. Distractors and paid commentators have interpreted the judgment to suit the whims and caprice of their gullible supporters,” the statement said.

“Our candidate, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, is not affected by the verdict. Our principal is in no way negatively affected by the Supreme Court judgment.”

The campaign organisation said it had also reviewed the judgment with Nwaogu and legal practitioners before reaching its position.

It urged NDC members and supporters to disregard statements or analyses that could discourage them from pursuing the party’s campaign for the 2027 Abia Central senatorial election.

“You are assured that our Senator Nkechi Nwaogu shall be on the ballot of NDC for 2027 elections. Our plans to inaugurate our ward campaign coordinators are still ongoing,” it said.

The campaign organisation urged supporters to remain committed to the campaign, adding: “Be bold and steadfast. We are on course. We are where we are, no cause for alarm.”

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been ruled out of Portugal’s Nations League clash against Norway on Sunday after suffering a fitness issue in the team’s 1-0 win over Wales.

Fernandes was substituted late in Thursday’s victory in Lisbon, with Portugal manager Jorge Jesus confirming that the midfielder will not feature in Oslo.

Jesus also revealed that Fernandes had been playing through pain in recent matches for Manchester United.

“In the game against Wales, we went in with all the available players but Bruno Fernandes came off with a complicated problem,” Jesus said.

“He said he’s been dealing with that pain for about three games, and that was one of the factors that prevented him from being at his usual level against Wales.

“He was my player, I know him perfectly. I’ve already spoken to him. I prefer not to risk him in this game and have him clean and in good physical condition for the Denmark game (in Copenhagen on Thursday).”

The decision means Fernandes will miss the opportunity to face Norway striker Erling Haaland for the second time this month.

Haaland scored the only goal when Manchester United suffered a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Manchester derby at Old

Trafford earlier this month.

Fernandes has played every minute of United’s five Premier League matches so far this season, while he also completed the club’s 4-0 Champions League victory over Sabah.

The Portugal international was also introduced from the bench during United’s Carabao Cup match against Brighton as they attempted to recover from surrendering a two-goal lead.

Fernandes has been particularly influential for United this season, scoring a hat-trick in their 5-2 Premier League victory over Ipswich, which remains their only league win of the campaign.

United, managed by Michael Carrick, will return to Premier League action on October 10 when they host Tottenham.

For Portugal, Fernandes is expected to target a return for Thursday’s Nations League meeting with Denmark in Copenhagen, provided he recovers fully from the problem.

A top US official on Sunday dismissed a proposal for reopening the Strait of Hormuz presented by Iran as “cynical” and indicated it was a non-starter for Washington.

Iran’s truce plan, announced by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the United Nations earlier this week, calls for the release of frozen Iranian assets, the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to the US naval blockade in order for the key waterway central to the world’s energy supplies to be opened.

“This was, I think, a pretty cynical attempt to put something on the table that they knew was unacceptable,” US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said on Sunday in an interview with NBC. “To ask for the release of the blockade, the sanctions, international sanctions, and access to billions in assets just to talk.”

US President Donald Trump rejected the deal on Saturday, stating that Iranian leaders wanted the deal because “they are losing so badly.”

“I think it’s kind of common sense that the president doesn’t have a lot of confidence this time after we just tried a few months ago, but at the end of the day, of course, the president this has to end in some type of arrangement,” Waltz said. “But he’s going to leave all options on the table to get there.”

Speaking on NBC shortly after, Araghchi denounced what he described as “old, unproved accusations” made by Waltz.

“We are ready to open the strait if certain things are done by the US and these certain things are not new, have not come from the space,” he said. “These are our rights that we want to be respected.”

Araghchi struck a pessimistic tone regarding the prospect of a deal.

“There is also always hope for diplomacy, but we have no reason, to be honest with you, we have no reason to come back to diplomacy and engage with this administration once again because of their behavior in the past two years,” he told NBC.

The United Arab Emirates Government has updated the eligibility criteria and required documents for foreigners seeking to enter the country on a visit visa to search for jobs without a host or sponsor.

The UAE Government disclosed this in a notice released on Thursday and sighted by PUNCH Online on Sunday.

Jobseeker visiting visa, or job exploration visa, is one of the ten visa types in the Arab country. Unlike a work visa, the jobseeker visa allows eligible foreigners to enter the UAE to look for employment without first securing a job or a sponsor.

It does not authorise the holder to work in the UAE, as a separate work visa or permit is required once employment is secured.

According to the notice, eligible applicants can now obtain a jobseeker visit visa valid for 60, 90 or 120 days for a single trip.

Foreigners are granted a visit visa to search for a job without requiring a host/sponsor in the country, for one trip. You can apply for a job-seeker visa with a validity of either 60, 90 or 120 days,” the UAE Government said.

It said applicants seeking the visa must meet specific eligibility requirements, including professional qualifications or recent graduation from a top-ranked university.

To get a visit visa for the purpose of exploring job opportunities, the applicant must fulfil the following conditions,” the notice stated.

According to the UAE Government, applicants must either be in the first, second or third skill level as classified by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation or be graduates of one of the world’s top 500 universities under the classification approved by the Ministry of Education.

It added that applicants who qualify through the university route must have graduated within the previous two years.

The notice also requires applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent and fulfil the prescribed financial guarantee.

The UAE Government said applicants must submit a coloured photograph, a copy of their passport and an attested qualification certificate.

It stated that applications for the visa could be made through the relevant online services provided by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai, or the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 25-year-old newlywed businessman, Lovely Chukwulobelu, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, for allegedly attempting to traffic 72 wraps of cocaine to Portugal.

The NDLEA said Chukwulobelu resorted to drug trafficking to offset expenses incurred during his wedding held on September 13, 2026.

The agency disclosed this in a statement released by its Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday.

According to the statement, the suspect, who resides in Portugal, was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the departure hall of the Enugu airport on Thursday, September 25, while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Portugal via Addis Ababa.

He said the suspect was found with cocaine concealed in his stomach and was wearing his wedding ring when he was arrested.

Babafemi said the suspect was subsequently placed under excretion observation, during which he egested a total of 72 wraps of cocaine.

The statement partly read, ” The groom was intercepted by NDLEA officers at the departure hall of the Enugu airport on Thursday, 25th September 2026, with cocaine in his gut and a wedding ring on his finger, while he attempted to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Portugal via Addis Ababa. He was subsequently placed under excretion observation during which he egested a total of 72 wraps of the Class A illicit drug.

The suspect, who claimed he was into the car decoration business at the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos before he relocated to Portugal in May 2023, said he returned to Nigeria recently to get married on 13th September 2026.

He said he resorted to the criminal trade to offset expenses incurred during his wedding.”

Babafemi also said 2,550,000 pills of Tramakings 225mg and 250mg, and Royal Tapentadol 250mg were recovered at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

He said the drugs, weighing 1,640.55kg, were uncovered during a joint examination of three monitored consignments imported from India and Bangladesh through Qatar Airways, RwandAir and Ethiopian Airlines.

In Bauchi State, he said operatives arrested two suspects, Umar Hamidu, 35, and Abdulkarim Salihu, 45, with 300 compressed blocks of skunk weighing 262.5kg.

According to him, the cannabis was concealed in the false bottom of a truck marked MUB757 YH along the Maiduguri bypass.

Similarly, he said two cannabis farms with a combined estimated yield of 1,360.23kg were destroyed at Eko Camp, Ilushi, Edo State, by NDLEA officers supported by soldiers.

In Lagos, Babafemi said two women, Odumabo Kehinde, 36, and Obiekwe Chioma, 40, were arrested at Anifowoshe Street, Mushin, with 3.4kg of skunk.

Another suspect, Ugwu Johnson, 58, was intercepted at Ebute-Ero motor park with 5.920kg of skunk, 2,400 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 8,400 tablets of nitrazepam and 40,000 pills of tramadol.

In Oyo State, two Togolese nationals, Yinusa Abdulsamad, 35, and Fatai Baba, 33, were arrested along the Iganna-Ilero road with 305.6kg of skunk concealed in two pickup vans.

The NDLEA spokesman said the suspects were allegedly involved in a cross-border trafficking racket moving Ghanaian-sourced cannabis into Nigeria through the Oyo axis.

At the Seme border in Badagry, Lagos, he said five suspects were also arrested with 420 cartons of nitrous oxide, popularly known as laughing gas, weighing 1,688.4kg.

The suspects were identified as Kingsley John, 40; John Okeke, 44; Lamidi Ismaila, 40; Babatunde Samuel, 42; and Afeesu Idowu, 47.

Two vehicles used to convey the consignment from the border into Lagos were also seized.

The NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers and men of the MMIA, AIIA, Lagos, Oyo, Edo, Seme and Bauchi Commands for the operations.

Marwa urged them and their colleagues across the country to sustain the agency’s ongoing balanced approach to drug control efforts.

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group has said the nation’s current level of investment is insufficient to create the jobs, improve productivity and deliver the broad-based prosperity required by its rapidly growing population.

The private sector-led policy advocacy group stated this in a statement issued on Sunday by its Head of Strategic Communication and Advocacy, Ayanyinka Ayanlowo, ahead of the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, scheduled for October 26 and 27, 2026, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

In its statement, the NESG said, “Economic transformation does not happen by chance. It is built on investment — investment in businesses, industries, infrastructure, innovation, and most importantly, people.

“Yet despite Nigeria’s enormous potential, investment levels remain below what is required to generate the jobs, productivity gains and inclusive prosperity needed by a rapidly growing population.”

It identified infrastructure deficits, limited access to long-term finance, regulatory uncertainty and high business costs as factors that had constrained productive investment in the country for decades.

According to the group, the challenge has become more pressing as global competition for investment capital intensifies.

The NESG said recent economic reforms aimed at stabilising the macroeconomic environment, improving fiscal sustainability and restoring investor confidence were necessary but would not be sufficient without a corresponding increase in productive investment.

While these reforms are necessary, they represent only the first step. The next challenge is translating stability into productive investment that expands businesses, creates jobs, raises incomes and improves living standards,” it stated.

The group said the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, themed, ‘Growth that Works: Delivering Jobs, Productivity and Shared Prosperity,’ would focus on mobilising capital for economic expansion and investing in the people required to sustain growth.

Under its “Invest Nigeria” sub-theme, the summit will examine measures to attract domestic and foreign investment into agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, technology, energy, mining, logistics and the creative economy.

The NESG said unlocking investment opportunities in the sectors would require improvements in the business environment, fewer barriers to enterprise growth, deeper capital markets and stronger policy frameworks for long-term investment.

The focus is not merely on attracting capital but on ensuring that investment flows into sectors capable of generating broad economic value, strengthening productivity, and creating opportunities for millions of Nigerians,” the statement added.

It said discussions would also focus on infrastructure financing, expanding credit to businesses, strengthening public-private partnerships, promoting industrialisation and developing competitive value chains to support economic diversification.

The group identified Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises as a critical part of the investment drive, saying better access to finance, reduced regulatory burdens and increased business formalisation could accelerate enterprise growth and employment generation.

The NESG also called for greater investment in human capital, warning that significant gaps remained in education, healthcare, workforce readiness and skills development despite Nigeria having one of the world’s youngest populations.

“Economic growth ultimately depends on people. No nation can achieve sustainable prosperity without investing in the knowledge, health, skills, and capabilities of its citizens,” it said.

According to the group, investment in education, healthcare, digital literacy, vocational training and workforce development would help raise productivity and strengthen Nigeria’s long-term competitiveness.

It added that skills development must be better aligned with labour market demand to equip young Nigerians for a rapidly changing economy.

The NESG said investment in businesses and people was mutually reinforcing, as expanding industries create employment and incomes while a healthier and better-skilled workforce improves productivity, innovation and competitiveness.

It called on the government to strengthen the policy environment, while urging the private sector to expand productive investment and innovation. It also asked development partners to support catalytic financing and capacity building and educational institutions to prepare Nigerians for changing labour market demands.

The summit will bring together stakeholders from government, business, finance, academia and development institutions to discuss measures for placing investment at the centre of job creation, productivity growth and shared prosperity.

A woman identified as Shobowale Balikis has been arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle alcohol concealed in a bottled water pack into the Ibara Custodial Centre in Ogun State.

The Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Ogun State Command, Olayinka Odukoya, disclosed this in a statement released on Sunday.

Odukoya stated that the vigilant correctional officials intercepted Balikis at about 3:50 pm on Saturday while she was allegedly attempting to take the substance into the custodial centre for an inmate.

He stated, “At about 15:50 hours today, 26th September 2026, vigilant officials at the Ibara Custodial Centre intercepted a woman, identified as Shobowale Balikis, in an attempt to smuggle contraband into the facility.

She was caught concealing Ethano inside a bottled water pack, disguising it as drinking water intended for an inmate.”

Odukoya noted that the substance was detected before it could reach the inmates, adding that Balikis had been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation and possible prosecution.

He continued, “The swift action of correctional officers ensured the illicit substance was detected before it could reach the inmate population.

Shobowale Balikis has since been handed over to the Nigerian Police for further investigation, with appropriate legal proceedings expected to follow.”

Reacting, the Command’s Controller of Corrections, Abioye Adesina, according to the statement, said the command maintained a zero-tolerance stance on the smuggling of contraband into custodial centres.

Adesina noted that the incident demonstrated the commitment of the service to maintaining safety, discipline and integrity within custodial facilities.

He added that the service would continue to protect inmates, preserve order and uphold the rule of law.

The command also assured the public that it would continue efforts to prevent the infiltration of contraband into custodial facilities and safeguard the integrity of the correctional system.

News reported a similar incident on August 31, when the Service arrested a woman, Mrs Iyabo Sowunmi, for allegedly attempting to smuggle suspected illicit drugs into the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Ibara, Abeokuta, for her son, Dare Sowunmi, who is said to be on death row at the facility.

Odukoya said Sowunmi was arrested at about 1:33 pm on Friday, August 28, 2026, during a routine screening at the facility’s main entrance.

Nollywood actor Ricardo Agbor has survived a car crash in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Agbor announced the incident on Saturday in a video posted on his Instagram page, showing his badly damaged vehicle at the scene of the crash.

The silver Lexus SUV was seen with extensive damage to its front, including a crushed bonnet, smashed grille, exposed engine components and a damaged front-left tyre.

In the video, Agbor identified the location as being in front of the Cornerstone City billboard in Ibadan.

This is my vehicle in front of Corner… Cornerstone City, Ibadan,” he said.

The actor, who appeared to be at the scene, repeatedly thanked God for surviving the incident.

Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ,” he said.

He later added, “This is what just happened to me now. Oh God.”

In the accompanying post, Agbor wrote, “As I was saying.. …Thank God Almighty I made it out of this. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ.”

Ricardo Agbor, also called Rykardo Agbor, was born on February 4, 1973, in Lagos State. He is a native of Delta State and studied Mass Communication at the University of Ibadan.

He began his acting career in 1992 after working as a model and rose to prominence after starring in Visa to Hell.

The actor has featured in several Nollywood productions in English and Yoruba over a career spanning more than three decades

The Federal Government says it is working to create one million export-linked jobs and produce 10 million globally certified Nigerians by 2030 through reforms in education and skills development.

This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by Mr Ikharo Attah, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa.

Attah quoted Alausa as saying this at the “Hire From Nigeria” side event on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Alausa said the Federal Ministry of Education was playing a key role on the supply side of the National Talent Export Programme by building a talent pipeline linked directly to global employment opportunities.

He said the ministry was repositioning Nigeria’s education and skills system to produce trained, certified and adaptable talent capable of competing in the global outsourcing and digitally enabled services market.

According to him, Nigeria’s youthful population, English-language advantage, cultural adaptability and growing digital capabilities provide a strong foundation for participation in the global services economy.

“Nigeria’s greatest asset is its people: a young, ambitious, English-speaking and increasingly digitally capable population.

Our task in Education is to turn that scale into verified competence and reliable service delivery,” he said.

Alausa said skills, quality and reliability would determine Nigeria’s competitiveness in a rapidly changing global market.

He identified the gap between training and evolving employer demand, limited work-based learning opportunities and access to internationally recognised certification as some of the challenges requiring attention.

The minister said the ministry was addressing the challenges through curriculum reform, stronger accreditation and quality assurance, as well as expanded digital and technical training.

“We need a permanent employer-led feedback loop, not occasional curriculum reviews,” he said.

Alausa stressed the need for employers to participate in programme design, training, assessment, certification and recruitment.

He said the reform agenda also sought to change perceptions of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) by positioning skills training as a pathway to income, enterprise and global opportunities

The minister disclosed that the Federal Government’s free TVET programme had attracted more than one million applications, with 160,000 trainees supported through about 1,200 centres nationwide.

He said the centres included Federal Technical Colleges and accredited private training centres.

Alausa said the government was also promoting multiple pathways to employment and enterprise through university education, TVET, apprenticeships and continuous upskilling.

He said each pathway was designed to provide opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and further learning.

The minister said preparing young Nigerians for an economy increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and advanced technologies was another priority.

“We must train young people to work with artificial intelligence, not to compete with it on routine tasks,” he said.

He said the focus was increasingly on skills that complemented technology, including judgement, creativity, domain knowledge, data literacy, cybersecurity, cloud services, software development, customer success and quality assurance.

Alausa said the Digital Training Academy was partnering with global learning providers, including Coursera and Pluralsight, to provide 32,000 Nigerians with free access to professional digital and technology training.

He said the programme covered fields including product management, cloud computing, cybersecurity, information technology automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning, financial technology and natural language processing.

The minister added that the Student Venture Capital Grant was supporting students in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) disciplines to translate innovative ideas into viable enterprises.

Given the pace of technological change, Alausa said Nigeria’s education system must enable young people to learn, unlearn and retrain throughout their careers.

He therefore urged international employers, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) operators, investors and development partners to move beyond expressions of interest towards practical partnerships and investable talent pipelines.

He urged employers to define their skills requirements, co-design training programmes, provide work-based learning, recognise credible Nigerian certifications and recruit from Nigerian talent pools.

Alausa also urged BPO operators and investors to establish and expand delivery centres beyond Nigeria’s largest commercial cities while supporting training infrastructure, connectivity, quality systems and management capability.

He said development partners could support the initiative through scalable certification, instructor development, inclusion of women and underserved communities, labour-market intelligence and outcome measurement.

The minister said international institutional partnerships and centres of excellence in Nigerian institutions would further strengthen global linkages, benchmarking and knowledge transfer.

He said the ministry would deepen industry participation in curriculum development and certification, expand market-relevant TVET and digital-skills pathways, and strengthen accreditation and quality assurance.

Alausa reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to aligning education reform with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on human capital development, job creation, skills acquisition and inclusive economic growth.

He said the ministry would continue to build an education and skills system that connected Nigerian talent to opportunities, strengthened Nigeria’s position in the global economy and enabled young Nigerians to build sustainable careers at home and abroad.

NAN

The National Association of Resident Doctors has given the Federal Government a two-week ultimatum to resolve outstanding welfare and professional issues affecting its members, warning that failure to do so could trigger industrial action.

The ultimatum is contained in resolutions the association reached at its 46th Annual General Meeting on Sunday in Calabar.

The NARD National President, Dr Ogar Emmanuel Idoko, read the resolutions.

The resident doctors expressed concern over the slow pace of implementation of agreements reached between the association and the Federal Government, saying prolonged delays had become unacceptable.

They demanded immediate action on outstanding issues relating to remuneration, career progression, professional allowances, excessive workload, manpower shortages and the general welfare of resident doctors.

The association called for “the immediate implementation of agreements reached with the Federal Government, particularly those relating to improved conditions of service and professional development.”

It also urged “the government to conclude the review of existing remuneration and professional salary structures for doctors, saying the current framework no longer adequately reflected prevailing economic realities.”

The association demanded appropriate compensation for excess workload arising from manpower shortages in hospitals, noting that resident doctors were increasingly carrying additional responsibilities.

It called for standardised templates for compensation for excess workload and reliable data to justify payments to doctors performing duties beyond their normal responsibilities.

The association also expressed concern over attacks on health workers and called for the full implementation of policies and anti-assault measures designed to protect doctors and other medical personnel in hospitals.

It further raised concern over the continuing migration of doctors and other health professionals from Nigeria, saying the development had worsened manpower shortages and increased the workload on doctors who remained in the country.

NARD, therefore, urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to urgently address the factors responsible for the continued migration of medical professionals.

The association also called on state governments to prioritise the welfare of doctors and other health workers employed by their respective institutions and ensure the implementation of relevant welfare policies.

It demanded improved infrastructure, adequate medical equipment and better working conditions in health institutions to enhance patient safety and improve healthcare delivery.

The resolution urged the National Assembly to strengthen budgetary provisions for healthcare, stressing that adequate funding remained critical to addressing challenges in the sector.

The association demanded the prompt payment of salaries and other entitlements owed to house officers and called for their inclusion in relevant welfare arrangements.

On electronic clocking systems in hospitals, NARD said it was not opposed to their deployment, provided they were properly implemented and used to support accurate data management rather than punish medical personnel.

It observed that several agreements and commitments reached with the Federal Government had remained unresolved despite repeated meetings and assurances.

The association, therefore, urged the government to use the two-week window to address the outstanding issues and avert a breakdown of industrial harmony in the health sector.

The resident doctors said resolving the disputes would improve their welfare, reduce burnout and ultimately enhance the quality of healthcare available to Nigerians.

The association also elected new national officers, with Dr Ogar Emmanuel Idoko emerging as president, alongside other members of the National Executive Council.

It urged the new leadership to pursue the implementation of the resolutions and sustain engagement with the government towards achieving improved conditions of service for resident doctors.

NAN

The Nigerian Forest Security Service, Kano State Command, has deployed personnel to Garko Local Government Area to track and contain dogs suspected to be infected with rabies.

The service said a dog suspected to be rabid had bitten 18 people in Garko and its environs.

The NFSS State Commander, Abdullahi Al’ameen, disclosed this in a statement signed by the service’s Public Relations Officer, Usman Abdullahi-Umar, on Sunday in Kano.

Al’ameen said: “The command received a distress report at about 2 p.m. that a dog suspected to be rabid has attacked residents in Garko town.

The dog has so far bitten 11 persons in Garko town before moving to neighbouring communities, including Raba, Kadage, Gurjiya and Dausai.

“It has also attacked and bitten seven additional persons in the affected communities.”

The commander further explained that the command had received another report that two more dogs were suspected to have been infected with rabies in the area

Al’ameen said personnel of the NFSS Garko Division, under the leadership of the Divisional Forest Officer, Auwalu Muhammad, had been deployed to the affected areas to track and contain the dogs.

He urged residents of Garko and neighbouring communities to remain vigilant and report sightings of stray or suspected rabid dogs to the nearest NFSS office or other security agencies.

The commander also advised residents who might have been bitten by suspected rabid dogs to seek immediate medical attention.

Al’ameen assured residents that the NFSS would continue to monitor the situation and take necessary measures to prevent further attacks.

NAN

Two inmates have died following a cholera outbreak at the Kurmawa Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kano State, the Nigerian Correctional Service has said.

The NCoS said the outbreak was confirmed through laboratory tests on September 23 by its medical team and Kano State public health authorities.

In a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesman, Chief Superintendent of Corrections, J.N. Osuji, the Service said the outbreak was first detected on September 17 after an inmate began to vomit and stool.

“The inmate was immediately admitted and treated at the facility’s medical centre, while emergency medical protocols were activated the following morning as health workers intensified medical intervention and monitoring,” Osuji said.

According to the statement, one of the deaths occurred at the custodial centre, while the other was recorded at the Kano State Infectious Diseases Hospital.

The Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and directed that measures to protect inmates and personnel be sustained.

“The Service regrets that the outbreak claimed two lives; one at the facility and the other at the Kano State Infectious Diseases Hospital,” the statement said.

The NCoS said its coordinated interventions had brought the outbreak under control, adding that no further deaths had been recorded since the diagnosis.

It said additional preventive measures had also been introduced in collaboration with the Kano State Government to reduce the risk of another outbreak.

The service added that continuous disease surveillance, early detection and prompt medical intervention were being strengthened across custodial facilities.

Nwakuche also directed a team of senior medical personnel from the Service’s National Headquarters to proceed to the facility for sustained monitoring.

“The Controller-General has further directed a team of senior medical personnel from the Service’s National Headquarters to proceed to the facility for sustained monitoring of the situation,” the statement added.

The service reassured the public that healthcare services remained available to inmates through qualified medical personnel and urged Nigerians to rely on verified information from official channels.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo wants Nigerians to look at the 2027 presidential election and see something bigger than another contest between political parties.He wants them to see the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, on one side and Nigerians on the other.

That was the striking message the governor carried to Katsina last Tuesday, where he declared: “It won’t be APC versus APM, or APM versus ADC, or ADC versus NDC. It will be APC versus Nigerians.”

The choice of words was significant. Makinde is the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, yet he is deliberately refusing to make APM the immediate centre of his argument.

Instead, he is trying to make the election a referendum on the party controlling the Federal Government; and on whether Nigerians want to give it another four years.

It is a potentially useful calculation for a candidate whose party does not have the national political machinery of the ruling APC.

But it also carries a difficult question: if the election becomes a contest between APC and dissatisfied Nigerians, why should those Nigerians necessarily choose APM?

That is the political gamble behind Makinde’s Katsina message.

Changing the question

Makinde appears to understand that a conventional party-versus-party contest could force APM to spend too much of the campaign explaining itself before it can challenge the incumbent.

An anti-APC contest changes that equation. Instead of asking voters first to embrace APM, Makinde wants them to ask whether they are satisfied with the APC government. If the answer is no, his campaign then has to present his ticket as the vehicle through which that dissatisfaction can be converted into votes.

His criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s handling of his recent absence from the country fits neatly into that strategy.

Makinde invoked Section 145 of the Constitution and compared presidential conduct with his own practice in Oyo State.

I have looked at the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and, of course, as a state governor, I also operate under that Constitution. Anytime I have to travel out, not for work but on vacation, for more than 21 days, I transmit power to the Deputy Governor. Why is this not happening at the national level?” Makinde said.

Section 145(1) requires the President, when proceeding on vacation or otherwise unable to discharge his functions, to transmit a written declaration to the Senate President and Speaker of the House.

The 21-day provision in subsection 2 concerns what the National Assembly may do if such a declaration has not been transmitted within that period. It does not mean the President’s obligation begins after 21 days.

Makinde then turned the constitutional argument into a promise about how he would govern.

“I promise you that, as your President, I will follow the Constitution to the letter. If I am not going to be available, if I am on vacation, I will transmit power to the Vice President. Record this and hold me accountable,” he said.

The significance of the argument is less about the length of the President’s absence than the political frame Makinde is constructing: a government that must account for its decisions, comply with the Constitution and explain its actions to citizens.

The same approach runs into the economy. The Federal Government says the removal of the petrol subsidy and foreign-exchange reforms have created additional fiscal space. Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele said subsidy savings between June 2023 and December 2025 amounted to N15.8 trillion, while incremental Federal Government resources reached N20.4 trillion.

But for households confronting higher prices and living costs, the question is what those savings mean in daily life.

That gives Makinde another opening. He can accept the argument that the reforms have increased government resources while asking whether those resources have translated sufficiently into security, jobs, infrastructure and purchasing power. His objective is to turn that gap into a political question about the APC.

The 2023 warning

The North-West is particularly important to that calculation. In Katsina, Atiku Abubakar defeated Tinubu by 6,762 votes in 2023, polling 489,045 votes against Tinubu’s 482,283. Rabiu Kwankwaso received 69,386 votes.

Across the North-West, Atiku won Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi and Sokoto; Tinubu carried Jigawa and Zamfara, while Kwankwaso won Kano.

The figures do not automatically translate into support for Makinde. What they demonstrate is something more basic: the APC’s hold on the region is not uniform, and the presidential vote can be divided among competing political forces.

That makes the region useful territory for a candidate attempting to construct an anti-incumbency coalition.

Makinde’s challenge, however, is to make that coalition belong to him. His running mate, Lawal Daura, is part of that calculation.

APM National Chairman Dantele presented Daura as a North-West answer to the security crisis.

“We have your own son from the North-West, particularly Katsina, the Vice presidential candidate, Lawal Daura who is a security guru and he will be there to address security challenges across the North-West and Nigeria at large,” Dantele said.

“Let our farmers return to their farms. Let our children go to school freely. Let Nigerians coexist peacefully and go about their normal businesses. We must put an end to insecurity and hunger, improve access to education, and eradicate poverty.”

Daura himself described the mood the ticket hopes to exploit.

“The North-West, and indeed Nigeria at large, is yearning for reseting Nigeria,” Daura said.

The ticket is therefore trying to combine two appeals: Makinde as the face of governance and institutional change, and Daura as the North-West connection with security placed at the centre of the regional pitch.

But the campaign still has to move from political symbolism to policy. Calling Daura a ‘security guru’ does not by itself explain how the ticket would protect farmers, schools and communities, reform policing or finance a broader security architecture.

That gap becomes important because the argument is not simply that APC should be rejected. Makinde must also demonstrate what comes after the rejection.

The problem with an anti-APC election

This is where Makinde’s strategy becomes more complicated. The APC can be made the target without APM becoming the automatic beneficiary.

A voter can be unhappy with the ruling party and still choose another opposition platform. Indeed, the more the election is framed as a referendum on APC, the greater the number of political actors that can attempt to capture the resulting dissatisfaction.

Makinde therefore needs to perform two political operations at once.

First, he has to persuade Nigerians that the election is fundamentally about the record of the APC government.

Then he has to persuade those same voters that APM is the vehicle through which they should express their verdict.

His appeal for voters to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards reflects that calculation.

Please get your PVC and show the APC that Nigeria is bigger than individuals. It is bigger than even the systems that have held us down,” Makinde said.

The language deliberately puts the voter ahead of the party. But there is a second message beneath it: That citizens can punish the ruling party through the ballot box. The unresolved question is where that punishment ultimately lands.

Selling the Alternative

This is why Makinde’s record in Oyo State matters to the strategy.

If he only campaigns against Tinubu, he risks becoming another opposition politician asking voters to reject the incumbent without establishing why his own ticket should receive their support.

His Oyo record gives him something with which to answer that question.

The state’s 2024 budget stood at N434.2 billion, with projected internally generated revenue of N72 billion. Education received N90.65 billion, representing about 20.88 per cent of the budget. The Oyo government also reported 118.07 kilometres of roads delivered in the year preceding its 2025 budget presentation, including 76.67 kilometres of the Iseyin-Fapote-Ogbomoso Road.

Those figures provide Makinde with a record to put beside his criticism of the Federal Government.

But the presidential argument inevitably becomes harder at that point. Running Oyo is different from running a federation responsible for defence, foreign affairs, monetary policy and the distribution of federal resources.

So the next stage of Makinde’s campaign cannot simply be about making APC unpopular. It has to establish that his proposed ‘reset’ can operate at federal scale.

That is why his promise to return to the North-West matters.

“This is the town hall for the Northwest. I am still coming back here in Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Zamfara and Jigawa to campaign on a state-by-state basis,” Makinde said.

He is effectively taking the argument beyond Katsina: APC may be the target, but APM wants to be the beneficiary.

That is the central calculation behind the phrase ‘APC versus Nigerians’.

Makinde is trying to remove the election from the familiar terrain of party labels and place the ruling party’s record at the centre of the ballot.

The strategy gives him a larger potential constituency than APM alone can provide. But it also creates the campaign’s biggest unanswered question.

If Nigerians decide that 2027 should indeed be about APC versus them, Makinde still has to convince them that when they cast that anti-incumbency vote, APM is where it should land.

culled from vanguard 

At least five miners were killed and two others injured after gunmen ambushed them at a mining site in Plateau State.

The incident occurred at about 1 pm on Saturday at Marit village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.

Sources said the miners were carrying out their legitimate activities when they were attacked, a development that has thrown the community into mourning and raised fresh concerns over the safety of residents in the area.

Confirming the attack, the National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Moulders-Association, Rwang Tengwong, said five persons lost their lives while two others sustained injuries.

“It is a very sad and painful development. Our people are once again mourning the loss of lives to violence,” Tengwong said, while calling on security agencies to intensify efforts to protect communities and prevent recurrence.

Similarly, a community member, Simon Mundat, described the incident as devastating.

“We are deeply saddened by this attack. We appeal to authorities to strengthen security in the area so that our people can go about their legitimate activities without fear,” he said.

As of the time of filing this report, efforts to get official confirmation from security agencies were unsuccessful.

In a related development, security operatives, in collaboration with local hunters, have repelled an attack by suspected terrorists on Latok community in Qua’an-Pan Local Government Area of the state.

A community member, Mr Danat Noel, said the attackers invaded the community on Friday but were forced to retreat following a swift response by security personnel and local hunters.

Several calls by Sunday PUNCH to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, were repeatedly ignored.

Alabo terminated the call on three occasions after listening to questions about the killing of five miners in the state.

He, however, ignored several other calls and a WhatsApp message sent to him on the matter.

The Ogun State Police Command says it arrested 11 suspects and recovered two suspected stolen vehicles, three firearms and 25 Automated Teller Machine cards during various operations across the state between September 16 and 26, 2026.

The command also said eight vehicles were impounded for obstructing traffic during a “No Parking” operation around the Sagamu Interchange Bridge.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement released on Sunday, saying the successes were recorded through “effective policing, targeted operations and proactive enforcement.”

According to him, the operations were carried out under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni.

Babaseyi said, “Among the highlights are the arrest of 11 suspects, recovery of two suspected stolen vehicles, three firearms, 25 ATM cards, multiple mobile phones and assorted electrical materials, as well as the impoundment of eight vehicles for obstruction of traffic.”

The command said detectives attached to the Owode Egba Division recovered a stolen commercial TVS motorcycle at Mokoloki Village on September 17, following a complaint lodged on September 16.

“Two suspects, Rasheed Abdul ‘M’ and Saula Meshinoye ‘M’, were arrested in connection with the alleged theft, while an accomplice, Saheed ‘M’, remains at large,” the statement said.

It added, “Investigation is ongoing, with efforts underway to apprehend the fleeing suspect.”

The police also said operatives of the Olorunda Division intercepted three persons along Ayetoro Road on September 19 while they were allegedly conveying stolen electrical materials on a motorcycle.

“Two suspects, Mutiu Gafar ‘M’, aged 19 years, and Fatai Obasanmi ‘M’, aged 37 years, were arrested, while Tosin ‘M’ escaped,” the statement said.

Recovered items included bundles of electrical wiring, a change-over electrical box and a circuit breaker box, allegedly stolen from a residence in the area.”

The command said investigation was ongoing, while efforts continued to apprehend the fleeing suspect.

In another operation, SWAT operatives from Base 7, Abule-Iroko, arrested three suspects on September 21 after intercepting an unregistered tricycle and an unregistered TVS motorcycle around Dalemo, Ota.

The suspects were identified as Olamide Ayandele, 30, Tope Samuel, 40, and Ayo Peter Ojo, 30.

The statement said, “Preliminary investigation linked the suspects to alleged vehicle theft around the Ijoko axis.”

It added, “Efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend other persons who may be connected with the alleged activities.”

Similarly, the Igbesa Division arrested Ameachine Anthony, 45, on September 22 over an alleged N2.5m fraud.

The police said 25 ATM cards and multiple mobile phones were recovered from him.

“Preliminary investigation indicates an alleged scheme involving utility bills and newly acquired SIM cards used through associates to facilitate bank accounts, after which the ATM cards were allegedly collected for fraudulent transactions,” the statement said.

The command said the suspect and exhibits had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.

Also on September 22, SWAT operatives arrested Peter Olanrewaju, 34, following information concerning a suspected cult-related gathering.

The statement said, “Further investigation led to the arrest of Adebayo Sodiq ‘M’, aged 36 years, and the recovery of one pump-action rifle and two locally made pistols.”

It added, “Investigation is continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the possession of the firearms and to identify other persons who may be connected with the case.”

Meanwhile, detectives of the Ijebu-Ode Area Crime Office recovered a Safira vehicle reportedly taken from its owner and arrested Olatunji Olalekan following what the command described as discreet investigation, intelligence gathering and tracking.

“The vehicle has been secured as an exhibit, while investigation continues to establish the circumstances surrounding its disappearance and recovery,” the statement said.

The command also said personnel of the Sagamu Area Command and adjoining divisions conducted a “No Parking” operation around the Sagamu Interchange Bridge on September 26.

“Eight vehicles found obstructing the highway were impounded to facilitate free traffic flow and improve safety for road users,” the police said.

It added, “The affected vehicles are to be processed for prosecution on 28 September 2026, while similar enforcement operations will continue as necessary

The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the officers for their vigilance and professionalism, as well as members of the public for their cooperation.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to proactive policing and urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible information to the police.

The statement said, “Residents are encouraged to promptly contact the Ogun State Police Command through the Gateway Shield distress lines whenever police assistance is required or when credible information about a security concern needs to be reported.”

The toll-free line is 0800 000 9111, while the emergency lines are 09164859299 and 09154293464.

The soldiers, who are members of the 90 Regular Intake, successfully completed Exercise Shining Star X/26 at the 1 Division Training School, Dalet Barracks, Kawo, Kaduna.

In a post obtained from the Nigerian Army’s X handle on Sunday, the graduation ceremony was held on Friday, with the Special Guest of Honour, the General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army and Commander, Sector 1 Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Major General Abubakar Sadique Muhammad Wase, represented by the Chief of Staff, 1 Division, Brigadier General TM Opurum.

In his address, Brigadier General Opurum said the training was approved by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, to strengthen army formations, enhance operational readiness and build resilience, teamwork and professionalism among troops

He said the eight-week training exposed the soldiers to a range of military exercises, including field operations, live-fire drills, battle inoculation, land navigation, watermanship, tactical motorcycle operations and Improvised Explosive Device awareness

According to him, the exercises were designed to prepare the soldiers for the prevailing security challenges within the Division’s Area of Responsibility.

The GOC also noted that the training tested the soldiers’ endurance, mental alertness and cohesion through simulated combat fatigue, stress and sleep deprivation.

He urged the graduates to apply the skills acquired during the training, maintain discipline and loyalty, and adhere strictly to the Nigerian Army’s code of conduct and rules of engagement.

Earlier, the Acting Assistant Director, Army Physical Training and Divisional Training Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Pharouk Mohammed, said the trainees underwent intensive tactical, weapon-handling and counter-terrorism training.

He described the 87 graduates as soldiers who had met the required standards in character and learning and were prepared to discharge their constitutional responsibilities.

Speaking on behalf of the graduands, the Course Leader, Private Kapnim Bitrus, expressed appreciation to the commanders and instructors for their guidance throughout the training.

The ceremony featured tactical demonstrations, including a rapid rifle stripping and assembly competition and a counter-ambush display.

The event ended with the presentation of certificates to the graduating soldiers and a group photograph.

The founder of Word Assembly Ministries, Ilorin, Rev Isaac Omolehin, has raised the alarm over a threat by bandits to attack his church camp at Idofian village in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The cleric said the threat forced him and his family to go into hiding for safety.

Omolehin disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Saturday by his spokesperson, Grace Edema.

According to him, the police arrived at the camp at midnight between May 30 and 31 and ordered an immediate evacuation following a threat of a bandit attack.

The cleric, known for his criticism of denominational divisions in the Nigerian Church, lamented that the threat forced him, his family and more than 100 residents of the facility to flee the camp.

He noted that the camp had remained deserted since the evacuation, rendering the residents homeless.

“The police came to my camp in the middle of the night and asked everybody to run because kidnappers were coming to attack me. The whole camp was deserted, and it has remained deserted,” he said.

He disclosed that although he was away when the evacuation took place, the kidnappers eventually came to the camp but met an empty facility.

They came, the bandits, but they didn’t meet anybody,” he added.

He said the security threat had forced him to move from one location to another with his wife and children.

“I have a house I can’t enter. I have a car I can’t ride. I have to hide myself from the public. If I sleep here today, I’ll sleep somewhere else tomorrow. I’m homeless with my wife and children,” Omolehin said.

The facility, he said, catered for orphaned children and housed a primary school, secondary school, hospital, old people’s home and a rehabilitation centre for mentally challenged women rescued from the streets, alongside their children.

“Bandits chased us out of that place. The school cannot open, the hospital is not functioning, and the patients and nurses all ran for their lives,” he added.

Omolehin said more than 100 residents of the camp are now scattered across different locations because authorities have yet to declare the area safe for their return.

We wrote to the police because they were the ones who asked us to leave. We asked if it was safe for us to return because schools had resumed and we have over a hundred children that need to go to school. There has been no response,” the cleric stated.

He added that reports were also submitted to the Department of State Services and the Kwara State Ministry of Social Welfare, which supervises orphanages and rehabilitation centres, but he said no official response had been received.

“Three days after the attack on my camp here in Kwara, my village in Kogi State was also attacked, and my people were killed. When they missed me here in Kwara, they went to my village and attacked my people.

“The kidnappers did not destroy our buildings; the structures in the camp are still intact. However, a few days after we evacuated, thieves began breaking into the camp and carting away our belongings.

“Those were different criminals. The kidnappers did not come to steal refrigerators, fans or mattresses. They came for human beings. The people who looted our property are not the same as the kidnappers.”

Reflecting on his continued public advocacy despite criticism, Omolehin said attacks against him have ranged from social media abuse to restrictions on his ministry.

“The attacks are still going on, but they don’t affect me. Jesus already told us that our preaching may be resisted.”

He revealed that he was recently barred from preaching in Baptist churches, saying, “Baptists banned me from preaching in Baptist churches just about a month ago.”

Omolehin appealed to the Federal and Kwara State governments to strengthen security around the camp to enable displaced residents to return, noting that some of the orphaned children in his care were referred to the facility by government authorities.

“I want to appeal to the government to improve security so that I can return to the camp with my family and all the people I look after. Some of the children in the orphanage were brought to us by the government. Even if they say they don’t care about the rest of us, what about the children they entrusted to us?” he said.

Efforts to get the reaction of the state police command were unsuccessful, as the Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, did not respond to calls or messages as of the time of filing this report.

Celebrity friendships are often admired by fans, but when things go wrong, the fallouts can be just as public. Recently, however, some celebrities who once went their separate ways have been finding their way back to one another.

From Tonto Dikeh and Bobrisky to Iyabo Ojo and Toyin Lawani, former friends have shown that some relationships can survive even after very public disagreements.

Dikeh recently surprised many when she celebrated Bobrisky’s birthday with an emotional tribute and a N2m gift. In an Instagram post, the actress described Bobrisky as her “brother” and “anchor”, recalling the loyalty and support he had shown her over the years. She also shared a screenshot of the N2m transfer, adding a light-hearted touch to the birthday celebration.

In response, Bobrisky appreciated Dikeh for the gift and acknowledged their renewed friendship.

The gesture came years after their relationship suffered a public fallout. The duo, who were once known for their close friendship, began to have issues in 2020 after Dikeh unfollowed Bobrisky following a video of him with Lady Golfer, a former friend of the actress.

Bobrisky later said the incident contributed to Dikeh ending their friendship. Their disagreement subsequently became more public, with both parties making claims about their relationship. At one point, Bobrisky also shared private conversations involving the actress. However, their recent exchanges suggest that the former friends have moved past the issues that once kept them apart.

Similarly, actress, Iyabo Ojo, and fashion designer, Toyin Lawani, have rekindled their friendship after years apart.

Ojo shared pictures of herself and Lawani on Instagram on September 23, accompanied by a message reflecting on their friendship.

She wrote that life had taught them that real friendships were not perfect but real, adding that although they had spent time apart, “real friendship always finds its way back.”

Lawani also responded warmly to the post, giving fans a glimpse of their renewed relationship.

Ojo and Lawani were once close, but their friendship became strained during their time on the reality show, The Real Housewives of Lagos. Tensions reportedly developed around Ojo’s relationship with Laura Ikeji, with Lawani’s support for Ikeji becoming one of the issues between the two women.

Ojo had also accused Lawani of gossiping about her, a disagreement that contributed to the breakdown of their friendship. The two eventually unfollowed each other on Instagram.

Their recent reunion, therefore, came as a surprise to fans who had followed their friendship and subsequent fallout.

For fans who watched both friendships fall apart, the recent developments have drawn attention to the possibility of celebrities putting old disagreements behind them and giving their relationships another chance.

In an industry where friendships often unfold under public scrutiny, their reunions offer a reminder that not every fallout has to be the final chapter.

NIGERIA has a long way to go in protecting children from abuse. The rescue of Amarachi, 15, from a prolonged confinement in a toilet at a residence in Abuloma, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is another reminder of this grim reality.

According to reports, the teenager, said to be from Ebonyi State, was working as a domestic help for a couple when she was allegedly locked inside a toilet for weeks or months. She was reportedly fed only once a day, with leftover food.

If these allegations are proven, this couple deserves the severest punishment under the law for this unconscionable cruelty. Children are vulnerable and need love and protection, not torture.

Amarachi’s ordeal came to light after her cries for help attracted attention while the occupants of the house were away. Police subsequently rescued her and arrested the couple. The Rivers State Police Command said the incident was under investigation.

The teenager cut a pitiable picture in the viral footage after her rescue. In a loose gown that could hardly conceal her fragile frame, her steps appeared laboured as police operatives led her away.

At 15, Amarachi should be in school, learning and preparing for the future. She should be thinking about examinations and, perhaps, university.

Instead, she was shut away from the world and subjected to conditions that no child should endure.

Whatever offence a child may have committed, locking her in a toilet for an extended period cannot be an acceptable form of discipline. Neither can starvation, neglect, humiliation or physical and psychological abuse.

But the deeper concern is that child abuse has become a pattern in the country.

Recently, a woman was arrested in Onitsha, Anambra State, for allegedly using sex toys on her young daughter. A viral video showed the girl screaming as her mother allegedly abused her in a social media livestream. Four children, the oldest aged nine, have been reportedly rescued from the house.

The Constitution is unequivocal about the dignity of the human person. It provides that no person shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment.

Section 11 of the Child Rights Act 2003 provides that every child is entitled to respect for the dignity of his or her person. It prohibits physical, mental or emotional injury, abuse, neglect or maltreatment, as well as torture. It also prohibits holding a child in slavery or servitude.

The law does not view a child as an adult’s property. Nor does it see a domestic worker as a lesser human being. Every child has rights and dignity that must be respected and protected.

Rivers State even has a Family Court specifically established to deal with matters concerning children’s rights, welfare and protection. The court’s jurisdiction includes cases involving child abuse, neglect, domestic violence, child labour and other violations of children’s rights.

Sadly, despite the abundance of legal principles, abuse of children and minors persists, sometimes with parental consent.

In August last year, in the same Rivers, children were tortured on church premises in the name of exorcising evil spirits.

Footage showed the pastor grabbing one toddler after another and flogging them amid ceaseless screams from the victims. He then threw the child to a man who caught him mid-air from a distance away.

The Federal Government condemned that dehumanising treatment of children, saying it violated child-protection laws.

For one offence or another, some children have been reportedly burnt with a pressing iron, starved or had raw pepper pressed into their private parts.

These horrendous practices must stop.

The alleged treatment of Amarachi raises a painful question about conscience. How does anyone become comfortable with the knowledge that a 15-year-old child is locked in a toilet for days, weeks or months? How can anyone hear a child’s cries and regard them as inconsequential? How could the supposed punishment for a minor offence ever justify such treatment?

Child abuse must not be treated as a private family matter. Once a child’s life, dignity or health is endangered, society has a duty to intervene.

Some children have reportedly suffered permanent physical injuries over offences that could have been addressed through ordinary discipline, counselling or correction.

Nigeria must examine a dangerous misconception that adults have unlimited authority over children in their care. They do not.

Parents, guardians, employers, religious leaders, teachers and caregivers have responsibilities towards children. Authority over a child is not a licence to inflict suffering.

The Child Rights Act protects children from exploitative labour.

This is particularly important for children engaged as domestic workers. When children are taken from poor families and placed in other households, their vulnerability increases. Such children must be protected and treated with dignity.

Poverty is undoubtedly one of the factors that can push families towards sending children away for domestic work. But it must never become a justification for abandoning parental responsibility.

Parents and guardians must exercise the greatest care in deciding whom they entrust with their children. They must know where their children live and how they are treated.

They must know whether their children attend school or have adequate food. Under no circumstances must parents abandon their children after handing them to another household.

The authorities, too, must develop better systems for monitoring vulnerable children, particularly domestic workers who may have little opportunity to report abuse.

The police must investigate reports of child abuse promptly and professionally. Neighbours, landlords, teachers, religious leaders and community members must do something when they suspect that a child is being harmed.

The judiciary has an equally important role. Cases involving children must be handled with sensitivity and justice. Where evidence establishes criminal responsibility, the courts must impose the sanctions prescribed by law.

The National Orientation Agency and ministries responsible for women’s affairs and social development should mount sustained public campaigns against violence and cruelty towards children.

Such campaigns should make it clear that beating, starving, locking up, sexually abusing, humiliating or otherwise torturing a child is not discipline. It is abuse. And it is criminal.

Schools can also become important reporting points. Teachers should be trained to recognise signs of abuse, while children should be taught how to seek help when they are being harmed.

Amarachi’s rescue should not end with her being taken out of the alleged place of confinement. She needs proper medical assessment, psychological support, safety and assistance to return to education and rebuild her life.

Her case should also not become another brief outrage that disappears from public consciousness after a few days.

The authorities must establish exactly what happened in Abuloma. They must determine how long the girl was allegedly confined and the conditions under which she lived. Were any other offences committed? The investigation should be transparent enough to assure the public that the matter has not been quietly abandoned.

Nigeria has laws protecting children. What is required now is the political will and institutional capacity to enforce them.

A 15-year-old child should never have to cry from inside a locked toilet before society remembers that she has rights

culled from The Punch 

Speaking in an interview with Sunday Scoop,Kosoko said, “When social media came, we were afraid. Is this not going to kick us out of business? Is this not going to kick us out completely? But, I must say that eventually, we were able to scale through by virtue of the fact that most of our junior colleagues are computer literate, unlike people like us.

“We eventually used it to our advantage, so we have to thank God for that.”

However, reflecting on the emergence of artificial intelligence, Kosoko admitted that he was yet to fully understand the technology.

“When I started seeing AI, I still don’t understand it till now,” he said.

His comments reflect the evolving relationship between Nollywood’s older generation and emerging technologies, from the initial uncertainty surrounding social media to the growing presence of artificial intelligence in the creative industry.

Germany defender Jonathan Tah praised Jurgen Klopp’s instant impact, telling reporters on Saturday that the squad was “ready to walk through fire” for the coach after his first team talk.

Klopp took over in July after Germany’s last-32 World Cup exit, the four-time champion’s third-straight early elimination from the tournament.

The 59-year-old took his first training session with the squad on Monday and guided Germany to a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Thursday.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Nations League match with Greece in Augsburg, Bayern Munich defender Tah said that he could see what had made the former Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Mainz coach successful during his club career.

“It’s the experience he brings from every club, that mix of fun and passion, that absolute will to win, and also the way he brings the team along. He can really fire us up.

“I think after our initial meeting, everyone walked out thinking, ‘Okay, we’re ready to walk through fire together now’.

“He just has this ability to galvanise a team. We’ve seen that in the past too. That’s something he does exceptionally well and I think that’s why he’s been so successful.”

Germany looked energetic in Klopp’s opener on Thursday but were also outclassed for long periods against the Netherlands, who started aggressively under new coach Xavi Hernandez.

“In the moments when we worked together against the ball, we had some great defensive spells,” Klopp said on Saturday.

“Problems arose when old habits crept back in.”

Sunday’s match will be the first time in 25 years that the German national team has appeared on home soil in front of a crowd including standing terraces after a change in UEFA regulations.

Germany has a strong culture of standing terraces in the club game and is one of 10 national associations to be included as a part of a UEFA project to reintroduce the practice.

“The atmosphere in the stadium has a dramatic impact on performance,” Klopp said.

“When the right people are standing, the atmosphere is outstanding and the influence is huge.”

Injuries to Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala forced Klopp to bring under-fire Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz into the squad for Sunday’s match, having planned to include him only in Germany’s third and fourth games.

We need to make sure Flo feels comfortable here and can fit into the role we envision for him. Hopefully, he’ll simply be able to be himself here.”

Tah also backed Wirtz to find his form.

“I find it pretty extreme the way he’s been attacked,” Tah said.

“I know the kind of player he is and that he’s going to shine even more.

“I know what he’s capable of and eventually, everyone will understand.”

A clear path to choosing the next Awujale and ending a year of conflict in Ijebuland 

The search for the next Awujale began with 95 names. After duplicates were removed, 86 remained. But many of those names arrived attached to family groups that never belonged to the ruling house. Some pointed back to the founder's own father. Some pointed to his sisters. One was not a person at all, but a village. A name by itself cannot make someone's family when the bloodline was never there.

Fortunately, there is a reliable way to separate true heirs from false claims. A record has rested in the National Archives in Ibadan since 1944, and it names the real family. It shows that Oba Adejoko Fusengbuwa, who ruled from 1790 to 1819, had twelve children.

The rules registered in 1959, still in force today, confirm the same fact. In Ijebu custom, each of those twelve lines is called an Idi Igi, a branch that grows straight from the trunk of the founder. Membership in a ruling house passes only through those branches, the founder's children and their direct descendants. 

Titles carry no weight. Membership cards carry no weight. Long friendships carry no weight. Only bloodline does.

When all 86 names are measured against that record, only 18 survive. They belong to just three of the twelve Idi Igi. These 18 are not competing claims set against one another. They are the names no faction can honestly dispute, because the historical record already stands behind each one.

Olufadi (the first son born while the founder was king)

Adeleye Seun Onanuga
Adeyemi Akeem Adeleke
Adeyemi Olawale Oriola
Adeleye Ademuyiwa Abdulateef
Adeyemi Abdul Adekunle
Adebiyi Ibrahim Adeleye
Muyideen Adeleye Adio

* Adesimbo Tunwase (the second son born while the founder was king)

Abayomi Adebisi Kadri
Olugbenga Abimbola Ayo-Yusuf
Nurudeen Adesupo Akeju
Mustapha Adeyemi Mojeed
Ilumoka Qudus Omolaja
Oduwole Tajudeen Olasupo
Osinuga (the senior child of the founder)
Aderibigbe Moronfolu Aderomola
Aderibigbe Azeez Ademola
Abimbola Oluwafemi Ibrahim
Muizdeen Adewale Abimbola
Adefuwape Adegboyega Abimbola

The opportunity in front of the house
This dispute has dragged on for more than a year, and the throne has stood empty since July 2025. It does not have to remain empty, and the conflict does not have to deepen.

Each of these 18 candidates shares something that cannot be bought or invented: a place on a true Idi Igi that the record already proves. That shared foundation is exactly what a divided house needs.

The path forward is straightforward. The kingmakers, the ruling house, the families, and the government can accept these 18 as the legitimate pool. They can meet, weigh the candidates, and agree on one. The wisest choice is a person of proven character, real ability, and respected standing, someone whose claim to the throne no one will later challenge in court.

Ijebuland has waited long enough for its next king. The wait can end here, not through another lawsuit, but through a single, united decision. Any of these 18 can wear the crown with honor, because the record itself vouches for them. That is the opportunity in front of the house. It only needs to seize it.

- Adegboyega Makanjuola writes from the UK and is an indigene of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State Nigeria.

The Enugu State Local Government Election recorded low voter turnout on Saturday, with some residents blaming inadequate awareness and previous election experiences for the apathy.

The election, conducted by the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission across the 17 local government areas of the state, also witnessed late arrival of electoral materials at several polling units.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that only a few voters were seen casting their ballots at some polling units in Trans-Ekulu and parts of New Haven in Enugu metropolis.

At polling units in Achara Layout and Awkunanaw, electoral materials arrived late, while security personnel and a few voters waited at Igbariam Primary School for the materials to arrive.

Some youths at the polling unit were seen playing football while waiting.

The low turnout occurred despite campaigns by political parties and appeals by ENSIEC and the state government for eligible voters to participate in the election.

A resident, Raphael Nnamani, told NAN that he deliberately stayed away from the election because he believed his vote would not count.

Everybody know the situation; whether you vote or not, the results have been written; so, why should I waste my time, ” he said.

Another resident, Margaret Ozioko, said she was unaware that the election was taking place.

“I don’t have anything to do with election in Nigeria because after voting the vote will not count,” she said.

A civil servant, Peter Eze, attributed the low turnout to inadequate awareness, previous election experiences and concerns about the impact of local government elections on residents.

“Of what essence is the election when we know that the ruling party will win everything; for me, it is completely a waste of time and energy, ” Eze said.

Another resident, Fabian Ugwu, described the exercise as an “affirmation of selected candidates.”

The residents, however, urged political leaders and electoral authorities to do more to encourage citizens to participate in future local government elections.

The results of the election were expected to be announced later on Saturday as collation continued across the 260 electoral wards.

NAN

Gubana spoke on Saturday after casting his vote at Polling Unit 008, Dogon Kuka Ward, in Fune Local Government Area.

The deputy governor also expressed satisfaction with the turnout of voters in the area, describing it as an indication of citizens’ acceptance of democracy.

“This is an indication that democracy has come to stay, and is accepted as the best form of government

Voter education and sensitisation across the state would be given much emphasis, going forward, so as to foster a more robust democratic process and participation,” he said.

The deputy governor was accompanied by the Special Adviser to Governor Mai Mala Buni on Security Matters, retired Brigadier-General Dahiru Abdulsalam; the All Progressives Congress chairman in Fune Local Government Area, Yusuf Sinkin; and others.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the election was largely peaceful across the state’s 17 local government areas.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the election was largely peaceful across the state’s 17 local government areas.

In an exclusive interview with Saturday Beats, Charly Boy addressed the backlash that followed his social media posts about his daughters and defended his parenting philosophy.

He explained that his response to his children’s sexuality had ultimately been guided by love and his belief that adult children could not be controlled by their parents.

He said, “Get it clear, I actually have two daughters who are lesbians. My youngest daughter came out first, years ago, and my eldest daughter came out more recently. When my youngest daughter first told me, it was a hard pill to swallow initially because she hadn’t had children yet, whereas my older daughter had already built a family.

I was trying to educate people that you have no control over the life of a 50-something-year-old woman. This is the same woman who gave me six grandchildren and a great-grandson. If she decides that she no longer likes men and prefers to be a lesbian, so be it. My only concern is for her to be happy.

I don’t want to quarrel with my children if I can help it. As long as you’re not bothering me, asking me for money or having a sense of entitlement, it’s all about love.”

“And because I love my children deeply, I adapted quickly. I didn’t want to be an old-fashioned, rigid father; I wanted to be a supportive, open father. As long as they are standing on their own two feet and not asking me for money, their life is their life. At the end of the day, it all comes down to love.”

Asked if he felt bad about his two daughters identifying as lesbians, he said, “Yes and no. Yes, because I would have wished Dominique, like the older one, had her babies before she jumped into this, but she was never married before.”

Charly Boy said his approach to parenting had changed significantly, particularly with younger generations.

“As a parent, I’ve learnt that with millennials and Gen Zs, you don’t tell them what to do; you can only advise them and try to get them to see the logical side of what you’re putting across for them to take, leave or trash. The days of beating and commanding are gone and can’t come back.”

He added that his decision to speak openly about his family was consistent with his personality and the views expressed in his book, ‘999’.

Speaking further about his relationship with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, he described him as a friend and father figure.

He said, “We didn’t intentionally set out to build this kind of friendship. It was just something that happened naturally or organically. I’m enjoying it, just like he’s enjoying it. I like very sincere and open people, and he is one of such persons.

“We talk for three or four hours sometimes. You can start imagining what Charly Boy and Obasanjo would be talking about for three or four hours. We talk about religion a lot because I want to know where he stands in the scheme of things. When you hear us discussing in our private space, you’d think I’m talking to my age mate. I’m truly in love with that guy because he’s a correct person.”

He added, “Sometimes, I feel like he’s my father because he talks like my father and does things like my father. Anytime I’m trying to figure something out, I call him, and he helps me sort it out. For friendship, he’s there; for fatherhood, he’s there. We talk every day.”

Thousands of people marched through Madrid on Saturday to protest the eviction earlier this week of an 87-year-old woman from her lifelong home, calling for greater protection for tenants.

Images of Maricarmen Abascal being carried from her Madrid flat on a stretcher on Wednesday after police broke down her door have thrust Spain’s housing crisis back into the spotlight ahead of a general election due in 2027.

Protesters chanted slogans and held banners calling for measures to curb rising housing costs and make evictions more difficult as they marched through central Madrid.

“You could be the next Maricarmen,” read one banner.

Abascal, who has become a symbol of Spain’s housing crisis, urged Spaniards to join the fight in a video message posted online just hours before the protest.

“I want what has happened to me to serve so that it does not happen to other people,” she said from hospital, where she has been treated for exhaustion since her eviction.

“I want it to encourage people to fight and to help change the laws that have allowed me to be evicted,” she added in the video, posted by Spain’s main tenants’ union.

Abascal was forced to leave the apartment where she had lived for 70 years after a real estate firm acquired the property and raised the rent by 275 per cent to 2,650 euros ($3,000), according to the union.

Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who last year pledged to make housing a government priority, is under growing pressure to act. There have been regular protests across Spain since Abascal’s eviction.

His government is expected to approve a package of measures dubbed the “Maricarmen decree” at its next cabinet meeting, including the automatic renewal of rental contracts and further restrictions on evictions.

But it is unclear whether the package will be approved by parliament, where Sanchez’s government lacks a majority.

While a similar bill was defeated earlier this year, Abascal’s case has increased pressure on political parties to act.

AFP

The 2027 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Benue State, Michael Aondoakaa, SAN, has appealed to his supporters to eschew violence in the face of provocation.

Aondoakaa, a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice during the administration of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, made the appeal in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists in Makurdi on Saturday.

According to him, the appeal followed the burning of his campaign materials in some parts of the state.

There had been a viral video circulating across the state showing some hoodlums pouring petrol on and burning campaign T-shirts bearing the image of the PDP governorship candidate, Michael Aondoakaa, SAN

Most of those who commented on the viral video condemned the act and described the incident as politics of bitterness.

Aondoakaa, who appealed for calm among his supporters, said that even when campaign materials are destroyed, the aspirations of the people would not be burned.

The former Attorney General of the Federation said, “I have received reports and seen images of the burning of campaign materials belonging to our movement. Like many of you, I am deeply concerned by this unfortunate development.

However, I wish to state clearly and unequivocally that no act of provocation, no matter how offensive, should cause us to abandon the principles upon which our campaign is founded.

From the very beginning, our movement has stood for peace, security, justice, tolerance, and the rule of law. We have presented ourselves to the people of Benue as a credible alternative because we believe politics should be about ideas, solutions, and service, not hatred, intimidation, or violence.

“I therefore call on all my supporters across the 23 local government areas of our dear state to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding. Do not retaliate. Do not destroy anyone’s campaign materials. Do not engage in violence.

“Do not allow yourselves to be provoked into actions that will tarnish the noble cause we represent under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“The price of peace is far cheaper than the cost of violence. Peace builds; violence destroys. Peace unites; violence divides. Peace creates hope; violence leaves pain. No matter the provocation, choose peace.”

He added, “Those who seek to provoke us into anger and disorder have a purpose. They want to distract us from our message. They want to create confusion and paint everyone with the same brush. We must not give them that opportunity. We must disappoint those who expect us to respond with bitterness and violence.

“Let us show Benue people that there is a clear difference between a movement that seeks to inspire and one that seeks to intimidate; between a movement that builds and one that destroys; between a movement guided by peace and one driven by hostility.

The strength of our movement, christened BENUE FIRST, does not lie in posters, banners, billboards, or campaign materials. Its strength lies in the conviction of the people, in our shared vision for a safer and more prosperous Benue, and in our collective determination to restore hope to our state.

“Campaign materials can be destroyed, but the aspirations of the people cannot be burned. The desire for peace cannot be set ablaze. The demand for good governance cannot be intimidated into silence.”

No fewer than eight persons have been arrested over alleged homosexual acts in Kazaure Local Government Area of Jigawa State following a complaint lodged by a resident in the Kanti area of Kazaure town.

Confirming the arrest in a statement made available to PUNCH correspondent on Saturday in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, the Public Relations Officer of the Jigawa State Hisbah Board, Dauda Hadejia, said the Corps received a complaint from a 22-year-old man.

According to Hadejia, the complainant alleged that nine individuals had engaged in homosexual acts with him on different occasions.

The PRO said the complainant also claimed that he later contracted HIV, which he attributed to the alleged acts.

Hadejia said the complainant therefore appealed to the Hisbah authorities to seek justice over what he described as deception and actions that negatively affected his life.

He explained that following the complaint, Hisbah operatives launched an investigation and began searching for the nine individuals mentioned by the complainant.

“Our men swung into action after receiving the complaint and so far eight suspects have been arrested, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining suspect,” Hadejia said.

The PRO added that during preliminary investigations, the eight arrested suspects reportedly admitted to having engaged in the act with the complainant.

He noted that the Hisbah Corps had compiled relevant information and evidence for presentation before the court.

Hadejia, in the statement, quoted the Deputy Commander-General of the Jigawa State Hisbah Board, Dr Hussain Baban, as advising parents to be more vigilant about their children’s upbringing.

“Dr. Baban urged parents to pay greater attention to the upbringing of their children and monitor the people they associate with,” Hadejia said.

He also said the DCG called on members of the public to fear God and remain mindful of the consequences of their actions.

Accordingly, the PRO added that the investigation was still ongoing and the suspects would be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.

According to Hadejia, the DCG expressed appreciation to the Jigawa State Government for its support and cooperation with the Hisbah Board in carrying out its responsibilities.SALIS

The Delta State Government has assured the family of late Mr Unity Adeda, a Level 16 civil servant in the Ministry of Secondary Education, that there will be no perversion of justice following his reported death after an altercation at his workplace.

The Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, gave the assurance on Saturday when he led a delegation of senior government officials to the deceased’s family to commiserate with them over the incident.

The delegation included the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon Johnson Erijo; Permanent Secretary, SSG’s Office, Mr Lucky Nkemachor; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Community Development, Mrs Kevwe Agas; Executive Secretary, State Pensions Bureau, Mr Lawson Efenudu, among others.

Emu said the state government was deeply concerned about the incident, stressing that every life mattered to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration.

He said the government was mourning with the family, the civil service and the entire state, noting that the deceased was a senior public servant who had contributed to the state’s public service.

“The entire state is in a mourning mood, not just the family. He was a very senior officer, but whether he was a senior or junior officer, every life means a lot to the state and the government,” he said.

According to him, the government was yet to establish the full circumstances surrounding the death because the police investigation was ongoing.

He, however, said preliminary accounts indicated that an internal altercation at the workplace had escalated, leading to the incident.

Emu said Governor Oborevwori had immediately directed the Commissioner of Police to ensure that the matter was thoroughly investigated, adding that some persons connected with the incident had already made statements to the police.

He said the government had also constituted an administrative panel, made up entirely of serving and retired civil servants, to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and strengthen internal conflict-resolution mechanisms within the public service.

The essence of the administrative panel is not to conflict with the judicial process or the police investigation. It is to help us rebuild our system and enrich our conflict-management process,” he said.

The SSG explained that workplace conflicts were inevitable but must be managed through appropriate institutional mechanisms before they escalated.

Govt assures labour of justice

Emu disclosed that the government had met with labour leaders on Thursday following the incident and assured them that the workplace remained safe for civil servants.

He said; “We met with Labour yesterday and what Labour wanted was reassurance that there would be justice. Labour, as well as ourselves, agreed that the administrative panel must be set up and the police must do their job.

All of these things have been done. The entire justice process has started, and we are convinced that having seen the sincerity and transparency of government, labour will do the needful,” he said.

Emu also appealed to civil servants to remain calm and continue with their duties, assuring them that the government was committed to protecting lives and ensuring a peaceful working environment.

“We are here to establish government concern, register the government’s sincere condolences and tell you (family) that we are with you. There will be no perversion of justice as far as this case is concerned,” he said.

He urged the family to take solace in the life the deceased lived and the impact he made during his years of service, while assuring them that the government would continue to stand by them.

Responding on behalf of the family, Mr Godwin Akamakusi, the deceased’s in-law, thanked Governor Oborevwori and the Delta State Government for the visit and concern.

He appealed to the government to “ensure that the circumstances surrounding the death were fully investigated and that justice was served.”

Old Trafford, Manchester United’s 74,000-capacity stadium, became a house of worship on Saturday as Nigerian pastor Jerry Eze led the NSPPD UK Prayer Conference, drawing believers from across Britain and beyond.

Hosted by Streams of Joy International, the conference brought together believers from across the United Kingdom and around the world for prayer, worship and fellowship.

Admission to the event was free, though attendees were encouraged to register in advance as places were limited.

Despite that, demand reportedly outstripped availability, with some social media users claiming the event was fully booked and turning to TikTok in the days leading up to the conference in search of spare tickets.

The gathering featured several well-known gospel ministers alongside Eze, including Sunmisola Agbebi, Mercy Chinwo, Dunsin Oyekan and Kaestrings.

The media aide to the Anambra State First Lady, Dr Nonye Soludo, Daniel Ezeigwe, has disputed former governor Peter Obi’s claim that he and his wife are “godparents” to the children of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, saying Obi is not a godfather to any of the governor’s children.

Obi, who is the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, had said he and his wife were “godparents” to Soludo’s children, stressing that despite their political differences, there was no quarrel between them.

The former governor spoke on Friday at the Nigerian Guild of Editors’ 22nd Conference in Enugu.

“People might not know, my wife and I are godparents to Soludo’s children. Yes, we are that close. So we are not quarrelling, and we will never quarrel. If I see him any day, me and him will hug and everything. If they say anything, I’ll answer them,” Obi said.

The video has since circulated widely, generating reactions and requests for clarification.

However, in a statement issued on Saturday, Daniel Ezeigwe, the media aide to the Anambra State First Lady, Dr Nonye Soludo, said the office had received several calls and enquiries seeking clarification on the claim.

Ezeigwe said Obi was not a “godfather” to any of Soludo’s children, adding that the clarification was necessary to set the record straight.

The statement read, “The attention of the First Lady of Anambra State, Dr Nonye Soludo, has been drawn to a viral video in which the former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, claimed that ‘he and his wife are godparents to Soludo’s children’.

“Following the widespread circulation of the video, we have received several calls and enquiries seeking clarification on the claim.

“We hereby state clearly that the claim, as presented, is false. For the avoidance of doubt:

“Mr Peter Obi is not a godfather to any of the children of Professor Chukwuma and Dr Nonye Soludo.

“The facts concerning the godparent relationship between the two families are as follows: Dr Nonye Soludo, First Lady of Anambra State, is the confirmation ‘godmother’ to Peter Obi’s daughter.

“Mrs Margaret Obi, wife of Mr Peter Obi, is the baptismal godmother to one of Prof Chukwuma Soludo’s daughters.

“Neither Mr Obi nor Professor Soludo has served as a godparent to the other’s children

“It is possible that Mr Peter Obi simply misspoke in the course of making his remarks. However, given the widespread circulation of the video and the enquiries it has generated, it is important that the record be set straight.

“The relationship between the two families is cordial and there is no need to misrepresent it in any manner.

“We urge members of the public, the media and all concerned to take note of this clarification and disregard any impression created by the statement that Mr Peter Obi is godfather to any of Governor Soludo’s children.”

APC gov candidate promises media partnership, accountability...

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has pledged sustained and increased support for the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Council, if elected governor in 2027.

Adeola made the pledge on Friday during a courtesy and familiarisation visit to the Ogun State NUJ at the Iwe Iroyin Press Centre, Abeokuta, where he also unveiled his proposed nine-pillar development agenda for the state.

Addressing journalists, Adeola dismissed reports that he had brought consultants to take over the responsibilities of the Ogun NUJ, describing the information as false.

“The information that Yayi has brought in consultants to take up NUJ Ogun State's job is a blatant lie,” he said, stressing that he considered journalists partners in progress.

He promised that, if elected governor, his administration would support the NUJ in a manner he said journalists had not experienced before.

Adeola also asked journalists to hold him accountable for the promises contained in his proposed development blueprint, saying he deliberately chose to document his commitments before the fourth estate rather than simply make verbal assurances.

“You are the custodians of public memory. Whether you call me a senator or one day governor, you will be the ones who ask me in one year, in two years, what happened to the promises you made in Abeokuta?” he told the journalists.

He described the proposed agenda as a “covenant, a plan and intent” and said it was developed over about two years after examining the challenges confronting the state.

Adeola said his ITESIWAJU agenda was built around nine cardinal pillars of development and six catalysts of institutional reform, covering infrastructure, tourism and culture, education and human capital development, security and law enforcement, health and wellbeing, women and youth empowerment and poverty alleviation, agriculture and food security, job creation and industrialisation, and urban, environmental and physical development.

On infrastructure, Adeola proposed an Ogun State Bus Mass Transit programme covering major corridors, with interconnected terminals linking Abeokuta, Ilaro, Sagamu, Ijebu and Lagos.

He also promised to work with the Nigerian Railway Corporation towards establishing commuter rail connectivity between Abeokuta, Lagos and the state's industrial corridors.

Another proposed initiative, “Ogun Ride”, would provide a state-backed mobility platform for cars, tricycles and motorcycles, with operators expected to benefit from health insurance, vehicle financing and cooperative arrangements.

Adeola said his infrastructure plan would not be limited to roads, but would also cover housing, rail transportation, water transportation, digital connectivity and new towns along high-growth corridors.

He proposed the development of new town areas across the state, arguing that planned settlements would help accommodate population growth while preserving older communities and family heritage.

On tourism and culture, the APC candidate identified Abeokuta's history, Egungun festivals, Ogun Waterside and other cultural assets as opportunities for developing the state's visitor economy.

He said his administration would promote film, fashion, music and Adire, while developing flagship cultural events and a digital tourism portal.

Adeola commended Governor Dapo Abiodun's administration for its intervention at Olumo Rock, saying he would build on existing achievements while expanding attention to other tourism and cultural assets.

In education, he promised to expand classroom and learning infrastructure, strengthen technical and vocational education and improve the quality and global competitiveness of graduates from Ogun's tertiary institutions.

He also proposed incorporating Artificial Intelligence into the curriculum of primary and secondary schools.

On security, Adeola proposed the establishment of an Ogun State Security Trust Fund, modelled partly on his stated experience with the Lagos State Security Trust Fund.

He said industries and other stakeholders should participate in funding security, while government would continue to make annual budgetary provisions for the protection of lives and property.

In the health sector, he proposed expanding healthcare infrastructure in underserved communities, universalising the state health insurance scheme with a target of two million enrollees, and increasing investment in doctors, nurses and community health workers.

Adeola also said he had facilitated the construction of more than 100 primary healthcare centres and would build on existing healthcare initiatives in the state.

For women, youths and poverty alleviation, he proposed establishing mega vocational centres across Ogun's four divisions where people could receive training in tailoring, catering and other trades.

He said training would last between six months and one year, after which beneficiaries could establish businesses or access employment opportunities.

On agriculture, Adeola proposed greater mechanisation, farmer financing, climate-smart agriculture, agricultural processing and the establishment of an agro-industrial park.

He also proposed what he described as a Commodity and Exchange Commission to create an organised market and offtake mechanism for farmers.

According to him, government could buy agricultural produce from farmers, process the commodities and facilitate access to local and export markets, thereby reducing post-harvest losses and ensuring farmers have the resources to return to their farms.

Adeola claimed that he had distributed more than 40 tractors and other agricultural equipment to farmers in Ogun State as part of his existing interventions.

On industrialisation and employment, Adeola questioned whether Ogun was receiving adequate economic benefits from the industries operating within its territory.

He argued that some companies with factories in Ogun maintain their headquarters in Lagos, resulting in some executive-level tax revenues accruing to Lagos while Ogun bears much of the industrial activity.

He said his administration would seek to reverse the trend and ensure greater economic value for Ogun.

Adeola also proposed stronger partnerships with industries to give qualified Ogun residents greater access to employment opportunities.

He said his administration would encourage industries operating in Ogun to prioritise qualified residents in their recruitment, with the aim of reducing unemployment and encouraging people to live, work and pay taxes in the state.

On mining, he said Ogun should derive greater value from its mineral resources and promised to pursue greater state involvement in mining-related opportunities.

“I will be the chief miner of the state. I will fight for every mining certificate in the state,” Adeola said.

He also spoke of his intention to develop Ogun's economy in a way that would reduce the dependence of residents on Lagos for employment and accommodation, saying he wanted Ogun to become a state where people could live and work around the clock.

Adeola further said he would seek to build on the achievements of the current administration rather than discard existing projects, noting that infrastructure development could not be completed within one or two years.

He said the objective of his proposed administration would be to address infrastructure, transport, housing, rail, water transportation, agriculture, health, education and other sectors through a coordinated development plan.

Earlier, the Ogun NUJ Chairman, Comrade Akinwale Olanrewaju, appreciated Adeola for his visit and called for his intervention in the state-owned broadcasting stations, which he described as being in a critical condition.

Olanrewaju also raised other issues concerning the development and welfare of the media community and the union's infrastructure.

The NUJ chairman thereafter conferred on Adeola the title of Ogun NUJ Golden Jubilee Ambassador as the council prepares to mark its 50th anniversary.

The Golden Jubilee celebration is scheduled for October 26 to November 1, 2026, with the theme, “Truth, Trust and the Press – Protecting Democratic Choice and Rebuilding Public Confidence in Journalism.”

The senator's delegation included the APC deputy governorship candidate, Alhaja Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun; Director-General of the APC Campaign Council, Senator Lekan Mustapha; former Speakers of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Titi Oseni-Shodunke and Hon. Tunji Egbetokun; and APC Ogun West senatorial candidate, Hon. Jimoh Ojugbele.

Adeola said the proposed agenda was intended to provide a framework for transforming Ogun's economy, improving infrastructure and public services, creating employment opportunities and strengthening the state's position as an industrial and commercial hub.

He urged journalists to preserve the commitments made during the engagement and hold him accountable to them should he eventually assume office.

- Story from NUJ Ogun-East Independent Chapel

The long-awaited fight will take place at the Principality Stadium, with the bout expected to become the richest fight in British boxing history.

Joshua and Fury had been scheduled to meet in 2021 when they held the major heavyweight titles, but the proposed two-fight series collapsed after Fury was required to fulfil his contractual obligation for a trilogy fight against Deontay Wilder.

The pair eventually went in different directions, with both later facing Oleksandr Usyk, who defeated Fury twice and Joshua twice.

Now, six years after their original agreement, the British rivals are set to settle their long-running rivalry in Cardiff.

The Sun reports on Friday that the fight is expected to generate a £150m ($198m) prize pot, with neither boxer having an A-side advantage in the purse split.

That means Joshua is expected to receive £75m ($99m), with Fury receiving the same amount.

The reported payday would be significantly higher than the pair’s previous career-best purses.

SunSport reported that both fighters have previously earned around £65m ($85m) for a single fight, putting their potential £75m earnings from the December clash about £10m above that figure.

Joshua could have earned even more had the fight been staged in the United States, with Madison Square Garden in New York reportedly considered for the contest.

However, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion insisted that the fight take place in Britain.

Speaking to SunSport, Joshua said, “British boxing gave me everything, it changed my life,”

“I was going down the wrong path until I found Sean Murphy and Johnny Oliver at Finchley ABC.

“And then Team GB in Sheffield – and all the amazing coaches that worked every day for the love of the sport.

Not the money – because there was no money.”

“It was the UK or nothing.”

The December fight could be the final bout for either fighter, with both men now in the latter stages of their careers.

The contest will also be staged without a rematch clause.

The move comes after Friday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Northern Ireland in Georgia’s opening match in the Nations League.

“The Georgian national football team will be coached by Georgian specialist Ramaz Svanadze until the end of 2028,” the country’s federation said.

“Svanadze will replace Frenchman Willy Sagnol as head coach.”

Former Bayern Munich right-back and France international Sagnol took over Georgia in February 2021 and guided them to a first European Championship appearance three years later.

“Thank you, Willy Sagnol, for every minute spent with the Georgian national team and for the emotions we shared together along this historic path,” the federation added.

Svanadze, 45, was previously in charge of the Georgian under-21 side, with whom he reached the European Championship finals on two occasions.

AFP

The explosion, which occurred at dawn on Friday in the popular Plaka district filled with tourist lodgings, was likely caused by a gas leak, according to the capital’s mayor, Haris Doukas.

The other two people killed were an elderly British man and his Greek wife who lived on the second storey of the three-storey building, Greece’s state broadcaster ERT reported.

The American family of four had been renting an apartment on the first storey and were preparing to go to the airport hours later on Friday for their return to the United States when the blast occurred, according to the Kathimerini newspaper.

The explosion brought down the residential building and damaged properties and vehicles along the street.

The New York Times reported that the US family was composed of a couple, their son and his girlfriend.

Greek authorities did not immediately give their identities, ages or where in the United States they came from.

Incredible disaster’ –

On Saturday, AFP reporters saw mechanical diggers moving debris at the site and thermal-imaging cameras deployed.

We are talking about an incredible disaster,” Mayor Doukas said.

Two nearby buildings were left in a dangerous state, he added, with inspections under way “to determine if they can remain standing or if they also have to be demolished”.

The owner of the ground-floor apartment, Mathaios Artavanis, told the Kathimerini daily he was absent at the time of the blast. He said he had tried afterwards to contact the UK-Greek couple who lived there, without success.

A year ago, locals in the Plaka neighbourhood had warned the city and utility companies about the risk of gas leaks or short circuits, according to a letter by the residents’ association published by Kathimerini.

The residents had urged a fire drill to identify possible weaknesses in the emergency response plans for the district.

A citizens’ group said on social media that one resident in the street where the explosion happened had alerted authorities after smelling a possible gas leak.

The neighbourhood is one of Athens’s most popular tourist areas. The nearby Acropolis, one of Greece’s best-known landmarks, welcomed 4.6 million visitors last year.

AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo has extended his record as the most-capped men’s international player in Europe, reaching 234 appearances for Portugal.

He moved it to that after his appearance during Portugal’s 1-0 win over Wales in their UEFA Nations League Group D opener.

The 41-year-old Portuguese star became the first player to reach 200 international appearances when he featured against Iceland in June 2023, marking the occasion with an 89th-minute winner.

Ronaldo had previously broken the European record by winning his 197th cap against Liechtenstein on March 23, 2023, scoring twice in the process.

He took his tally to 199 against Bosnia and Herzegovina in UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying on June 17, 2023, before reaching 200 three days later against Iceland.

Ronaldo surpassed the previous European record of 180 appearances, held by Spain’s Sergio Ramos, in 2021. His appearance against Morocco in the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals also saw him equal Bader Al-Mutawa’s then-world record of 196 caps for Kuwait.

Ronaldo has since moved further clear of the European record.

All these were detailed in an updated release on Friday on the Nations League website.

Europe’s most-capped men’s international players

234: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)*

Ronaldo is also Europe’s leading international goalscorer. He passed the 100-goal mark in September 2020, equalled Ali Daei’s world record of 109 goals during Euro 2020 and surpassed it during the European Qualifiers on September 1, 2021.

He scored his 144th, 145th and 146th international goals in summer 2026 as he became the first player to score at six World Cup final tournaments.

202: Luka Modrić (Croatia)*

Modrić surpassed long-time team-mate Darijo Srna to become Croatia’s most-capped player in March 2021.

“When will you stop playing?” wife Vanja asked the inspiration behind Croatia’s run to the 2018 World Cup final.

“I don’t know, my love,” came the reply. “You’ll have to be patient.”

Modrić captained Croatia to back-to-back World Cup semi-finals when they reached the last four in 2022 and inspired them to the 2023 UEFA Nations League final.

180: Sergio Ramos (Spain)

Ramos surpassed Gianluigi Buffon’s previous European record of 176 caps while playing for Spain in their UEFA Nations League game in Switzerland on November 14, 2020.

The youngest European man to reach 100 caps, at the age of 26 in March 2013, Ramos won two UEFA European Championship titles and one World Cup.

He retired in February 2023 after not appearing for Spain since March 2021.

176: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)

A 2006 World Cup winner with Italy, Buffon made his final appearance for the Azzurri in a March 2018 friendly against Argentina.

That achievement came after he surpassed Dino Zoff’s national record of 112 caps in 2011.

“When I made my Italy debut back in 1997, getting to this total was just a dream for me,” he said.

168: Robert Lewandowski (Poland)*

The 37-year-old striker reached 150 caps in Poland’s 2-1 victory over Türkiye in their final friendly before Euro 2024.

He has appeared in four Euro final tournaments, scoring in all of them, including three goals at Euro 2020.

Lewandowski also featured at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, when Poland reached the round of 16.

167: Iker Casillas (Spain)

Casillas, a former Real Madrid goalkeeper, summed up his experience of playing for Spain as “Responsibility. Pride. Satisfaction. Happiness. Commitment. Respect for those who preceded me. An infinity of words – and doing everything for the Spanish fans.”

Like Ramos, he won two European Championship titles and a World Cup with Spain.

166: Vitālijs Astafjevs (Latvia)

“I love football and have always loved it,” said the journeyman midfielder after he played his farewell international, aged 39, in November 2010.

Astafjevs’ personal pinnacle came when he represented Latvia at Euro 2004.

We worked a miracle, everyone was amazed,” he said. “That was true happiness.”

159: Konstantin Vassiljev (Estonia)

The former Flora midfielder, who also played in Slovenia, Russia and Poland during his career, retired in November 2024.

He scored 14 league goals in the 2023 season, his highest tally since 2006, despite turning 39 during that campaign.

158: Ivan Perišić (Croatia)*

Still scoring goals and providing assists at the age of 37, Perišić has been a mainstay for Croatia since making his debut in 2011.

He holds Croatia’s record for most goals and goal contributions at major tournaments.

Perišić scored and assisted in Croatia’s 2018 World Cup semi-final victory over England and scored in the eventual final defeat by France.

He also registered a goal and an assist during Croatia’s campaign at the 2026 World Cup.

157: Jan Vertonghen (Belgium)

The former Ajax and Tottenham centre-back returned to Belgium in 2022, signing for Anderlecht after two years with Benfica.

He made his senior international debut in June 2007, playing the full 90 minutes of a Euro 2008 qualifier against Portugal.

Vertonghen helped Belgium reach Euro 2024 on his 151st appearance before announcing his international retirement after the Red Devils lost to France in the round of 16.

156: Martin Reim (Estonia)

“There is no way I could go on playing until I die,” said midfielder Reim as he made his farewell appearance, aged 38, in 2009, ending a 17-year run with the national team.

Apart from a brief spell with Finland’s KooTeePee, Reim spent his entire club career in Estonia.

He also managed Estonia from 2016 to 2019.

152: Granit Xhaka (Switzerland)*

The midfielder played at his fourth World Cup in 2026, having also featured at three European Championships for Switzerland.

I’ve been lucky and privileged to play alongside some really big names, and for a team that have achieved a lot in recent years,” he said.

“It’s not a given that you’ll make it to every finals competition.”

151: Christian Eriksen (Denmark)

Eriksen was first capped at the age of 18 in March 2010, two months after making his senior debut for Ajax.

The attacking midfielder became an important player for Denmark before suffering a cardiac arrest during the team’s opening game at Euro 2020.

He returned to international football in March 2022 and became Denmark’s most-capped player during Euro 2024.

151: Edin Džeko (Bosnia and Herzegovina)*

Džeko scored his first international goal on his debut in a 2007 victory against Türkiye.

The striker helped Bosnia and Herzegovina qualify for their first major tournament, the 2014 World Cup.

He has been the country’s captain for more than a decade and is its all-time leading scorer and most-capped international.

Džeko also helped Bosnia and Herzegovina qualify for a second World Cup with a play-off final victory over Italy in 2026.

150: Lothar Matthäus (West Germany/Germany)

A European champion in 1980 and World Cup winner 10 years later, Matthäus played across two eras of German football.

The box-to-box midfielder later moved into a sweeper role and earned praise from Diego Maradona, who said: “He is the best rival I’ve ever faced. I guess that’s all you need to know.”

Players marked with an asterisk have yet to retire from international football.

Data correct as of September 25, 2026.

The co-manager of the New Afrika Shrine, Yeni Kuti, says Felabration is a platform that promotes Nigerian culture while celebrating the life and legacy of late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

Kuti said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Lagos, ahead of the 2026 edition of the annual festival.

According to her, the week-long festival, scheduled to hold from October 12 to October 18, will begin with an art competition on October 1 at the Kalakuta Museum.

She said a dance competition would follow on October 3 at the New Afrika Shrine, while the school debates would hold on October 7.

Kuti added that the ‘Dress Fela’ fashion show was scheduled for October 10, ahead of the main festival.

She said the festival had continued to attract tourists, particularly people of African descent from the diaspora, to the New Afrika Shrine.

Kuti described the development as positive, adding that the presence of international visitors provided an avenue to showcase Nigeria’s culture to the world.

It’s a very positive thing because if you come to the Shrine, you see people from all over the world.

“I’m glad that we are doing it and we are promoting our culture,” she said.

NAN reports that Felabration was conceived by Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti in 1998 and has grown into an annual festival featuring music, debates, dance, art and fashion in celebration of Fela’s life and legacy.

NAN

The denial followed a video posted on Facebook by Jay Scotch Automobile Ltd, in which the motorist recounted an encounter with officials who allegedly stopped him and demanded a permit for the “TRD 4×4 Sport Tacoma” inscription on his vehicle.

In the video, the motorist said the officials argued that the inscription amounted to an advertisement and demanded that he produce a permit.

“So, I was driving this Toyota Tacoma with this TRD inscription, TRD 4×4 Sport Tacoma and Lagos Task Force had to stop me and say I should provide, you know, if there is an inscription in your car, you have to provide a permit,” he said.

He alleged that the officials threatened to damage his side mirror if he failed to provide the permit.

“They were like, I should provide a permit for this one. I used mouth finish them and they were threatening to spoil my side mirror if I don’t provide permit to be using this one,” he said.

The motorist explained that the inscription was not added to the vehicle as an advertisement but came with the vehicle when it was purchased in the United States.

Something that came in like this from the abroad or from USA where it was bought from,” he said.

Questioning the demand, he added, “So, I don’t know. Why are you asking me for a permit because of this TRD written on this Tacoma?”

However, the Director of Press and Public Affairs of the Lagos State Task Force, Raheem Gbadeyanka, in response to an inquiry about the incident on Saturday, said the agency was not responsible for it.

Gbadeyanka explained that residents often mistake officers from different government agencies for Task Force operatives, particularly when they see officers wearing camouflage uniforms.

“Unless you understand the ignorance of some people, if care is not taken, an individual too will be ignorant of their ignorance. Many of them don’t really understand or know the difference between one agency of government or the other; once they are accosted by any policeman dressed in camouflage uniform on the street, they ignorantly believe they are Task Force operatives,” he said.

He also said the Task Force no longer enforces traffic-related offences following a directive from the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.

“Ever since the Commissioner of Police of Lagos discretionally stopped us from engaging in any traffic-related offences, the agency operatives had stopped effecting the arrest of traffic offenders,” he said.

Gbadeyanka further said requesting permits for vehicle inscriptions was outside the agency’s mandate.

“It is also not part of our mandates to request for permits for inscriptions on vehicles,” he said.

He added that Task Force operatives could not stop vehicles for traffic offences under the leadership of the agency’s chairman, CSP Adebayo Akerele.

“The agency operatives dare not stop any vehicle for traffic offences under the watchful eyes of disciplinarian CSP Adebayo Akerele, chairman, Lagos State Task Force,” he said.

The incident also touches on Lagos State’s regulation of branded vehicles. The Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency has previously stated that its Mobile Advert Permit applies to branded vehicles operating in the state.

PUNCH reported in November 2024 that the permit is issued to owners or users of branded vehicles, including cars, buses, pick-ups and trucks, and is valid from January to December, subject to annual renewal.

LASAA’s current website also lists “Car, Truck & Bike branding” under its Mobile Branding Permit system.

In 2023, the agency said the mobile advert permit was introduced to regulate branded vehicles, with enforcement teams deployed across Lagos to ensure compliance.

However, the Task Force maintained that its operatives were not involved in the incident and that requesting a permit for an inscription on a vehicle was not within its mandate.

The Institut Français de Recherche en Afrique au Nigeria/French Institute for Research in Africa, Nigeria (IFRA-Nigeria) is pleased to welcome applications for its 2027 research grants programme.

The IFRA Nigeria Research Grant offers a €1,000 to second-year Master’s students, doctoral and post-doctoral students, as well as researchers.

This post will disclose all the details you need to know about the scholarship. Its eligibility requirements, benefits, and how interested and qualified candidates can apply.

IFRA Nigeria Research Grant 2027 Summary

• Host: IFRA Nigeria
• Category: Postgraduate Scholarships | Masters Scholarships | PhD Scholarships | Research
• Eligible Countries: 10 African Countries
• Reward: €1000 Grant
• No IELTS Required
• Deadline: October 30, 2026

IFRA Nigeria Research Grant 2027 Details:

IFRA-Nigeria is opening its call for the 2027 Research Grants!

IFRA-Nigeria – the French Institute for Research in Africa located within the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan – has a regional vocation that extends over nine West African countries: Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Niger, Chad and Togo.

It promotes and supports research on these countries in the field of the humanities and social sciences. Disciplines outside this field are not eligible.

Eligibility Requirements for IFRA Research Grant

The projects must be in line with the geographical area covered by IFRA-Nigeria and at least one of the four research axes of the Institute:

• Axis 1: Beliefs, bodies and health
  
• Axis 2: Citizenship, gender and mobilisation
  
• Axis 3: Heritage dynamics and environment
  
• Transversal axis: Digital Humanities
  

All projects must mention a valorisation component (publications, oral communications, etc.) in connection with IFRA-Nigeria’s editorial and research activities.

Benefits of IFRA Nigeria Research Grant 2027

• IFRA-Nigeria is financing, for the period of January 2027 to October 2027, a dozen of research projects, either individual or collective, implying fieldwork missions and/or stays in archives.
• IFRA-Nigeria grants can only reach a maximum of €1,000, depending on the nature and the budget of the project.

Required Documents for IFRA Nigeria Research Grant 2027

To apply, candidates must be ready to submit the following documents;

• A cover letter (1 page maximum, font size = Arial 12, automatic margins and paragraph size).
• A CV (3 pages maximum).
• A budget mentioning the total cost of the project. Please note that the budget must include a detailed explanation of the intended use of funds requested from IFRA-Nigeria, and any other amount requested to or received from other sources of funding. Use the budget templatedownloadable from the provided link.
• A detailed description of the research project not exceeding 4 pages (bibliography and budget excluded). It should include the scientific project, a detailed work plan (dates, itinerary, objectives, etc.), the list of institutional partnerships, the perspectives of valorisation and a bibliography. Use the proposal template downloadable from the provided link.

How to Apply for IFRA Nigeria Research Grant 2027 (Step by Step)

To apply for the IFRA Nigeria Research Grant 2027, interested and qualified candidates should;

• Click the green button below to submit your application.
• The response to the call will be sent to all applicants by email in December 2026 at the latest.
• The documents must be uploaded in a single pdf file.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Deadline: October 30, 2026

ASABA — Organised labour has declared a strike in Delta State over the controversial death of a civil servant, Mr Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda, following an altercation at the office of the Commissioner for Secondary Education, Dr Kingsley Ashibogwu.

While the commissioner said the 54-year-old Deputy Director physically attacked him and denied ordering anyone to assault him, the deceased’s sister alleged that her brother was beaten, tied up and left seriously injured before he was taken to hospital, where he later died.

The Police Command has since moved into the controversy, announcing the arrest of one suspect, Lucky Adoh, and a manhunt for other persons allegedly connected with the incident.

The development also triggered an industrial dispute, with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) declaring a dispute with the Delta State Government and directing workers to withdraw their services.

Ashibogwu, dismissing allegations that he assaulted Adeda, said: “Oh, I didn’t. Rather, the man even assaulted me, assaulted people in the office. There are video clips to it, where he was using his private vehicle to hit the staff vehicle.

“Before I knew what was happening, it was attack on me, physical. Direct attack. My clothes are there. I never ordered any person to touch him, I never touched him.”

He alleged that Adeda had threatened some workers before returning to confront him.

However, Ovwigho, the deceased’s sister, gave a sharply different account, saying she met her brother tied inside a vehicle at the hospital after receiving a distress call that he had been badly beaten at his workplace.

I saw him tied up like a criminal. His entire body was filthy, blood was coming out of his mouth and nose, and his head was badly swollen,” she alleged.

She said Adeda told her that he had been summoned by the commissioner and assaulted by men allegedly acting on the commissioner’s orders.

“If you see pictures of him when they beat him up, you will be scared,” she said.

NLC Chairman, Goodluck Ofobruku, said workers could no longer accept what he described as an unsafe workplace.

“We’re declaring dispute with the Delta State Government. For that reason, we’re withdrawing our services with immediate effect.

Whoever is responsible for the beating of this worker that led to his untimely death must be brought to book before we can come back,” he said.

The state Police Command, in a statement by its spokesman, SP Bright Edafe, said the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department would conduct a “thorough and impartial investigation” into the incident.

According to the police, the investigation would include an examination of video footage, eyewitness accounts and medical records.

The state government has also constituted an administrative panel, chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Service, Mrs Charity Ehimen, to investigate the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death.

The panel was given two weeks to complete its assignment.

The government assured civil servants of the safety of their workplaces and reaffirmed its commitment to respecting the “dignity and sanctity of life.”

culled from vanguard 

The Rivers State House of Assembly has ordered the arrest of the Vice Chancellor of the PAMO University of Medical Science, Port Harcourt, over scholarship funds disbursed to the institution by the state government, running into several billions of naira.

The Assembly said the arrest order became necessary due to the failure of the institution’s VC to honour the invitation of the Ad Hoc House Committee investigating the disbursement of funds to the university by the state government since 2017.

Also, the Assembly urged the Rivers State Government to set up a committee to recover all unaccounted funds in PAMO University’s possession and deposit them in the state’s Consolidated Revenue Account.

Recall that the House had last week extended the countdown for the VC to appear before the committee headed by the House Deputy Speaker, Mr Dumle Maol, on Thursday, September 24.

The Assembly’s order was taken during plenary session on Friday presided over by the Speaker, Mr Martin Amaewhule.

A statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media to the Speaker, Martins Wachukwu, on Friday, indicated that the House deliberated on the report of the Ad Hoc Committee probing the scholarship funds disbursed to the university.

The statement partly read, “The House, among other recommendations, also urged the state government to set up a committee to recover all unaccounted funds in possession of PAMO University and deposit them in the Consolidated Revenue Account of the state. The House resolution came amidst the refusal of the PAMO University VC to appear before the Ad hoc committee after several invitations, to explain how money given to the university under the scholarship scheme was expended.

The Ad hoc Committee Report chronicled how the university received over 29 billion Naira from the State government with no corresponding student enrolment, giving credence to the reason behind the Vice Chancellor’s refusal to honour the invitations.

“Rt. Hon Amaewhule frowned upon the situation where documents presented by the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, and the Office of the Accountant-General were at variance, adding that by simple deduction, out of the over N29bn released by the state government to PAMO University, it merely utilised only N5bn. The Speaker harped on the determination of the Assembly under his leadership to do the right thing irrespective of whose ox is gored.”

Amaewhule, according to the statement, emphasised that “no individual can be bigger than the House as an institution empowered by the Constitution.

Our correspondent recalls that the House of Assembly had yanked off the sum of N6bn allocated to PAMO University of Medical Sciences in the state 2026 budget of N1.84tn presented to it by Governor Siminalayi Fubara before presenting same to the governor on September 3rd for his assent, which he appended without question.

PAMO University is owned by former Rivers State governor, Dr Peter Odili, who doubles as the Pro-Chancellor.

The Delta State Police Command has commenced an investigation into the death of a Deputy Director in the state Ministry of Secondary Education, Mr Unity Adeda, with one person arrested in connection with the incident.

The investigation followed a complaint alleging that Adeda was beaten during an incident at the office of the Commissioner for Secondary Education, Dr Kingsley Ashibogwu, in Asaba.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, said three aides to the commissioner were named in the complaint as allegedly involved in the incident.

He identified them as Enos Attah, Oputa Okestine and Lucky Adoh, adding that Adoh had been arrested while efforts were ongoing to apprehend the other two.

Edafe said the Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Erale, had directed the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department to investigate the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death.

He said investigators would examine available evidence, including video recordings, eyewitness accounts and medical records, to establish what transpired

According to the police spokesman, the actions of all persons connected with the incident would also be examined before determining whether anyone was culpable

Earle assured the deceased’s family that the command would conduct the investigation professionally and without interference.

He said anyone found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law, irrespective of the person’s status or position.

The police commissioner appealed to members of the public to remain calm and avoid reaching conclusions before the completion of the investigation.

He also commiserated with Adeda’s family over his death.

The League of Imams and Alfas in Yorubaland, Edo, and Delta States has disowned the unauthorised conferment of prestigious Islamic chieftaincy titles by unauthorised individuals, mushroom societies, and self-serving groups across the South-West region.

The apex Islamic clerical body urged the public, traditional institutions, and government authorities to refrain from recognising or accepting such titles as having been endorsed by or affiliated with the League.

This was contained in an official statement signed by the President of the League and Chief Imam of Ekiti State, Sheikh Jamiu Kewulere, and obtained by Saturday PUNCHon Friday in Lagos.

Sheikh Kewulere revealed that the leadership of the League had become increasingly alarmed by a growing trend of fraudulent and parallel conferments, where unauthorised associations issue titles identical or strikingly similar to those historically instituted and reserved by the regional Muslim apex body

The statement emphasised that the League has never authorised any individual, Islamic society, independent mosque management committee, or cultural association to act as its representative or confer regional titles on its behalf without express written approval from its supreme council.

Clarifying the historical context and sanctity of the honors, the League explained that regional Islamic chieftaincy titles were deliberately created decades ago to honor distinguished Muslim leaders, philanthropists, and scholars who demonstrated exceptional dedication, sacrifice, and tangible contributions to the growth of Islam and the socio-economic welfare of the Ummah across Yorubaland.

“The titles were historically created to recognize Muslims who had demonstrated outstanding service, commitment, and contributions to Islam and the welfare of the Muslim community in Yorubaland,” the statement read.

We want to urge Muslims, traditional rulers, community leaders, government authorities, corporate organizations, philanthropists, and the general public to verify claims of authority before accepting or recognising any Islamic chieftaincy title purportedly conferred on behalf of the League.”

To prevent further public misrepresentation and clear existing ambiguities, the League listed high-profile regional titles that remain part of its exclusive institutional heritage, citing verified current titleholders recognised by the apex body.

It identified the former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sharafa Ishola, as the legitimate current Baba Adinni of Yorubaland, and prominent Ibadan-based businessman, Alhaji Daud Akinola (popularly known as D-Darmak), as the current Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland.

Other key regional titles exclusively administered by the League include Asiwaju Adinni, Iya Adinni, Iyalode Adinni, Borokinni Adinni, Seriki Adinni, Giwa Adinni, Balogun Adinni, and Asiwaju Obinrin Adinni of Yorubaland.

Reflecting on the historical pedigree of these honors, the League recalled that the legendary businessman, industrialist, and winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, the late Chief Moshood Abiola, was historically recognised and installed as the Baba Adinni of Yorubaland. Similarly, the late Ibadan-based billionaire and philanthropist, Aare AbdulAzeez Arisekola Alao, served as the pioneer Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland.

The League stressed that the continuous, unbroken line of these titleholders underscores their status as vital components of Yoruba Muslim institutional heritage, warning that these titles must not be replicated, commercialized, or presented to the public under pretenses.

However, the clerical body clarified that its public disclaimer was not designed to target any specific individual or prevent independent Islamic organizations and traditional rulers from honoring deserving citizens within their immediate local jurisdictions.

Our concern is not directed against any individual personally, nor is the League opposed to legitimate recognition of deserving Nigerians by lawful societies, traditional institutions, or community organizations,” the statement noted.

The United States and China will set up a “communication channel” for artificial intelligence incidents, the White House said on Friday.

US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping concluded a summit on Friday, with their talks focused on issues including the rising challenges posed by AI.

The two countries established a “U.S.-China Super Intelligence (SI) Dialogue to exchange views on risks and benefits” of AI, the White House said in a fact sheet, noting that their leaders had agreed to use the term SI rather than AI.

The next exchange is set to occur by November, it added.

The US and China also agreed to establish a “bilateral communication channel” for incidents, the White House said.

Before the summit, Trump said “Super Intelligence (SI) will be a big topic of discussion, but I want to leave it exactly where it is.”

That is China’s position also,” he added on social media.

Xi took a more measured tone, calling for the US and China to manage their superpower rivalry and keep AI under human control.

“We have both the capability and responsibility to develop and manage AI for good and ensure that the development of AI is always under human control,” he said at the White House on Thursday.

AFP

TikTok on Friday agreed to pay Alabama at least $100 million and enact time limits and other restrictions for teen users, avoiding trial with a settlement modelled on Instagram-owner Meta’s recent agreement with US states.

A trial had been set to begin Monday in the southern US state over claims by Alabama that TikTok misled parents about tools meant to shield children from harmful content.

Attorney General Steve Marshall hailed the settlement as “a great day for Alabama parents.”

“Tonight, they can rest easier knowing real protections are in place to shield their children from the dangers of social media addiction,” he said

Under the settlement, TikTok will send $100 million to Alabama and could possibly pay up to $300 million in total if other states accept similar agreements.

Alabama’s suit was the latest in a wave of litigation targeting social media companies across the United States over the harm their apps allegedly cause young users.

In August, Meta agreed to pay $18 billion to settle a sweeping lawsuit brought by US states accusing it of designing Instagram and Facebook to get children addicted.

TikTok’s settlement with Alabama mirrors safety provisions agreed by Meta, including a two-hour daily time limit for teens, restricted access from midnight to 6:00 am, and suspending notifications during school hours

It will also strengthen age verification, ban beauty filters for teenagers, and offer young users a non-personalised content feed.

In addition, it includes a conditional restriction that Meta also agreed to: expanding the nighttime shutdown period to 10:00 pm to 7:00 am, if other platforms also commit to do the same.

– More suits pending –

“TikTok’s priority has always been fostering a safe and positive space where people can be creative, discover what they love, and connect with their community,” a company spokesperson told AFP.

This builds on our commitment and core objective to continually enhance our robust safety tools to protect teens,” the spokesperson added.

More than a dozen other states, including California and New York, still have active suits against TikTok.

The company has previously settled cases against it that were headed for trial, including a Los Angeles lawsuit brought by a young woman and a suit from a Kentucky school district.

Meta, by contrast, has taken its chances in court — with bruising results.

In March, a jury in New Mexico ordered the Facebook and Instagram owner to pay $375 million after finding it had misled the public about the safety of its platforms for children.

That same month, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google’s YouTube negligent in the case of a 20-year-old woman who said she became hooked on social media as a child, awarding her $6 million.

Going to trial would have exposed TikTok to unprecedented public scrutiny of how it handles safety internally, with company documents and executive testimony potentially aired in open court.

Alabama originally sued TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance in April 2025, alleging the app was engineered to hook young users “just like a sophisticated gambling machine.”

The state later narrowed its case to claims under Alabama’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act, focusing on whether TikTok misrepresented the effectiveness of features such as “Restricted Mode” and “Kids Mode.”

Despite TikTok’s assurances that users in that mode should not see mature themes, the accounts were quickly served videos about suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, alcohol and sex, according to the filing.

AFP

CNN reporters have been barred from travelling with US President Donald Trump as planned on Saturday, in a new move by the White House to limit the news network’s access.

The president last week sought to ban three US outlets — CNN, MS NOW and Politico — from the White House, accusing them of providing only negative coverage of him.

After journalists with the three outlets were blocked from entering the White House complex, a judge ordered their access to be temporarily restored, saying Trump’s move was likely unconstitutional.

For Trump’s trip on Saturday to Tennessee, CNN had been scheduled to be the TV network in the press “pool” travelling with him.

However, a schedule released by the White House on Friday evening did not list CNN or any of the TV networks in the TV pool rotation.

The pool is a rotating group of journalists that travel with the president and provide coverage to other outlets, due to limited space.

The White House schedule only listed a “Secondary TV” correspondent and crew: Lindell TV — a staunchly pro-Trump outlet run by his close ally, businessman Mike Lindell.

Earlier this week, when CNN’s White House access was still revoked, the top five US broadcasters made a rare joint move to halt pool coverage of the White House in solidarity.

“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organisation because it objects to its reporting,” ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC said.

CNN declined to comment when reached Friday by AFP. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

AFP

The controversy started when Emmanuel, who claimed to be married, accused Martins, in a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter), of harassment, stalking and attempts to damage his reputation and marriage.

Emmanuel, who admitted to having a sexual relationship with Martins, also accused her of refusing to let go after he decided to end their affair.

According to him, his relationship with Martins began on May 9, 2026, after he told her that he was married and was looking for a “side chic.”

Emmanuel, who shared several screenshots of alleged conversations between him and Martins, claimed that she knew about his marriage and agreed to the arrangement.

He said the trouble began when Martins allegedly became persistent, demanding and disrespectful, accusing her of stalking him and his wife, and wanting something more than their casual sexual relationship.

In one of the screenshots posted by Emmanuel, Martins reportedly said, “Why is it that you went off when I was asking for your hand in marriage?”

The screenshots also showed that Martins allegedly made repeated demands for sex, with some of the exchanges showing her asking when they would meet again.

“My estrogen is going crazy that I’m pulsating. It is ovulation day. Are we ‘doing’ if we meet tomorrow? I’m so horny, I can’t sleep

Asides that, when can I get one for the road, please? I’m talking of a genital meet and greet. And I’m not coming over, maybe e go be for my side or hotel, anyhow you wan do am,” Martins reportedly said in some of the chats.

In another chat, Martins also allegedly asked Emmanuel to send her pictures of his private part.

Martins, in some of the chats, accused Emmanuel of neglecting her and complained about his lack of affection towards her.

She reportedly wrote, “You have made it clear severally that you want nothing to do with me, but I’m the one that refused to listen, hoping for the best.

“I have to beg for intimacy, beg to get video call, beg for clarity, beg to meet you, beg for ordinary goodnight and affection.”

However, Emmanuel said he broke off the affair and told Martins that they would not be seeing each other again because of what he described as her “aggressive” and “condescending” behaviour

But the decision, he alleged, did not end the matter, disclosing that Martins continued contacting him.

He alleged that Martins, together with her friends, kept stalking him and his wife on social media.

“Fola (Martins) is at my place now with stranger men banging my doors heavily. I don’t know who they are and I won’t open the door!” Emmanuel wrote.

He said he was forced to bring the issue on X, saying, “What happened over the past few weeks has gone beyond a personal disagreement. It is now affecting my reputation, my home, my wife and my family and I believe I need to put my side of the story on record.”

But, reacting, Martins faulted Emmanuel’s account, saying she never agreed to be his “side chick” and was not aware that he was married when their relationship began.

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Martins said she was currently gathering evidence and pursuing the matter through legal channels, adding that she would provide further details when permitted by the court.

I’m currently working on enough proof and doing everything legally. I know everyone has been trying to get my side, but little proof has been out on X.

“I never agreed to be a side chick and was never aware of any marriage,” she said.

However, Martins declined to speak further on the controversy surrounding her relationship with Emmanuel, saying, “Any other information on my side of the whole story will be given once the court allows.”

Meanwhile, many users on X have reacted to the controversy, with several blaming Emmanuel for engaging in an extra-marital affair and questioning his decision to make the dispute public.

A user, @AtuanyaKene, wrote: “Unfortunately, I have no sympathy for cheaters like you and you deserve everything you’re seeing now because if it didn’t happen, you’d be waving your kini around and disgracing your wife and family in secret without telling us about it. The only sympathy I have is for the person you betrayed. I hope you keep jamming crazy people like her the next time you decide to cheat.”

Another user, Adeleke Bolanle, said, “The moment you had sex with her, you’ve given her the licence to attack your wife and interfere with your family. You’ve made a big mistake and I hope you learn from it.”

@Omoluabi_AB wrote: “Bros, na jeje she sit down, na you go meet her. Some people dey cheat and leave, and it will end like that; it doesn’t mean it will always be like that for everyone. Your own no be like am so deal with am yourself, married man ffs testing rizz.”

Another user, @Orev_a, questioned Emmanuel’s decision to cheat despite being married, writing, “I still genuinely don’t understand some of you men. Even if you’ve decided to cheat, how do you look at your precious wife and still choose to embarrass her with a Twitter girl?”

The user added that Emmanuel’s actions could expose his wife to further embarrassment and hurt, arguing that “a man who can do this clearly hasn’t learned anything.”

The crisis rocking the Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress deepened on Friday as a former governorship aspirant, Abayomi Hunye, instituted a legal action before the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an examination of all past electoral documents submitted under oath by Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi.

 Hunye is asking the court to order a judicial review of the statutory declarations made by Adeola in his previous Independent National Electoral Commission nomination forms to ascertain the exact state of origin claimed by the lawmaker in earlier elections.

The demand was contained in a formal statement issued in Lagos by Hunye’s media adviser, Femi Oyewole, following a press briefing conducted by his lead legal counsel, Olamide Victor.

Victor clarified that the legal challenge was not focused on questioning Adeola’s indigeneity as a Yewa native, but rather on addressing fundamental questions of legal consistency and alleged perjury in public documents sworn to under oath.

We are not challenging the indigeneity of Senator Olamilekan Adeola as a Yewa son. What we are bringing before the court is a matter of statutory integrity and constitutional compliance.

He has held public elective offices over two decades. What state of origin did he declare under oath in his previous INEC nomination forms when he contested in Lagos State? Was it Ekiti State? Was it Lagos State? Any deliberate inconsistency in documents submitted under oath carries severe legal implications,” Victor said.

Although the legal team did not distribute copies of the contested historical forms during the press conference, Victor stated that certified true copies obtained from INEC repositories would be tendered as exhibits in court during trial.

The lawsuit represents the latest escalation in the contest between Hunye and Adeola over the APC governorship ticket for the 2027 election in Ogun State.

Addressing questions regarding his locus standi, Hunye emphasised that he was not seeking a judicial shortcut to be declared the candidate, but wanted the court to determine whether the party’s internal nomination process complied with electoral laws.

“I am not asking the media or the public to declare me the candidate. I am asking the judiciary to look at the process, examine the facts under the Electoral Act, and allow the law to take its proper course,” Hunye stated.

The aspirant also faulted claims by the Ogun APC State Working Committee that he was suspended from the party on April 7, 2026, following an alleged petition originating from his ward in Tube, Ipokia Local Government Area.

Exposing contradictions in the party’s account, Hunye questioned why the leadership allowed him to purchase the N50m governorship expression of interest and nomination forms on April 28 three weeks after his alleged suspension—if his membership status was invalid.

“If I was genuinely suspended on April 7, why did the party accept my N50m payment on April 28? Why was my application processed, and why was I cleared by the screening committee to contest the primary?” he asked.

Hunye participated in the APC governorship primary on May 21, where Adeola was declared winner with 304,055 votes out of 305,287 accredited voters, while Hunye was officially credited with zero votes.

He disclosed that after exhausting internal dispute mechanisms by submitting formal petitions to the APC Governorship Primary Appeal Committee without receiving a response, he exercised his right to seek judicial redress.

Hunye also dismissed allegations that his lawsuit was financed by the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the state, Ladi Adebutu, describing the suit as an independent quest to enforce internal party democracy.

.as Ogun APC guber candidate commends convener’s long-standing efforts

The Yayi Progressives Movement, a leading political support group of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State, has again donated campaign materials and food items to its principal, Senator Solomon Adeola, ahead of his campaign activities.

The gathering, which was attended by the party’s Deputy Governorship Candidate, Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Balogun (nee Adegunwa), alongside the Commissioner for Budget, Hon. Olaolu Olabimtan, Hon. Adekunle Akinlade; Hon. Babatunde Olaotan; and other party stakeholders, featured the presentation of the items by  selected representatives of the movement.

Speaking at the gathering on Thursday Senator Adeola said the contributions of the Yayi Progressives Movement to his political aspiration could not be overlooked.

He acknowledged the numerous roles played by the movement’s Convener, Armstrong ‘Tope Akintunde, as well as other members, highlighting the group’s activities since its inauguration, including the donation of 27 buses and the solidarity trek, among other initiatives.

Senator Adeola further appreciated members of the movement for their steadfastness and charged them not to relent in their mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections. Adding that the success of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would ultimately benefit the people of Ogun State.

In his reaction, the Convener of the movement, Armstrong ‘Tope Akintunde in an acknowledgment statement released to journalists on Friday through its Director of Media and Communications, Comrade Oluseun Joshua, stated that his long-standing support for Senator Adeola, even before the formation of DACA, had always been driven by a clear sense of purpose. Akintunde added that the people of Ogun State were now witnessing the outcome of that commitment.

“Our principal, distinguished Senator Solomon Adeola ‘Yayi’, is a father to many of us. He has demonstrated this in many ways. There is no amount of effort we can put together that would prevent him from enjoying our full support.

“Senator Adeola is a father who gave us a marching order to mobilise support for all candidates of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State, even before the formation of DACA and to this stage of the Yayi Progressives Movement.

“The election of our principal and distinguished Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan ‘Yayi’ is a paramount assignment to all of us in the Yayi Progressives Movement. I appreciate all our members who are working tirelessly towards achieving this objective,” - Akintunde said.

In the same vein, the Deputy Coordinator of the movement, Hon. Yakubu Lookman, praised Senator Adeola for his leadership qualities and the support he had provided to the Yayi Progressives Movement at various levels.

He also commended the movement’s leadership for creating opportunities for members to mobilise and work collectively towards achieving the group’s political objective in support of Senator Solomon Adeola ‘Yayi’.

According to GB News on Friday, Miliband met Araghchi on Thursday as the two discussed the conflict in the Middle East, the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and threats linked to Iran on British soil.

The meeting prompted criticism from Shadow Foreign Office Secretary Tom Tugendhat, who described the encounter as “legitimising a regime that has often tried to harm our people.”

He said: “The Iranian regime has done nothing to justify any senior British minister meeting their envoys.

They are murdering protesters, threatening our allies and arming terror groups, including the Houthis. As well as threatening communities in the UK. Shaking hands gives them a credibility they have failed to achieve through violence.

This is just grandstanding. Iran’s civilian government isn’t even in charge. Today, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is running the country.

“Our foreign policy should be about protecting Britain’s interests, not legitimising a regime that has often tried to harm our people, fund terror groups, and destroy the freedoms that keep us safe

Our government fundamentally misunderstands the challenges we face, using old tactics to fight new threats. Our enemies are organising, so we need to show strength and unity with our allies.

Shadow Foreign Office minister Alicia Kearns also criticised the meeting in a post on X.

She said: “How dare Miliband shake Araghchi’s hand. He owes Parliament, British Jews, and the Foreman family an explanation and an apology.

“A propaganda win for Tehran, that’s what Miliband has given Iran. This is not an ally who’s misbehaving, so you make a stern face while shaking their hand.”

However, the UK Foreign Office said Miliband used the meeting to warn Araghchi that Britain would not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on British soil from groups linked to Iran.

The Foreign Office said the discussions also covered the war in the Middle East and the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The meeting came as world leaders and senior officials gathered in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly.

Workers under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress on Friday shut down the Delta State Secretariat in Asaba to protest the death of a Deputy Director, Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda, following an alleged confrontation at the secretariat.

The workers locked the entrances to the secretariat, preventing normal official activities, as they demanded an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death.

Adeda, a staff member of the Ministry of Secondary Education, reportedly died in hospital on Friday, a day after the alleged incident at the Prof Chike Odozien Secretariat, Asaba.

The protest followed allegations that Adeda was assaulted during a confrontation involving the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Kingsley Ashibogwu

Sources familiar with the incident alleged that Ashibogwu asked Adeda whether he knew him during the encounter, to which the deputy director reportedly replied that he did not.

The allegation of assault has not been independently established, while the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death remain under investigation.

Speaking during the protest, the Delta State NLC Chairman, Goodluck Ofobruku, said workers were unhappy with the incident and concerned about their safety at their places of work.

Ofobruku said the union would engage the state government to find an amicable resolution to the matter.

He said workers would return to their duties on Monday if the government assured them of their safety but would remain at home if their concerns were not addressed.

“We must assure workers that they are safe in their places of work. And whoever is responsible for this beating that led to his untimely death must be brought to book before we come back,” Ofobruku said.

Also speaking, the State Chairman of the Joint Civil Service Negotiating Council, Benson Efeotor, said the council was working to establish what happened.

Efeotor said he had visited the Ministry of Education and sought information concerning the deceased, who he said worked at the Science Centre.

He appealed to the workers to remain calm and avoid violence or destruction of property while the union continued discussions with the government.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, said the state government would not sweep the matter under the carpet.

Aniagwu, who addressed the workers and union leaders, said the government’s immediate priority was to establish the facts and determine the cause of Adeda’s death.

“There are different conjectures as to what may have led to the death of our brother who passed in the hospital. Perhaps, as the autopsy would have been able to establish, what transpired and indeed medical examination will determine the cause of death,” he said.

The commissioner assured the workers that the circumstances surrounding the death would be established and that necessary action would be taken based on the findings.

“I can assure you that nothing is going to be swept under the carpet. It will be known what happened and then the necessary action will be taken,” Aniagwu said.

He appealed for restraint and commended the workers and union leaders for handling the protest peacefully.

Aniagwu also stressed that every human life deserved to be protected, regardless of the person’s status or relationship to others.

The state government is expected to continue discussions with the labour unions as workers await further clarification on the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death.

A woman who accused rapper Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, of raping her when she was 13 has formally withdrawn the allegation, saying her claims against him were false.

The woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit in 2024 alleging that she had been drugged and raped by Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs at a party following the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000.

Both men denied the allegations, while the woman later dropped the lawsuit in February 2025. Carter subsequently filed a lawsuit against her and her former lawyers.

As reported by BBC in a declaration filed in the case on Thursday, the woman said she had never met or spoken with Carter and that he had never engaged in inappropriate conduct toward her.

“Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter never raped me. I have never met or spoken to Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter never engaged in any inappropriate conduct toward me whatsoever,” she wrote.

She also said her previous claim that Carter and Combs raped her while another celebrity watched was false.

“My claims that Mr Carter and Mr Combs raped me while a third celebrity, watched are false. There is no truth to any of my claims against Mr Carter,” she said

The woman said she understood that her accusations had caused Carter significant pain and damage.

I understand my false accusations have caused Mr Carter immense pain, suffering, and damage that can never be fully undone,” she added.

She said she had not received money from Carter or anyone acting on his behalf and had not been paid to make the latest declaration.

The woman has since been removed from Carter’s lawsuit, while the rapper is continuing his legal action against her former lawyers, including attorney Tony Buzbee.

Buzbee told Rolling Stone that he had not seen the woman’s new declaration. He said several lawyers had heard the same account from her before she became his client.

If for some reason now she is claiming she lied to us and the court, that’s new information,” Buzbee said.

The woman also rejected an earlier claim that Carter’s investigators had threatened or harassed her in an effort to make her withdraw her allegations.

I never received any threat from Mr Carter or anyone acting on his behalf,” she said.

In her declaration, the woman said she responded to a Facebook advertisement in September or October 2024 seeking people who might have sexual assault claims against Combs.

She said the advertisement triggered memories of an alleged rape when she was 13 and that she was subsequently contacted by a law firm.

However, she claimed she was not shown a draft of the lawsuit containing the allegations and did not authorise it before it was filed in October 2024.

She further alleged that Buzbee and other lawyers representing her filed the lawsuit without conducting an independent investigation or obtaining corroborating evidence.

“The October Complaint alleges that Mr Carter and Mr Combs raped me when I was a minor while an unnamed celebrity watched. As discussed above, these allegations were false,” she said.

Combs had also denied the allegations, with his lawyer previously describing the civil claims as cases being pursued for media attention rather than legal merit.

Buzbee represents several other people who have made allegations against Combs.

In July 2025, Combs was convicted on federal prostitution-related charges involving two former girlfriends and was sentenced to four years in prison.

Former Miss Jamaica, Dr Gabrielle Henry, has sued the Miss Universe Organisation over the stage fall that left her with a brain bleed and other injuries during the 2025 pageant in Thailand, ABC News reports on Thursday.

Henry, an ophthalmology resident, filed the lawsuit on September 21, bringing five claims against the Miss Universe Organisation and its parent companies, JKN Legacy Inc. and Legacy Holding Group USA.

The claims include negligence, negligent hiring, retention and supervision, as well as negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Henry disclosed the lawsuit in her first sit-down interview about the incident, which aired on ABC News’ Good Morning America on Thursday.

She recalled following the movements she had rehearsed before suddenly falling through an opening in the stage during the competition in Bangkok.

“I looked at the cameras as we were instructed to do. I was following what we had rehearsed. I stopped when I was told to stop, I looked at the cameras and then when I was instructed to go, I turned to the left, which I was told to do.”

“And in that moment is when those dreams shattered,” she said.

The incident was captured on video and circulated widely on social media.

Henry said she lost consciousness during the fall and could not remember the incident itself, adding that the opening led to a concrete base.

She said, “The first memory I have is that of waking up to my mother who was looking down on me.

“It was the first time I have ever seen my mother look so concerned. As soon as I saw my mom, I blacked out again.”

She suffered a brain bleed, as well as facial and back injuries, and was taken to hospital, where she was admitted to intensive care and placed under neurological monitoring.

Describing the impact of the injuries, Henry said, “Brain injury is one of the most traumatising things. I would not wish it on my worst enemy.”

She said the incident had affected her physically and emotionally, with severe pain sometimes preventing her from sleeping, while she had also feared that the injuries could end her medical career.

“I know for a fact I did not trip,” Henry said, adding that she believed the incident could have been prevented.

“I do think it could have been avoided. I think that proper measures could have and should have been put in place,” Henry added.

Henry alleged that those responsible for organising the stage and lighting should have ensured that protective measures were in place to prevent contestants from falling through the opening.

Her lawyer, Joseph Ciaccio, said the lawsuit was intended to seek accountability and improve safety for contestants.

“I don’t think anybody assumes the responsibility that they could be basically almost killed walking on stage at a Miss Universe organisation pageant,” Ciaccio told ABC News.

Henry said the Miss Universe Organisation initially supported her while she was in Thailand but that communication about her continuing medical expenses had reduced after she returned to Jamaica.

“In the initial stages, Miss Universe was quite present and did provide support while in Thailand.

However, following my return in Jamaica, I have not had much feedback from them as it pertains to covering my medical expenses, which are still ongoing,” she said.

The Miss Universe Organisation said it had not yet received the lawsuit and was therefore unable to comment on the claims.

In a statement to ABC News, the organisation said Henry’s health and well-being had “always been a priority” and added that it had not received any request or claim for additional medical expenses.

Henry said she was focused on continuing her recovery and reflecting on her experience of representing Jamaica at the pageant.

“I was so happy to have this honour of representing my small little island. It truly gave me so much joy,” she said.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has ruled out contesting the presidency or any other elective office after completing his tenure as governor.