The Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, has petitioned the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, over the formation of a breakaway faction by some members of the family, urging the government not to have anything to do with the group as far as the selection process for the new Awujale of Ijebuland is concerned.

The family also called on Governor Abiodun to lift the over seven-month-old embargo halting the selection of the new Awujale and allow the kingmakers to resume the process so that the people of Ijebu Ode can have a befitting royal father.

In the petition dated August 15 2026, and signed by the Chairman of the ruling house, Otunba Abdul Lateef Adebayo Owoyemi; Deputy Chairman, Otunba Oladokun Ajidagba; Vice Chairman, Prof. Fassy Adetokunboh Yusuf; and General Secretary, Pastor Prince J. Bola Salami, the family urged the governor not to recognise what it described as an “illegal and lawless group.”

Copies of the petition, which was submitted to the Governor’s Office on Monday, were also sent to the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Secretary to the State Government; Chairman of Ijebu Ode Local Government; and Chairman of the Awujale Afobajes Council.

The petition alleged that the breakaway group was led by Adeleke Adeyemi, whom the ruling house said previously belonged to the Otunba Ajidagba Unit, one of three units that worked together in nominating candidates for the vacant Awujale stool.

The petitioners claimed that Adeyemi and his associates had embarked on activities capable of causing division within the ruling house.

“We wish to bring to Your Excellency’s attention the unorthodox formation and unlawful activities by some rebellious contestants to the Awujale stool, led by one Adeleke Adeyemi,” the petition stated.

Among the allegations contained in the petition was that Adeyemi had convened meetings purportedly in the name of the Olori Ebi of the Ajidagba Unit and, in collaboration with one Ridwan Oduneye, constituted a “Fact Finding Committee” allegedly aimed at damaging the reputations of some leaders of the ruling house.

The petitioners also alleged that the committee’s activities contravened a subsisting judgment of the Ijebu-Ode High Court in Suit No. HCJ/18/2014, which they said prohibited one unit of the ruling house from interfering in the affairs of another.

The ruling house further accused Adeyemi’s group of convening a meeting at which it sought to remove the three recognised Olori Ebis of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House—Owoyemi, Ajidagba and Yusuf.

According to the petitioners, the three leaders played key roles in the nomination of candidates for the vacant Awujale stool.

The petitioners described the nomination process as “lawful and peaceful” and said it was conducted in compliance with the relevant law, declaration and tradition.

They also referred to an earlier petition submitted to the governor by counsel to Fuji musician, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1, Dr Wahab Shittu, SAN, in January 2026.

The ruling house, which is to produce the next Awujale of Ijebuland, alleged that Oduneye’s name featured in that petition as one of the members purportedly disenfranchised from the nomination exercise.

The ruling house, however, argued that Oduneye and some others were not selected to participate in the exercise by their family, citing the limited capacity of the venue.

The petition further alleged that Oduneye and his father had previously admitted to going to KWAM 1’s residence to sign a Fusengbuwa Ruling House membership form on behalf of the musician in an attempt to make him a contestant for the Awujale stool. The ruling house described this as sacrilegious because, according to it, the Fuji musician was never a member of the ruling house.

The ruling house said "We are reliably informed that the Adeleke Adeyemi’s illegal and unlawful breakaway unit has commenced entering into correspondence with Your Excellency and government for the purpose of seeking recognition, legitimizing their obnoxious activities and overturning all the successful attainments we have so far achieved in completing the candidates’ nomination and forwarding same to the Afobaje as acclaimed by all stakeholders.

"The aim of these renegades is to precipitate crises and deny our Ruling House from producing the next Awujale & Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, which God and our ancestors would not allow. We are convinced beyond every iota of doubt that they are being used.

"We are, therefore, earnestly urging Your Excellency not to accommodate nor have anything whatsoever to do with this illegal and lawless group and other rebellious groups that may raise their ugly heads under one guise or the others now or in the near future.

"We do not doubt that Your Excellency would have seen that the genuine Fusengbuwa Ruling House and the large majority of the people of Ijebu Ode are firmly in our support as the lawful leaders of Fusengbuwa Ruling House and have largely expressed their expectation that Your Excellency will not collaborate nor accommodate or tolerate any dissident or rebellious group to divide, damage and or destroy our Ruling House.

"We passionately urge Your Excellency to discountenance these distracting and destructive elements and direct the Afobajes to return to and complete their assigned role in this historic process. We earnestly pray that you remain on the side of history as we remain your loyal, law-abiding and respectful citizens".

Reacting to the petition on behalf of the breakaway group, Oduneye debunked the allegations made by the leadership of the ruling house, saying they were using the petition to create a distraction and confuse members of the public.

He explained "I am aware of the petition, we are only talking about the restructuring of our house and not about the selection process. This is not a matter that has anything to do with the government.

"We are only saying that they should come and defend the allegations of financial inducement among others against them. The truth is that our decision concerning their removal stand because it was a family decision".

Recall that the trio of Owoyemi, Ajidagba and Yusuf had recently rejected their removal as leaders of the ruling house by the breakaway unit and promised legal action against the Fact Finding Committee, which allegedly removed the leaders over claims of financial inducement in the Awujale selection process.

The three leaders had rejected these allegations describing them as falsehood and promised a legal redress against the activities of the committee.

Responding, the Secretary of the Fact Finding Committee, Oduneye, said the committee stood by its decision and that the three leaders remained removed, as announced during the family meeting held on August 9, 2026.

He also disclosed that the family members welcomed the proposed court action, adding that "Litigation is a civil way of seeking redress. The court will be the best place to establish who has betrayed the House and who is pursuing personal interest at the expense of the collective".

“We must be frank: the epidemic is far from being under control,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an emergency meeting on the outbreak.

It had a big head start, and we are still playing catch-up.”

His comment came after the DRC on Monday said the outbreak had killed more than 2,300 people out of nearly 5,000 cases, making it the deadliest in the country’s history.

Declared on May 15, the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak is thought to have already been spreading for several weeks by that point.

It has hit regions in the north and east where the presence of the state is weak, health infrastructure is largely lacking and myriad armed groups have roamed for decades.

The outbreak “is being fuelled by insecurity and displacement, and intense population movement along roads, rivers and mining routes”, Tedros said, according to a transcript of his remarks.

He called for governments to cooperate in fighting the outbreak, and said new recommendations would be issued to DRC and other countries at risk in the coming days.

– Unprecedented speed –

The virus, which spreads through contact with bodily fluids and causes a haemorrhagic fever, “is moving faster than any previous Ebola outbreak”, he warned.

Three months after it was declared, seven times more cases and five times more deaths were recorded in the DRC than during the first three months of the largest Ebola outbreak in history, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CD

That outbreak hit west Africa in 2013-2016, killing more than 11,300 people, mainly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is moving faster than any previous epidemic of the disease and risks spreading to more countries, the head of the World Health Organization warned Tuesday.

“We must be frank: the epidemic is far from being under control,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an emergency meeting on the outbreak.

“It had a big head start, and we are still playing catch-up.”

His comment came after the DRC on Monday said the outbreak had killed more than 2,300 people out of nearly 5,000 cases, making it the deadliest in the country’s history.

Declared on May 15, the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak is thought to have already been spreading for several weeks by that point.

It has hit regions in the north and east where the presence of the state is weak, health infrastructure is largely lacking and myriad armed groups have roamed for decades.

The outbreak “is being fuelled by insecurity and displacement, and intense population movement along roads, rivers and mining routes”, Tedros said, according to a transcript of his remarks.

He called for governments to cooperate in fighting the outbreak, and said new recommendations would be issued to DRC and other countries at risk in the coming days.

– Unprecedented speed –

The virus, which spreads through contact with bodily fluids and causes a haemorrhagic fever, “is moving faster than any previous Ebola outbreak”, he warned.

Three months after it was declared, seven times more cases and five times more deaths were recorded in the DRC than during the first three months of the largest Ebola outbreak in history, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

That outbreak hit west Africa in 2013-2016, killing more than 11,300 people, mainly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea

A 2018-2020 outbreak in the DRC, previously considered the country’s deadliest, killed 2,299 people out of 3,381 confirmed cases, according to WHO figures based on Congolese data.

Tuesday marked the second meeting of the WHO emergency committee since it declared on May 17 the outbreak a so-called Public Health Emergency of International Concern — its second-highest alert level.

It remained unclear when the committee would release its recommendations.

Currently, the United Nations health agency assesses the public health risk level at “very high” at the national level in the DRC, “high” for Uganda and other bordering nations, and “low” for the rest of Africa and the world.

His comment came after the DRC on Monday said the outbreak had killed more than 2,300 people out of nearly 5,000 cases, making it the deadliest in the country’s history.

Declared on May 15, the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak is thought to have already been spreading for several weeks by that point.

It has hit regions in the north and east where the presence of the state is weak, health infrastructure is largely lacking and myriad armed groups have roamed for decades.

The outbreak “is being fuelled by insecurity and displacement, and intense population movement along roads, rivers and mining routes”, Tedros said, according to a transcript of his remarks.

He called for governments to cooperate in fighting the outbreak, and said new recommendations would be issued to DRC and other countries at risk in the coming days.

– Unprecedented speed –

The virus, which spreads through contact with bodily fluids and causes a haemorrhagic fever, “is moving faster than any previous Ebola outbreak”, he warned.

Three months after it was declared, seven times more cases and five times more deaths were recorded in the DRC than during the first three months of the largest Ebola outbreak in history, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

That outbreak hit west Africa in 2013-2016, killing more than 11,300 people, mainly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

A 2018-2020 outbreak in the DRC, previously considered the country’s deadliest, killed 2,299 people out of 3,381 confirmed cases, according to WHO figures based on Congolese data.

Tuesday marked the second meeting of the WHO emergency committee since it declared on May 17 the outbreak a so-called Public Health Emergency of International Concern — its second-highest alert level.

It remained unclear when the committee would release its recommendations.

Currently, the United Nations health agency assesses the public health risk level at “very high” at the national level in the DRC, “high” for Uganda and other bordering nations, and “low” for the rest of Africa and the world.

– High risk of spread –

Cases have so far been reported in six DRC provinces, including near the border with South Sudan, as well as in neighbouring Uganda.

“The risk of further national and international spread remains high,” Tedros warned.

No specific vaccine or treatment exists for the Bundibugyo strain behind the current surge of Ebola, although clinical trials are underway.

The WHO chief said that what concerned him most was “where people are dying: at home, in their communities, outside treatment centres, and outside known contact lists”.

“Every death like that points to a chain of transmission we have not yet found,” he said, warning that “until every chain is found and broken, the epidemic will continue”.

The wariness in communities explained “the rise in cases and in deaths over the past three or four weeks,” Dieudonne Mwamba, head of the DRC’s Institute of Public Health (INSP), told AFP. Addressing that would require “other strategies”, he said.

At a press briefing on Tuesday, WHO expert Thierno Balde described efforts to ramp up and decentralise the response to bring it closer to communities where the virus is spreading.

Among other things, he said the organisation was striving to better protect motorcycle taxi drivers who transport patients, and integrate them into the surveillance system.

“WHO and partners aim to see an impact of the scale up in the next months but cannot put a timeline on when the epidemic will be brought under control,” he told reporters in Geneva, speaking from Bunia.

The chairman of Hong Local Government Area, Dr Aliyu Saad, confirmed the attack to The PUNCH in an interview via telephone on Tuesday.

“The attackers came on the night of Monday and launched a bloody attack on two houses, burnt the houses and killed one police officer and seven civilians during the attack,” he said.

He disclosed that military, police, hunters and other security agencies had been deployed to the area in a manhunt for the attackers.

The state police command spokesman, SP Suleiman Nguroje, also confirmed the attack to The PUNCHon the telephone on Tuesday.

“The report we received from the area on Monday night was that five dead bodies were recovered, four civilians and an inspector of police, after the attackers left.

We are still waiting for an update. Troops have been deployed with all the security agencies, including vigilante and hunters, to hunt for the attackers.

“If there is a new development concerning the attack, I will surely contact you for briefing,” he said.

This is the eighth time Hong LGA will suffer insurgent attacks this year.

A proposed military barracks to be located in Garaha, near the main Boko Haram route into the Sambisa Forest, is yet to take off.

Hong is the home town of two former Secretaries to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal and Mr Boss Mustapha.

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday received briefings from the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Darma, at the State House, Abuja.

The trio discussed the management and disposal of houses seized nationwide by the anti-graft agency, the State House media office revealed in a terse statement/photo release late Tuesday.

It read, “Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Olanipekun Ola Olukoyede, and Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the management and disposal of seized houses nationwide, under the rules of transparency and Accountability at the State House, Abuja. Tuesday, August 18, 2026.”

The meeting is the first public engagement between Tinubu and Olukoyede since the President publicly overruled the commission earlier this month over its handling of a court order freezing the Osun State Government’s accounts, just days before the state’s governorship election.

The EFCC had, on August 5, 2026, obtained a court order freezing Osun’s accounts, citing an investigation into the alleged fraudulent handling of ecology funds, intervention funds, and the state’s Federation Account Allocation Committee allocations, running to about N11bn.

The Osun State Government challenged the freeze in a suit filed the same day at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to nullify the order and claiming N2bn in exemplary damages, while accusing the commission of conducting an unproven “witch-hunt” against the state since March.

Two days later, in a statement he personally signed, Tinubu directed the EFCC to return to court and vacate the freeze order, saying he was “deeply embarrassed not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate backed by a court order, but by the timing of the agency’s action,” coming just 10 days to the August 15 poll.

The President said he had deliberately avoided interfering in the commission’s operational activities in the past, but could not allow any federal institution to create the impression that it was being deployed to influence the outcome of the election.

Governor Ademola Adeleke went on to win re-election in the August 15 poll.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics shortly after his victory was announced, Adeleke disclosed that he had directed the state’s Attorney General to withdraw the suit against the EFCC, crediting Tinubu’s intervention for the resolution.

“I’m putting them behind. What else do I want? I have instructed my Attorney General to drop it. Mr President has done well. He called me. What more do I want?” Adeleke said.

The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday launched the South-West Zonal National Community Food Bank in Ogun State, urging state governments across the region to replicate the initiative to strengthen the fight against food insecurity and malnutrition.

Speaking at the launch held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, Senator Tinubu said the programme was designed to ensure that vulnerable Nigerians, particularly children and pregnant and lactating women, have sustained access to nutritious food.

She called on governors in the South-West to establish community food banks in their respective states in partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), stressing that such collaboration would facilitate the supply of food items and provide the operational support needed to sustain the initiative.

The First Lady described the National Community Food Bank Programme as a deliberate and sustainable response to food insecurity and malnutrition among vulnerable households, noting that it specifically targets children under six years of age, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

She expressed optimism that the programme would be sustained, saying its ultimate objective was to ensure that every Nigerian child is adequately nourished and given a healthy foundation for the future.

According to her, the initiative is consistent with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, particularly its commitment to food security, improved healthcare, social protection and human capital development.

Senator Tinubu commended Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, for his commitment to the welfare and development of the people, citing the newly commissioned Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence and the President Muhammadu Buhari Estate as examples of projects that directly impact citizens’ lives.

She also clarified the distinction between a food bank and a food hub, explaining that the food bank is specifically designed to serve disadvantaged and vulnerable persons, with services provided free of charge.

She stressed that state governments were expected to take ownership of the facilities, adding that the Federal Government’s vision extended beyond the establishment of the initial food banks.

The First Lady further advocated locating food banks close to Primary Healthcare Centres to make them easily accessible to vulnerable families.

In his remarks, the chief host, Governor Dapo Abiodun, said the programme demonstrated the shared vision and common purpose of the Federal Government and Ogun State in building a more prosperous and inclusive Nigeria.

He said the President Muhammadu Buhari Estate and the Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence were in keeping with the Renewed Hope Agenda, which, he noted, was not merely about formulating policies but translating government intentions into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens through housing, healthcare, nutrition, social protection and human capital development.

Governor Abiodun said the philosophy underpinning his administration’s Building Our Future Together agenda was founded on the belief that government must create an environment where citizens can live with dignity, access essential services, pursue legitimate aspirations and face the future with confidence.

He maintained that development loses its moral value when economic growth rises while the basic needs of the people remain unmet.

According to him, the true measure of government is not only the number of projects commissioned but the number of lives positively transformed by such projects.

“The hospitals become useful when they save lives; the houses fulfil their purpose when they shelter families,” he said.

Governor Abiodun also said locating food banks within Primary Healthcare Centres would enable government to identify vulnerable households more effectively, support children at risk of malnutrition, assist pregnant women and nursing mothers, and ensure that interventions reached those who needed them most.

In his goodwill message, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the National Community Food Bank Programme would not only provide food to vulnerable Nigerians but also create a sustainable link between farmers and consumers.

He said the initiative reflected the commitment of the Tinubu administration to tackling food insecurity while protecting the dignity of vulnerable families.

Senator Kyari noted that food security was no longer being treated as a sectoral issue under the present administration, recalling that President Tinubu had declared a state of emergency on food security and placed the issue at the centre of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He explained that the significance of the Community Food Bank Programme went beyond food distribution, as the initiative was also designed to strengthen agricultural production through structured procurement and distribution.

“A food bank that hands out food solves a meal. A food bank tied to a farm solves a season,” he said.

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, described the National Community Food Bank Programme as a critical platform for addressing health challenges associated with food insecurity and ensuring that no child or woman goes without food.

He commended the Federal Government for establishing the programme and urged governors across the South-West to key into and scale up the initiative to achieve its objectives.

In a technical presentation, the Executive Secretary of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Muyi Aina, said the agency would collaborate with relevant stakeholders to strengthen food production and ensure the availability of nutritious food for Nigerians.

Dr. Aina said the programme targets pregnant women and children from six months to six years of age and would be domiciled within the country’s 13,500 Primary Healthcare Centres.

Also speaking, the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Michael Aremu Gbadebo, said the initiative had the potential to provide significant succour to vulnerable members of society.

He commended the First Lady for ensuring that Ogun State benefited from the programme.

The First Lady’s visit also featured the commissioning of the National Community Food Bank at Makun, Sagamu, the President Muhammadu Buhari Estate and the Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence, all in Ogun State.

Political parties and presidential and National Assembly candidates on Tuesday signed the first National Peace Accord on issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections, pledging to shun violence, hate speech, misinformation, personal attacks and other conduct capable of undermining the electoral process.

The accord was signed in Abuja at a ceremony organised by the National Peace Committee in partnership with The Kukah Centre, barely 24 hours before the statutory commencement of public campaigns and rallies for the elections.

The event brought together the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Joash Amupitan; political party leaders; presidential candidates; National Assembly candidates; the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and representatives of the diplomatic community, among other stakeholders.

Those who signed the accord included President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi; the Social Democratic Party candidate, Adewole Adebayo and his African Action Congress counterpart,  Omoyele Sowore.

Other participants were the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda; the presidential candidates of the Peoples Redemption Party, and Labour Party, Donald Duke, Chibuzor Okereke, the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin; the PRP National Chairman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed; federal and state lawmakers, party leaders and other candidates.

The event also featured goodwill messages from diplomatic representatives, including the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, and the Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, Patrick Egloff.

However, some major political actors, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, were absent from the ceremony. Atiku is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, while Makinde is the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement.

The Chairman of the National Peace Committee, former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), was represented by a former Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Agwai (retd.).

The ceremony was held against the backdrop of growing political activities ahead of the 2027 elections, with the economy, insecurity, unemployment, poverty, infrastructure deficits and the credibility of the electoral process expected to dominate the campaigns.

According to INEC’s revised timetable, the presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.

Speaking through Akume, President Tinubu urged political parties and candidates to place national interest above personal and partisan ambitions, warning that the struggle for political power must not become a do-or-die affair.

He also cautioned political actors against exploiting ethnic and religious sentiments to mobilise voters, insisting that the 2027 campaign should be based on competing ideas, policies and programmes.

“Signing this peace accord is a solemn pledge to the Nigerian people that we, as leaders, will put the nation’s interests above personal or partisan ambitions,” Tinubu said.

The President acknowledged that political campaigns naturally generate disagreements and intense competition, but insisted that such disagreements should not threaten national unity.

“It is natural during campaigns to disagree as opponents and advocate competing governing missions for our country. We may exchange occasional political jabs, but as members of the same household, the same national family, we must never resort to divisive and primordial sentiments of ethnicity or religion as tools for seeking power,” he stated.

Tinubu urged the candidates to concentrate on the issues affecting Nigerians and offer competing solutions to the country’s challenges.

“Let us campaign on superior ideas. Let us debate issues and promote the best policies to expand opportunities for our people,” he admonished his opponents.

The President said the APC remained committed to the provisions of the accord and would reject violence, hate speech, misinformation, incitement and digital manipulation.

“Our party rejects violence, hate speech, the spread of misinformation, including through artificial intelligence, and all forms of incitement, especially via social media.

“We are committed to peaceful, transparent elections that will strengthen political stability, social harmony, economic progress, and our nation’s prosperity. I encourage other political parties and political actors to do the same.’’

Tinubu also commended the National Peace Committee for sustaining its interventions in the electoral process since 2014, noting that the initiative had helped bring political actors together to publicly commit themselves to peaceful elections.

He said Nigeria had also recorded improvements in election management, particularly through the adoption of technology by INEC.

The President cited the Permanent Voter Cards, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and electronic accreditation processes as measures that had strengthened confidence in the electoral system.

He also referred to recent off-cycle governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States as evidence of improvements in electoral administration and voter participation.

Campaigns not wars

The INEC chairman, Amupitan, described the signing ceremony as more than a symbolic gathering, saying it was an opportunity for political actors to define the ethical boundaries of the 2027 contest before the campaigns officially commenced.

He said the timing of the accord was significant because Wednesday (today), marks the statutory commencement of public campaigns and rallies for the elections.

“Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 19, 2026, marks the statutory commencement of public campaigns and rallies for the 2027 general election.

“Before the first campaign flag is unfurled, before the first rally is staged, and before political rhetoric fills our public space, it is necessary that those who seek to lead this nation first gather to establish the ethical boundaries of their contest,” Amupitan said.

According to him, Nigerians were expecting political parties and candidates to use the campaign period to discuss the challenges confronting the country rather than engage in personal attacks and inflammatory rhetoric.

The INEC chairman said information gathered by the National Peace Committee’s Election Security Information Hub had shown an “alarming resurgence” of hate speech, toxic polarisation, coordinated misinformation and personality-driven political discourse.

He said the trend was particularly disturbing as Nigeria approached what was expected to be one of the most fiercely contested elections since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

Amupitan challenged the candidates to make the economy, national security, infrastructure, healthcare, education and social inclusion central to their campaigns.

He likened elections to a competition for public office rather than warfare.

“Electoral contests in a constitutional democracy are not total wars; they are competitive job interviews before the electorate. Nigerians do not want insults; they want solutions,” he said

The INEC chairman also warned political parties and their supporters against premature declarations of victory and the circulation of unverified information on social media.

He said the growing use of artificial intelligence and digital platforms had created new challenges for electoral management, particularly through disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference.

Amupitan challenged presidential candidates, party leaders and campaign organisations to ensure that their supporters and online teams complied with the spirit and provisions of the accord.

“Leadership attained at the expense of public peace, institutional integrity, or human life is a hollow victory,” he warned.

The INEC chairman assured political parties that the commission had no preferred candidate and would provide a level playing field for all contestants.

“For the Commission, our moral authority to demand decorum from political actors rests squarely on our own administrative and technological preparedness,” he said.

Amupitan disclosed that INEC was preparing to deploy approximately 1.4 million ad hoc personnel for the 2027 general elections across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.

He said the commission was drawing lessons from recent off-cycle elections, including the governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states as well as the Federal Capital Territory Area Council election, to improve its preparations for 2027.

The INEC chairman, however, stressed that technology and administrative preparedness alone could not guarantee peaceful elections, insisting that the conduct of political parties, candidates and their supporters remained critical.

“We provide the pitch and the refereeing, but the quality of the game depends on the players,” he said.

He called on the political class to recognise that the credibility of the 2027 elections would depend not only on INEC’s conduct but also on the willingness of the candidates to accept democratic rules and respect the institutions responsible for administering the polls.

Abubakar said the National Peace Committee had facilitated 30 peace accords since 2015, comprising five national-level accords and 25 subnational agreements.

He added that the committee had also established faith-based peace structures in 23 states to complement its national peace-building efforts.

According to him, the issue-based peace accord was conceived in response to the increasing tendency of political campaigns to rely on sentiments, personal attacks and character assassination rather than manifestoes, policies and programmes.

Abubakar  further noted that the accord was intended to encourage candidates and political parties to compete on ideas, debate opposing views respectfully, organise supporters peacefully, protect voters, respect electoral institutions and reject hate speech and misinformation.

He lamented the declining quality of political discourse in the country.

“Over the years, political campaigns and rallies have neglected the significance of party manifestos and programmes, and created a platform for political parties to resort to name-calling, personal insults, and character assassination,” he said.

He explained that the provisions of the accord were anchored on the Constitution, the Electoral Act and other relevant laws, stressing that the agreement was therefore more than a political declaration.

The former head of state also disclosed that the National Peace Committee had established the Election Security Information Hub to monitor electoral offences and security developments and provide early warning and evidence-based analysis to stakeholders.

He urged parties, candidates, campaign councils and spokespersons to use the campaign period to address issues of concern to Nigerians and avoid inflammatory statements.

Obi observed that politicians should not need a peace accord before conducting themselves responsibly.

The former Anambra State governor argued that anyone seeking high public office should demonstrate exemplary conduct even before being elected.

“We don’t even need to sign this. We’re seeking an office where we should be exemplary. You can’t answer ‘His Excellency’ without being an excellent person,” Obi said.

Asked whether he still had faith in the peace accord in view of reports of violence during the recent Osun governorship election, Obi said his participation was driven by his desire to change the system from within.

“Because I want to change the process, I have to go through it, so I have to believe in it,” he said.

Obi said the central issue was not what the agreement was called but whether candidates would allow their personal conduct to reflect the offices they sought.

“Whatever it is, whether we call it a justice accord or a peace accord, the personal conduct of the candidate must reflect the office he is seeking. His behaviour, his person, any day, any time, must reflect that office,” he added.

He urged the candidates to make their campaigns responsive to the problems confronting Nigerians.

“We must, for the sake of this country, ensure that our conduct reflects the office we’re seeking, our behaviour, and that we do the right things and campaign on issues that Nigerians are going through today,” Obi said.

Reacting to the deaths recorded during the recent Osun governorship election, Obi called for remembrance and accountability rather than political point-scoring.

“Let us not forget those who died in ensuring that the election in Osun was achieved the way it went. We should visit them.

“We should condole with their families, and we should remain prayerful and conduct ourselves in a way that, in our democracy, nobody needs to die for an election. It shouldn’t be. It is painful, and I wish it never happened again.”

Asked what concerned him most about the 2027 election, Obi said his primary worry was the integrity of the vote.

“I don’t have any fear, except to say that, please, for the sake of the children of Nigeria, can we have an election where people’s votes will count?” he asked.

On what sanction should be imposed on candidates or parties that violate the peace accord, Obi said the electorate should have the final say.

“The punishment is that Nigerians should not vote for them,” he said.

Sowore dismisses accord

The AAC candidate Sowore dismissed the peace accord as a ritual with little practical value.

Sowore said his participation should not be interpreted as an endorsement of the effectiveness of the process, arguing that previous accords had not prevented violence.

“I don’t have faith in it. I’m bringing faith to the system. Those are two different things,” he said.

He questioned the characterisation of the recent Osun governorship election as peaceful, alleging that about 50 people died in connection with the poll.

“How can you say, in good conscience, that an election that led to the death of 50 citizens of any country is a peaceful election?” Sowore asked.

He added, “We are here in an election that involves less than two million people in Osun State. Fifty people had to die as a result of that, and you are calling it a peaceful election.”

Sowore also criticised INEC’s handling of the electronic transmission and uploading of results from the Osun election.

“As we speak, INEC is yet to complete the upload of all the election results three days after,” he alleged. ‘’If we are going to have free and fair elections, you can’t have it halfway. You have to upload all the polling units into your portal timeously. It must be completed before you announce election results.”

The AAC candidate argued that the experience of Osun showed that signing a peace pact without effective sanctions could amount to little more than a ceremony.

“The people who signed the peace accord in Osun State killed 50 people after they signed the peace accord. So, if you meant anything at all, why would you sign the peace accord and then go and carry a gun after that and kill 50 people?

“What will you be expecting after signing today’s peace accord? We conclude the ritual and move on to campaigning,” Sowore said.

He described the accord as “a ritual of sorts” and an opportunity for Nigerians to see the candidates and assess their disposition towards peaceful elections.

Sowore called for what he described as a “justice accord”, which would provide enforceable consequences for candidates or political actors who breached the peace agreement.

He questioned why the deaths allegedly recorded during the Osun election had not generated stronger political accountability.

“I don’t know why nobody is talking about these 50 people that died in Osun State. It’s like we have just sacrificed them to the gods of politics, and we should all go home,” he said.

Sowore also criticised Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke’s endorsement of Tinubu following his re-election, particularly the explanation that the endorsement was based on ethnic identity.

He nevertheless commended voters in Osun for turning out despite the violence, describing an estimated 40 per cent turnout as evidence of civic consciousness.

Police pledge neutrality

IG Disu, represented by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Umar Shehu, pledged that the police would provide security for voters, candidates and other participants throughout the electoral process.

Shehu said the police were not interested in which candidate or political party won the election but in ensuring that eligible Nigerians exercise their franchise without intimidation.

“The Nigeria Police is not interested in who wins or loses but is interested and committed to a peaceful election where Nigerians of eligible age will exercise their franchise without fear,” he said.

The police leadership urged political parties and their supporters to cooperate with security agencies and avoid actions that could trigger violence before, during and after the elections.

IPAC urges restraint

The Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Yusuf Dantalle, also appealed to political parties, candidates, campaign councils and spokespersons to respect the terms of the accord.

He urged political actors to avoid fake news, personal attacks, and insults, and instead promote tolerance, civility, and constructive political debate.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has dismantled an international cocaine trafficking cartel that allegedly used Nigeria as a transit hub for moving illicit drugs to the United Kingdom, other parts of Europe and Asia.

The agency also arrested the alleged Nigerian arrowhead of the syndicate, a self-styled luxury goods dealer and social media influencer, Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known online as “KC Luxury,” as he attempted to flee the country.

A statement by the agency spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), disclosed this while addressing journalists in Lagos on Tuesday.

Marwa described the operation as one of the most significant narcotics investigations undertaken by the agency in recent times, saying it led to the seizure of 184.50kg of cocaine, the largest cocaine seizure made through a courier company in Nigeria.

According to him, the operation began with the interception of the cocaine consignment concealed for onward export through a courier logistics channel in Lagos.

He said following the seizure, he directed the constitution of a Special Investigation Team to trace the entire network behind the shipment, from the couriers to the masterminds.

Marwa said the cartel hoped to realise as much as N39bn from the consignment through its international distribution network.

The operation began with the interception of a consignment of 184.50 kilograms of cocaine concealed for onward export through a courier logistics channel in Lagos. Given the scale of the seizure, I immediately directed the constitution of a Special Investigation Team, with a mandate to trace the entire network behind the shipment, from the couriers to the masterminds. The cartel was hoping to realise as much as N39 billion from the consignment through their international distribution network,” the statement quoted Marwa as saying.

Working with the management of the courier company involved, Marwa said NDLEA operatives unravelled a network of intermediary companies and individuals used to process the consignment, leading to the arrest of two key suspects, among others.

“The first, Lawal Mujab Kehinde, a staff member of the logistics firm through which the cocaine was processed, was found to have a direct and sustained relationship with the cartel’s Nigerian coordinator. Investigation also established that he packages and processes consignments for the syndicate, routes them to the United Kingdom, other parts of Europe and Asia, and was paid in cash.

“The second and more prominent suspect is Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known online as “KC Luxury,” whom investigations identified as the Nigerian arrowhead of the cartel. Parading as a social media influencer and businessman dealing in gold, jewellery, and luxury goods, Afolabi used his glamorous public image to disguise a criminal enterprise moving cocaine along a pipeline stretching from South America, through Nigeria, to the United Kingdom, other parts of Europe and Asia,” Marwa said.

Marwa said Afolabi was arrested at the boarding gate of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on August 13, 2026, after intelligence indicated that he planned to flee the country on a business-class flight to Paris.

He said the suspect was found in possession of €7,750, £2,800 and N100,000 cash, as well as expensive jewellery.

A subsequent search of his luxury apartment on Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, also led to the recovery of exotic vehicles, according to the NDLEA boss.

Marwa said investigations further showed that the cartel used false identities to conceal the true consignors of its shipments and relied on financial facilitators who moved billions of naira on its behalf.

He added that the syndicate maintained criminal contacts in the UK, some of whom had been arrested by British authorities in connection with the same cartel.

The NDLEA boss linked the operation to recent successes against transnational drug networks, including the dismantling of the Switzerland-based Simon Amadi drug cartel, which allegedly laundered millions of dollars through dark web marketplaces, as well as the takedown of two Nigerian-Mexican methamphetamine syndicates operating clandestine laboratories in forests in Ogun and Oyo states.

Marwa said the latest operation demonstrated that drug traffickers could no longer hide behind luxury lifestyles, forests, ports or courier companies.

“These operations send an unmistakable signal that this Agency’s reach extends into the ports, the forests, the luxury apartments, and the departure lounges alike, and that no sanctuary exists anywhere in Nigeria for those who traffic in poison,” he said.

He noted that drug trafficking organisations had recently shifted from seaports and airports, where scrutiny had intensified, to courier and logistics companies, which they allegedly considered less monitored channels for moving narcotics across international borders.

Marwa said the dismantling of the cartel, from the interception of the cocaine consignment to the arrest of its alleged Nigerian coordinator, demonstrated the agency’s capacity to detect traffickers wherever they operated.

There is no alternative route into or out of Nigeria for illicit drugs that this Agency cannot police,” he stated.

The NDLEA chief also described the operation as a product of international cooperation, noting the near-simultaneous arrests of suspected cartel members in Nigeria and the UK.

He commended the agency’s international partners and members of the Special Investigation Team, coordinated by the Director of Operations and General Investigation, for their professionalism in unravelling the syndicate.

Marwa warned individuals who use luxury brands, glamorous lifestyles and social media personas to conceal drug trafficking activities that the agency would track them down.

“To those who believe they can hide behind luxury brands, glamorous lifestyles, and social media personas while trafficking poison into our communities and across our borders, this Agency will find you,” he said.

At least nine people were killed and several others injured in a fire at a hotel in the Indian city of Kolkata on Wednesday, a senior fire department official said.

“Nine people were killed, including a child, in the fire that broke out early on Wednesday,” Anuj Sharma, the fire services director of West Bengal state, told AFP.

“Thick smoke enveloped the hotel. Some victims were found in the bathrooms.”

Preliminary information suggested an air conditioner in the budget hotel may have exploded and caused the blaze, Sharma said.

He added that nine people — six men, two women and a child — were rescued and taken to hospital.

Some victims seemed to be Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment, Santosh Pathak, a member of West Bengal’s ruling party, said.

“We are trying to confirm the nationality of the victims,” he told reporters.

A total of 60 guests were in the hotel when the fire broke out.

Building fires are common in India due to a lack of firefighting equipment and routine disregard for safety regulations.

AFP

It has also opened an investigation into possible price manipulation in Nigeria’s cement industry after a three-month inquiry raised concerns that prevailing market conditions may not fully explain the cost of the building material.

The preliminary findings followed a cross-border study conducted by the commission’s Anticompetitive Practices Department in response to widespread complaints over the rising cost of cement.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the FCCPC Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the commission said its investigation compared Nigeria’s cement market with those of Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Togo.

An analysis of findings in the FCCPC report showed that the cost of cement in Nigeria is higher than the prices of the same quantity of the commodity in neighbouring African countries.

This, however, came as building sector leaders and economists explained that the factors behind the high cement prices in Nigeria are compounded.

The study examined the availability of limestone, population, production capacity, consumption and retail prices. The statement read, “Findings from an industry-wide investigation conducted by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission suggest possible manipulation of prices of cement in the Nigerian market.

This is the preliminary summation of the 40-page field reports collated following a three-month cross-border study by the Anticompetitive Practices Department of the Commission, undertaken in response to widespread public complaints over the high cost of cement, a common staple in the country’s construction industry.”

The commission noted that Nigeria has substantial limestone deposits and installed cement production capacity estimated at between 60 million and 65 million metric tonnes annually, against domestic consumption of about 25 million to 30 million metric tonnes.

Despite the reported excess capacity and Nigeria’s position as a net exporter to neighbouring countries, the commission said domestic prices had continued to rise.

Market intelligence reviewed by the FCCPC showed that a 50kg bag of cement, which sold for between N9,300 and N9,700 in January, rose to between N10,500 and N13,000 by mid-year. By July, prices of between N13,000 and N15,000 were reported in some parts of the country.

The commission also found that cement sold at lower prices in some African markets. In Kenya, where the population is about 58.6 million and cement demand was estimated at 9.3 million metric tonnes in 2025, a bag sold for about $5.40, or N7,344.

In Tanzania, with a population of about 66.3 million and similar cement demand, a bag sold for about $4.80, or N6,528. In Togo, which the commission said has no limestone deposits, cement retailed at about $6.75, or N9,180 per bag.

The FCCPC said the price disparity had raised questions about why Nigeria’s significant production capacity and raw material endowment had not translated into greater downward pressure on prices.

It said industry players had attributed the high prices to energy costs, naira depreciation, imported machinery and spare parts, as well as transportation and logistics expenses.

However, the commission said it was testing those explanations against verified information on production costs, pricing, capacity utilisation and other market conditions.

“Of particular concern to the commission is that this level of production capacity has not resulted in the downward pressure on domestic prices that might ordinarily be expected in a competitive market with substantial excess capacity.

“Information provided by industry participants has identified energy costs, depreciation of the Naira and its effect on imported machinery and spare parts, as well as transportation and logistics costs, among the factors contributing to cement prices.

“The commission is testing these explanations against verified information on costs, production, pricing and market conditions. However, the weight of preliminary findings provides sufficient grounds for the investigation to continue,” the statement said.

The FCCPC said the preliminary findings provided sufficient grounds to continue the investigation and determine whether cement prices were driven by legitimate costs or by anti-competitive practices.

The probe will examine possible coordinated conduct, abuse of market power, restriction of domestic supply and anti-competitive distribution practices.

Accordingly, the commission has issued Notices of Commencement of Investigation and Summons to Produce to key players in the sector, demanding records on pricing methodologies, production, capacity utilisation, exports and commercial relationships.

“Next is to determine whether prevailing cement prices can be explained by legitimate costs and market conditions, or whether there is evidence of coordinated conduct, abuse of market power, restriction of domestic supply, anti-competitive distribution practices or other conduct contrary to the provisions of the FCCPA,” it added.

Commenting, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, said the investigation was necessary because of cement’s strategic importance to the economy.

“Cement occupies a strategic place in the Nigerian economy. Its price affects the cost of building a home, developing commercial property, delivering public infrastructure and, ultimately, the cost of doing business. When concerns persist about how such an important market is functioning, the Commission has a duty to look beyond assumptions and establish the facts,” Bello said.

He stressed that the investigation was not aimed at dictating how companies should conduct their businesses or limiting legitimate profits.

“Businesses are entitled to make legitimate commercial decisions and earn returns on their investments. Competition law does not prevent that. Its purpose is to protect the competitive process, so that prices, output and other market outcomes are determined by genuine competition rather than conduct that unlawfully restricts it,” Bello said.

The investigation comes amid growing pressure on the construction sector, where rising cement prices have increased the cost of housing and infrastructure projects across the country.

OPS, economists react

Building sector leaders and economists explained that the factors behind the high cement prices in Nigeria are compounded; on the one hand, it is largely structural, including transportation of limestone on impassable roads, and on the other hand, it could be influenced by monetary policy, including taxes.

They noted that there is only so much that the FCCPC could do, especially because any government intervention risks could impact free trade.

In separate phone interviews with The PUNCH, business leaders including the Chairman of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Construction Group, Soji Adeniji, explained that his experience in a recent project confirmed the FCCPC report

He said, “I was in Canada recently, and a friend of mine who is having a project in Canada was contemplating buying cement from abroad. He was of the opinion that, why can’t we buy cement from Nigeria, as in he wants to import cement from Nigeria and stuff like that.

“By the time he did his calculations, he found out that cement is not as cheap in Nigeria, and that we could arrange for the importation. Eventually, as the report stated, he found out that Turkey is more price-friendly. He was able to establish a relationship with Turkey. Of course, the Tanzania, Kenya market too was a bit preferable, which boils down to the fact that the price of cement in Nigeria is high. But then the question would be, what is the location of that kind of high cost?”

Adeniji also acknowledged that the cement market in Nigeria is experiencing a moment of scarcity, but noted that the given reasons may not be as satisfying.

Why are we having scarcity? Some people are saying because it was raining and therefore limestone deposits, well, that is not, I mean, for me, for the past two weeks now, since the beginning of August, there has not been much rainfall to affect any production. But what is happening to the limestone would be another thing,” the LCCI construction group leader stated.

He noted that other business factors could play a role, adding, “If you check the production line and look at that production chain line, you look at it from limestone to the facility that is an infrastructure facility for production.

“You look at the economy, which is stable, so we cannot be saying that things are changing. The economy is stable, and has been consistent for too long a time. Then other challenges, maybe with the manufacturer.

“You’d notice that Lafarge has just changed. A company called HBM has just bought over Lafarge, meaning that maybe the management issue or something like that. So, when you look at that production, up to the level of distribution, you’ll ask again, why are we experiencing this? They will be telling you logistics, transportation for delivery, and that kind of thing.

He noted that taxation could be another factor. “Some people from the manufacturer’s side too might be talking about the issue of double taxation, and things like that. If the tax regime is not favorable, there’s nothing definite.”

These experts urged the government to invest in improving supply to meet increasing demand, which may have caused exorbitant prices. They recommended working with researchers and the private sector to develop alternatives to cement for concrete making.

On his part, Professor of Economics and Public Policy, University of Uyo, Prof Akpan Ekpo, said the housing sector, the housing sector, is a very crucial part of investment where the cement issue could be a supply problem. He said, “This could be more demand than supply. So what the government should do is that you look at that sector properly and see whether you can help that sector.

Ekpo called on the government to help people who need access to finance in order to be in the cement business. “Otherwise,” he said, “you’d keep having this problem of high cost of cement.”

A member of the Nigerian Institute of Building and Yaba College of Technology researcher, Samuel Shonibare, said, “I urged the government to look for alternatives to the use of cement in construction. There has been a lot of research that studied other materials that can be used to replace cement partially in concrete production.

“I’m trying to look at the probability of using rice shells as partial replacements for cement in concrete production. It’s one research project I’m currently working on. Not that I’m even trying, I’m on it.

He explained that if the country reduces the use of cement in construction, of course, there will be a drastic reduction in the price of cement that is being used in construction. “So the recommendations I would make for now is telling the stakeholders in the construction industry to focus on research that will yield an alternative material to cement. If the producers of cement have discovered that there’s a shift in the usage, I think that will lead to a reduction in the price,” Shonibare noted.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Promotion of Private Enterprise, Dr Muda Yusuf, urged the government to carry out more rigorous research to ensure a detailed solution.

He said, “In order for a balanced view, it is important to hear from the FCCPC what the producers and distributors of cement have to say. Secondly, we need to know the cost structure of the cement producers and suppliers in the foreign countries. It will help us gain clear insight.”

Yusuf noted that understanding what factors impact the pricing of cement in the other countries will enrich the FCCPC inquiry.

He added, “The report needs to be more rigorous and show us the cost structure in the other countries. We need to know their cost of production, taxes, logistics and energy. Having the factors that underlie the prices will help (the probe), since it is presented as a comparative report.”

The All Progressives Congress candidate in the Osun State governorship election, Bola Oyebamiji, has yet to respond to Governor Ademola Adeleke’s call for him to congratulate him on his re-election, despite calls from prominent political figures and groups for him to acknowledge the victory.

President Bola Tinubu, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, several APC governors and other party leaders have since congratulated Adeleke on his victory.

On Monday, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, also urged Oyebamiji to congratulate Adeleke, following the governor’s victory in Saturday’s election.

In a statement made available on Tuesday, the APC candidate, instead, appreciated the party loyalists and supporters and urged security agencies to intervene and halt alleged attacks on members and supporters of the party.

Oyebamiji, in a statement obtained by The PUNCH in Osogbo on Tuesday, noted a growing trend of hostility and violence against members and supporters of the APC.

He, however, commended the members for their steadfastness, commitment, sacrifice, and tireless efforts throughout the governorship election.

“Dear supporters, members and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, I commend you all for your steadfastness, commitment, sacrifice, and tireless efforts throughout the just-concluded governorship election.

Your unwavering support for my candidacy and your belief in the prosperity agenda we presented to the people of Osun are experiences I will forever cherish.

“Although we had hoped for a different outcome in the election, in the meantime, we respect the position of the electoral umpire, and I totally support the decision of our party in its ongoing review of the outcome of the election.

“Consequently, I appreciate the many people who believed in and supported the alternative vision we articulated. I am deeply grateful to every voter who placed his or her trust in our vision.

To the volunteers who gave their time and energy, and to our committed party members and leaders across the state who turned out to energise our campaign, I appreciate you all,” Oyebamiji said.

He called on his supporters to continue adding value, saying the causes championed by him are still alive.

He promised to continue to work for effective, inclusive and rapid development of Osun, urging all those who stood by the party and campaign to keep working for the APC.

Oyebamiji further said, “As events unfold, I urge all of you to remain calm and peaceful as you go about your daily activities in the post-election period.

At the same time, I wish to alert the state government and security agents to the growing trend of hostility and violence against our members and supporters.

“The violent attacks on our members witnessed in the build-up to the election have taken another dimension in the last 24 hours.

“Consequently, I urge the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to intervene and arrest this ugly trend without delay.”

The  reports that the incumbent Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, was returned elected by the State Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday, Prof Joshua Ogunwole.

Adeleke won the governorship poll with a total of 511,067, to defeat Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes

The continuous refusal by truckers to use truck parks provided by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) at Onne Port is creating serious challenges for both the port management and the host community, while also contributing to delays in cargo evacuation.

Speaking to Vanguard on the development, the Traffic Manager at Onne Port, Mr. Siraj Agbolade, said four truck parks in and around the port are currently under-utilised by truckers, adding that instead of using the designated parks, the truck drivers prefer to park their trucks along the roads and pay community youths.

He explained that the parks serve as transition areas where trucks are processed and scheduled to access the port for cargo evacuation or loading through the Electronic Call-Up System.

The Traffic Manager also said a meeting with various stakeholders operating at Onne Port has been scheduled for this week to discuss the issues and agree on possible solutions.

The development comes against the backdrop of a planned withdrawal of services by some transport unions and freight forwarders, who have threatened to withdraw their services if the roads are not rehabilitated as promised by the NPA.

Also commenting on the matter,   Ifeanyi Isikaku, Chairman Onne branch of ANLCA and titled “The Brink: Onne Freight Forwarders, Transporters Threaten Shutdown Over Road, E-Call-Up Crisis,” warned that unless urgent measures are taken to rehabilitate the deteriorating roads, commercial activities along the Onne Port corridor could grind to a halt.

The group further alleged that freight forwarders and importers are losing millions of naira as trucks conveying valuable consignments reportedly fall or are involved in accidents along the corridor.

Part of the statement reads: “The crisis engulfing the Onne Port corridor appears to be deepening, as freight forwarding associations and maritime transport operators have raised the alarm over what they describe as the deplorable condition of the port access roads, indiscriminate truck parking and mounting losses suffered by freight forwarders, importers and transport operators.

“For years, the Onne port corridor has served as a critical artery for the movement of cargo into and out of the Eastern maritime economy. But stakeholders say the deteriorating state of the road has transformed what should be a vital logistics corridor into a daily ordeal for truckers, freight forwarders, importers and residents.

Freight forwarders and importers, it said, are losing millions of naira as trucks carrying valuable consignments reportedly fall or become involved in accidents along the corridor.

For businesses operating on tight delivery schedules, every additional day spent waiting on the road translates into additional costs, demurrage, vehicle maintenance, loss of business and, in some cases, damaged cargo.”

The Kwara State Government has unveiled a roadmap aimed at eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat in the state by 2030.

The Viral Hepatitis Elimination Roadmap, themed “Let’s Break It Down,” was unveiled in Ilorin on Monday as part of efforts to strengthen prevention, diagnosis, treatment, surveillance and public awareness of the disease.

The development was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Press Secretary of the Kwara State Ministry of Health, Saad Hamdalat, and made available to PUNCH Online.

Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, described the launch as a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to strengthen preventive healthcare and achieve Universal Health Coverage.

She said, “Viral hepatitis remains a silent killer in our communities. Recent data indicates that Nigeria accounts for approximately 15 per cent of the global burden of Hepatitis B, with an estimated 20 million Nigerians living with chronic Hepatitis B or C infection.”

El-Imam noted that thousands of people in Kwara, as in other parts of the country, could be living with the infection without knowing their status, putting them at risk of complications such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

She said the burden of the disease should not be viewed as a reason for despair but as a call for stronger and more coordinated action.

The commissioner explained that the roadmap would serve as a strategic blueprint for ending viral hepatitis as a public health threat in Kwara by 2030, in line with the World Health Organisation’s global elimination targets.

“The roadmap is not a standalone document but an operational extension of the ‘Kwara Model’ of health system strengthening, designed to align our response with the WHO’s 2030 elimination targets,” she said.

According to her, the global targets include diagnosing 90 per cent of people living with viral hepatitis and ensuring that 80 per cent of those eligible for treatment receive it.

El-Imam said the state government would intensify screening programmes to determine the prevalence of viral hepatitis in the state and ensure infected persons were identified and linked to appropriate care.

She also announced plans to scale up Hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination, noting that improved coverage remained a key priority in preventing mother-to-child transmission of the virus.

“The roadmap will integrate hepatitis screening and care into existing Primary Health Care centres, Maternal and Child Health services, and HIV/TB clinics,” the commissioner said.

She added that care would be decentralised through the state’s network of PHCs and general hospitals to make hepatitis services more accessible to residents.

El-Imam further disclosed that the roadmap would establish a stronger surveillance system to monitor the incidence and prevalence of viral hepatitis, as well as treatment outcomes.

“This will ensure that our decisions are driven by data rather than assumptions,” she said.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr Taoheed Abdullahi, described viral hepatitis as a significant health concern in Nigeria.

Abdullahi said the roadmap would provide direction for strengthening healthcare services and reducing the disease burden in Kwara.

He appealed to traditional, religious and community leaders to intensify awareness about viral hepatitis and encourage members of their communities to undergo early testing.

“Stakeholders must continue to take the message of hepatitis prevention and early testing to the grassroots because awareness remains critical to reducing the burden of the disease,” Abdullahi said.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Technical Working Group, Prof Abdulfatai Olokooba, said the committee developed the roadmap using available data and in line with the WHO template.

Olokooba expressed optimism that faithful implementation of the document would significantly reduce the burden of viral hepatitis in the state.

He said the roadmap covered key areas including treatment, surveillance, data management for evidence-based decision-making and capacity building for healthcare workers.

“The roadmap provides a structured approach to tackling the disease through treatment, surveillance, data management and capacity building,” Olokooba said.

The Programme Coordinator, HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and Other STIs Control Unit, Dr Rasheed Muhammad, described viral hepatitis as a major health scourge that causes inflammation of the liver.

Muhammad said about eight out of every 100 Nigerians were estimated to be positive for Hepatitis B, adding that the infection commonly affects young people.

“Hepatitis B is a silent infection because many infected persons may not know their status and could unknowingly transmit the virus to others,” he said.

He explained that Hepatitis B could be transmitted through exposure to infected blood, sexual contact, sharing of needles and other contaminated materials.

He stressed the importance of testing, prevention and early treatment to reduce transmission and prevent complications associated with the disease.

The statement said the launch of the “Let’s Break It Down” Viral Hepatitis Elimination Roadmap marked a renewed commitment by the Kwara State Government to strengthening prevention, early detection and access to treatment.

It added that the ultimate goal was to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat in the state by 2030.

The Bayelsa State House of Assembly has approved the removal from office of the Chairman of Sagbama Local Government Area, Alice Allen Tangi, and her Vice-Chairman, Sufade Jefferson Tobi, over alleged gross misconduct.

The decision was taken during Tuesday’s plenary following consideration of a petition against the two elected local government officials.

The Speaker of the House, Abraham Ingobere, said the resolution was reached in accordance with the Bayelsa State Local Government Administration Law, 2000, and other relevant legal provisions.

Ingobere said the petition bordered on the alleged failure of the chairman to present monthly transparent briefings and the annual budget before spending public funds, as well as her failure to honour invitations by the House to respond to the allegations.

He said the House secured the required two-thirds majority for the removal, with 17 of the 20 lawmakers present voting in favour of the resolution.

The Speaker said, “The resolution of the House will be communicated to the executive arm of government for necessary action.”

He added that the affected officials had allegedly failed to appear before the House despite several invitations to respond to the issues raised in the petition.

The Assembly also cited relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Bayelsa State Local Government Administration Law in arriving at its decision.

In another development, the Assembly approved Governor Douye Diri’s request for the payment of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance and Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance to staff of the state-owned universities.

Supporting the request, the Leader of the House, Monday Obolo, said the approval was necessary because of the challenges confronting the state-owned universities.

Obolo said the allowances would improve the welfare and productivity of academic and non-academic staff while ensuring that Bayelsa’s institutions remained competitive with universities in other states.

He said, “Due to the enormous challenges faced by state-owned universities, the approval is necessary in order to enhance the productivity of lecturers and non-lecturers.”

According to him, the projected monthly financial implication of the allowances across the three state-owned universities is N564,842,691.58.

He said the amount would be incorporated into the state’s salary structure, with payment expected to commence next month.

Lawmakers representing Ekeremor Constituency II and Kolokuma/Opokuma Constituency, Living Mitin and Wisdom Fafin, respectively, also supported the approval.

They said the allowances would improve staff welfare and prevent disruptions in the state’s tertiary education system.

The House also approved a new chart of accounts to accommodate newly created ministries, departments and agencies of the state government.

The measure, according to the lawmakers, is in line with international best practices and is intended to promote transparency in tracking government revenue and expenditure and improve budgetary planning.

Similarly, lawmakers approved the 2027–2029 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper submitted by Diri.

Explaining the importance of the document, Obolo described the MTEF-FSP as a precursor to the annual budget, saying it would enable the government to plan using key macroeconomic indicators, including crude oil prices, exchange rates and inflation.

He said the economic parameters contained in the document were realistic and achievable.

The Deputy Leader of the House, Bernard Kenebai, commended Diri for submitting the MTEF-FSP on time, saying the projections were realistic.

The Assembly also conducted first readings of the Universal Basic Education Board Amendment Bill, 2026, and the Senior Secondary Education Board Bill, 2026.

It described the strong investor response as a vote of confidence in both the bank and Nigeria’s domestic capital market.

The bank issued the bond through its BOI Financing SPV Plc under its $1bn Multi-Currency Instruments Programme.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, revealed this in a statement he signed Tuesday titled ‘Bank of Industry Lauds President Tinubu over N250bn Series 1 Bond Oversubscription.’

BOI Chief Executive Officer, Olasupo Olusi, said the swift oversubscription would not have been possible without incentives personally approved by the President.

Olusi said, “The strength of the investor response is a vote of confidence not only in BOI, but also in the capacity of Nigeria’s domestic capital market to mobilise long-term capital for productive investment.”

“As a Development Finance Institution, we could not have received the strong investor demand for the bond in five working days without the support of President Tinubu, who gave his executive approval for various incentives to encourage investors.

This became a leverage and a positive signal to discerning investors. Mr President deserves the honour for this feat,” he added.

Olusi disclosed that a separate N100bn fund approved by the President for the bank would be used to blend the bond’s pricing and cushion the impact of high interest rates for manufacturers and other BOI customers.

He also described the intervention as further testament to the President’s support for Nigeria’s productive sector.

He said the ultimate objective of the transaction was to translate investor confidence into increased financing for Nigerian enterprises, with potential impact on industrial expansion, job creation, domestic value chains and economic competitiveness.

The bank described the transaction as a significant broadening of its funding architecture, complementing its established track record in international capital markets with deeper mobilisation of long-term capital from domestic institutional investors.

It said the transaction demonstrated the growing capacity of Nigeria’s domestic capital market to channel long-term institutional savings into productive sectors of the economy.

BOI and its transaction advisers said final subscription and allotment figures would not be disclosed at this stage, as the final allotment remains subject to Securities and Exchange Commission approval, with the transaction still progressing toward completion.

According to the bank, the immediate significance of the transaction lies in the strength and quality of investor demand, the pricing achieved and the breadth of the investor base.

It said these factors point to sustained institutional appetite for high-quality, long-term domestic assets.

“Proceeds from the issuance will enhance BOI’s capacity to provide long-term financing to eligible enterprises across priority sectors, supporting investments in productive capacity, local value addition, employment creation and economic diversification,” the statement read.

The bank described the successful transaction as another milestone in developing Nigeria’s domestic market for long-term development capital, further strengthening its position as a credible and repeat capital markets issuer.

The Kebbi State Government has commenced a four-day capacity-building programme aimed at strengthening treasury operations, financial controls and records management across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The programme, titled “Strengthening Treasury Operations, Financial Controls and Office Record Documentation,” is scheduled to hold from August 19 to 22, 2026, in Sokoto.

Speaking on behalf of the state government, the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the governor, Abdullahi Zuru, said the initiative was part of efforts to improve public financial management, institutional accountability and the effective documentation of government transactions.

He said the programme reflected the administration’s commitment to ensuring that public resources were managed transparently, responsibly and in accordance with established financial regulations.

He said, “Efficient treasury operations, sound financial management and effective records administration are fundamental to promoting transparency, accountability and good governance in the public service.”

Zuru explained that participants would receive practical training in financial documentation, internal controls, risk management, audit preparedness and compliance procedures.

He said the knowledge acquired would enable treasury personnel and MDA officials to maintain accurate financial and administrative records while strengthening accountability mechanisms within their respective institutions.

The first phase of the training will focus on public financial management and documentation standards, with emphasis on transparency, accountability, value-for-money principles and the legal framework governing the management of public funds.

The second phase will concentrate on office records documentation and control systems, particularly the proper management, preservation and retrieval of financial and administrative records throughout their lifecycle.

Zuru stressed the importance of proper documentation to effective governance, saying, “maintaining complete, accurate and reliable records is essential for effective decision-making, regulatory compliance, accountability and audit processes.”

The participants will also be trained on internal control mechanisms and risk management, including approval procedures, supervisory controls, financial reporting and appropriate responses to audit queries.

The government said the training would combine classroom sessions with practical exercises, case studies, simulations and group discussions to enable participants to identify documentation gaps, address control weaknesses and apply the lessons to their daily responsibilities.

It expressed optimism that the programme would improve the state’s audit readiness, strengthen financial reporting and enhance public confidence in government institutions.

The government further said improved financial and records management systems would facilitate more productive engagement with civil society organisations, professional bodies, development partners and other stakeholders.

It noted that “the commitment to transparency and accountability requires continuous strengthening of institutional systems and professional capacity.”

The state government also emphasised that prudent management of public resources should not be viewed as the responsibility of a single institution, stressing that “responsible management of public resources is a collective institutional responsibility.”

It added that effective internal controls, reliable records and accurate financial reporting remained critical to strengthening governance and improving public service delivery.

The programme is being held under the theme: “Gaskiya da Rikon Amana – Ginshikin Kyakkyawan Shugabanci” — Transparency and Accountability: The Foundation of Good Governance.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said Governor Ademola Adeleke of Accord Party won the recent Osun State governorship election because President Bola Tinubu allowed the poll to be free and fair.

Wike made the declaration while speaking during an inspection tour of flood-affected areas in the Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday.

Reacting to the August 15 Osun governorship election, Wike dismissed claims that the Federal Government manipulated the poll, arguing that Tinubu allowed the democratic process to take its course.

According to The Nation, the minister said the outcome of the election demonstrated that the Federal Government did not deploy its influence to undermine the opposition.

Wike said, “The President called him… congratulating him (Adeleke). What does it tell you? If Tinubu did not allow a free and fair election, would they have won? No!”

The minister also pushed back against claims of federal might being used to influence elections, drawing from his experience of previous electoral contests.

He said, “When you say force of the federal government… ask those who have survived it, though—people like me who survived federal might. It’s not by saying ‘they say, they say.’ It’s not true.”

Wike urged political observers to distinguish between state governorship elections and presidential elections, arguing that the outcome of an off-season governorship poll should not automatically be interpreted as an indication of what would happen in a presidential contest.

The minister’s comments came days after Adeleke defeated the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in the Osun governorship election.

Adeleke polled 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji scored 444,815 votes, giving the incumbent a margin of 66,252 votes.

Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured 11.

Wike also addressed the recurring flooding in parts of the FCT, saying the problem should not be politicised without examining its underlying causes.

According to the minister, some critics had used the recent flooding to attack the administration instead of acknowledging its achievements in other areas.

He added that government officials and residents also had roles to play in preventing flooding.

The minister also rejected suggestions that poor residents were responsible for major structural encroachments on waterways and other restricted areas.

According to Wike, many of the structures obstructing drainage channels were built by wealthy Nigerians and had existed for years before the current administration.

The All Progressives Congress chairmanship candidate for Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Osborn Umahi, has rallied supporters ahead of the August 22, 2026 local government election.

Umahi, son of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, led the campaign in Ohaozara on Monday, August 17, as supporters gathered at the St Margaret Umahi Pavilion, Uburu, to express their support for his candidacy.

Umahi had earlier obtained the APC nomination and expression-of-interest forms to contest the Ohaozara chairmanship election and subsequently emerged as the party’s candidate.

The campaign was part of preparations for the Ebonyi State local government election scheduled for Saturday, providing an opportunity for residents and party supporters to rally behind their preferred candidates.

According to a Tuesday statement signed by the Minister of Works’ Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, the gathering demonstrated growing support for Umahi’s ambition.

The statement said, “The people of Ohaozara Local Government Area have demonstrated strong support and enthusiasm for the emergence of their young and vibrant son, Engr. Osborn Umahi, as a new generation of leadership.”

It said the campaign was “widely seen as a strong demonstration of the growing acceptability of Engr. Umahi across the council area.”

Umahi was described in the statement as an engineer, financial expert and seasoned leader, with a combination of engineering expertise, financial knowledge, leadership experience and broad exposure.

The statement said these qualities had positioned him to provide “purposeful and responsive leadership” if elected.

It added that the atmosphere at the campaign reflected a growing desire among residents for leadership anchored on competence, experience, fresh ideas and an understanding of their needs.

“For many of those present, the campaign was not simply about political mobilisation. It was an expression of confidence in one of Ohaozara’s own and a statement of expectation for a new chapter of leadership,” the statement said.

The campaign also highlighted Umahi’s connection to the local government and presented his candidacy as an opportunity for a new generation of leadership in Ohaozara.

As the election draws closer, the statement said attention had shifted from the candidate’s acceptability to securing victory at the polls.

“As the August 22 election draws closer, the focus now shifts from acceptability to victory at the polls. The massive support witnessed at the campaign, supporters say, must be translated into votes on Saturday,” it said.

The Ebonyi State local government election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, August 22, 2026.

Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has categorically ruled out running for public office in the future, citing deep-seated systemic flaws, high political stress, and risks of electoral manipulation in Nigeria.

Speaking during an exclusive interview on News Central TV on Tuesday, the award-winning musician reflected on his intense digital advocacy during the recently concluded Osun State governorship election and explained why he has no interest in pursuing a political career.

When asked if his active political involvement during the Osun election signalled a transition into politics, Davido dismissed the idea, pointing out the frustration of competing in a flawed electoral framework.

“With this system? I mean, my own vexing… no be me dey run, see as I dey tweet. I can’t even do this with this system, the high blood pressure that… How can you wake up in the morning knowing that the people want you, and you can get rigged out? It cannot happen anywhere else in the world,” he stated.

Reaffirming his commitment to his primary profession, the music star emphasised that while non-politicians can achieve political success globally, his focus remains strictly on music.

“I’m comfortable in my current… My job? Or why am I famous? Music, yeah. I defeated 17 governors with all their power, with all their immunity, with all their escort commander, with all their DSS, with all their billions. I defeated them with what? Just a phone, “Davido asserted.

Addressing public expectations and social media pressure following his uncle Governor Ademola Adeleke’s successful re-election, Davido clarified that he will not be pressured into taking sides in the upcoming 2027 presidential election.

For now, I feel like I did what I had to do for the Osun people and for my family. The next day, a lot of people were tweeting at me, trying to rage-bait me. ‘Make sure you do this for the president.’ You can’t come and tell me what to do. You can’t force me to have a presidential candidate. Personally, I don’t want to be involved in it,” he said

He further noted that while his uncle may maintain political and administrative ties with the Federal Government for the benefit of Osun State, those decisions do not influence his independent stance.

“My uncle might have his personal reasons for the gain of the state. I’m sure a governor being in good terms with the president… maybe more allocation. But that’s for the governor to decide. He’s been re-elected,” Davido added.

News report that Davido has disclosed that he currently has no preferred presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, firmly ruling out any alignment with the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure has urged young Nigerian innovators to develop practical and marketable solutions capable of addressing the country’s pressing challenges.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Khalil Halilu, gave the charge as 60 young innovators from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones commenced the virtual hackathon phase of the FutureMakers by NASENI innovation programme on Tuesday.

Halilu said Nigeria needed to deliberately support young innovators with the infrastructure, mentorship and platforms required to transform ideas into products.

“These 60 innovators represent what is possible when young Nigerians are equipped with the right infrastructure, mentorship and platform to solve the problems closest to them,” he said.

According to him, the initiative is aimed at helping Nigeria move from a consumer economy to a producer economy by empowering young Nigerians to develop solutions to challenges in their communities.

The four-day virtual hackathon, which runs from August 17 to 20, will enable participants to develop prototypes and refine technology-driven solutions addressing challenges peculiar to their regions.

The North-West cohort is focusing on gender-related barriers to innovation and creative thinking, while participants from the North-Central are developing solutions to food security challenges linked to regional insurgency.

In the North-East, innovators are working on conflict and security solutions, while the South-West cohort is addressing the rising cost of education for average Nigerian families.

Participants from the South-South are tackling weak connections between academia and industry, while those from the South-East are developing solutions to the increasing involvement of children in trading at the expense of schooling.

The Hub Manager of NASENI Innovation Hub, Busola Beckley Perez-Folayan, said the regional structure was designed to ensure that participants worked on problems directly affecting their communities.

She said the virtual format had also widened access by removing the cost and logistical barriers associated with physical participation.

“The regional structure allows participants to develop solutions based on challenges directly affecting their communities,” she said.

The innovators are receiving technical guidance and mentorship throughout the hackathon as they work towards developing practical prototypes.

All 60 participants will proceed to the FutureMakers Pitch Sessions scheduled for August 24 to 26, where they will present their solutions to a panel of judges and industry leaders.

The pitch sessions will be streamed live on YouTube and Facebook.

The top three innovators in each geopolitical zone will receive N1.5 million, N1 million and N500,000 respectively.

The six zonal winners will subsequently compete at the NASENI Invention Fest for a N5 million grand prize, a fully funded international study tour and scholarships to two leading Nigerian universities.

NASENI said the initiative goes beyond prize money, with successful innovators gaining access to its SparkLab prototyping facility, technical training and personalised mentorship.

Selected participants will also have the opportunity to participate in an international study tour with the NASENI EVC/CEO.

The agency said the FutureMakers campaign had generated more than 2.6 million impressions and attracted over 20 media placements.

The programme is being implemented in collaboration with academic and ecosystem partners, including MIVA Open University and the African University of Science and Technology, Abuja.

NASENI said FutureMakers was conceived as a talent pipeline for early-stage Nigerian innovators, providing access to funding, mentorship, training and engineering and prototyping infrastructure to help turn ideas into commercially viable solutions.

A former Presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections, Dele Momodu, has cautioned against comparing Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, with his Rivers State counterpart, Siminalayi Fubara.

Momodu, now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, stated this via his X handle on Tuesday while reacting to an online publication titled ‘Wike: I’d have been in Osun if Tinubu wanted APC victory at all cost.’

“Osun people would have demystified you mercilessly. Adeleke is not Fubara!! My kobo advice, stop equating yourself to God,” Momodu wrote.

According to the publication which Momodu reacted to, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, disclosed that the ruling All Progressives Congress wouldn’t have lost the Osun State governorship election if President Bola Tinubu had “wanted to win the Osun State election at all costs.”

“I would have been there, and we would have won it, and there’s nothing the governor can do,” Wike stressed.

The PUNCH Online reports that Adeleke, contesting on the platform of the Accord Party, won a re-election into office for a second term, having polled  511,067 votes against the APC’s candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who had 444,815 votes.

In his first tenure in office, Adeleke, then a PDP governorship candidate, defeated former governor and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, in the 2022 governorship election.

The publication, as earlier referenced, noted that Wike made the statement on Tuesday while responding to questions on the outcome of the Osun governorship election, as he addressed journalists during an inspection of flood-prone areas in Maitama, Abuja.

“Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, has been a prominent member of the G5 group of PDP governors who opposed the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election. Since Tinubu appointed him FCT minister, Wike has maintained his membership of the PDP while publicly supporting the President and some policies of his administration.

His latest comment underscores his claim that the APC could have secured victory in Osun had the President chosen to deploy greater political effort towards the election.

“Wike has also remained politically active despite serving in an APC-led federal administration, maintaining that his support for Tinubu does not amount to abandoning the PDP,” the publication read.

On August 11, 2026, Momodu revealed his support for Adeleke of the Accord Party in Osun State for a second term, despite being a member of a rival opposition party.

Momodu insisted that opposition parties must set aside individual interests and align behind Adeleke ahead of the August 15 governorship election in the state.

The former presidential aspirant said he remained a proud member of the ADC, saying that he joined the party on the basis that prominent opposition figures decided to form a broad coalition against what he described as the “APC cankerworm.”

I joined ADC on the basis that prominent members of opposition parties in Nigeria decided to form a broad coalition of forces against the APC cankerworm that has almost destroyed our economy, social cohesion, religious tolerance and democratic institutions and separation of powers.

It would be foolhardy not to see that with the manner APC has turned Osun State into a theatre of war, the only sensible strategy is for all opposition parties to align immediately and back the Accord Party candidate, Governor Ademola Adeleke.

“I make this declaration without equivocation, or any fear of contradiction,” the statement partly read.

The Ondo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has fixed the cut-off marks for admission into public Junior Secondary Schools across the state for the 2026/2027 academic session.

According to a Tuesday statement signed by Press Officer, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Bisi Lawani, the cut-off marks were based on candidates’ performance in the admission assessment, which was scored over a total of 300 marks.

The ministry stated, “The cut-off marks are based on a total score of 300 marks obtained by candidates in the admission assessment.”

The assessment is a prerequisite for admission into public secondary schools across the state and is aimed at ensuring that only qualified candidates are considered for admission.

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, who chaired the meeting, emphasised the importance of the exercise and commended the smooth conduct of the examination.

Ajibefun said the examination was conducted without any major hitch, while the prompt release of the results demonstrated the ministry’s commitment to ensuring a credible and efficient admission process.

He said, “The examination was conducted smoothly and without any major hitch, with the results released promptly.”

The commissioner added that the development underscored the ministry’s commitment to a transparent admission process.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Akindele Ige, said the exercise was designed to promote merit in the admission process.

He said, “The exercise is aimed at fostering a transparent and merit-based admission process that rewards hard work while ensuring that qualified candidates have access to quality secondary education in the State.”

Following the conclusion of the assessment, principals of public secondary schools have been directed to commence the admission process for eligible candidates who meet or exceed the approved cut-off marks.

The ministry also directed the Zonal and Area Education Offices to coordinate the admission process in their respective local government areas.

Parents and guardians were advised to obtain relevant information and guidance on the admission process from the appropriate Education Offices or their children’s respective primary schools.

They were also urged to adhere strictly to the guidelines issued by the ministry.

Afrobeats superstar, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has described the re-election of his uncle, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, as a remarkable victory achieved against formidable political opposition.

Davido spoke on Tuesday while addressing journalists at his country home following the governor’s victory in the August 15 Osun State governorship election.

Congratulating his uncle, the singer described the contest as a difficult battle, claiming that several prominent political figures rallied against the incumbent governor.

“Let me congratulate my governor for his re-election for the hard-fought battle. Let me not say battle but war, where you have 17 governors, 50 senators, House of Reps, I don’t know how many they were against one man and he came out victorious. God is good,” Davido said.

The singer attributed Adeleke’s victory largely to the support of Osun voters, whom he praised for standing by the governor and protecting their votes during the election.

He said the level of support for the Adeleke family was overwhelming, adding that he became emotional several times while witnessing the events of election day.

“I can’t remember how many times I cried that day because the love was massive,” he said.

Davido said the governor’s victory should serve as a lesson to political leaders across the country, arguing that leaders who genuinely serve their people would enjoy their support at the polls.

“My uncle should be an example to all other people out there. It shows all other governors out there that if you work for the people, the people will be with you and God,” he said.

The singer also thanked the people of Osun State for supporting Adeleke and his family despite what he described as attempts at intimidation and vote-buying during the election.

Beyond the election, Davido announced plans to intensify his involvement in youth and sports development in the state.

As chairman of the Osun State Sports Trust Fund, he said he deliberately postponed some of his planned initiatives until after the governorship election.

As chairman of the Sports Trust Fund, I want to do a lot of things but waited for the election to be over,” he said.

According to him, one of the initiatives being considered is the development of a recreation centre for young people, with facilities including football pitches, swimming pools and basketball courts.

Davido said the proposed centre would provide young people with opportunities to discover, develop and showcase their sporting talents while promoting healthy recreation.

The singer has remained one of Adeleke’s most vocal celebrity supporters and was actively involved in the governor’s campaign ahead of the election.

Adeleke secured a second term after defeating his major challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, in the August 15 poll.

Following the conclusion of the election, Davido said his focus would now shift towards initiatives aimed at improving opportunities for young people in Osun State, particularly through sports and recreation.

Nigerians interested in acquiring digital skills can apply for free training through the Federal Government-backed Digital Training Academy, which offers government-sponsored learning licences in partnership with Coursera.

The programme is part of the National Skilling Project and is designed to help Nigerians develop skills that can improve their employability and opportunities in the digital economy.

According to the academy’s official website, 36,000 Nigerians are to be enrolled in the programme, with training covering more than 10 skill areas across all 37 states. The programme is fully sponsored by the Federal Government, meaning successful participants do not pay for the learning licence.

What can Nigerians learn?

The Digital Training Academy lists several high-demand areas, including:

* Software Development
* Cloud Technologies
* Cybersecurity
* IT Automation
* AI and Machine Learning
* Connected Technologies
* FinTech
* Parallel Computing
* Quantum Computing
* Natural Language Processing (NLP)

The AI and Machine Learning track, for instance, focuses on building intelligent systems using artificial intelligence, machine learning and deep-learning technologies.

The academy says the courses are delivered through Coursera, allowing participants to learn from global experts.

Who can apply?

The programme is targeted at Nigerians seeking to acquire or improve digital and professional skills. Students, job seekers and working professionals can participate, making it suitable for people looking to enter the technology industry or upgrade their existing skills.

How to apply

Interested Nigerians can apply through the Digital Training Academy portal.

The registration process begins with creating an account using a National Identification Number and phone number.

Applicants are then required to complete their profiles by providing information about their background, interests and career goals.

After completing the profile, applicants take a pre-assessment designed to determine their existing skill level and help place them on an appropriate learning path.

The academy’s official website outlines the process as, create an account using your NIN and phone number, complete your profile with your background, interests and career goals, take the pre-assessment to determine your current skill level, and start learning after receiving your assessment result and learning pathway.

Is the training really free?

Yes. The Digital Training Academy states that the programme is fully sponsored by the Federal Government of Nigeria and provides free learning licences.

The academy also says training centres have been established across the country with internet access and learning devices, meaning applicants without personal computers or reliable internet access can still participate.

Will participants receive certificates?

The programme provides certificates to participants who successfully complete the required training and assessments. The academy currently lists 36,000 certificates to be awarded alongside the 36,000 learners to be enrolled.

How long does the training take?

The duration depends on the selected learning track and level. The programme combines online learning with other forms of support, including facilitated learning and practical activities.

Applicants should note that the academy does not publicly list every individual Coursera course under each track. The specific learning pathway becomes available through the learner’s dashboard after registration and assessment.

Where can I register?

Interested Nigerians can register through the official Digital Training Academy portal: https://dta.education.gov.ng/onboarding

The African Democratic Congress says it collaborated with the Accord Party during the August 15 Osun State governorship election to prevent the All Progressives Congress from reclaiming power in the state.

National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, disclosed this on Trust TV on Monday while reacting to the party’s performance in the election.

The ADC’s governorship candidate, Najeem Salaam, polled 17,180 votes in the election, while incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party won with 511,067 votes, defeating his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, who secured 444,815 votes.

Asked why the party’s performance was below expectations, Abdullahi said the ADC had identified the possibility of opposition votes being divided, which could have given the APC an advantage.

The reasoning, according to the scribe, led the coalition to work with the Accord Party.

He said, “We saw the possibility of collaboration. We saw the possibility earlier on that if we decided to go full throttle, the possibility that the opposition would divide the votes and APC would take the victory was there.

“And that was why we saw the opportunity to work together. And that was what happened.”

He said the ADC did not consider its governorship candidate’s performance a failure because the party’s primary objective was to prevent the APC from returning to power in the state.

“That is why we can confidently celebrate what is going on in Osun, because for us, victory means that APC was defeated.

“So we don’t see the fact that our governor did not emerge as an indication of defeat or failure. For us, the failure, the defeat of the APC, was a real victory for us,” he said.

Asked whether the ADC had directed its supporters to vote for Adeleke, Abdullahi said, “We co-operated with the Accord Party.”

According to him, the decision was deliberate and had the backing of the ADC leadership.

Abdullahi said the development demonstrated that opposition parties could defeat the ruling APC in the 2027 presidential election if they worked together.

“It’s something that was deliberate, and we are glad that the outcome has justified the confidence that everyone has put in the process, and it has proved that the opposition working together can actually defeat this incumbent, no matter how awesome they are,” he said.

He, however, said the ADC would not claim sole credit for Adeleke’s victory, stressing that the people of Osun deserved the credit.

“But I’m saying that we are not taking credit. We are saying that the credit belongs to the people of Osun State,” Abdullahi said.

“The victory belongs to Ademola Adeleke. And in spite of all odds, he still managed to emerge as the governor of Osun State.”

The ADC spokesman also dismissed claims that the party’s poor performance was linked to resentment against its national secretary and former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola.

“That is not true. That is not true. Anybody saying that is not being charitable, because the entire leadership of the party was in Osun in the days leading to the election.

“And we saw the kind of overwhelming support that Rauf Aregbesola still controlled in Osun State,” he said.

Abdullahi described claims about Aregbesola’s treatment of civil servants while in office as “oppositionality”, saying Aregbesola remained popular in the state.

He said the ADC’s decision to collaborate with Accord was deliberate and not motivated by resentment or a desire to punish any political actor.

“It’s something that was deliberate, and we are glad that the outcome has justified the confidence that everyone has put in the process, and it has proved that the opposition working together can actually defeat this incumbent, no matter how awesome they are,” he said.

US President Donald Trump has declared the Strait of Hormuz a “new US territory” in a social media post, escalating his comments over control of the strategic waterway amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Trump on Tuesday shared a map graphic on Truth Social, a social media platform he owns, labelling the Strait of Hormuz a “NEW U.S. Territory”.

The same graphic was also posted by the official White House account on X.

The image shows a blue-highlighted map of the strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, with a circle around the narrow passage and the words “NEW U.S. Territory” displayed prominently.

The development follows Trump’s recent comments that he would declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory after defeating Iran.

Speaking at a political rally in New York State on Friday, Trump said, “After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated — pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States.”

“It’s true,” he added.

Trump had also described the idea as “a great idea” and “an excellent idea”, citing the US naval presence and blockade in the region.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, through which roughly 20 percent of global oil and gas typically flows.

The latest development comes amid an ongoing standoff between the United States and Iran over the waterway, with Iran restricting access to much of the strait while the US Navy maintains a blockade of Iranian ports.

Trump had previously said, “We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to.”

Iranian officials have rejected claims of U.S. territorial control.

Iranian Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Ghalibaf, and other figures have stated that the strait will remain closed or under Iranian authority until the United States lifts the blockade, eases related sanctions, and meets other commitments.

Iranian statements have dismissed efforts to claim the waterway through social media posts or military assertions.

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has transmitted the names of six commissioner nominees to the  State House of Assembly for consideration and confirmation.

Zape Upaa, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House, Alfred Emberga, stated this in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The statement read in parts, “The governor, in the letter addressed to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Alfred Aondoaver Emberga, said the move was intended to strengthen the State Executive Council and inject additional expertise and capacity into the administration.

“The nominees include Hon. Kuma Yenge, Hon. Roy Terna, Hon. Angwa Monday, Hon. Elizabeth Ogenyi, Hon. Solomon Iorpev and Hon. Nick Eworo.”

The governor requested the House to give the nominees prompt and favourable consideration in accordance with its constitutional responsibility.

The statement stated that the submission of the commissioner nominees comes as the Alia-led administration continues to consolidate its cabinet and strengthen the machinery of government for effective service delivery across the state.

The nominees are expected to replace some of the executive council members who resigned to contest various elective offices during the primary elections.

In July 2026, Alia challenged state governors nationwide to fully implement local government autonomy.

Alia, who declared that the constitutional provision had transformed governance in Benue, argued that his state had become the most compliant in the federation.

The former clergyman stated this during the meet-the-press briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the State House, Abuja.

He also warned politicians against converting insecurity into a partisan weapon.

“I encourage every other person who is not on this path to move into it as well, because it works. Benue State is number one compliant on autonomy.

“Our local government autonomy is sacrosanct, and they have it. The judiciary also have their own autonomy. These are verifiable facts,” he said.

A doctor, Olusina Ajidahun, has spoken on claims by the daughters of veteran Yoruba actor, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, that hospitals have refused to continue treating their father, who is battling stage-four cancer.

The doctor, identified on X as The Bearded Dr Sina, said the daughters’ description of their father’s treatment could be misunderstood, particularly their claim that hospitals had refused to treat him.

Reacting to the development on Monday, he explained that patients with stage-four cancer may be moved to palliative care after chemotherapy and other available therapies have been explored.

He wrote, “They don’t want to treat my father again. This is a dangerous statement and can set the tide against the medical team treating her Dad.

“When patients have stage 4 cancer and chemo and/or other therapies have been explored. There is a form of care called PALLIATIVE CARE.. which is end-of-life care and care for terminal diseases because at the point of the disease you cannot treat it, but you can manage associated symptoms and give the person a good quality of life before death.”

According to him, describing the situation as hospitals refusing to treat the actor could create a negative perception of healthcare workers and potentially trigger hostility against medical professionals.

“Saying they don’t want to treat my father makes it look like they are intentionally rejecting him, and in the context of recent happenings in the health sector, it can trigger an insurrection and put a bad label on health care workers,” he said.

The doctor also cautioned the public against recommending herbal remedies for stage-four cancer, warning that unverified concoctions could cause further complications.

He said, “IF YOU HAVE HERBS that treat cancer. Don’t do this.. There are no herbs that will treat a stage 4 cancer. These concoctions will end up damaging more organs and causing more complications. You’d end up wasting money and causing more problems.”

He further explained that stage-four cancer meant that the disease had spread beyond the organ where it initially developed.

“People need to understand that Stage 4 cancer means the cancer has left the primary organ and gone to other sites. Your Doctor knows what’s best, and it is good you work hand in hand with the team to give the best productivity,” he said.

He also expressed sympathy for Ogogo’s family and said he hoped they would work closely with the medical team treating the actor.

“I do hope Ogogo’s daughter and family see this. Wishing the family all the best throughout the trying times,” he added.

The doctor clarified that he was not involved in Ogogo’s medical care and was commenting independently on the daughters’ videos.

Online had reported that Ogogo’s daughters, Lima and Kira Taiwo, separately appealed for help on Instagram over their father’s health condition.

In a video posted on her Instagram page on Monday, Lima said the actor’s condition had deteriorated and claimed that hospitals had refused to treat him.

“Hello everybody, good evening. I’m here to ask for help from my daddy. He has cancer and it’s really, really bad.

“And the hospitals are refusing to treat him. At least, please, give this man a chance. Nobody wants to do anything,” she said.

Lima said the family only discovered the extent of the actor’s condition about three weeks earlier, adding that his outward appearance had not reflected the severity of his illness.

You see him, you can’t even know that. Something is wrong that bad. It’s just starting to show. We didn’t even know until like three weeks ago,” she said.

She reiterated that the family was seeking medical assistance and not financial donations, appealing to anyone with connections to healthcare providers who could take on her father’s case.

Please, I’m begging you. If you know somebody that knows somebody that will be willing to treat him, anything, we’re willing to try anything. We’re not here to ask for money. Nobody’s here to ask for money,” she said.

Lima also acknowledged the support the family had received from a relative during the crisis.

“My big uncle has helped a lot. He has been of great help. Like, nobody even knew that he would show up for us this way,” she said.

The actress’ daughter ended her video with an emotional appeal, saying she could not bear to watch her father die.

“But if he’s willing to do anything, please, if you know somebody that knows somebody that will be willing to treat him, would you really appreciate it? Please, I can’t watch my daddy die. I can’t. I can’t. Please. Please, I’m begging you. Please. Please,” she said.

In a separate Instagram video, Kira also appealed for help, disclosing that her father’s cancer was at stage four.

“Hello everyone, I’m here for my daddy. He has cancer and is in stage 4. The hospital is saying that they cannot treat him again, like they can’t give him chemo again,” she said

Kira appealed to anyone who could provide cancer treatment for the actor, including chemotherapy, to contact the family.

She stressed that the family was not seeking money but medical intervention that could give their father another chance.

“What I’m here for, what I’m here for is that if you can treat my daddy, if you can start chemo for him, whether it’s medical or herbs, please, I’m begging you, guys, I’m begging you, any help, anything, anybody that you know that can treat cancer, please, please, I’m begging you,” she said.

She urged anyone who knew a medical professional or facility capable of treating cancer to contact her, her sister or the actor directly.

“Please, please, if you can treat my daddy, please send me a DM. I’ll be checking my phone. Please, I don’t want my daddy to die,” Kira said.

She became emotional while speaking about her father’s condition, saying she had never seen him in such pain.

“God, give me strength. I’m suffering so bad. There’s no money, but if you know anybody that can treat my daddy, Andrew, please,” she said.

Kira added that her father had expressed his fear of dying.

“He’s saying that he doesn’t want to die. Please, I’ve never seen my daddy in that kind of pain before,” she said.

Hassan, 66, is a veteran of the Nigerian film industry whose career spans more than four decades. He has featured in more than 300 films and is one of the most recognisable faces in Yoruba cinema.

The results of the assessments demonstrated significant progress in Nigeria’s maritime security performance and implementation of the ISPS Code, ultimately leading to the lifting of the CoE.

Oyetola described the lifting as a major milestone for Nigeria’s maritime sector and an affirmation of the progress made in strengthening maritime security and implementing the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code across the country’s ports and facilities.

He said the development followed sustained efforts by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and other stakeholders to strengthen maritime security and ensure compliance with international standards.

He said, “Nigeria’s maritime sector has achieved a major milestone: the United States Coast Guard has lifted the 12-year Condition of Entry imposed on vessels arriving in the U.S. from Nigeria.

“This is a strong affirmation of the progress we have made in strengthening maritime security and implementing the ISPS Code across our ports and facilities.

“I commend our agencies and stakeholders for their sustained collaboration. This achievement will enhance port competitiveness, improve vessel turnaround and schedule reliability, reduce costs and strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global maritime economy.

“We will sustain this momentum and ensure Nigeria remains a safe, secure and competitive destination for international shipping.”

Meanwhile, NIMASA, in a statement on its social media pages, said the lifting of the CoE was expected to improve port competitiveness, enhance vessel turnaround and schedule reliability, reduce additional security-related costs and strengthen Nigeria’s position in global shipping.

Oyetola commended the Director-General of NIMASA, Dayo Mobereola, and other stakeholders for their contributions to the development.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed Saturday, September 19, 2026, for the conduct of the bye-election to fill the vacant Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.

The seat became vacant following the death of the lawmaker, Tongo Yaya, who represented the constituency.

INEC disclosed this in a timetable and schedule of activities released on Tuesday, ahead of the election, stating that the exercise would be conducted in accordance with the 1999 Constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.

The timetable was signed and released by the Public Affairs Officer, Mohorret Bigun, on behalf of the Resident Electoral Commissioner.

According to the timetable, the commission will publish the Notice of Election on Thursday, August 20, while political parties participating in the election are expected to conduct their primaries between August 21 and 25.

INEC said the list of nominated candidates would be published on September 8, while campaigns would commence on September 9 and end on September 17.

The commission urged political parties to comply strictly with the timetable and conduct their activities in accordance with the law

The Commission calls on all political parties to strictly adhere to the timetable and schedule of activities and conduct their activities in accordance with the provisions of the law,” the statement partly read.

INEC also assured stakeholders that it would provide a level playing field for all political parties and candidates participating in the election.

The commission said the election would cover 903 polling units, 31 registration areas and three local government areas within the constituency.

“The Commission further assures all stakeholders across the 903 Polling Units, 31 Registration Areas and 3 Local Government Areas that it remains committed to providing a level playing field for all political parties and candidates and to conducting a free, fair, and inclusive bye-election,” it said.

INEC urged eligible voters in the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency to participate in the electoral process and exercise their civic responsibility peacefully.

The Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has congratulated the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on his victory in the August 15 governorship election.

Governor Abiodun described Adeleke’s re-election as a reflection of the choice of the people of Osun State, noting that the outcome of the election has once again demonstrated the strength and resilience of Nigeria’s democracy.

He commended the people of Osun State for their peaceful conduct before, during and after the election, urging all stakeholders to continue to place the peace, unity and development of the state above partisan interests.

The Ogun State governor also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for demonstrating that he is a true democrat by ensuring a level playing field for all the political parties and candidates who participated in the election.

According to him, the President’s commitment to democratic values and the independence of the electoral process has further strengthened confidence in Nigeria’s democracy and demonstrated that the ballot remains the most important instrument for determining the choice of the people.

Abiodun also congratulated all the candidates who participated in the election for contributing to the democratic process, while urging them and their supporters to accept the outcome in the spirit of sportsmanship.

He wished Governor Adeleke a successful second term in office and expressed confidence that he would work with all stakeholders to advance the development and prosperity of Osun State.

As Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, Governor Abiodun reaffirmed his commitment to promoting democratic values, good governance, peaceful coexistence and regional cooperation in the overall interest of the people of Southern Nigeria.

The German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD is currently accepting applications from interested and qualified students to pursue a postgraduate degree in Germany.

The DAAD Masters Scholarships are offered as full scholarship awards providing living stipend of 11,208 Euros per year, travel allowance, and a monthly rent subsidy for selected candidates. 

The DAAD is the world’s largest funding organisation for the international exchange of students and researchers. Read more about the details, criteria, and application procedure for the DAAD Study Scholarships for All Disciplines in this post.

DAAD Masters Scholarship Summary

• Host Country: Germany
• Study Abroad: Study in Europe 
• Category: Postgraduate Scholarships | Masters Scholarships 
• Eligible Countries: All Countries
• Reward: Full Scholarship | €11,908 Annual Stipends | Travel Costs | Accommodation
• Deadline: August 31, 2026

DAAD Study Scholarships for All Disciplines Details:

The DAAD Postgraduate Scholarship programme offers you the opportunity to continue your education in Germany with a postgraduate or continuing course of study in all fields.

The DAAD Scholarships also promote the exchange of experience and networking amongst colleagues.

The funding of postgraduate studies is possible in the so-called 2nd cycle (usually a four-semester Master’s degree) or a 3rd cycle which usually takes place in two semesters (concert examination, masterclass or PhD in an artistic subject).

2027 DAAD Masters Scholarship Requirements:

To be considered for the 2027 DAAD Masters Scholarship, you have to fulfil the following requirements:

• You can apply if you have gained a first university degree at the latest by the time you commence your scholarship-supported study programme;
• a Master’s degree/postgraduate degree leading to a final qualification, or
• a complementary course that does not lead to a final qualification (not an undergraduate course)In this study programme, you can complete at a state German college of music of your choice.
• As a rule, your university degree should not date back more than 6 years at the time of the application deadline.
• The respective college of music is responsible for deciding age limits for admission, whereby differing rules may be applied depending on the applicant’s academic level and chosen subject.
• Your application cannot be considered, if you have been resident in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline.
• You should have a knowledge of the language of instruction that corresponds to the requirements of the chosen university at the latest by the time you start the scholarship. 

DAAD Masters Scholarship Duration and Reward

Value

• A monthly payment of 992 euros
• Travel allowance
• One-off study allowance
• Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover

Under certain circumstances, you can apply for the following additional benefits after the start of funding:

• Monthly rent subsidy 
• Monthly allowance for accompanying members of the family. 

Duration:

• One academic year is being funded. In individual cases, the scholarship can be extended on request
• Start: usually on 1st October of the following year, or earlier if a German language course is taken prior to the study programme

Required Documents for DAAD Study Scholarships for All Disciplines

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

• Application Form
• CV
• Reports, certificates
• Transcripts
• Letter of Motivation
• Research Proposal

How To Apply for 2027 DAAD Study Scholarships for All Disciplines (Step by Step)

To apply for the 2027 DAAD Masters Scholarship, interested and qualified applicants should;

• Click the green button below to visit the scholarship application website
• Register in the DAAD portal
• Apply online in the DAAD portal
• Prepare application documents
• If necessary, translate documents (unless they are already in German or English).
• Scan paper documents and save in PDF format. Please note that you can only upload PDF files to the portal.
• Fill out the application form and upload the application documents to the portal in PDF format. Translations, if applicable, should be uploaded together with the document issued in the original language.
• Submit the application online.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Deadline: August 31, 2026

The Bauchi State Police Command has reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism, following the arrest of three security personnel attached to the First City Monument Bank, Bauchi, who allegedly conspired to make false claims against police officers and attempted to obtain N1.2m by false pretence.

The command stated that the suspects were identified as: 30-year-old Usman Usman of Guru, Bauchi; 30-year-old Aliyu Musa of Yelwan Lebura; and 35-year-old Haruna Adamu of Rafin Tambari.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Nafiu Habib, explained via a statement issued on Wednesday, that

the incident occurred on August 9, 2026, when Usman and Musa reported at the E Division, Yelwa, alleging that police officers had impounded their Bajaj motorcycle and demanded money for its release.

He said the suspects further alleged that after returning with the money, the motorcycle could not be found, prompting them to accuse the police of stealing it and thus, went ahead  to demand N1.2m as compensation.

The statement read in part, “On 9th August, 2026 at about 2330hrs, Mr Usman Usman, 30-year-old of Guru, Bauchi, and Mr Aliyu Musa, also 30-year-old of Yelwan Lebura, both security personnel attached to First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Bauchi, reported an incident at ‘E’ Division, Yelwa.”

The PPRO explained further that an intelligence-led investigation launched after the report established that the three suspects had allegedly conspired to remove the motorcycle from the police impoundment area using a spare key.

He said the suspects allegedly took advantage of the police officers’ attention being focused on other offenders to secretly remove the motorcycle and conceal it at Adamu’s residence in Rafin Tambari.

Habib added that the trio later reported the matter to the police and deliberately made false allegations against the officers in an attempt to obstruct them from performing their duties and damage the reputation of the Nigeria Police Force.

“All the suspects have been arrested, and the motorcycle has been recovered while investigations are ongoing, and the suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of preliminary investigation,” he stated.

The PPRO said the Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, condemned the alleged criminal conspiracy and deliberate misinformation against police officers.

He added that the commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to professionalism, integrity and accountability.

The Lagos Waste Management Authority is seeking greater involvement from youth organisations in its campaign to change how residents handle waste, with two clubs pledging to support initiatives promoting recycling and environmental responsibility.

The commitment came during a visit by representatives of the Rotaract Club of Ikoyi and Achiever Leo Club to LAWMA’s headquarters in Ijora-Olopa recently.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, used the meeting to outline the authority’s approach to reducing waste sent to landfills while expanding opportunities to recover materials and derive economic value from discarded items.

Gbadegesin said the authority was strengthening collection, recycling and resource recovery as part of a wider shift towards more sustainable waste management.

He pointed to the planned Material Recovery Facilities in locations including Badagry and Agbowa as part of that effort, saying the facilities would improve the sorting and recovery of recyclable materials while supporting economic activity around waste processing.

The LAWMA chief also drew attention to the authority’s Academy, which he described as an avenue for introducing children and young people to practical approaches to waste management and sustainable living.

He displayed products created by interns at the academy from discarded materials, arguing that the work demonstrated how recycling could simultaneously promote environmental awareness and develop entrepreneurial skills among young people.

Gbadegesin said government could not achieve sustainable waste management on its own, stressing the importance of participation by residents, businesses, civil society and youth organisations.

The clubs’ representatives, led by the President of Achiever Leo Club, Agboola Yussuf, and Vice-President of Rotaract Club, Ikoyi, Olayori Fawaz, said the visit allowed them to better understand LAWMA’s operations and environmental programmes.

They commended the authority’s recycling and environmental initiatives and pledged to work with it on programmes aimed at increasing public awareness and encouraging responsible waste disposal.

The engagement puts youth participation alongside infrastructure and recycling as an important component of Lagos’ attempt to build a waste management system in which discarded materials are increasingly treated as resources rather than simply refuse.

In a goodwill message signed on behalf of the Club, its President, IRE Asiwaju Dr. Adesola ADEWUNMI, congratulated the leadership and entire members of the Traditional Worshippers Association on the important celebration, holding on Thursday, 20th August, 2026, while acknowledging their significant role in the preservation of indigenous culture and traditional heritage.

The Club noted that traditional worshippers constitute an important part of Nigeria's cultural ecosystem, particularly through their efforts to preserve indigenous knowledge, traditional festivals, ancestral heritage, cultural practices, oral traditions and the philosophical values that have been transmitted from one generation to another.

According to the Club, the Isese Day Celebration goes beyond religious observance, as it provides an opportunity for people to appreciate and reconnect with their cultural roots, promote peaceful coexistence, strengthen communal bonds and encourage younger generations to understand and value their indigenous heritage.

“Isese represents an important dimension of our identity, history and cultural heritage. It reminds us of the need to preserve our indigenous values while embracing the ideals of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, responsible citizenship and community development.
“We therefore commend the Traditional Worshippers Association of Nigeria, Ogun State Branch, Iperu Chapter, for its commitment to keeping our cultural heritage alive and for providing a platform through which our people can celebrate and appreciate the richness of our indigenous traditions,” the Club stated.

The Iperu Royalist Elites Club further urged traditional worshippers and cultural custodians to continue to promote the positive values embedded in indigenous traditions, while working with other stakeholders to foster peace, unity, tolerance and sustainable development within Iperu Remo, Ogun State and Nigeria at large.

The Club also extended its warm greetings and goodwill to the Executive Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo ABIODUN, CON, on the occasion of the 2026 Isese Day Celebration, commending the State Government for its recognition of the importance of culture, tradition and indigenous heritage in the development of the State.
The Club prayed that the celebration would usher in greater peace, unity, progress and.prosperity for Ogun State, Iperu Remo and the entire traditional community.

The Iperu Royalist Elites Club, while wishing the Traditional Worshippers Association a memorable and peaceful celebration, called for continued collaboration among traditional institutions,  cultural organisations, religious bodies, government and community stakeholders in preserving the rich cultural heritage of the people.

IRE Temitope OYEKAN
Publicity Secretary
Iperu Royalist Elites Club 
17th August, 2026

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has called for deeper collaboration with Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Mining Marshals as concerns mount over the growing links between illegal mining, organised crime and terrorism across Nigeria, West Africa and the Sahel.

The call was made during a strategic visit by a UNODC delegation to the Mining Marshals Corps, where the international body commended the specialised unit for its expanding role in tackling illegal mining and related criminal activities.

The Commander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant of Corps, John Attah, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday.

The UNODC delegation was led by the Chief of the Africa Section of the Terrorism Prevention Branch, Tullio Santini, who praised the Mining Marshals for their enforcement efforts.

“The rising number of arrests and prosecutions is evidence of Nigeria’s commitment to tackling the illicit trade,” he stated.

The visit was part of a broader UNODC mission to strengthen partnerships in Nigeria, engage development partners and review ongoing field operations.

A major focus of the meeting was the introduction of the UNODC Coordination through Operational Networks against the Crime-Terrorism Nexus initiative by a law enforcement expert from the Swedish Police, Robert Haslinger.

The CONNECT Initiative is designed to strengthen cooperation among governments and law enforcement agencies in disrupting the financial and operational links between organised criminal networks and terrorist groups.

Nigeria is among the countries invited to participate in the initiative, which is scheduled for launch in November 2026.

Responding, Attah, who represented the NSCDC Commandant-General, Prof Ahmed Audi, welcomed the UNODC delegation and described the organisation as a critical partner in strengthening the operational capabilities of the Mining Marshals.

He said, “The previous UNODC-supported training programmes had significantly improved collaboration between the Mining Marshals and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, enhancing the ability of both institutions to coordinate investigations and intelligence-led operations against illegal mining syndicates.

The Mining Marshals occupy a unique position within Nigeria’s security architecture, reporting to the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, and the NSCDC.

“While their primary mandate remains the suppression of illegal mining activities, the officers, drawn from the NSCDC, also support broader national security operations when required.

“We also use this opportunity to advocate for the formal inclusion of the Mining Marshals in the CONNECT Initiative because disrupting the financial foundations of terrorist organisations requires greater attention to the illegal exploitation of mineral resources.”

Attah said the growing nexus between illegal mining and terrorism had become increasingly relevant to Nigeria’s national security calculations.

He added that the development partly explained the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms in the mining sector, with the Mining Marshals emerging as a key enforcement instrument in the fight against illegal exploitation of the country’s mineral resources.

The Marshals commander also called for expanded capacity-building programmes covering terrorism-related concepts, regional intelligence cooperation and peer-learning opportunities to enhance the unit’s ability to tackle evolving threats associated with illicit mining.

Illegal mining has increasingly attracted security concerns in Nigeria, with authorities warning that proceeds from illicit exploitation of mineral resources can fuel organised criminal activities and insecurity.

The UNODC officials commended the institutional structure of the Mining Marshals, describing it as a notable model within Nigeria’s law-enforcement ecosystem.

They noted that the unit had an unusually broad operational mandate, allowing it to handle illegal mining cases from intelligence gathering and prevention to arrest, investigation and prosecution.

The officials also highlighted the unit’s use of non-kinetic measures, including stakeholder engagement and community outreach, in addressing illegal mining.

The meeting ended with an exchange of publications, a commemorative photograph session and renewed commitments to strengthen collaboration against the growing convergence of resource-related crime and terrorism in Nigeria and the wider region.

The daughters, Lima and Kira Taiwo, made separate emotional appeals on Instagram on Monday, urging Nigerians, well-wishers and medical professionals with experience in cancer treatment to help save their father.

In a video posted on her Instagram page, Lima said the actor’s condition had deteriorated and that hospitals had refused to treat him.

Taiwo, who struggled to hold back tears throughout the video, appealed to Nigerians and well-wishers to help her family find a hospital or medical personnel willing to treat her father, insisting that the family was not soliciting funds.

Hello everybody, good evening. I’m here to ask for help from my daddy. He has cancer and it’s really, really bad.

“And the hospitals are refusing to treat him. At least, please, give this man a chance. Nobody wants to do anything,” she said.

She said the family only discovered the extent of the actor’s condition three weeks ago, adding that his outward appearance did not reflect the severity of his illness.

You see him, you can’t even know that. Something is wrong that bad. It’s just starting to show. We didn’t even know until like three weeks ago,” she said.

Lima reiterated that the appeal was strictly for medical assistance and not financial donations, urging anyone with connections to healthcare providers willing to take on her father’s case to reach out to the family.

“Please, I’m begging you. If you know somebody that knows somebody that will be willing to treat him, anything, we’re willing to try anything. We’re not here to ask for money. Nobody’s here to ask for money,” she said.

She also acknowledged the support the family had received from a relative, saying he had stepped in during the crisis.

“My big uncle has helped a lot. He has been of great help. Like, nobody even knew that he would show up for us this way,” she said.

The visibly distraught daughter ended the video with a tearful plea, saying she could not bear to watch her father die.

“But if he’s willing to do anything, please, if you know somebody that knows somebody that will be willing to treat him, would you really appreciate it? Please, I can’t watch my daddy die. I can’t. I can’t. Please. Please, I’m begging you. Please. Please,” she said.

In a separate Instagram video posted on Monday, Kira also appealed for help, disclosing that her father’s cancer was at stage four.

“Hello everyone, I’m here for my daddy. He has cancer and is in stage 4. The hospital is saying that they cannot treat him again, like they can’t give him chemo again,” she said.

Kira appealed to anyone who could provide cancer treatment for the actor, including chemotherapy, to contact the family.

“And I really, really, really love to appreciate Senator Yayi. He has been the one helping us, he has been the one footing the bills,” she said.

The actress’ daughter stressed that the family was not seeking money, but medical intervention that could give their father another chance.

“What I’m here for, what I’m here for is that if you can treat my daddy, if you can start chemo for him, whether it’s medical or herbs, please, I’m begging you, guys, I’m begging you, any help, anything, anybody that you know that can treat cancer, please, please, I’m begging you,” she said.

She urged anyone who knew a medical professional or facility capable of treating cancer to contact her, her sister or the actor directly.

“Please, please, if you can treat my daddy, please send me a DM. I’ll be checking my phone. Please, I don’t want my daddy to die,” Kira said.

She became emotional while speaking about her father’s condition, saying she had never seen him in such pain.

“God, give me strength. I’m suffering so bad. There’s no money, but if you know anybody that can treat my daddy, Andrew, please,” she said.

Kira added that her father had expressed his fear of dying, saying, “He’s saying that he doesn’t want to die. Please, I’ve never seen my daddy in that kind of pain before.”

Hassan, 66, is a veteran of the Nigerian film industry with a career spanning more than four decades.

He has featured in more than 300 movies and is one of the most recognisable faces in Yoruba cinema.

As of the time of filing this report, the actor’s management and family were yet to issue an official statement detailing the specific hospital, diagnosis, or type of cancer involved.

The NYCN South-East Vice-President, Dr Atigwe Ifeanyi, stated this on Monday during a press briefing in Enugu on lessons from the recent Osun governorship election and preparations for the 2027 polls.

While urging young Nigerians across the five states to participate actively in the electoral process and make informed choices based on candidates’ competence, character and track record, Ifeanyi noted that the Osun election had demonstrated the importance of allowing voters to freely determine who governs them through credible elections.

He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for its efforts and praised President Bola Tinubu for allowing democratic institutions to function without undue interference from the Presidency.

He warned politicians against relying on electoral manipulation to secure political power.

“The era where politicians rely on electoral manipulation, intimidation, inducement or rigging to secure political power must come to an end.

“Today, we are saying clearly that the people are watching and the youths are also watching, as the era of taking the people’s mandate for granted is over,” he said.

The NYCN leader urged politicians seeking elective offices to present their records before the electorate and allow voters to assess their performance.

“Every politician seeking public office must present his or her scorecard before the electorate. Let the people examine what you have achieved, what you have failed to achieve, and what you intend to do differently,” he said.

Ifeanyi called on youths in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states to obtain, protect and use their PVCs wisely.

He announced that the council would commence grassroots advocacy under its “Operation Use Your PVC Well” campaign to educate young voters on their political rights and responsibilities.

Your PVC is not merely a card. It is your instrument of political participation and power to change bad leadership and enthrone good leadership,” he said.

He urged youths to vote for candidates who could provide accountability, good governance, security, economic opportunities and infrastructure, rather than voting solely along party lines.

“We must be bold enough to vote out non-performing leaders and vote in candidates with demonstrable records of better performance and genuine commitment to public service,” he said.

Ifeanyi also called on INEC to strengthen its processes, technology, transparency and institutional independence ahead of 2027.

He warned politicians planning to rig elections to reconsider their ambitions, saying the youths would resist electoral malpractice through lawful democratic participation.

“Any political leader whose strategy for achieving power depends on rigging or subverting the will of the electorate should reconsider such a political ambition,” he said.

He added that the youths would not resort to violence but would use their votes and civic participation to influence political outcomes.

“Our resistance will be through our PVCs, our civic participation, lawful advocacy and our collective votes,” he said.

The NYCN also urged the South-East Development Commission to focus on infrastructure renewal, economic empowerment, reconstruction and sustainable development in the region.

Ifeanyi said the 2027 elections should mark a shift from “politics of sentiments” and personality to politics based on competence, character, capacity and measurable performance.

We must move from politics of sentiments to politics of performance; from politics of personality to politics of competence; and from politics of promises to politics of measurable results,” he said.

The Abia State Government has said its ongoing tax administration reforms are not aimed at increasing the taxes payable by residents, but at improving transparency, accountability and ease of doing business.

The state Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, stated this on Monday while briefing journalists at the Government House, Umuahia, on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

Kanu said the reforms were designed to make tax administration “more transparent, traceable, auditable, automated and taxpayer-friendly,” while eliminating revenue leakages, multiple collections and arbitrary practices.

He said, “Automation is not a tax increase. Transparency is not a tax increase. Closing revenue leakages is not a tax increase.”

The commissioner explained that the integration of revenue collection systems, particularly at vehicle licensing offices, was introduced to eliminate cash handling and ensure that payments made by taxpayers were properly accounted for and remitted to the government.

He also said there had been no increase in Pay-As-You-Earn, land or vehicle taxes, stressing that the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue lacked the power to unilaterally alter tax rates.

On the Tax Clearance Certificate, Kanu said the process was being implemented in line with existing tax laws and the new national tax framework, which require proper assessment of taxpayers’ income rather than the previous practice of paying a flat amount without adequate assessment.

He said the government would not arbitrarily classify funds or payments into taxpayers’ bank accounts as taxable income, but would establish through lawful assessment and verification which transactions constituted taxable income.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Internally Generated Revenue, Dr Emmanuel Okpechi, said the reforms were intended to promote transparency on both sides of the tax administration process.

Okpechi said taxpayers were expected to declare their income honestly, while the government would ensure that no citizen was taxed beyond what the law prescribed.

On the consolidated demand notice for businesses, he explained that the initiative was introduced to harmonise various charges and eliminate multiple collections by government agencies.

Instead of multiple people coming to harass you, you pay at one point and you are cleared,” he said.

Okpechi added, “What we are doing is strengthening the system, making transparency work, both for the government and for the taxpayer. Nobody will be taxed a kobo beyond what is lawful.”

The Executive Chairman of the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue, Uche Elekwachi, also said the board had not increased taxes, but was enforcing existing tax laws and introducing systems to improve compliance and block revenue leakages.

There is no increment whatsoever. No increment on PAYE, no increment on lands, no increment on vehicle licences or for the issuance of Tax Clearance Certificates, TCC,” Elekwachi said.

He explained that the government had consolidated the various payments so that taxpayers would not receive multiple demand notices after making the required payment.

“What the government has done is to consolidate these payments so that once you pay, nobody comes to you with any other demand notice. What we did was mere integration into the government system,” he said.

Elekwachi further clarified that the board would not automatically treat every inflow into a taxpayer’s bank account as taxable income, adding that taxpayers seeking Tax Clearance Certificates would have the opportunity to explain and substantiate the nature of their transactions during the assessment process.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, said the clarification became necessary following claims by some opposition figures concerning the state’s tax reforms.

He said the new tax system had harmonised various payments, including stallage and ASEPA fees.

“Whether it is stallage, ASEPA fee or any other, what the government did was to consolidate it, so that once one pays, he has paid everything,” Ukoha said.

Okocha said the goal, which saw him dribble past Kahn before finding the net, was the moment he first gained recognition outside Germany.

Speaking on the Obi-Wan podcast on Monday, Okocha, fondly called JJ, said Kahn was in one of his best seasons at the time, shortly before his move to Bayern Munich.

He said the viral moment, which predated social media, still got wide television coverage across Europe and remains one of the defining highlights of his career.

“It was Oliver Kahn, and he was having his best season,” Okocha said.

He added, “That goal changed my life. That was when I gained recognition outside Germany.”

The goal was replayed across European television at the time, despite predating the social media era.

Okocha explained that he held onto the ball longer than he intended before shooting, insisting he was not trying to embarrass Kahn but was searching for the right opening to score.

He said his then Frankfurt manager later joked that his starting place at the club depended on that goal going in.

“I didn’t mean to hold onto it that long. Whenever I want to shoot, I see somebody in front, so I was just trying to find the right moment to shoot.

“The saving grace was it did go in, because even the manager told me, had he been there, I didn’t score that goal, as long as he remains manager of this team, you will never play again,” he said.

Okocha said he has since met Kahn but has never discussed the goal with him, joking that the German’s stern demeanour makes it a difficult conversation to start.

“I’ve met him, but you don’t want to discuss that. He’s a big lad, and he never smiles,” Okocha said

Okocha made his name at Eintracht Frankfurt after starting his European career at a lower-tier German club, before further stints at Fenerbahçe, PSG and Bolton Wanderers cemented his reputation as one of Africa’s most gifted attacking midfielders.

The Director-General of the All Progressives Congress governorship campaign in Osun State, Oluwole Oke, has said the party will not be pressured into congratulating Governor Ademola Adeleke over his victory in the August 15 governorship election.

Oke stated this in an interview with Arise News on Monday, saying the APC was reviewing the election results and would determine its next step after examining the records.

He said the position of President Bola Tinubu, who had congratulated Adeleke following the declaration of the result by the Independent National Electoral Commission, was different from that of the party’s campaign team, which was “on the ground” and assessing the process.

“And like I’ve told you that what we are doing, even for future, for records, is to conduct a thorough review of the entire process and then form our opinion.

We won’t be under any sort of pressure to easily reach out to congratulate Senator Ademola Adeleke,” Oke said.

He added, “We do not agree with the declaration of INEC. That’s our position for now. We believe he did not score the highest valid votes.”

INEC declared Adeleke, the Accord candidate, winner of the election after he polled 511,067 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. ADC candidate Najeem Salaam came third with 17,180 votes.

Adeleke won in 19 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured 11, giving the incumbent a winning margin of 66,252 votes.

Following the declaration, Adeleke said he expected Oyebamiji to call and congratulate him, describing it as the “civilised thing to do.”

However, Oke said the APC campaign team was more concerned with reviewing the electoral process before making any decision.

“When you have a project of this nature with the outcome announced by INEC, we will not be in a haste, nor shall we be under pressure without doing the needful,” he said.

According to him, the party had commenced an audit of the election and directed its agents to submit relevant result sheets for scrutiny.

“We have embarked on an audit process. We have asked all our party agents to submit copies of Forms EC8A, B, and C to our secretariat for review. We need to inspect the materials,” Oke said.

Meanwhile, the party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, said the APC was still studying the results from all 332 wards.

The party said an election was “a process that continues through the tribunal, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court,” adding that it would consult its lawyers and explore all legal options available under the Electoral Act if irregularities were discovered.

Oke said the party would also examine issues arising from the pre-election period and the conduct of the election against provisions of the Electoral Act and other relevant laws.

“Until we do that and form our opinion, we won’t be able to go further to say anything on this,” he said.

The APC campaign DG also criticised the Adeleke administration, questioning its record in education, healthcare and support for farmers in the state.

He said, “When you look at this in totality, you can see the failures of government glaring in the citizens’ faces.”

Oke urged the public to give the party time to complete its assessment of the election before it announces its next course of action.

Repayment of loans obtained from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, has been capped at 10 per cent of a beneficiary’s gross monthly income, with the arrangement designed to ensure that graduates do not face excessive financial pressure while repaying their education loans. Below is ahow to apply.

To apply for the NELFUND student loan:

*Visit the Nigerian Education Loan Fund Portal, click “Apply Now,” verify your JAMB and NIN details, complete your profile with your BVN and school matriculation number, and submit your request for institutional fees or upkeep loans.

Registration and Verification

*Go to site: Open the Nigerian Education Loan Fund Portal and click Apply Now.

*Enter numbers: Provide your National Identification Number, NIN, and JAMB registration number.

*Confirm details: Select your public tertiary institution, input your matriculation number, and verify your date of birth.

*Create account: Enter your email address, set a secure password, and click the verification link sent to your email.

Completing Your Profile

*Personal info: Log in and add your current phone number and residential address.

*Bank info: Input your Bank Verification Number, BVN, and standard commercial bank account details (note that microfinance or digital-only fintech wallets like OPay or Moniepoint are typically not accepted).

*Save details: Save your completed profile information before proceeding to the loan request.

Submitting the Loan Request

*Select loan type: Click Request for Student Loan. Choose institutional charges (tuition) first; note that an upkeep stipend loan requires you to apply for the institutional charges loan as well.

*Upload documents: Upload required files, such as your admission letter.

*Review and submit: Check the declaration, agree to the terms and conditions, and click Submit Application.

Georgina Rodríguez has opened up about why she and Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo chose to marry in the living room of their home rather than have the lavish wedding many expected.

The couple tied the knot in a private civil ceremony in Cascais, Portugal, on August 11, 2026, surrounded by their five children. Details of the ceremony were later revealed in an exclusive interview with Vogue.

For Rodríguez, the decision was less about luxury and more about creating a meaningful family memory.

She explained that, as a child, she imagined a traditional fairytale wedding featuring a grand castle, a carriage, a long wedding gown and a diamond crown.

However, her priorities changed as she grew older and built a family with Ronaldo.

“Now, I find myself saying: no. I desire something intimate, shared with my partner and our children, in the comfort of our home,” Rodríguez said.

She said the couple already have access to extraordinary luxury, including castles, houses, islands, horses and cars, making a private family celebration more special to them.

“We have access to castles, houses, islands, horses, and cars every day. However, an intimate gathering is something more unique for us,” she said.

Rodríguez said the living room was deliberately chosen because it is where the family experiences everyday life together.

“We chose to hold the ceremony in our living room, the place where we share breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and where we experience our daily lives,” she explained.

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has described opposition political parties that boycotted Monday’s local government elections in the state as cowards, saying they were afraid of losing the polls.

Mohammed stated this shortly after casting his vote alongside his wife, Aisha, at his polling unit in Dan Kungibar, Bakin Dutse District Head’s Office, Yalwan Duguri, Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state.

The governor said the opposition parties should have participated in the election to test their popularity rather than staying away from the process.

He said, “I can see some people are cowards. They have even checked out of the election because they knew they would lose.

They have not campaigned. If they had listened to my advice, they should have gone ahead to test their popularity.”

Mohammed said the election was an opportunity for political parties to demonstrate their popularity among the people ahead of the 2027 general election, stressing that no party could be installed in a democratic system without the support of voters.

He added that the peaceful atmosphere across the polling area showed that the election was being conducted in a calm environment.

The place is very peaceful, and you can see the atmosphere of serenity this morning. We appreciate God for our peace and the spirit of love that is here in this polling area,” he said.

The governor said the state government remained committed to democratic governance and ensuring that people were allowed to exercise their constitutional rights.

He also expressed confidence that the election would produce successful candidates who would govern the local governments with the fear of God.

Mohammed stressed the importance of local governments to the development of the state, noting that most of the activities affecting residents take place at the grassroots.

He said, “The local government is where everything is done because the majority of what people live on is in the local government, not in the state capital.

“That is why we are trying very, very much to ensure good governance in the local government.”

The governor said the state had continued to conduct elections without skipping any electoral cycle, adding that the latest exercise would further strengthen democratic governance at the grassroots.

Mohammed also commended the quality of candidates participating in the election, noting that some of them possessed postgraduate and university degrees.

He said the state government’s efforts to strengthen local government autonomy had increased resources and activities at the grassroots, thereby making the councils attractive to qualified candidates.

Meanwhile, a coalition of opposition political parties in Bauchi State had announced a boycott of the election, describing the exercise as a “kangaroo election” allegedly designed to favour the ruling party.

The coalition comprises the African Democratic Congress, African Action Congress, Social Democratic Party, Peoples Redemption Party and New Nigeria Peoples Party.

The parties announced their decision at a press briefing held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat in Bauchi on Sunday.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, the National Spokesperson of the ADC, Dr Ladan Salihu, said the parties had resolved to act jointly on the matter.

He added that the Bauchi State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress was also expected to join the coalition.

Salihu said the 2026 local government elections were being conducted under the 2008 Bauchi State Electoral Law, as reflected in guidelines issued by the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission.

According to the coalition, the arrangement was in apparent contradiction to the 2026 Electoral Act, which it said provided the legal framework from which BASIEC derived its authority.

“This has produced a weak and questionable legal framework and legal foundation for the conduct of these elections,” the coalition said.

The opposition parties also faulted what they described as excessive nomination and administrative fees imposed by BASIEC, arguing that the charges constituted a financial burden on opposition parties.

“The duplication of nomination and administrative charges for the individual candidates, even though the entire exercise is funded by the state government from our commonwealth, raises serious concerns,” the coalition said.

Despite the boycott by the opposition parties, Governor Mohammed said the participation of other political parties demonstrated the strength of democracy in the state, expressing gratitude to voters for turning out to exercise their franchise.

South Africa’s anti-immigration group, March and March, has announced September 30 as a fresh deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country, as it staged a protest outside the Southern African Development Community summit in Durban on Monday.

The group marched through central Durban under the theme, “It’s time to fetch your people”, calling on African leaders attending the 46th SADC Summit to take back their citizens living in South Africa without legal documentation.

March and March had previously led nationwide protests on June 30, demanding tougher action against undocumented foreigners and warning that it would continue its campaign until the government addressed its immigration demands.

Announcing its latest action, BBC News Pidgin on Monday noted that the group said, “We are announcing the second wave of the 30 June National Day of Action and calling on the heads of state to prepare for the massive deportation of all illegal foreigners from South Africa by 30 September, which will be the mother of all protests.”

The movement also said, “South Africans must follow the law and remain the eyes and ears of the police against any illegal foreigners in the country.”

The 46th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government is being held in Durban, bringing together leaders from the regional bloc’s 16 member states.

The protest came amid renewed debate over South Africa’s treatment of foreign nationals, with President Cyril Ramaphosa recently condemning discrimination and violence against people from other African countries.

We are deeply ashamed that people from other countries have suffered ill-treatment and that others have been forced to leave the country because of threats of violence,” Ramaphosa said.

He added, “We cannot preach integration at a summit like this and practise exclusion on the streets of our countries.”

The June 30 protests were accompanied by security operations and incidents involving attacks and looting in some areas, according to police reports cited in the original report.

March and March has continued to press the South African government to take tougher action against undocumented immigration, while several African countries have evacuated citizens amid tensions over the treatment of foreign nationals.

The group’s latest protest puts the immigration dispute directly outside a summit attended by leaders of countries whose citizens are among those affected.

The governor gave the charge on Monday when he received the newly elected Speaker, Yekini Idiaye, who represents Akoko-Edo Constituency I, at the Government House, Benin City.

Okpebholo said political office was temporary and should be handled with humility and a strong sense of responsibility.

He urged the new leadership to promote transparency, dialogue and inclusiveness, while advising lawmakers to resolve disagreements within the Assembly rather than taking them to social media.

We must put arrogance aside to serve our people better because today we are here and tomorrow we don’t know where we will be.

“It’s a new leadership. I don’t know what happened. Whatever must have happened in the House is for the House, and it remains there. I was also a parliamentarian, and I know that we respect one another,” he said.

Okpebholo said disagreements among lawmakers should be handled internally, adding that the emergence of a new leadership presented an opportunity for members to work together.

He urged the new Speaker to understand the responsibility that came with his office and ensure that all members of the Assembly were carried along.

He warned that failure to involve members in the affairs of the House could create fresh divisions.

“It is not just to be a leader, but a responsible leader. You are not just assuming a new office, to be just an ordinary speaker. You should know that you are now carrying the shoulders of many people and you have to be transparent with your colleagues. You have to carry everybody along.

“The only way you can have effective leadership is for you to carry everybody along. I will urge the new speaker to live up to the positive comments made about him by his colleagues,” he said.

The governor added, “Everyone is saying good things about you. I want you to remain the way they have described you.”

Okpebholo identified teamwork as essential to effective legislative leadership and encouraged lawmakers to raise their concerns through dialogue.

“Teamwork is the bedrock of effective leadership. And for you to make progress, you need to believe in yourselves. When you have anything in mind, always voice it out either in private with the Speaker or in the open. Dialogue is always the key,” he said.

The governor said he wanted the Assembly to remain peaceful, noting that the House had operated without a major crisis for about two years.

I want us to have a peaceful House. For about two years, there have never been crises in the House. And I pray that in another two years, there will be no crisis in the House,” he said.

With elections approaching, Okpebholo urged the lawmakers to strengthen their presence in their constituencies and work towards electoral success.

“I pray that you people will take charge of your constituencies. Elections are coming. We have to work hard to see that we record success,” he said.

He also encouraged lawmakers who might not return to the Assembly after the elections to remain optimistic, assuring them of continued cooperation.

“Those of you that are not coming back, don’t worry. We will work together. Sometimes, every disappointment is another appointment that can lead you to somewhere higher or greater,” Okpebholo said.

The new Speaker, Idiaye, said the legislative leadership visited the governor to formally introduce itself and assure him of the Assembly’s support for his administration.

Your Excellency, we are here this afternoon to formally introduce the new leadership of the Edo State House of Assembly to you and to inform you that with this new leadership, we are ready to stabilise the House,” the Speaker said.

Idiaye assured the governor that the Assembly would provide the support needed to advance the state.

“And to ensure that we give you the maximum support because we are all proud of you. You are doing well. The only way you can continue to do well is to have the support of the House. We are there for you. Whatever you want us to do to move Edo forward, we are ready for it,” he said.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Yakubu Musa; Edo State APC Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe; and members of the party’s State Working Committee.

Recall that the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, resigned on Monday amid moves by lawmakers to impeach him.

Agbebaku’s resignation was confirmed by his media aide, Ivy Ebojele, who said details of the resignation would be made public later.

She said, “I can confirm the Speaker’s resignation but details will be made public later.”

Online gathered that 17 of the 24 lawmakers had signed a notice of impeachment on Sunday night, which may have prompted Agbebaku’s resignation.

President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to bomb Oman if it “gets in the way” of a US deal with Iran on the Strait of Hormuz and called for Iran to surrender.

“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, referring to ongoing talks between Oman and Iran on control of the strait, while Washington is also pursuing its own talks.

Iranian and Omani officials have been talking for weeks on future maritime navigation arrangements through the shipping route, and the foreign ministry in Tehran said earlier Monday that the two sides were working on a joint declaration.

However, Trump has repeatedly insisted that the strait — which Tehran effectively closed at the start of the Middle East war on February 28 — is under US control despite traffic remaining throttled.

On Friday, Trump claimed that he would even declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory, while Iran retorted that the crucial energy waterway it has blockaded “will remain Iranian.”

Prior to the launch of the US-Israeli war against Iran, the Hormuz strait was considered an open, international waterway. It carries significant portions of global energy shipments, as well as other commodities.

Tehran has used its effective seizing of control over the strait as leverage against the US-led attempts to destroy its military and force it to abandon a controversial nuclear power program.

Iran’s coast flanks the north side of Hormuz and Oman lies on the south.

Trump also said that Iran should “put up the white flag of surrender,” according to Yingst’s post on X on his interview with the president.

Trump insisted that he was in no hurry to reach a deal despite the deep unpopularity of the war among Americans ahead of November midterm elections in the United States, with opposition Democrats seeking to take control of Congress from Trump’s Republicans.

Trump told Yingst that there is a direct back-channel between his administration and officials of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. “They’re good poker players, but they’re dying,” he was quoted as saying.

AFP

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has destroyed 329,865.585 kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs valued at N301.058 billion in Lagos.

The drugs, which included cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, Canadian Loud, skunk, ephedrine, tramadol, codeine syrup, other opioids and khat leaves, were destroyed on Monday.

The NDLEA, in a statement by its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the exercise was conducted pursuant to orders of the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, following the conclusion of uncontested cases and seizures that had been abandoned.

According to him, 246,864.535kg of the illicit drugs were seized by operatives between April 2025 and May 2026.

The NDLEA has publicly destroyed 329,865.585 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs with an estimated street value of N301,058,076,000 only in a court-ordered exercise carried out in Lagos.

“Of the total consignment, 246,864.535 kilograms were seized by the Lagos Strategic Command of the Agency between April 2025 and May 2026, while 83,001.05 kilograms came from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Tincan and Apapa Strategic Commands, as well as the Marine Command and a Special Operations Unit, all operating within Lagos.

” The destroyed illicit drugs comprised mainly cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis of different strains including Canadian Loud and skunk, ephedrine, tramadol, codeine syrup and other opioids, as well as khat leaf.”

Speaking at the destruction exercise, the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen.  Buba Marwa (retd.), described it as “a bold demonstration of Nigeria’s resolve to protect its people and deny criminal enterprises the resources they need to thrive.”

Marwa said the drugs represented more than contraband, noting that behind every kilogramme destroyed was a potential threat to a young person, family and community.

He said illicit drugs weaken the labour force, increase healthcare costs, discourage investment and drain public resources that should be channelled into education, healthcare and infrastructure.

According to him, every consignment intercepted by the agency saves the country billions of naira in potential losses associated with addiction, crime and social dislocation.

Marwa also linked illicit drug trafficking to Nigeria’s broader security challenges, saying the trade helps fund organised crime, terrorism and violent extremism globally.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for his support for the agency, as well as the judiciary, Lagos State Government, military, sister security agencies, international partners, civil society, traditional institutions, media and members of the public for their collaboration.

The NDLEA boss also praised the agency’s personnel, particularly those operating in Lagos, for their sacrifices and risks in the fight against illicit drugs.

Warning drug barons, traffickers, financiers, distributors and dealers, Marwa said their days of operating with impunity were over.

“Wherever you hide, whoever sponsors you and however sophisticated your network may be, the long arm of the law will reach you,” he said.

He vowed that the agency would remain “resolute, relentless and uncompromising” in pursuing and dismantling criminal networks and their financial structures.

The chairman urged Nigerians, parents, schools, religious and traditional leaders and the media to play active roles in combating drug abuse and trafficking, stressing that the war could not be won by the NDLEA alone.

Also speaking, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu described the destruction of about 300 tonnes of narcotics and psychotropic substances as a “huge and sobering reminder” of the scale of the threat posed by illicit drugs.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, the governor said the exercise was also evidence of what could be achieved when law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and government worked together.

“The scale of what has been destroyed today, about 300 tons of narcotics and psychotropic substances, is a huge and sobering reminder of the enormity of the threat that illicit drugs pose to our communities, our young people, and our collective future,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu added that Lagos State remained committed to combating drug abuse and trafficking.

“Lagos State is unwavering in its resolve to confront drug abuse and trafficking, and we will not relent in our efforts to do this,” he said.

In his goodwill message, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, commended the NDLEA, saying the agency deserved “all the accolades they have received from local and international partners.”

Adeniyi said the destruction sent a strong message to drug dealers that they were no longer welcome in Nigeria.

“It is not just about the size of what we are seeing but about the scope of what has been taken from operations conducted in our seaports, at our airports, at our land borders. This therefore represents a very strong message to drug dealers that they are no longer welcome in Nigeria,” he said.

The Customs boss also highlighted the link between drug trafficking and violent non-state actors.

“Bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, insurgents, terrorists, this is their oxygen,” he said, adding that the destruction would deny such groups the resources required to finance their activities.

He said the exercise would result in drug traffickers losing investments worth billions of naira while weakening the financial base of criminal groups.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Mustapha, assured the NDLEA of continued support for the country’s drug control efforts.

Thousands of people displaced by a powerful earthquake in eastern Indonesia awaited aid Monday as they camped out at schools, police stations and government offices.

The 7.7-magnitude quake early on Saturday killed 54 people and injured more than 100. Rescue officials have said there were no reports of people missing.

The number of people unable to return to their homes had risen to 12,800 by Monday morning, dispersed among several towns on Flores island, Berton Suar Pelita Panjaitan, spokesman for Indonesia’s BNPB national disaster agency, told AFP.

Many Flores inhabitants were preparing to sleep outside for a third night, afraid to go home as over 1,600 aftershocks rumbled through the area, according to the BMKG geological agency.

AFP saw several residents of the small town of Mbay, in Nagekeo regency nearest the epicentre, camped out in makeshift tents they had erected using tarpaulins and poles.

“Our houses are no longer liveable, because many have collapsed and are full of cracks, so we can’t go inside anymore,” Mbay resident Junaidin, 32, said outside a self-made tent that was sleeping about 30 people.

“We only go back home to get water, clothes, pillows, and then we… spend the nights here.”

Many Flores residents have traumatic memories of another 7.7-magnitude quake that hit the island in 1992, triggering a tsunami and killing about 2,500.

“We’re on our own here,” said Junaidin, who like many Indonesians has one name.

He expressed frustration with a perceived lag in the arrival of aid while the nation celebrated Independence Day with pomp and ceremony in the capital Jakarta.

“As for help from the government, there hasn’t been any — no tents, no medicine, no food, no drinking water, nothing,” said Junaidin.

“Please open your eyes, government. We are your people, we are part of you. So please look after us.”

The Indonesian Air Force said it was bringing 13 tonnes of emergency aid in two Hercules planes and a Boeing.

It was also deploying helicopters to bring emergency supplies directly to survivors in isolated communities, the Antara state news agency quoted the commander of El Tari Air Base in Kupang as saying.

The aid included food, clothes, clean water and emergency medical equipment.

The military has deployed personnel to help with distribution in key hubs.

For locals, the provisions cannot come soon enough.

“We fled with nothing. Just the clothes on our backs. We’re victims; we’re going through a disaster,” said Mbay resident Siti Saudah Daso, a 31-year-old mother of three.

“They said they would give us something, but there’s no proof. So honestly, we’re a bit upset, disappointed.”

Rescuers were still combing the stricken area for victims, search and rescue official Fathur Rahman told AFP.

“We conduct land and air operations from helicopters. There haven’t been any reports on missing persons, but we are still scouring the area just to be sure.”

The epicentre of the shallow quake was located just off the north coast of Flores, geological authorities said.

The affected areas have few, if any, high-rise buildings.

Berton, the disaster agency spokesman, said at least 914 houses on the island were severely damaged and hundreds of others to a lesser degree.

Dozens of public buildings, including educational and health facilities as well as government offices, were also affected.

The NGO Save the Children said more than 8,000 children faced “safety risks and disruptions to their education” following the quake.

Indonesia experiences frequent earthquakes due to its location in the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

A devastating 9.1-magnitude tremor in 2004 struck off the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 throughout the region, about 170,000 of them in Indonesia.

It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history.

AFP

The Ekiti State Police Command has commenced an investigation to establish the whereabouts of a 19-year-old woman, Dandam Happiness, who has been missing since August 10, 2026.

The Police Public Relations Officer for the command, SP Sunday Abutu, disclosed this in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Monday.

According to Abutu, Happiness left her residence in Ado Ekiti at about 4pm on August 10 and has not returned.

The statement said, “She left her residence in Ado Ekiti on 10th August, 2026, at about 16.00 hours (4pm), to an unknown destination and has not returned since then.”

The police described the missing woman as 19 years old, approximately 4.5 feet tall and fair in complexion, adding that she has no tribal marks and speaks English fluently.

The statement added, “All efforts made by her relatives and friends to locate her whereabouts have proved abortive.”

Abutu said the command had commenced investigations to determine her whereabouts and ensure her safe return.

He said, “The Command has begun an investigation to unravel her whereabouts.”

The police spokesperson urged members of the public with useful information about Happiness’ whereabouts to contact the nearest police station or call +2349064050086.

He also appealed to residents to share the information widely to assist the police, family and friends in locating the missing woman.

A Malian court sentenced on Monday a prominent broadcaster and an influencer, who had both criticised the ruling junta, to seven years in jail, an AFP journalist saw.

The sentences are the latest handed to Malians critical of the unstable west African country’s military government, which came to power following back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021.

Television and radio commentator Mohamed Youssouf Bathily – alias Ras Bath – was convicted by the court in Bamako of criminal conspiracy and discrediting the state, alongside Rokia Doumbia, a noted campaigner known online as “Rose, the cost of living”.

Both had been in custody for several years following the airing of a 2023 programme by the journalist dedicated to the economic difficulties facing ordinary Malians.

They were handed three years’ suspended on top of their seven-year jail sentences.

Having been held since March 2023, Ras Bath’s emaciated and gaunt features shocked many Malians when he took the stand in his trial, which opened on August 10 at the Bamako Court of Appeal’s criminal chamber.

Two lawyers told AFP on condition of anonymity that the prosecutor had told the trial that “Ras Bath is a danger” to the junta and “must be kept a long way from social media and the radio”.

Prosecutors alleged the broadcaster and influencer were “in association” with each other, with Ras Bath having invited “Rose” onto his show on two previous occasions.

Ras Bath’s lawyers denied these accusations.

With the motto “shock to educate”, his direct and plain-speaking style earnt Ras Bath both a strong following, especially among Mali’s many younger people, and several run-ins with the law.

In July 2023, he was acquitted of separate charges that he falsely claimed that former prime minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga had been “assassinated” while in detention under the junta.

Since coming to power, the army has imposed severe restrictions on freedoms in Mali, squeezing the space for dissident voices through the courts, coercion and the dissolution of political parties.

Under General Assimi Goita, the junta has failed to keep its promise to hand power back to civilians by March 2024 at the latest.

The Sahel country has been wracked since 2012 by a serious security crisis, notably fuelled by violence from jihadists allied to Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State group, along with criminal gangs and armed separatists.

AFP