The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has released the results of its resit examination conducted for candidates affected by the technical error during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
In a statement released on Sunday morning by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, the board announced the results, revealing that out of the 336,845 candidates rescheduled for the examination, 21,082 were absent.
No explanation was provided for the high number of absentees.
“Of the 336,845 who were eventually scheduled after isolated good sessions of the affected centres were excluded and their previously unverified candidates were added, 21,082 were absent,” the statement partly read.
Recall that the results of the 2025 UTME were originally released on 9 May.
PUNCH Online had reported that, on May 14, JAMB Registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede revealed that the results of 379,997 candidates across 157 centres in the Lagos and South-East zones were compromised due to a technical glitch.
During the press conference, the Registrar burst into tears as he apologised for the error and confirmed that affected candidates would be required to retake the examination.
He attributed the issue to faulty server updates, which prevented the proper upload of candidate responses during the first three days of the examination.
The Alimosho Event Vendors Association has urged the Federal and Lagos State Governments to address the challenge of multiple taxation faced by its members, lamenting that this has led to harassment, exploitation, and financial strain.
The association identified multiple taxations as a major problem affecting the profit margin of its members.
Speaking at the Annual General Meeting/ Inauguration of the new executive members of the association on Saturday, the president of AEVA, Mrs. Rosemary Ajayi said the imposition of multiple taxes, levies, and charges at various levels of government on their members remains a major barrier to their services.
The event, held recently in Lagos, brought together professional event vendors from across Alimosho Local Government in Lagos State, providing a unique opportunity for networking and growth.
Ajayi, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Mary’s Golden Event Ltd, said AEVA members were levied by both the Federal and Lagos State Governments, a situation she said was inimical to the industry’s growth.
She said, “We are facing multiple taxations. We are taxed by the Lagos State Government and the Federal Inland Revenue Service. We want the government to address this because we are small-scale businesses. We want the government to help us in any way they can.”
The president urged the government to implement a single, unified tax payment system to eliminate the burden of multiple levies.
Ajayi also appealed to the government to assist members of AEVA with soft loans to boost their business and contribute more to the economy by addressing unemployment.
“We are a big community of employers of labour for Nigeria. The event industry employs a significant number of people, and that is why we want to project the industry and our activities.
“We want the government to come and see what we are doing and help us and encourage us more. We address unemployment in Nigeria. So, we want the federal and Lagos State governments to support us with soft loans to grow our businesses and make more impact, “she said.
Ajayi said she would steer the affairs of the association in the next two years with a special focus on innovation, strategic partnerships with organisations, community building, and collaboration among members and relevant stakeholders to carry out big events as her major goals.
She assured that under her leadership, the association would work harder to unite the members and achieve its goals.
Ajayi took over from Eunice Iwu-Basil; the immediate past president who successfully led the association for two years.
The other new executive members include Helen Fregene, Vice President;
In her remarks, the AEVA Board of Trustee Chairperson, Mrs.Taiwo Awojoodu, said the association with 146 members was all about giving a voice to event planners and promoting the industry.
She urged the new executives to unite members of the association and to move it forward.
Awojoodu said the executives were elected by the members, unlike in the past when they were appointed.
Stakeholders in the engineering sector have identified the lack of effective engineering administration as a major contributor to the incidences of building collapse in the country.
They made this known at the Nigerian Institute of Civil Engineers 5th Engr. Umar Jibrin Distinguished Annual Public Lecture on Saturday in Abuja.
The lecture had as its theme: “Effective Engineering Administration as a Panacea for Building and Infrastructure Collapse”.
It was organised by NICE in honour of Jibrin, who dedicated decades of engineering skills to national development.
The keynote speaker, Prof. Okorie Uche, Registrar, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, said building collapse was a national concern.
He attributed it to the absence of qualified supervision, use of substandard materials, lack of enforcement of regulations, inadequate or expired structural designs, corruption in planning approvals, and poor maintenance culture.
“From residential building to bridge, roads, grid failure and public infrastructure failure, Nigeria has witnessed numerous catastrophic failures; these incidents are not merely accidents but symptoms of systematic problems demanding urgent attention.
“From statistics, 80 per cent of infrastructure failures were from private developers , that is where the problem is ,thus the need to bring them on board,’’ he said.
According to Uche, engineering administration is the backbone of any successful infrastructure project as it encompasses planning, research allocation, project management, policy implementation, and adherence to regulatory standard.
He said that when executed properly, it ensured that engineering projects met global standards of quality, durability, and safety.
“Every collapse is a failure of administration, a betrayer of trust, and an erosion of hope. We must rise to change this narrative. We must insist on professionalism over patronage
“We must prioritise long-term safety over short-term profits. We must empower engineers not to just build but to lead.
“Let us remember no nation rises above the integrity of its infrastructure, and no infrastructure stands tall without the scaffolding of sound engineering administration,” he said.
Uche explained that under funding, COREN, saddled with the monitoring and regulations of engineering in Nigeria, was undermining that process and called for a reversal of that situation.
The guest speaker, Mustafa Shehu, who is also the president, and World Federation of Engineering Organisations, urged Africa not to be left out in global engineering best practices.
The National Chairman of NICE, Tokunbo Ajanaku, said the annual lecture was not just a tradition but a vital platform for reflection and to engage meaningfully on matters that concern engineering and the society.
Ajanaku said: “As a nation, we are daily confronted with the disturbing reality of building and infrastructure failures, which not only result in economic loss but tragically the loss of lives.
“It is no longer sufficient to point fingers at design flaws or construction practices alone.
“We must critically examine the frameworks of engineering administration like our regulatory systems, project supervision, enforcement of standards and the leadership within our engineering institutions and agencies.
“Effective administration is the backbone of sustainable engineering outcomes and this lecture will provide a necessary lens through which we can evaluate our collective responsibilities and propose lasting solutions,” Ajanaku said.
Mr Umar Jibrin in whose honour the lecture was organised commended NICE for sustaining the annual lecture.
Jibrin said:” I feel highly honoured and elated. I am very impressed by the way the lecture has been going on.
Rescuers in Gaza said six people were killed and several more wounded in pre-dawn Israeli air strikes in the north and centre of the Palestinian territory on Sunday.
Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said five people were killed in a strike on a home in Jabalia, in the north.
Another person was killed in a drone strike on tents sheltering displaced people west of Nuseirat in central Gaza, he added.
The Israeli military has stepped up its Gaza operations in recent days in what it has described as a renewed push to destroy Hamas.
On Saturday afternoon, the military said it had carried out strikes on more than 100 targets throughout Gaza over the past day.
Gaza’s health ministry said Saturday that at least 3,747 people had been killed in the territory since a ceasefire collapsed on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,901, mostly civilians.
Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
The Niger Police Command has rescued four kidnapped victims of Sarkin-Pawa, Munya Local Government Area of the state.
This is contained in a statement released by its Public Relations officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, on Saturday in Minna.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that on February 20, around 10 pm, suspected kidnappers attacked Hayin-Dogo and Dangunu villages of Sarkin-Pawa, Munya LGA.
During the attack, one Usman Daina and four others were abducted, but Daina was released after two days.
“Since then, the joint security team had been mounting pressure through different clearance and rescue operations to rescue the victims.
“Fortunately, on May 22, at about 12 noon, the victims; Deborah Daina, Gambo Amos, Cyprus Titus, and Satti Iko escaped from their abductors due to the sustained pressure from the security team.
Meanwhile, the victims were taken to the hospital for medical attention and subsequently reunited with their families.
The Commissioner of Police, Niger Command, Adamu Elleman, commended the joint security team for its display of gallantry, which resulted in the rescue.
He reassured members of the public that the safety of lives and property would continue to be the priority of the police and other security agencies in the state.
The Katsina State Police Command said its operatives on Thursday foiled a kidnapping attempt.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiqe, said the command also killed one suspected bandit and rescued five injured kidnapped victims during the operation.
According to DSP Sadiq in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday, “On May 22, 2025, at about 2215 hrs, a distress call was received at Malumfashi Division that some armed men suspected to be bandits attacked Unguwar Lado and Karo villages of Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State. Led by the DPO, a team of police operatives responded promptly to the scene and engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel.
“During the operation, one notorious bandit, Audu Kushin, ‘m’ of Tsamiyar Maigoro village, was successfully neutralised.
“Unfortunately, five kidnap victims were shot and injured by the assailants.
“The injured victims were rushed to General Hospital Malumfashi for immediate medical attention. Efforts are being intensified to ensure the arrest of the fleeing suspects.
The police spokesperson added that, “This successful operation is part of the command’s ongoing onslaught against banditry and kidnapping, demonstrating the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property in the state.
“The Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, CP Bello Shehu, psc, fdc, MNIM, commends the efforts of the operatives as he charges them to sustain the tempo.
“He further called on members of the public to continue supporting the command with timely information for prompt and decisive action against all forms of crime and criminality in the state.
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated veteran human rights activist and lawyer, Ms. Ayo Obe, on her 70th birthday on Saturday.
The President lauded Obe for her unwavering commitment to justice and her significant contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Ayo Obe, a renowned pro-democracy activist, has held several pivotal roles throughout her distinguished career, including leading the Civil Liberties Organisation and the Nigeria Transition Monitoring Group.
She also served as a member of the Police Service Commission and, between 2006 and 2009, headed the Democratic Institute Abuja Elections Programme.
Tinubu commended the legal practitioner for her consistent demonstration of patriotism and humanism, qualities that he said have defined her life of service and struggle for a just and better society.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday, Tinubu remarked, “Your life of commitment, versatility and diligence in service, exemplified by your years of struggle against injustice and human rights abuse, culminating in your joining like-minded citizens to challenge military dictatorship during the nation’s dark days, even at the risk of your safety and liberty, is highly appreciated.”
The President further expressed his pride in her contributions to the enthronement of democracy, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to its growth and strengthening.
He concluded by praying for God to grant her continued good health and a sound mind, enabling her to persist in serving the nation through her advocacy for a better society and humanity.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has assured his supporters that he will contest the 2027 presidential election on the party’s platform.
Obi made this known while addressing some of his supporters in a viral video circulating on social media on Saturday.
Asked which party he intends to contest the 2027 elections, Obi said, “I will still continue to run in the Labour Party. I’m a member of the Labour Party.”
The former Anambra State governor also blamed the crisis in political parties on the Nigerian government.
He said this while answering another question from a youth who was apparently disturbed about what appears to be Obi’s aloofness towards the party’s crisis.
He said, “What is happening in the Labour Party and the PDP is caused by the government, quote me anywhere.
“We had a problem in our party before, in the past. Yar’Adua was the President. I went to him then; he called the INEC chairman (Prof. Maurice Iwu) and told him I don’t want any problem in any party. We were forced to fix it.
“But today, in all the parties, there are problems; these are deliberate problems caused by the system. These are some of the things I want to clean up if I have the opportunity.
“Parties will function very well because you can’t have a system working without a strong opposition.”
Obi charged Nigerians to take responsibility for ensuring that their votes count, because even if agents are paid by political parties to look after their interests, the ultimate decision about whether the people’s votes count rests with voters.
The former governor also appealed to Nigerian youths and the electorate not to be discouraged because positive change will also be resisted by those who are beneficiaries of the old order.
The ex-presidential candidate also stated that there should be a retirement age for politicians seeking public office.
Obi said that by the time the 2027 election holds, he would be 65 years old, adding that he would not want to be contesting for elections in his 70s.
A coalition of civil society organisations has condemned the abduction and brutal killing of a four-year-old boy, Ayman Abubakar, in Sokoto State, demanding swift justice and urgent action to safeguard children across the state.
In a joint statement, the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour, the Child Protection Network, and the Sokoto Response Team on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence/Child Protection described the incident as “a horrific violation of a child’s rights and a tragic reminder of the growing dangers facing Nigerian children.”
Speaking at a press conference held at the American Corner in Sokoto on Saturday, leaders of the coalition—(NACTAL National President) Abdulganiyu Abubakar, (CPN State Coordinator) Usman Ahmad Suka, and (Chairman, SGBV/CP Response Team) Rabiu Bello Gandi — extended their condolences to the bereaved family and demanded immediate action.
The statement reads, “We stand in solidarity with the family and with every Nigerian parent grieving a child lost to violence.
“No parent should ever have to endure such a brutal loss.”
The groups commended the Sokoto State Police Command for reopening investigations and urged the authorities to act with urgency and transparency.
They listed four key demands, which include a “thorough and transparent investigation of circumstances surrounding Ayman’s disappearance and murder.
“Arrest and prosecution, regular public updates, strengthening child protection systems and urgent reinforcement of safety measures in schools, mosques, churches, and communities.”
The organisations further called on the Sokoto State Government, traditional rulers, security agencies, and stakeholders to collaborate to ensure justice is not only served but seen to be served.
“The safety of every Nigerian child must become a national priority.
“We will continue to follow this case closely. Justice for Ayman is justice for all,” the civil society groups affirmed.
In a voice filled with grief, Ayman’s father, Dr. Abubakar, appealed to the public and the media for support in the quest for justice.
“We cannot bring him back, but we can ensure that those responsible face the law. I call on civil society and the press to amplify this cause,” he said.
Recounting the ordeal, the father said, “Ayman vanished on March 29, the eve of Sallah, after attending prayers at a nearby mosque.
According to the father, he was last seen playing with a neighbour’s child, who later claimed that some men took Ayman away in a car.
After over seven weeks of intense searching, the child’s body was discovered on Thursday, May 15.
According to Abubakar, the witness also identified the car allegedly used in the abduction.
It is understood that the case remains under active investigation. Multiple suspects are reportedly in custody, and an autopsy report is expected to be submitted to the police in the coming days.
No fewer than five foreigners have been arrested by troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in Plateau State.
According to the Defence Headquarters, the arrested individuals include three foreign Fulani migrants and two Chadians.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye did not specify the exact offence committed by the foreigners but stated that they claimed to be working with an international company.
Kangye said they were arrested between May 15 and 20, 2025.
“Troops arrested 3 foreign Fulani migrants and 2 Chadians who claimed to be working with an international company in Jos North LGA of Plateau State. The suspects were handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action,” he said.
The PUNCH reports that the DHQ had earlier in May linked foreign herders to the recent clashes in Plateau and Benue states.
Highlighting troops’ successes across the various theatres of operations, Kangye said troops within the period arrested 28 other terrorists, logistics suppliers and other criminal elements, adding that troops also rescued 47 hostages within the same period.
Kangye noted that troops of Operation DELTA SAFE foiled oil theft worth over N533,509,520.00 during the week under review.
“Troops of Operation DELTA SAFE foiled oil theft worth over N533,509,520.00 only during the week under review. The breakdown indicates: 550,350 litres of stolen crude oil, 13,710 litres of illegally refined AGO, and 350 litres of DPK. Additionally, they discovered and destroyed 45 crude oil cooking ovens, 30 dugout pits, 16 boats, 37 storage tanks, 11 drums and 18 illegal refining sites.
“Other items recovered include pumping machines, drilling machines, tricycles, motorcycles, mobile phones and 4 vehicles. Furthermore, 51 oil thieves and other criminals were arrested, while assorted arms and ammunition were also recovered, ” he said.
He stated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remained focused on its determination to defeat terrorism, banditry, and other criminalities in the country in order to ensure the safety of all Nigerians.
“Troops of AFN under the leadership of Gen CG Musa are determined, poised and not resting on their oars as the AFN is not negotiating its resolve to restore peace to the troubled region while taking care of troops’ welfare, most importantly, ” Kangye said.
