The outgoing Director of the National Orientation Agency in Oyo State, Olukemi Afolayan, on Wednesday, commended the state governor, Seyi Makinde’s administration for supporting the agency through the establishment of the state Mobilisation Agency for Socio-Economic Development which has helped to ease the agency’s operations and infrastructural development.
Afolayan gave this commendation during a send-off ceremony held in her honour at the state agency’s headquarters in Ibadan, the state capital.
She stressed that the improved road network had made it easier for the agency to carry out sensitisation assignments across the state.
She said, “NOA’s achievements under my leadership include 106 media orientation programmes, town hall meetings, advocacy campaigns, and the successful compensation of Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi, the designer of the Nigerian flag.
“Makinde’s administration has helped to ease the agency’s operations and infrastructural development.”
In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion and the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, praised the agency for its critical roles in public awareness and civic engagement.
He described the celebrant as one of NOA’s finest ambassadors, noting that her tenure had significantly strengthened the agency’s role in mobilising citizens.
He said, “Since 1993, when MAMSER metamorphosed into NOA, I have followed the trajectory of the organisation and it is my submission that the residual challenges facing the agency notwithstanding, Afolayan has stood out as one of the best ambassadors of the agency.”
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has set up a special unit of the police for the protection of the elite. The unit is called the Special Protection Unit.
According to the Niger State head of the new unit, Hassan Sani, it is designed to meet the increasing demand for elites’ protection in the country.
Bago’s chief press secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, made this known on Wednesday, a statement in which he said the Niger State government procured 25 vehicles to the Niger State command of the Nigeria Police Force, to boost patrol, especially in major towns of the State.
Ibrahim said the governor disclosed this during the passing out of the 50 participants of the Special Protection Unit Base 23 Minna which was held at the premises of Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi in Minna, the State Capital.
“Niger State government has procured 25 additional vehicles to donate to the Nigeria Police Force, Niger State command to boost patrol, especially in major towns of the State.
“Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago disclosed this at the passing out of the 50 participants of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) Base 23 Minna which was held at the premises of Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi in Minna, the State Capital.
“He said the State government is also partnering with the Police to build barracks in the outskirts of Minna to provide security in the four corners of the State Capital.
“While congratulating the 50 graduating participants of the SPU Base 23 Minna, the Governor appreciated the Inspector General of Police for establishing such a Unit and providing training for them.
He said his administration will continue to support the Nigeria Police and other security agencies as it is ambitious to address the menace of insecurity in the State,” Ibrahim stated.
The Commander of the Special Protection Unit SPU Base 23, Minna, Nigeria Police Force, CSP Hassan Sani, in his remarks at the passing out parade, explained that the SPU is a newly established unit by the Inspector General of Police to meet the increasing demand for elite protective services in the country.
Sani said over the past two weeks, the 50 participants underwent a comprehensive basic training programme with a curriculum designed to instil discipline and sharpen practical skills to uphold professionalism.
Sani said during the 2 weeks’ training, the modules covered were VIP protection, escort and convoy movement, combat parades and formation, firearms handling and shooting range, martial arts and self-defence, first aid and basic fire fighting skills.
An 18-year-old apprentice has allegedly impregnated 10 girls in just five months, including his master’s daughter and a salesgirl in Anambra State.
Reports say he was first sent to learn a trade under a master, but within three months, he got both his boss’s daughter and a salesgirl pregnant.
This, however, led to his dismissal from the apprenticeship.
The state Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, disclosed this in a live video on social media on Wednesday.
Obinabo said the situation got worse after he returned to his village.
She said, “I want advice from the public because this one is beyond my capacity.
“This boy was sent to learn a trade at the age of 18 and three months of apprenticeship, and he impregnated his master’s daughter and his salesgirl. He was sent packing. Two months after that, he impregnated eight other girls in the village.”
Obinabo also said the boy’s mother came to her office to report the issue.
According to her, the mother said, “‘Anytime I see a girl coming towards our house nowadays, my heart would jump, please, I need help.’”
Obinabo said, “This matter is beyond me, the reason I want the public to help me come up with a solution. Is it spiritual?”
She said she asked the boy how he was able to convince the girls.
“I asked the boy the magic he uses in luring the girls to bed, but he told me he always tells them that he loves them and would like to marry them any time he acquires wealth.
“This problem is beyond me because of the boy’s age and the number of pregnant girls involved; that’s why I need help to solve it.”
Obinabo did not mention the name of the boy, his mother, or their community, but she called on the public to suggest solutions.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, says 24 federal institutions have been powered by solar energy under the “Energising Education Project” of President Bola Tinubu’s Administration.
Alausa, who disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at the Collaboration Agreement Signing Ceremony with the vice chancellors of beneficiary institutions, added that eight more universities have signed collaboration agreements to join the fourth phase of the project.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that, before the signing ceremony, the minister undertook an inspection tour of the solar-powered facility at the University of Abuja, now Yakubu Gowon University.
Alausa, who described the project as a “new day for Nigeria”, hailed the transformative initiative under Tinubu, aimed at providing uninterrupted power supply to Nigeria’s federal tertiary institutions.
He said the projects had wide-reaching benefits for education and the economy.
According to him, the University of Abuja, which now boasts a solar farm comprising 6,000 photovoltaic panels, is generating approximately 3.3 megawatts of electricity daily, enough to power the campus round the clock.
“This project brings continuous, 24-hour electricity to our institutions.
“It allows for increased academic activity, powers laboratories and libraries throughout the day and night, and improves living and learning conditions for both students and faculty,” he said.
The minister emphasised the economic ripple effect of the initiative, explaining how reliable electricity stimulates business within campuses.
“Any campus is a community by itself. With constant power supply, you unleash high economic activity,” he said.
The minister explained that the project was backed by the Renewable Infrastructure Fund established by Tinubu to support infrastructure development across sectors.
He, therefore, challenged vice chancellors of universities on innovative and creative ways of sustaining the project, noting that by 2027, every tertiary institution would have renewable energy generation.
On his part, the Managing Director, Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu, said that phases 1, 2, and 3 of the project have so far impacted over 600,000 students and 50,000 academic staff.
Aliyu said that the project had also generated over 100 megawatts of electricity to power university campuses and teaching hospitals.
He said the initiative, implemented through multiple phases, had already brought solar mini-grid infrastructure to 24 federal universities across the country.
“What you are seeing here is one of our interventions in the education sector, and the aim is to ensure that universities have a sustainable and affordable electricity supply,” he said
In addition to educational institutions, he said the Universal Public Health Project, part of phase 2, had successfully delivered clean energy to two universities and two teaching hospitals.
He added that Phase 3, which includes the electrification of eight more universities and one additional teaching hospital, is near completion and set to be commissioned in the coming two months.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the eight new beneficiary institutions include Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; and Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State.
Others are Federal University Dutse, University of Benin, University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and University of Lagos.
The Senator representing Kano South Senatorial District under the platform of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Senator Kawu Sumaila, has defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, read the letter of the lawmaker’s defection at plenary on Wednesday.
According to Sumaila in his letter, his decision to leave the NNPP is anchored on compelling and undeniable developments within the party, which have rendered the party severely divided and dysfunctional.
The letter is titled ”Notification of defection from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The letter read, “Pursuant to Section 68, Subsection 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, I write to the Senate President on behalf of the Senate.
“I write to formally notify the Senate through your esteemed office of my defection from the NNPP to the APC, the largest party in Africa.
“My decision to bid goodbye to the NNPP is anchored on compelling and undeniable developments within the party, which have rendered the party severely divided and dysfunctional.
“Over the past months, I have observed a growing number of litigations that have practically torn the party apart and left its structure fractured.
“All of which clearly centred on issues of party disunity, functional leadership, and the legitimacy of its operations.
“These legal battles have not only eroded internal cohesion but have created parallel and conflicting authorities within the party.”
The lawmaker added that a further manifestation of the division was the existence of multiple factions, each with its own distinct party logo.
This, he noted underscored the depth of the division and reflected a clear and public splintering of the party’s identity in both form and substance, as the party was divided in form and substance.
“Therefore, in the spirit of democratic accountability and in line with my constitutional right, I have moved to APC, a national platform, an international platform, which I believe will better support my legislative responsibilities and aspirations of the good people of my senatorial district,” he said.
With the defection of the Edo State House of Assembly Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku and other Peoples Democratic Party members to the All Progressives Congress on Tuesday, the member representing Oredo East Constituency, Frank Omosigho, has reaffirmed his loyalty to PDP.
In a statement released in Benin on Wednesday, Omosigho said he remained an unwavering member of the PDP.
He said that despite speculations linking him and others to defection, it is important to clarify that he was absent from the venue where the speakers and others pledged allegiance to the APC.
He said, “I, Hon. Frank Omosigho, remain firmly committed to the PDP, the party under which I was elected to serve the good people of my constituency. I will be and continue to be an active participant in party activities, advocating for policies that support the advancement of my constituency and the growth of the state.
“I stand by the party that gave me the platform to serve my people. The PDP remained the most viable vehicle for democratic growth and development in Edo State. I urge my constituents and supporters to disregard any misleading reports and remain steadfast in their support for our collective cause.
“My stance remains clear: my focus is on the continued well-being of my constituents, effective governance, and the strengthening of the PDP in Edo State. I urge my supporters to remain undistracted by the political shifts in the assembly and continue to rally behind the PDP’s vision for a better future.”
He also noted that as Edo State faces this period of political transition, his steadfast position is to provide much-needed stability.
With the Tuesday defection, the PDP in Edo State has lost the majority of seats, with only six members still remaining out of 14 that won the election on the platform in 2023.
The six remaining members are Frank Uyi Omosigho, Charity Iguodeyala Aiguobarueghan, Maria Edeko, Andrew Uzamere, Osawaru Natasha and Inegbobor.
The Chairman of Bariga Local Government Area of Lagos State, Kolade Alabi, on Wednesday, suddenly slumped at the All Progressives Congress stakeholders’ meeting held at the party’s Secretariat in Ikeja, the state capital.
PUNCH Online reports that Alabi, who is the state chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, was addressing party members when the sad incident happened.
Fortunately, he was subsequently revived and rushed away to the hospital in an ambulance for further treatment.
Boko Haram terrorists have killed a Nigerian Army Captain and a soldier in a midnight attack on Izge community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
The Emir of Gwoza, Mohammed Shehu Timta, made this known in an interview with Channels Television on Wednesday.
He said the attack happened around 1 am on Wednesday when the terrorists infiltrated the farming community, shooting sporadically before the personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces, with the assistance of local hunters, vigilantes and members of the civilian Joint Task Force, repelled the terrorists.
According to the emir, the security agencies killed three of the terrorists, and recovered several motorcycles, bicycles, an operational vehicle and a sophisticated rifle from the terrorists.
The traditional ruler commended the military, men of the Civilian Joint Task Force, Local hunters, vigilantes and the resilient community of Izge for their collaborative efforts in repelling the attack while praying for the repose of the souls of the departed military personnel and their families during this irreparable loss.
He also called for urgent steps by the Federal Government to address the renewed attacks, as people prepare for this year’s farming season.
“My people in Izge community came under Boko Haram invasion today at about 1 am. Unfortunately, a Captain and a Soldier paid the supreme price.
“But in a brave and swift reaction from the military, men of the Civilian Joint Task Force, Local hunters, vigilantes and the resilient community, the attack was repelled with the killing of three terrorists.
“As the community is still trailing the terrorists, over 10 bicycles, motorcycles, a one-sized military vehicle and one sophisticated rifle with ammunition were recovered from the terrorists.
“Let me commend our military forces, other security agencies, men of CJTF, local hunters and vigilantes and our resilient people for their bravery, because as I speak, many people are still in the bush combing the whereabouts of the fleeing terrorists.”
The monarch also commended the state governor, Professor Babagana, for his relentless efforts in providing enabling resources to the security agencies and our CJTF members in the fight against Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, which has brought about relative peace and resettlement of many displaced people back to their ancestral homes.
“I want to equally call on the federal government to equip our security forces with technological warfare/weapons to defeat the remnants of Boko Haram members terrorising our communities almost on a daily basis”.
Animal welfare officers have faced the grisly task of euthanising more than 350,000 chickens by hand after they were left starving and cannibalising each other.
This happened when a South African state-owned poultry company ran out of money to feed them, officials said on Tuesday.
The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it wasn’t able to say for certain how many other chickens had already died by that time.
Its officers reached several neglected poultry farming sites because of the “mass cannibalism” that took place among the birds.
The NSPCA had managed to save more than 500,000 chickens, it said.
“It was a harrowing scene,” the NSPCA said in a statement.
The chickens were owned by Daybreak Foods, a major poultry supplier owned by South Africa’s state asset management company, Public Investment Corp.
NSPCA officers were first alerted to a crisis at one farm on April 30.
The organization uncovered at least five other farms in northern South Africa with multiple sites on each farm where birds had been left to starve, it said.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, on Wednesday, urged Nigerian media professionals and editors to play a strategic role in the fight against terrorism by deliberately denying terrorist groups the publicity they seek.
Speaking during the seventh edition of the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing Series held at the National Press Centre in Abuja, Idris noted that the media’s editorial choices could significantly impact national security and the morale of the Armed Forces.
He said, “The media, as gatekeepers and partners in nation-building, have a crucial role to play in supporting our military’s morale by highlighting their successes and sacrifices. Our armed forces are not only respected by global allies but also feared by those who threaten our collective peace.
“It is equally important to recognise that the fight against insecurity is not limited to kinetic approaches. It is also a battle for the hearts and minds of our people – one that terrorist groups are actively exploiting through propaganda, especially on social media platforms.
“I therefore call on our media professionals and editors to be discerning in their reportage. We must deny these groups the undue publicity they crave. ”
He warned editors against glamorising terrorism through sensational coverage and called for a more patriotic and security-conscious approach to reporting.
“We must take them off the front pages and accurately report them as the criminals they are, without glorifying their acts or giving credence to their false narratives. These are not freedom fighters; they are murderers, kidnappers, and destroyers, and they must be presented as such.
“Let us remember that responsible and patriotic journalism is essential to building a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria – one that holds promise not just for our nation, but for the stability and development of the entire West African sub-region and the African continent at large.”
Highlighting security as the second pillar of the administration’s agenda, the Minister noted that Nigeria’s Armed Forces have continued to gain ground against insurgents, aided by new weaponry, improved intelligence, and international cooperation.
“As many of you are aware, ‘Strengthening National Security for Peace and Prosperity’ is the second pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda. This emphasis on security underscores a fundamental truth: no nation can achieve sustainable development without peace and stability.
“The Tinubu administration has demonstrated this resolve not merely through words, but through concrete actions – including the acquisition of advanced platforms and armaments, enhanced intelligence gathering, intensive training and retraining of personnel, and strategic global partnerships, ” the minister said.
