The Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, has urged the National Assembly to prioritise funding for the effective development of existing tertiary institutions rather than focusing on the establishment of new ones.

He made this call on Thursday during a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education.

The public hearing, held in Abuja, focused on three critical bills:

1. A Bill to Establish the Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition in Hawul Local Government Area, Borno State (HB.1797).

While the minister expressed support for technical education and skills development, he opposed the establishment of the proposed Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition in Borno State, citing the federal government’s policy of equitable distribution of federal institutions across states.

He noted that currently, every state—except Sokoto and the Federal Capital Territory—already has one federal polytechnic.

“Given the limited resources available, the federal government’s focus should be on strengthening and fully developing existing institutions to ensure they can provide quality education and meet national needs,” Alausa stated.

He emphasised that the expansion of tertiary institutions should not come at the expense of diluting available resources.

Alausa further encouraged states and private investors to establish more private tertiary institutions through the Federal Ministry of Education’s expanded channels.

Meanwhile, the sponsor of the Insecurity and Unemployment Bill, Rep. Usman Balami (PDP–Borno), defended the proposal, arguing that the college would address pressing challenges of insecurity and rising unemployment in Borno State.

He said the institution would offer vocational and entrepreneurship training tailored to equip youths with practical skills for self-reliance and economic empowerment.

“This proposed college will help bridge the gap between academic theory and practical industry needs. It will nurture innovation, promote self-employment, and stimulate economic activities in the region,” Balami asserted.

Of the two proposed amendments to the Federal Polytechnics Act, Alausa raised no objections to most of the provisions.

However, he expressed reservations regarding a clause seeking to include representatives of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) on the Governing Councils of polytechnics.

“While these organisations play vital roles, their core mandates do not align with the governance functions of polytechnic councils.

“NBTE is a regulatory body, and MAN focuses on advocacy for manufacturers. Including them on the councils could create conflicts of interest and administrative complexities,” he explained.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education, Rep. Fuad Laguda (APC–Lagos), acknowledged the importance of technical education and skills acquisition in addressing Nigeria’s unemployment crisis.

“There is a general consensus on the need to expand access to skills-based education to empower our youth. This hearing is an opportunity for robust engagement with stakeholders to ensure that any legislative action taken reflects the best interests of the country,” Laguda said.

He assured stakeholders that all submissions would be carefully considered and commended the Speaker of the House and other House leaders for their support of the committee’s mandate.

“Our goal is to ensure that Nigerians gain greater access to quality education in arts, sciences, technology, humanities, and vocational training, which are essential for national development,” he added.

The committee is expected to deliberate further on the recommendations and concerns raised before presenting a final report to the House of Representatives for legislative action.

The Defence Headquarters on Thursday night dismissed a viral video circulating on social media, which purportedly shows terrorists overrunning a military base in Marte, Borno State, and killing soldiers.

According to the DHQ, the video is part of a disinformation campaign and is unrelated to the recent incident in Marte.

The footage, they clarified, originated from a different location and was first posted online on December 7, 2020.

Major General Markus Kangye, Director of Defence Media Operations, explained that the video was subjected to forensic analysis and determined to be fake.

He stated, “The attention of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) has been drawn to a video currently circulating on social media, falsely presented as footage from the recent attack on troops in Marte, Borno State.”

“Following a thorough analysis by relevant authorities, it has been confirmed that the video is not related to the Marte incident in any form.”

“The visual content, terrain, and operational context clearly indicate that the footage is from an occurrence at a different location which was first posted on 7 December 2020.”

Major General Kangye added that the video is being recycled and manipulated by criminal elements and sympathisers of terrorist groups with the intent to mislead the public and create panic. He said this effort was designed to undermine public confidence in the military’s operations.

He explained, “The video clip is being deliberately recycled and manipulated by criminal elements and sympathisers of terrorist groups to mislead the public and sow seed of fear, while aiming at dissuading the public from the gains being recorded by troops of the AFN in the ongoing operations across the country.”

Providing context to the actual event, he said, “For the avoidance of doubt, troops of AFN in Marte came under attack on Monday 12 May 2025 at about 0300hrs (3 am).”

“However, the troops were able to repel the terrorists after a fierce gun battle, with a large number of terrorists neutralized while others escaped with bullet wounds.”

“Following this, the terrorists resorted to sharing an old clip as propaganda to mislead gullible members of the public.”

The DHQ strongly condemned the spread of the false video and reassured Nigerians of the military’s resolve.

“This act of misinformation is not only malicious but also a failed attempt to demoralize our gallant troops and undermine the confidence of Nigerians in the Armed Forces.”

“The AFN condemns in the strongest terms this reckless dissemination of fake content and warns that those behind such disinformation campaigns will be identified and held accountable in accordance with the law.”

Major General Kangye concluded by reaffirming the military’s commitment: “The Nigerian military remains fully committed and unwavering in its efforts at defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our nation. Our troops in the North East and across all theatres of operations remain resolute and are making significant progress in dismantling terrorist networks.”

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested five individuals in connection with the abduction and sale of a two-week-old baby for N3m.

The suspects, including a woman entrusted with the care of the baby’s teenage mother, are currently in custody following a detailed investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).

According to the Command’s spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement on Thursday, the case was initially reported at the Ajah Police Division on May 5 by a man who disclosed that his 16-year-old cousin, identified as Miss Happiness, had become pregnant by an unknown individual.

Due to financial hardship, the complainant’s mother had entrusted the pregnant teenager to one Nonye Osi for shelter and care until she gave birth.

However, investigations revealed that Osi conspired with others to relocate the girl to an undisclosed location.

When she was eventually found, she no longer had her pregnancy, and the baby was missing.

Upon transferring the case to SCID for further investigation, detectives arrested five suspects: Osi, Akintan Adedayo, Jimoh Bashiru, Elizabeth Bishop, and Bukola Oladapo.

The suspects were found to have conspired in the sale of the baby.

Following extensive investigative efforts, the two-week-old baby boy was recovered safely from the Agemuwo area of Badagry.

Hundeyin said the child was found in good health.

The case is now being handled by the Gender/Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, which is providing care for the infant pending his reunion with his biological mother.

Hundeyin reaffirmed the command’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of Lagosians.

“The child was found safe and sound. The Gender/Anti-Human Trafficking Unit is currently handling the case and attending to the baby, who is in good health, pending his reunion with his biological mother.

“While investigations are ongoing to bring all involved parties to justice, the Lagos State Police Command reiterates its unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents,” he said.

The Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Hashimu Argungu, has identified conflicting roles among security agencies due to unclear mandates as one of the major threats to effective implementation and compliance with criminal justice procedures in Nigeria.

Speaking at a one-day programme titled “The Executive Forum for Efficient Implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Regime in Nigeria,” Argungu said it was pertinent to review and explore the challenges of compliance with the administration of criminal justice instruments.

The programmme was organised by CLEEN Foundation in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force, the statement by the PSC Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, reads.

Argungu emphasised the urgent need for clearly defined roles among Nigeria’s security agencies to “eliminate ambiguity and conflict in their operational mandates” while calling for the review of the “country’s passive justice systems” as currently practised at both the federal and state levels.

In his address, Argungu highlighted several other drawbacks affecting the criminal justice system, including “lack of funding, the impact of globalisation and computerisation, inter- and intra-service conflicts, unnecessary competition, and petty jealousy”.

He further noted that “poor coordination and collaboration, ignorance of institutional roles and responsibilities, and the politicisation of crime and security issues” continue to undermine the administration of justice.

This is as he urged both the federal and state governments to urgently review the justice systems in their jurisdictions.

Argungu also appealed to the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly to “update Nigeria’s laws to reflect current global realities affecting law enforcement and justice delivery”.

Subsequently, he recommended that the Attorney General of the Federation, along with the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs, should organise workshops for investigative and prosecutorial agencies on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.

These workshops, he said, should also “cover the admissibility and use of electronic evidence to enhance successful investigation and prosecution, especially in cases involving suspects residing abroad”.

Argungu further advocated for coordinated efforts among democratic institutions and components of the criminal justice system, stating, “The democratic institutions and other components which constitute the criminal justice system should be encouraged to work in coordination of justice as any organ that acts wrongly may affect the whole system.”

He also urged the National Human Rights Commission to collaborate with key stakeholders involved in the daily operations of the criminal justice system and engage the public for operational support.

…Bans Trousers For Female Soldiers

General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of Uganda’s long-serving President Yoweri Museveni, has sparked fresh controversy after declaring that citizens who oppose his father in the upcoming general election will be banished.

He also announced a new policy banning female soldiers from wearing trousers.

Ugandans are expected to head to the polls in January, but the political climate has been growing increasingly hostile, with alleged frequent crackdowns on the opposition.

“Those who do not support Mzee (respectful term for his father) wholeheartedly better be very careful!” he warned in a post on X.

“We will deport all the traitors in public view!!” he added.

The army general, widely seen as Museveni’s heir apparent, is known for his provocative online remarks. Earlier this month, he claimed responsibility for the assault and torture of Eddie Mutwe, bodyguard to opposition leader Bobi Wine.

“I take FULL responsibility, including the long overdue beating of Eddie Mutwe… That was an appetiser!” Kainerugaba boasted.

In another post, Kainerugaba imposed a new dress code for women in the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), mandating skirts instead of trousers.

“Trousers are for men, not for women,” he stated, adding that “Anyone who forces our sisters to put on trousers on parade again will have a very bad day.”

Although women make up a small percentage of the UPDF, they have historically been issued the same uniforms as male soldiers, with skirts typically reserved for ceremonial events.

The Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny has successfully deactivated an illegal refining site at Peterside Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The operation, conducted on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, resulted in the impounding of approximately 19,000 litres of product suspected to be stolen crude oil.

According to Lieutenant Commander Sirajo Almustapha, Base Operations Officer of FOB Bonny, the operation was carried out based on credible intelligence reports received by the Base.

Acting on the intel, the anti-crude oil theft team, comprising armed personnel, was deployed on an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission to validate the intel and subsequently deactivate any illegal refinery site sighted.

During the operation, the team discovered an active illegal refining site behind the community, equipped with cooking tanks, storage tanks, plastic tanks, and a dug-out pit.

He explained that further assessment revealed that one storage tank was laden with about 5,000 litres of product suspected to be stolen crude oil, the plastic tanks were laden with about 1,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil, while the dug-out pit contained about 1,000 litres of product suspected to be stolen crude oil.

Additionally, a large wooden boat carefully concealed at the entrance of the community was discovered, laden with about 2,000 litres of product suspected to be stolen crude oil.

He stated that the boat was confiscated in line with extant regulations.

In a related development, operatives of the FOB Bonny stationed at the Oputumbi general area, acting on received credible intelligence, intercepted a wooden boat conveying suspected stolen crude oil and promptly confiscated both the boat and its cargo.

The wooden boat was found to be laden with about 10,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally stolen crude oil.

The Base Operations Officer reiterated the determination of the Nigerian Navy to sustain its bullish aggression against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities, warning perpetrators to consider alternative business options.

He reassured stakeholders in the maritime sector of the commitment of the Navy to ensure safe waters for both maritime commuters and businesses within the nation’s maritime domain.

The FOB Bonny confirmed that an investigation is ongoing to identify and apprehend the operators of the site.

The Nigerian Navy’s continued efforts to combat crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities have been commended by stakeholders, who appreciate the Navy’s commitment to protecting the nation’s maritime domain.

Nigeria’s headline inflation rate fell to 23.71 per cent in April 2025, down from 24.23 per cent in March 2025, according to new statistics issued by the National Bureau of Statistics.

This signifies a 0.52 percentage point decrease from last month, suggesting a more gradual increase in the overall price level of goods and services across the country.

The relaxation aligns with a major revision to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), following the NBS’s completion of a long-anticipated rebasing of the CPI structure.

The rebasing replaces out-of-date reference periods from 2009, putting the CPI in line with current economic conditions.

According to the Bureau, “Rebasing aligns the price and weight reference periods with the current economic environment, ensuring methodological accuracy, updating the composition of the goods and services basket, revising item weights, and incorporating necessary improvements.”

The newly updated CPI now uses 2024 as the price reference year (base year) and 2023 as the weight reference period. It covers 934 product varieties across 13 divisions under the international COICOP 2018 classification framework.

Month-on-month, the inflation rate in April stood at 1.86 per cent, significantly lower than March figure of 3.90 per cent

“This means that in April 2025, the rate of increase in the average price level is lower than the rate of increase in the average price level in March 2025,” the NBS noted.

The CPI for April stood at 119.52 points, representing a 2.18-point increase from the previous month.

The latest CPI data comes ahead of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting slated for May 19 and 20, 2025.

Recall that Nigeria’s inflation rose to 24.23 per cent in March for the first time after the CPI rebase in January 2025.

In February, the CBN MPC paused interest rate hikes after inflation dropped.

Nigerians have condemned the short notice given to candidates who will be retaking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) due to errors recorded in some areas.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has rescheduled the exam for 379,997 candidates in five states in the South East and Lagos, with the new exam dates starting from Friday, May 16, 2025.

Many candidates and stakeholders have condemned the short notice, citing concerns about the candidates’ ability to adequately prepare for the exam.

Some have suggested that the exam should have been pushed to after the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to give candidates more time to prepare.

“I don’t understand why JAMB couldn’t push the exam to after WAEC,” one candidate asked on social media. “These students are not running away. Give them ample time to prepare,” X User, Gospel, stated.

General Pushkin on X also asked, “Aren’t these students the same ones writing WASSCE and NECO? Why complicate their situation? JAMB is an objective CBT. JAMB should have less trouble dealing with this in shorter time frames than WAEC. Students who wish to resit can do so after the WAEC. It should be optional.”

Others have expressed concerns about the economic hardship in Nigeria and the emotional trauma that candidates have gone through.

“You know the economic hardship in Nigeria,” one commenter wrote. “Why not give them more time to recover and plan to write the exam?”

“The emotional trauma these kids went through has to heal. They are not in the right frame of mind to resit in such a short time. Haba!,” Ka-sha-mi added.

Also, one of the affected candidates, John Felix, a biology teacher, confirmed receiving a text message from JAMB informing him of the rescheduled date and time for the examination.
Felix expressed concern about the new schedule conflicting with another exam he has on the same day.

Some Nigerians have suggested that JAMB should have opted to remark the examination instead of re-administering the entire exam.

However, Alex Onyia, the Chief Executive Officer of Educare, believed that the decision to reschedule the exam was necessary to ensure fairness and accuracy.

Onyia, who was amongst the stakeholders to review the UTME, urged candidates affected by the error to remain calm and focused as they prepare for the rescheduled exam.

According to Onyia, JAMB worked tirelessly to navigate a scheduling nightmare, complicated by ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) exams and the looming National Examinations Council (NECO) timeline.

“When all internal attempts failed, they reached out to WAEC for support, and thankfully, WAEC responded with tremendous cooperation,” Onyia posted on the X platform.

While acknowledging that the new dates are close, Onyia emphasised that JAMB is working within a tight window to fix a complex mess.

He urged candidates to “dig deep and push forward with renewed resolve,” adding that the opportunity to retake the exam is a chance to prove that their initial scores did not reflect their true performance.

Onyia also noted that the vendor responsible for the error has been officially dropped and will not be given a second chance.

He expressed confidence in the resilience and brilliance of Nigerian youth, believing that their performance in the rescheduled exam will speak volumes.

Onyia also praised JAMB for working tirelessly to navigate a scheduling nightmare and for acknowledging their fault and providing a way forward.

“We’ve won a major victory—not just in securing a retest but in getting JAMB to acknowledge their fault and provide a way forward,” he said.

The UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has strongly criticised Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plan to establish “return hubs” in foreign countries for failed asylum seekers, describing it as a weak and ineffective alternative to the shelved Rwanda deportation scheme.

Badenoch’s remarks followed Starmer’s announcement during an official visit to Albania on Thursday, where he revealed that his government was in talks with several countries to explore the creation of return centres for individuals denied asylum in the UK.

She disclosed this in a post on X, responding to a Mail Online article about Starmer’s remarks.

“Starmer is making an effort, but this will NOT stop the boats. People will still try their luck knowing they can stay in Britain if granted asylum so it won’t get rid of asylum hotels in the UK,” she wrote.

“We left Labour a real deterrent. This is weaker than the Rwanda plan and won’t work,” she added.

The Rwanda policy announced in April 2022 by the UK government under the former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was part of the Conservative Party’s immigration strategy to deter illegal crossings by sending some asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing and potential resettlement.

However, the controversial policy was eventually derailed by legal challenges and never implemented. But Starmer’s proposal is different, as it focuses on deporting individuals only after their asylum applications have been processed and rejected.

Speaking during a press conference in Albania, Starmer defended the initiative, saying, “We are in talks with a number of countries about return hubs. I view them as a really important innovation.

“What I’d like to do is add return hubs to the record number of returns and law enforcement arrangements already in place,” he added.

However, when asked which countries the UK is speaking to, Starmer declined to provide details, saying he was not yet in a position to reveal more.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, standing alongside Starmer during the press conference, ruled out hosting such a hub, citing a prior agreement with Italy.

“When we started this process with Italy, it was a one-off because of our special relationship,” Rama said, adding that Albania had rejected similar requests from other countries to remain “loyal to the marriage with Italy”.

The Labour government is under growing pressure to tackle irregular migration, particularly the increasing number of small boat crossings across the Channel.

Over 12,500 migrants have arrived via this route so far this year, according to UK Home Office data.

The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has turned down invitations from three rival factions of the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State, each seeking to have the commission observe their primaries ahead of the July 12 local government elections in the state.

This development was announced by LASIEC Chairperson, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (retd.), during a stakeholders’ forum held in Ikeja on Thursday.

The event was themed “Enhancing a Credible and Inclusive Local Government Election in Lagos”.

According to Okikiolu-Ighile, each LP faction separately requested LASIEC’s presence at their primary elections.

“Three factions of the Labour Party in Lagos invited us to observe their primaries,” she said.

However, LASIEC declined all invitations, citing the internal division within the party.

“LASIEC officials did not attend their primaries today (Thursday) because of the perceived division in the party,” she explained.

Okikiolu-Ighile further noted that LASIEC is currently awaiting advice from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to determine how to proceed with the Labour Party’s involvement in the local polls.

“We are waiting for INEC’s advice on the next steps regarding the situation with the LP,” she added.

THE WHISTLER reports that the leadership crisis rocking the Lagos State chapter of the LP deepened on Monday as a factional chairman, Mrs Dayo Ekong, refuted claims of her suspension by another faction of the party loyal to Senator Nenadi Esther Usman.

In a rebuttal, Ekong dismissed the purported suspension announced by a 24-member caretaker committee led by Rotimi Odunaike and Dorcas Omorodion, describing it as illegal and an act of impersonation.

“The so-called ‘suspensions’ announced by a group of unauthorised individuals have no legal or constitutional bearing within the Labour Party.

“The group led by one Rotimi Odunaike remains an illegitimate faction, currently in contempt of court, and has repeatedly acted outside the provisions of the party’s constitution.

“Their pronouncements carry no weight and are not recognised by the national leadership of the party under Barrister Julius Abure,” Ekong stated.

Odunaike’s group had on Sunday announced a six-month suspension of Ekong and other party officials over alleged anti-party activities, citing “gross misconduct” and violations of party rules.

The group also declared the immediate dissolution of all ward and local government executives constituted by the Ekong-led executive committee.

However, Ekong fired back, warning that the public should not be misled by what she called a “well-funded” campaign of disinformation designed to destabilise the party in Lagos.

She reaffirmed her leadership, stating that her administration was the only legally recognised and duly affirmed leadership structure in Lagos, committed to due process and party discipline.

Ekong further alleged that the individuals parading themselves as party officials are either expelled or suspended members whose current actions amount to criminal impersonation.