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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser Hajj (Umrah), rather than seek medical treatment, his Special Adviser on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, has said.

The aide made the clarification on Thursday in a post on X while responding to human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, who had questioned the purpose of Tinubu’s planned foreign trip and raised concerns about his health.

Olusegun said the President would use the religious pilgrimage to pray for Nigeria and seek God’s intervention for his re-election in 2027.

Sowore, in a post on Wednesday, alleged that the President was preparing for another overseas trip on Thursday, October 29, 2026, following his recent rally in Kaduna.

He also claimed that five governors, some ministers and prominent businesspeople were being assembled for the journey, suggesting that their presence could make it appear to be an official business visit.

‘Nigeria is in serious trouble! After the Kaduna rally, there are now indications that Bola Ahmed Tinubu #officialabat is being prepared for another foreign trip tomorrow, October 29, 2026, amid growing questions about his health.

‘Hearing that five governors, some ministers, and prominent businessmen are being assembled for the trip, apparently to give it the appearance of an official business visit.

‘Like Yar’Adua, like Tinubu?’ he tweeted.

Responding to the allegations, Olusegun maintained that Tinubu’s trip was for religious purposes, citing the President’s previous visits to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah in 2022.

‘President Tinubu is not heading to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment. He is heading to the Holy Land for the Lesser Hajj (Umrah), like other Muslims across the world, to offer supplications for the country and commit his re-election journey into the hands of God.

‘This is not new… it is a regular practice among Muslims when they want to embark on any critical journey or attain a milestone. Mr Sowore, in case you have temporary amnesia, Bola Ahmed Tinubu travelled to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform Umrah (Lesser Hajj) twice in 2022… first in April 2022, before the APC primary election, and again in late December 2022, before the presidential election.

‘His prayers were answered on both occasions. It is only sensible to stick to a potent strategy; hence the President is going again. On Saturday, the President was in Kaduna to flag off his re-election campaign.

The presidential aide also pointed to Tinubu’s recent official engagements, including his Kaduna rally, meetings with former African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina and Nigerian Tourism Development Authority Director-General Ola Awakan, and his chairing of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Thursday.

‘Yesterday, he received the former AfDB President, Akinwumi Adesina, in an audience and separately hosted the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Ola Awakan. Today, the President chaired the FEC meeting, where some consequential decisions were made.

‘Mr Sowore, a ‘sick person’ would not have this many itineraries to accomplish. Mr President is fit as a fiddle, and no evil, as you are wishing for, will befall the People’s President,’ Olusegun stated.

Medicines are meant to treat illness, relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. But when they are taken without proper advice, used for too long or taken in higher doses than recommended, they can cause serious problems.

In Nigeria, it is not uncommon for people to keep medicines at home and use them whenever a familiar symptom returns. A person may take an antibiotic for a fever, continue a painkiller for weeks because the pain has not gone away, or use a steroid cream repeatedly because it worked on a previous skin problem.

The fact that a medicine is commonly used does not mean it is harmless.

Some medicines can damage the liver or kidneys when misused. Others can cause stomach bleeding, nerve problems, serious infections or dependence. Antibiotics can also contribute to antimicrobial resistance when they are taken unnecessarily.

In this article, Tribune Online explores 10 common medicines that should not be taken casually or used beyond recommended instructions.

Paracetamol

Paracetamol is one of the most widely used medicines for pain and fever. It is generally safe when taken at the recommended dose, but taking too much can cause severe liver damage and, in serious cases, liver failure or death.

One problem is that people may unknowingly take paracetamol from more than one medicine. Some cough, cold and flu preparations also contain paracetamol, so taking them together with additional paracetamol tablets can result in an overdose.

People should therefore check the active ingredients of medicines before combining them. A person who thinks they have taken more paracetamol than recommended should seek medical help promptly, even if they feel well. Symptoms of overdose may not appear immediately.

Diclofenac

Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug commonly used for pain and inflammation.

It can be effective, but taking high doses or using it for a prolonged period can increase the risk of serious side effects, including stomach ulcers and bleeding. NSAIDs can also cause kidney problems in some people.

People with kidney disease, stomach ulcers, certain heart conditions or other risk factors may need to avoid diclofenac or use it only under medical supervision. It is also not advisable to combine diclofenac with other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen unless specifically advised by a healthcare professional.

Using more painkillers because the original dose is no longer relieving the pain may simply mask an underlying condition while increasing the risk of harm.

Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen is another popular painkiller used for headaches, toothache, body pains and inflammation. Although it is available without prescription in many places, it can cause problems when taken inappropriately. High doses or prolonged use can increase the risk of stomach ulcers or bleeding and kidney problems.

The risk may be greater in people who already have kidney disease, stomach problems or certain other medical conditions. Taking ibuprofen together with another NSAID can also increase the risk of side effects. People should therefore check with a pharmacist or doctor before combining pain medicines.

Omeprazole

Omeprazole reduces stomach acid and is commonly used for heartburn, acid reflux and some stomach conditions. Because it is effective, some people continue taking it for months or years without reviewing whether they still need it. Long-term proton pump inhibitor use has been associated with low magnesium levels in some patients. Severe low magnesium can cause muscle spasms, seizures and abnormal heart rhythms.

Long-term use has also been linked in some studies and regulatory reviews with bone fracture risk, although the risk appears to be much less of a concern when over-the-counter treatment is used as directed for short periods. People who have been taking omeprazole for a long time should discuss continued use with a healthcare professional rather than stopping or continuing it indefinitely on their own.

Metronidazole

Metronidazole is used to treat certain bacterial and parasitic infections. It is not a general-purpose medicine for every stomach upset, diarrhoea or infection. One reason it should not be taken casually is that prolonged use has been associated with peripheral neuropathy, which can cause numbness, tingling, burning sensations or weakness.

Unnecessary antibiotic use can also contribute to antimicrobial resistance, making some infections harder to treat in the future. People should not keep leftover metronidazole and use it whenever they develop diarrhoea or abdominal discomfort. The cause of such symptoms needs to be established before treatment is chosen.

Ciprofloxacin

Ciprofloxacin belongs to a group of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. These medicines can cause serious adverse effects, including tendinitis and tendon rupture. They have also been associated with peripheral neuropathy, which may cause pain, burning, tingling, numbness or weakness. In some cases, these effects can be long-lasting or irreversible.

The risk of tendon problems is particularly important in older people and in people taking corticosteroids, among other risk groups. Ciprofloxacin should therefore not be treated as an ordinary medicine for every infection. Antibiotics should be selected according to the suspected or confirmed infection and professional medical advice.

Betamethasone

Betamethasone is a corticosteroid used in different forms to control inflammation and certain skin conditions. The problem begins when people use steroid medicines without knowing what is causing their symptoms. A steroid may reduce redness, itching or swelling while allowing an underlying infection to continue.

Repeated or prolonged use can also cause other steroid-related problems, depending on the strength, formulation, amount used and part of the body treated.This is particularly important with steroid creams.

A person may see an itchy skin rash improve temporarily and assume the condition has been cured, when the steroid has only suppressed the inflammation. Steroids should therefore be used for the condition they are intended to treat and for the duration recommended by a healthcare professional.

Clonazepam

Clonazepam belongs to a group of medicines called benzodiazepines. It may be prescribed for conditions including certain seizure disorders, panic disorder and muscle spasms.

It can cause drowsiness and, when used for longer periods, the body can become dependent on it.

People who have taken clonazepam for more than a few weeks may need a gradual reduction in dose rather than stopping suddenly. So longer use of clonazepam is capable of causing addiction.

Stopping it abruptly after prolonged use can cause withdrawal symptoms. Clonazepam can also interact with other medicines that cause drowsiness, including some strong painkillers. Alcohol can further increase its sedative effects. It should never be borrowed from another person or used simply because someone feels anxious or is having difficulty sleeping.

Amoxicillin

Amoxicillin is a commonly prescribed antibiotic and is useful for certain bacterial infections.

However, it does not treat viral illnesses such as most common colds and many cases of flu. Taking it whenever someone has a fever, cough or sore throat is therefore not a safe approach.

Unnecessary antibiotic use exposes the person to possible side effects without providing a benefit. It also contributes to antimicrobial resistance, which occurs when bacteria become less responsive to medicines used against them.

Another problem is keeping unfinished antibiotics and using them later for a different illness. The correct antibiotic, dose and duration depend on the infection and the individual patient.

Steroid tablets

Prednisolone and similar corticosteroids can be very useful in treating inflammation, allergic reactions and several other medical conditions.

But they are powerful medicines and should not be taken casually.

Prolonged or repeated steroid use can affect the body’s normal immune and hormonal functions. It can also make a person more vulnerable to infections and cause other complications depending on the dose and duration of treatment.

Another important issue is stopping suddenly after prolonged treatment. Some people need their dose reduced gradually under medical supervision rather than stopping abruptly.

Steroids should therefore be taken only for an appropriate medical reason and according to the prescribed instructions.

Buying pure honey in a typical local market can feel like taking a gamble. When you walk into a market, almost every seller swears their honey came straight from the forest. But once you get home, you often realize you bought boiled sugar syrup mixed with brown dye.

?Fake honey is everywhere nowadays because adulterators mix real honey with cheap corn syrup, rice syrup, or sugar water to double their profits. Spending hard-earned money on fake honey is frustrating, especially when you need it for health, tea, or cooking.

?According to agricultural reports from the Agriculture Institute, pure honey has a low natural moisture content and high density, which causes it to behave differently from water-based sugar mixtures. Knowing how pure honey reacts can save you from buying adulterated sugar mixtures.

In this article, Tribune Online examines five direct, practical things you must check at the market before paying for that bottle of honey.

Check how thick and flowy the honey feels

?The first thing you should inspect at the seller’s stall is the honey’s thickness and how it flows when poured. Real honey is naturally dense and moves slowly when you tilt the bottle or drop a spoonful.

?When you ask the seller to pour a little drop on a spoon or saucer, watch how it falls. Authentic honey will pour continuously in a thick thread without breaking quickly, forming a small pile at the bottom before flattening out. If the liquid splashes like water or spreads out immediately, it contains added water or thin sugar syrup.

Perform a quick water drop test

?You can easily carry out the famous water test right at the market stall using a small cup of plain water. This test works because original honey does not mix with cold or room-temperature water easily due to its heavy molecular structure.

?Ask the seller to drop a single teaspoon of honey into a clear glass or cup of water without stirring it. Pure honey will drop straight to the bottom of the glass as a solid lump and stay intact. Adulterated honey or sugar syrup will start melting instantly, leaving cloudy trails in the water as it dissolves on its way down.

Try the thumb or paper towel test

?Another quick physical test you can perform on the spot is testing a small drop on your thumb or a piece of paper. Pure honey stays together because of high surface tension and low moisture content.

?Put a tiny drop of honey on your thumb nail. Original honey will sit in a neat lump and remain intact without running down your finger. If the drop spreads out immediately or drips down your hand like water, it is diluted. Similarly, if you drop pure honey on a paper napkin, it will sit on top without soaking through quickly, whereas fake honey will leave a wet water ring on the paper.

Smell the floral aroma and check the taste

?Never pay for honey without smelling and tasting a small sample first. Authentic honey is produced by bees from flower nectar, so it carries a distinct natural scent.

?When you open the bottle, pure honey should give off a mild floral, woody, or herbal aroma depending on the vegetation where the bees collected nectar. Fake honey usually smells like plain sugar syrup or has no scent at all. When you taste real honey, it gives a complex sweetness followed by a slight scratch or tickle at the back of your throat, whereas fake honey just tastes like flat sugar water.

?Watch out for natural foam, pollen, or crystalisation

?Many market buyers mistakenly assume that clear, spotless honey is the best quality, but the exact opposite is often true. Unprocessed, raw honey usually contains minor natural imperfections that show it came directly from a beehive.

?Look closely at the bottle for small specks of pollen, tiny air bubbles, or faint foam near the top neck. If you notice that the honey has turned thick, cloudy, or sugary at the bottom of the bottle during cold weather, do not panic. This process is called crystallisation, and expert bee farmers confirm it is a natural sign of raw, unheated honey. Honey that remains completely crystal clear for years without solidifying has likely been heavily processed or mixed with artificial syrup.

Many Nigerians visit private diagnostic centres daily hoping to understand what is wrong with their health. A routine check-up, malaria screen, lipid profile, or hormonal panel should provide peace of mind and guide your doctor’s prescription.

However, medical testing is not immune to human or mechanical failure. A faulty reading can lead to buying costly medications you do not need, or worse, leaving a life-threatening illness untreated.

In this article, Tribune Online examines the critical red flags that point toward an erroneous blood test result, the underlying reasons these mistakes happen, and the exact steps you should take to protect your health.

The numbers directly contradict how you physically feel

A blood test does not exist in isolation; it must correspond with your clinical presentation. When a report indicates that your blood parameters are at life-threatening levels, yet you walked into the laboratory feeling completely energetic, there is an immediate reason to pause.

Clinical research published by the World Health Organization emphasizes that laboratory findings must always correlate with clinical symptoms before radical treatment commences. A massive discrepancy often points to pre-analytical errors, such as sample contamination or delayed processing that artificially altered the cellular markers.

When you notice a wild difference between your bodily strength and an alarming lab sheet, do not panic. Call your consulting doctor immediately to review your actual physical symptoms before swallowing any heavy emergency drugs.

Patient’s basic details and demographic information are wrong

Quality control starts right at the reception desk and phlebotomy chair. If your printed result sheet misspells your name, lists the wrong age, or interchanges your biological sex, your specimen may have been swapped with someone else’s.

A study published in the Journal of Medical Laboratory Science notes that sample mix-ups remain a leading cause of pre-analytical laboratory errors across diagnostic facilities. Reference ranges for parameters like haemoglobin, uric acid, and hormones vary significantly depending on age and sex, meaning an administrative mix-up instantly invalidates the interpretation.

The moment you spot an incorrect date of birth or a typo in your identity information, flag it with the lab supervisor. Insist on checking the barcode or label on the primary collection tube to ensure you were not handed another patient’s medical file.

Results drastically shift without any lifestyle or medical explanation

The human body changes gradually, and established baseline values do not swing wildly overnight without an acute medical event. If a previous test done two weeks prior showed normal kidney function or steady blood sugar, and a repeat test shows end-stage failure without any sudden illness, suspicion is warranted.

According to technical bulletins from the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), diagnostic centres must maintain strict calibration of their analyzers to avoid drift and baseline distortion. Uncalibrated photometers or depleted test reagents can easily produce erratic values that look catastrophic on paper.

Whenever you notice an unexplainable, radical spike or drop in chronic monitoring tests like lipid profiles, PSA, or thyroid hormones, do not jump to worst-case conclusions. Treat the result as an outlier and request a fresh draw before making any drastic changes to your regimen.

The laboratory failed to provide or follow fasting instructions

Certain blood investigations require strict preparation, such as an overnight fast of 8 to 12 hours for fasting blood glucose and lipid panels. If the phlebotomist collected your blood immediately after you ate without noting your non-fasting status, the resulting figures will be clinically misleading.

Reports from the American Association for Clinical Chemistry confirm that postprandial lipemia and transient glucose elevation skew tests, often mimicking chronic diabetes or severe dyslipidemia. A reliable diagnostic centre will always cross-check your last mealtime before drawing blood for sensitive metabolic panels.

If a laboratory technician dismisses your recent meal as irrelevant for a test that standard medical science requires you to fast for, consider the output compromised. Always disclose your exact nutritional intake to your physician so they can interpret the numbers within proper context.

What you should do step-by-step if you suspect an error

Do not alter your prescription: Never stop taking your regular medication or start aggressive new therapies purely on the strength of a suspicious report.

Consult your physician: Present the result directly to your doctor, highlighting why the values seem improbable based on your symptoms and preparation.

Request a repeat test: Have the test redone at an accredited, independent tertiary hospital or an internationally certified diagnostic center to verify the baseline.

Demand an internal audit: Return to the original private laboratory, report the discrepancy politely to the quality assurance manager, and ask them to verify their control logs for that testing batch.

Environmental activist and Executive Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nnimmo Bassey, has called on political leaders and citizens to prioritise environmental justice, accountability and the restoration of degraded communities in the Niger Delta.

Bassey made the call while delivering a lecture titled ‘Leadership for Environmental Justice in the Niger Delta’ at the eighth graduation ceremony and annual leadership lecture of the Kebetkache/Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre-LSD) Leadership School for the 2025/2026 session in Port Harcourt.

He urged voters to reject political candidates without concrete plans to address environmental degradation, remediate polluted communities and restore livelihoods destroyed by oil exploration and extraction.

According to him, the Niger Delta, despite its rich ecological and cultural resources, has endured decades of environmental damage, including oil spills, gas flaring, polluted waterways, declining fish stocks and the destruction of farmlands.

He lamented that the wealth extracted from the region had failed to translate into a life of dignity for many residents, describing the situation as not merely an environmental crisis but also an issue of justice, power and accountability.

Bassey said the unequal distribution of the benefits and consequences of oil extraction had left local communities bearing the burden of pollution while the gains were enjoyed elsewhere.

He called on presidential and governorship candidates to clearly state their positions on environmental protection and demonstrate their commitment to restoring damaged ecosystems.

The activist questioned why politicians seeking public office should receive the support of voters while persistent environmental emergencies remained unaddressed.

He cited the prolonged fire at the Ororo-1 oil well off Awoye community in Ondo State, gas eruptions in Bille community in Rivers State and the crude oil fire at Oil Well 9, OML 18, in Ofiomina-Ama Alakiri community in Rivers State as examples of environmental crises requiring urgent intervention.

Bassey stressed that leadership should not be measured by titles, public office or the ability to command attention but by the willingness to confront injustice and defend the interests of vulnerable communities.

He identified women organising to protect their water sources, young people documenting oil spills, fishermen demanding investigations into pollution and community members resisting environmental destruction as examples of grassroots leadership.

He said meaningful environmental leadership must recognise local communities as active participants in decisions affecting their lands, livelihoods and future.

The HOMEF executive director particularly emphasised the need to involve women, young people and marginalised groups in environmental decision-making, noting that women often bear a disproportionate burden of environmental destruction through their responsibilities for farming, fishing, water collection, food preparation and family care.

He also warned against extractivism, which he described as a system that treats nature primarily as a commodity, places profit above human wellbeing and regards affected communities as expendable.

Bassey urged community leaders to demand transparency before allowing extractive activities in their territories, asking whether communities had given their consent, whether legal requirements had been met and what benefits and risks such activities would bring.

The environmentalist expressed concern that Nigeria’s emerging critical minerals industry could reproduce the same environmental and social problems associated with crude oil extraction in the Niger Delta.

He recalled the lead poisoning incident linked to artisanal gold mining in Zamfara State, which killed hundreds of children in 2010, as well as fatal mining accidents in Plateau State and the reported deaths of teenagers detained over alleged illegal mining activities in Niger State.

According to him, the incidents point to a significant leadership gap in the country’s management of natural resources.

Bassey warned that changing from fossil fuels to minerals used in green technologies would not guarantee justice if communities continued to lose their lands, water sources and livelihoods without adequate protection, consultation and accountability.

He said the reported $700 billion memorandum of agreement between Nigeria and the United States concerning critical minerals should raise concerns unless strong environmental safeguards and community protections were established.

He maintained that the transition to cleaner energy sources must not become another avenue for exploiting communities and exporting the benefits of natural resources while leaving environmental damage behind.

The activist called for energy systems that prioritise community rights, ecological protection, democratic participation and collective wellbeing.

Dean, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Federal University of Health Sciences, Osun State, Professor Musa Muhibi, has called for accurate genotype testing and genetic counselling to reduce the burden of sickle cell disease and help individuals make informed reproductive decisions.

He made the call while delivering the 11th Faysol Oluwakemi Annual Health Lecture, themed ‘The Right Match: Blood Group, Genotype and Healthy Futures’, where he was represented by Dr Abdulwaheed Ademosun, Deputy Director, Medical Laboratory Services, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife.

Muhibi explained that when both partners have the HbAS genotype, each pregnancy carries a 25 per cent chance of producing a child with sickle cell disease (HbSS). He stressed that the risk applies independently to every pregnancy.

He warned that inaccurate laboratory results could lead to uninformed decisions, urging people to use reputable facilities staffed by qualified medical laboratory scientists.

The professor also advocated confidential, non-directive genetic counselling, noting that individuals should receive accurate information without coercion or discrimination.

He called for improved access to safe blood transfusion, antenatal screening, early diagnosis and newborn screening, alongside efforts to eliminate stigma against people living with sickle cell disease.

Dr Emmanuel Idowu Olowokere, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist and Chief Medical Director of God’s Knot Hospital and Fertility Centre, Ibadan, proposed sanctions for couples, who knowingly proceed with marriage despite genotype incompatibility.

Olowokere reiterated that couples with HbAS genotypes each face a 25 per cent chance of having a child with HbSS in every pregnancy and urged prospective couples to undergo genotype testing and counselling before marriage.

Chairperson of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, Oyo State Branch, Mrs Adebola Shakirat Akinbile, recommended health screening every six months at registered laboratories, with results reviewed by qualified medical practitioners.

She noted that sickle cell disease could significantly affect patients’ quality of life and life expectancy, making early detection, proper care and reliable laboratory services essential.

The convener, Mr Faysol Oluwakemi, said the annual lecture, now in its second decade, aims to educate young people about genotype and blood group compatibility and bridge gaps in access to reliable health information.

He added that the initiative encourages individuals to make informed decisions about marriage and childbearing based on accurate medical advice.

?Many suburban communities in Nigeria welcome solar streetlights with excitement. Residents look forward to well-lit streets, better security, and nighttime business activity. However, that joy often turns to disappointment after barely six months when the lights go completely dark. ?According to research published in the Nigerian Journal of Technology (NIJOTECH), a significant number of standalone solar streetlights installed across developing communities experience early operational failure due to poor component selection and inadequate system monitoring.

?In this article, Tribune Online examines the five major technical and environmental factors responsible for these rapid failures and what can be done to keep solar streetlights shining bright.

?Low-quality batteries and deep over-discharge

?The battery serves as the heart of any solar lighting system because it stores energy collected during the day to power the LED bulb at night.

?Contractors sometimes install cheap lead-acid batteries or low-grade lithium cells to cut installation costs.

These inferior batteries cannot withstand daily deep discharge cycles. Over six months of continuous night usage, their capacity drops drastically until they can no longer hold enough charge to power the light through the night.

?Dust, harmattan soot, and neglected cleaning

?Solar panels require clean surface glass to convert sunlight into direct electrical current efficiently.

?In suburban areas with unpaved roads and construction sites, heavy dust and seasonal Harmattan haze quickly coat the glass panels.

Heavy dust and soot accumulation on solar panels can reduce total power generation by up to 40 percent. This drop prevents the battery from fully charging, causing early system shutdown every night.

?Substandard charge controllers and poor wiring

?The charge controller acts as the brain of the solar streetlight by regulating current flow from the panel to the battery and controlling light activation at dusk.

?Substandard controllers lack protection against voltage surges and extreme outdoor temperatures. Poor wiring connections made during rush installations often loosen due to wind vibration or corrode from rainwater ingress.

When moisture gets into unsealed joints, it causes short circuits that destroy the controller within months.

?Wrong panel orientation and shading from trees

?A solar panel must receive direct, unobstructed sunlight for at least six hours daily to generate sufficient power.

?During installation, technicians sometimes mount panels flat or position them toward trees and tall buildings without considering seasonal sun angles. Over time, growing tree branches cast shadows across the panel surface. Even partial shading across a few cells drastically reduces overall panel voltage and prevents full daily charging.

?Total lack of routine community maintenance

?Solar streetlights are not ‘install and forget’ devices; they require periodic checks to maintain performance.

?Many local government authorities and community associations fail to set up maintenance schedules or assign trained personnel to inspect the installations.

Simple maintenance steps such as wiping panel surfaces every three months, trimming overgrown branches, and tightening loose structural bolts are routinely ignored.

Without basic upkeep, small manageable faults quickly escalate into permanent system breakdowns before six months elapse.

Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Segun Aina, has pledged to sustain efforts to improve service delivery and address complaints from candidates and other stakeholders, declaring that he would not rest on his oars until complaints against the board were reduced to zero.

Aina made the pledge during the 2026 JAMB Customer Service Week celebration held across the Board’s facilities nationwide.

He said JAMB’s primary responsibility was to provide quality service to Nigerians, stressing that the commendations received so far would not make the board complacent but would spur it to achieve higher standards.

According to him, the achievements recorded in customer service should be seen as a call to greater responsibility rather than an endpoint, adding that the Board would continue to address customers’ concerns and minimise complaints.

The registrar said his sole purpose at JAMB was to serve Nigerians, recalling that upon assuming office a little over two months ago, he had virtually relocated to the Board’s SERVICOM Unit to tackle outstanding complaints.

He disclosed that more than 5,000 pending cases were resolved within his first week in office, adding that he remained determined to apply the same level of commitment to addressing future challenges.

Aina urged stakeholders across the Board’s service delivery chain to be proactive and responsive to customers’ needs, emphasising that complaints must be handled promptly and effectively.

He maintained that JAMB should be recognised for excellence in service delivery, both in policy and practice.

The registrar’s commitment to improved service delivery also comes amid efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in the university admission process.

Meanwhile, the JAMB registrar has urged university administrators to ensure the effective and consistent use of the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).

He spoke at the 2026 National Universities Commission (NUC) retreat with vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities, held in Abuja, stressing that strict adherence to approved admission procedures was essential to protecting candidates’ interests and preserving the credibility of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

Aina said admissions conducted outside established regulatory procedures could jeopardise candidates’ academic aspirations, despite the time, resources and effort invested in pursuing their education.

He called on universities to work closely with JAMB to ensure that admission decisions were properly processed through CAPS and that institutions complied with the Board’s admission guidelines.

Aina noted that the effective use of the platform was not merely a regulatory requirement but also a means of promoting fairness, protecting candidates and strengthening public confidence in the admission process.

The Registrar also acknowledged the disruption recently experienced on CAPS, which caused concern among candidates, parents and tertiary institutions during a critical period of the admission cycle.

He apologised for the inconvenience and assured stakeholders that measures would be pursued to improve the platform’s reliability and resilience.

He further called for sustained collaboration between JAMB and university authorities to resolve outstanding admission issues recover lost time and ensure compliance with approved admission timelines.

The retreat, themed: ‘Enhancing Regulatory Compliance, Partnership, Governance and Leadership in the Nigerian University System,’ brought together vice-chancellors of federal, state and private universities, alongside other stakeholders, to deliberate on regulatory compliance, institutional governance, ethical leadership and improved service delivery.

The engagement also produced a communiqué outlining resolutions and areas for collective action towards strengthening the governance and development of the Nigerian university system.

Retired pioneer officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, to give due recognition to its founder, retired Major Rasaki Salawu, and the 25 pioneer officers of the FRSC, and allocate special recruitment slots to their children.

In a press release signed on behalf of the other pioneer officers by Deacon Sunday Dairo, a retired Deputy Chief Inspector and Zonal RS 11 in charge of Oyo, Osun and Ondo states, he urged the authorities to accord them due recognition, similar to that given to the designer of the national flag, the late Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi, by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He recalled that retired Major Rasaki Salawu conceived the Accidents Prevention Corps, later known as ‘Maja Maja’, in Oyo State in 1977. The initiative served as the template for the federal-level creation of the Federal Road Safety Corps in 1988.

According to the foundation details, Salawu created the state’s accident prevention scheme after his military retirement. The scheme was approved in August 1987 by the Oyo State military administration under Major-General David Jemibewon, who is still alive. In 1988, the Federal Government under Ibrahim Babangida used this model to establish the Federal Road Safety Commission, where Salawu served as the pioneer Director of Operations.

He noted that Oyo State is known for pace-setting and that, on January 15, 2025, Governor Seyi Makinde honoured Major Salawu with a brand-new car during the Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration at the Government House in Agodi, Ibadan, in recognition of his service to traffic management. However, there are no official records indicating a direct national award or special recognition bestowed upon him by the Federal Government, although his state-level template was adopted nationally.

Dairo appealed to the current Corps Marshal to leave an indelible mark in the sands of time and carve his name in gold by inviting the surviving pioneers, honouring Major Salawu and the pioneer officers with photographs, and granting their request for special slots for their children and grandchildren interested in joining the Corps with immediate effect.

According to him, most of the over 20,000 current staff members of the Corps, who benefit from the pioneers’ efforts, do not know how the Corps was established. He noted that although 14 of the 25 pioneer officers had died, 11 were still alive.

He listed the names of the surviving pioneer members as Bisi Bakare, Ismaila Adegboyega Asifat, Sunday Taiye Dairo, Sunday Oladotun, Taofeek Orimidara, Alani Adegbaju, Muniru Tijani, Kola Ogunsiji, Kareem Rasak Adeshina, J. O. Alabi and Bashiru Olajumoke.

In the press release, the retired officer wondered why the children of retired officers of the Corps were not given priority in its recruitment exercises, as is done in the military.

Dairo said the surviving pioneers were now struggling on meagre pensions while their unemployed children were unable to support them in retirement.

He said the appeal had become necessary not only to preserve the legacy of the founding officers but also to alleviate the hardship confronting surviving members and the families of pioneers who died in the course of their service to the nation.

Dairo, who said he retired in 2013 as a Deputy Chief Road Marshal and Zonal Road Safety Marshal in Osogbo after 35 years of meritorious service, urged the FRSC leadership to institutionalise formal recognition for Major Salawu and the 25 pioneer personnel and introduce special preference for their children and wards in future recruitment exercises. His pin number was M-8805-00021.

Recounting the history of the Corps, Dairo said 25 personnel of the defunct Old Oyo State Road Safety Corps were released to the newly established FRSC following a circular, Ref. SP/C.224/3/VOL.1/312, dated April 8, 1988, issued by the then Military Governor of Old Oyo State, Major-General David Jemibewon.

According to him, the 25 pioneer personnel were released at the request of the Federal Government to train the first batch of 1,000 youth corpers and commence the operational activities of the FRSC at a time when Nigeria had no structured national road safety institution.

‘Many of the personnel died while in active service, while some retired peacefully after years of meritorious national service. Out of these pioneer operational personnel, only eleven are still surviving, though retired. I am one of the surviving retired personnel, and I am writing on behalf of all of us,’ Dairo said.

The retired Zonal Road Safety Marshal said the plight of the surviving pioneers had become increasingly distressing, particularly as many of their children, who should ordinarily have become their support system in retirement, remained without jobs.

‘Most of us only survive on our meagre pensions even though we have children that have graduated from school who could be taking care of us in our retirement years, but these children have no jobs. So instead of them taking care of us, we have to be using our meagre pensions to take care of them.’

‘The situation is so pathetic that we have no choice but to appeal for compassionate consideration,’ he added.

Dairo specifically appealed to the Corps Marshal to invite the surviving pioneers to the FRSC headquarters for formal recognition, take official photographs with them, and consider employing their children with immediate effect. He argued that such intervention would provide relief for retired officers who devoted decades of their lives to building the FRSC.

He therefore appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, to grant formal recognition to Major Rasaki Salawu and the 25 pioneer officers and approve a special preference policy that would give priority to their children and wards whenever the Corps conducts recruitment exercises.

‘We humbly request the Corps Marshal to consider allocating some slots to us anytime the Corps is recruiting as a way of assisting to alleviate our hardships as our leader and father that God has put in authority, and to invite us for photographs and implement this with immediate effect,’ he said.

He stressed that granting such consideration would amount to more than employment, saying it would constitute a symbolic acknowledgement of the sacrifices made by the pioneers who helped establish the FRSC and gave decades of service to the country.

Dairo said recognising the families of the pioneers would also send a powerful message to serving FRSC personnel that sacrifices made in the service of Nigeria would not be forgotten after retirement.

‘This is not just about employment. It is about honour, legacy and saying thank you to those who toiled to build the FRSC from scratch when there was nothing,’ he added.