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If you’ve ever written a blog post and wished it could reach more people – not just readers, but listeners and viewers – then transforming it into a video might be your best move. Videos grab attention faster, keep audiences engaged longer, and can be easily shared across platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Fortunately, you don’t need to record your own voice or hire a narrator to make this happen. With CapCut PC and its powerful Text to Speech AI feature, turning your written blogs into captivating videos is easier than ever.

Why Turn Blog Posts into Videos?

Before we jump into the steps, let’s look at why converting your written work into video format is worth your time:

Reach a wider audience – Some people prefer watching to reading. By transforming your blog posts into videos, you cater to visual and auditory learners, expanding your reach beyond just readers.

Boost engagement – Videos with voiceovers grab attention on social platforms, keeping audiences hooked longer than plain text or images.

Save time – Instead of recording your own narration, you can instantly generate natural-sounding voices using CapCut’s Text to Speech feature.

Improve SEO – Uploading your video versions to platforms like YouTube or embedding them in your blog boosts search visibility, helping your content rank higher online.

Repurpose content easily – You don’t need to write a new script – use your existing blog text and let CapCut do the talking.

CapCut Text to Speech: The Secret to Seamless Narration

CapCut’s Text to Speech tool lets you automatically convert any text – including blog posts, captions, and scripts – into realistic voiceovers. You can choose from multiple voices, accents, tones, and styles, from professional narrators to casual conversational ones. This feature doesn’t just save time; it also ensures consistent quality, especially if you want to keep the same voice across different videos. You can even apply effects like fade in/out, volume adjustment, and noise reduction for polished sound. Let’s explore how you can transform your blog posts into dynamic videos using CapCut PC.

How to Turn Blog Posts into Videos Using CapCut Text to Speech

Step 1: Upload Video

Start by opening the CapCut desktop video editor on your computer. Click ‘Create project’ to begin a new edit. Once your workspace opens, select ‘Import’ to bring in visuals that will accompany your blog narration. You can use relevant stock footage, images, animations, or your own clips. CapCut supports various file formats so that you can import content directly from your device, phone, or previous projects. After importing, drag your media files onto the timeline. This is where you’ll build your video structure – aligning visuals with narration and adding transitions, overlays, or effects to enhance the storytelling. Add some AI images by using CapCut AI Image Generator and make your video super engaging.

Step 2: Convert Text to Speech

Now comes the exciting part – turning your blog post into an engaging voiceover. Go to the Text panel and select ‘Default text.’ Copy and paste a paragraph or section from your blog post into the text box. Once done, click ‘Text to Speech.’ CapCut will instantly generate a voiceover from your text.

You can preview and choose from a variety of voice styles – male or female, calm or energetic, formal or friendly. Each one gives your video a distinct tone, helping you match the mood of your blog. Once you’ve picked your preferred voice, apply finishing touches to your audio using built-in tools. Try CapCut’s other features, such as Background Remover, AI Video Generator, or Auto Captions, to style your blog posts.

Step 3: Export and Share

Once your video looks and sounds great, it’s time to finalize and share it. Click ‘Export’ in the top-right corner of the screen. You can now adjust your file name, resolution, frame rate, format, and quality settings based on your platform of choice. For example, use a vertical format for TikTok or Instagram Reels, and a horizontal format for YouTube. After setting your preferences, hit ‘Export’ to save the finished video to your computer. CapCut also allows direct sharing to major platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, so you can instantly upload your content for your followers to enjoy.

Conclusion

Turning your blog posts into videos isn’t just a trend – it’s a smart way to grow your online presence and connect with a wider audience. With CapCut PC’s Text to Speech feature, you can effortlessly breathe new life into your written content, giving it a voice and a visual appeal that resonates with viewers. So, don’t let your words stay confined to a webpage. Open CapCut PC today, paste your blog text, generate a natural voiceover, and watch your written stories transform into engaging, shareable videos that stand out across every platform.

The Federal Government, in partnership with the European Union (EU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has signed three landmark agreements in a bold move to strengthen local manufacturing and stimulate investment across the pharmaceutical ecosystem in Nigeria and West Africa.

These agreements, which are part of the EU Global Gateway Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines, and Health Technologies (MAV+) initiative and SRHR flagships, will support a new generation of local producers and innovators who will build a stronger and more resilient health ecosystem across Nigeria and the West African region.

The agreements include Enabling Local Manufacturing of Health, Immunisation and Nutrition Commodities in Nigeria (ELM-N); Quality Uplift for Advancing Local Industry in Medicine Standards (Qualimeds Nigeria); and Strengthening Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in West Africa.

In his address during the Nigeria-EU Health Investment Forum hosted by the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), and the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) in Abuja, the Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, noted that the signing of the agreements reaffirms the Federal Government’s resolve to build a sustainable, inclusive, and innovation-driven health economy.

Highlighting how President Bola Tinubu’s Executive Order on local production of pharmaceuticals and medical devices marked a turning point in Nigeria, he said, ‘Through the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) and complementary frameworks such as the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), this administration has taken concrete steps to strengthen health governance, stimulate investment, and promote local manufacturing.’

Shettima, who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Health, Office of the Vice President, Dr Uju Rochas, stressed that the Federal Government remains steadfast in creating an enabling environment for investors and innovators through predictable regulations, strong institutions, and public-private collaborations.

He said, ‘Our message is clear: Nigeria is open for health investment, innovation, and impact. The President has declared that Nigeria’s health transformation will not be driven by aid and dependency alone, but by government-driven ownership, accountability, and innovation: Made in Nigeria, for Nigerians, and by Nigerians.’

Commending the EU, PVAC, NIPRD, and other development partners for their commitment to advancing health security, technology transfer, and industrialisation in Nigeria, he added, ‘As we formally declare this forum open and witness the signing of these landmark agreements, let it mark the beginning of a new chapter-one defined by shared prosperity, local innovation, and global collaboration.’

The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, in his remarks, stated that the forum demonstrates Team Europe’s shared commitment to improving health across borders through strategic investments. ‘Working alongside all of our partners, including the Nigerian authorities, the United Nations, the wider international community, and the private sector, we must build robust, resilient, and efficient health and social welfare systems to ensure prosperity for all,’ he said.

He noted that the EU has been a long-standing partner of Nigeria and ECOWAS in health, supporting health in all its dimensions-from access to health services and large-scale immunisation to polio eradication, medical research, and family planning-both through in-country programmes and contributions to multilateral partnerships.

‘We continue to support Nigeria through our Global Gateway initiatives, particularly reproductive health and maternal and child health, where we have a large ongoing project of pound 45 million in Nigeria and almost pound 25 million in West Africa, funded with Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Gates Foundation.’

He added, ‘We also have upcoming initiatives on digital health and public health systems. But more than anything, we want to support the paradigm shift taking place in Nigeria and West Africa-moving from aid to peer-to-peer collaboration, from standalone projects, however important, to a dynamic investment strategy. And this is what our Global Gateway Investment Strategy is about.’

Mignot further stated that ‘beyond these important projects that are going to be signed today, this event was designed to showcase our shared way to invest and commit, bringing together our companies, banks, and financial institutions to network and to discuss today’s investment opportunities in health and plan those of tomorrow.’

In his address, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, explained that the forum comes at a moment when Nigeria is strengthening partnerships, reforming systems, and expanding investments to make healthcare accessible and affordable to every Nigerian.

He said, ‘We are talking about mutual prosperity and mutual gain, which is supported both by the nature of the industry and in part by the demographic divide. I believe both the EU and Nigeria, even in spite of the existence of other competing blocs, can win together because the absorptive capacity of the Nigerian economy is quite enormous.

‘So, we believe that the scope is great, the absorptive capacity is big, and the political determination to get it right, I think, by now is all very clear. President Bola Tinubu, not only was willing, at a moment when it was even scary to take on some world reforms given what is happening in the sub-region, but also took some of the most challenging reforms in order to put the economy on the correct pedestal.’

According to the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammadu Pate, who was represented by the Director of Food and Drug Services, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Pharm. Dr Olubunmi Aribeana, Nigeria, is committed to ensuring that made-in-Nigeria health products serve not only its people but also the entire West African region and the world at large.

‘Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Health Agenda is anchored on three pillars: strengthening local production of health and pharmaceutical products; expanding access to essential medicines and vaccines; and advancing sexual and reproductive health rights.

‘As part of Universal Health Coverage, local production of health commodities is not merely an economic choice; it is a strategic health security priority-by scaling up domestic manufacturing of medicines, diagnostics, vaccines, and other health technologies,’ he said.

The Vice Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, Professor Ayodeji Agboola, says the N1 billion endowment fund established by renowned ophthalmic surgeon Dr. Kunle Hassan will position the university as a leading centre for ophthalmology research in Africa.

Agboola made this known on Wednesday during the sod-turning ceremony for the N500 million Kunle Hassan Foundation Eye Institute at the Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Sciences, OOU, Sagamu campus. The event also featured the unveiling of another N500 million professorial chair in Ophthalmology endowed for the university.

The Vice Chancellor revealed that about 4.25 million Nigerians live with visual impairments, noting that over 80 percent of cases of blindness are preventable. He said the new professorial chair and international eye institute would help tackle eye health challenges in the country.

He commended Dr. Hassan for contributing to improved access to quality eye care in Nigeria.

Agboola said, ‘The future of medicine is transforming before our eyes. Artificial Intelligence is now capable of diagnosing retinal diseases early, predicting visual disorders and assisting in complex surgical procedures with astonishing accuracy.

‘With this initiative, OOU is now positioned to be a continental leader in ophthalmic research and AI-driven medical innovation. Sagamu has entered a new chapter of medical excellence.’

He described Dr. Hassan as ‘not just an eye surgeon but a visionary leader who sees beyond the retina and into the deeper purpose of humanity,’ adding that ‘through dedication, innovation and sacrifice, he has built more than a medical institution – he has built a legacy of hope.’

In his remarks, Dr. Hassan said between four and six million Nigerians suffer from preventable eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataract and infections that could lead to blindness.

He said, ‘Over 4 to 6 million Nigerians are battling different kinds of eye challenges in the country and most of them are preventable like cataract, glaucoma, infection of the eyes among others.

‘And there is only one eye doctor to about 500,000 whereas the recommendation is one eye doctor to 15,0000, so we have a lot to cover.

‘That is one of the reasons behind funding this institute, when you trained a lot of middle technical manpower, with technology, they can be empowered to go to the villages and rural areas and through telemedicine relate it to a centre like this institute to know what to do.

‘So, we are building a sort of team that could penetrate our communities to reduce the burden of blindness in the country. You know that when someone is blind, it doesn’t affect the person alone, you have to get someone to lead the person around, the cost of blindness is huge.

‘When we curb blindness, it impact on productivity and general prosperity of the country. It is for this purpose that we are encouraging public private partnership to complement whatever the government is doing to ensure that people’s access to qualitative eye healthcare is greatly improved upon.’

He expressed concern over the shortage of eye doctors, explaining that the current ratio of one doctor to 500,000 patients falls far below the global recommendation of one to 15,000.

Dr. Hassan said his investment in the projects was his way of giving back to society and supporting the training of middle-level technical manpower to extend eye care to local communities.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr Kayode Egbetokun, has approved the appointment of Nkechi Eze, Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), as the first Director of the newly established Directorate of Force Medical Services of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

This was contained in a statement made available to the news men on Thursday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin.

The statement explained that Eze’s appointment followed the recent elevation of the Force Medical Section into a full-fledged directorate in the Force.

According to it, the new directorate was created to strengthen healthcare delivery systems across all police formations and ensure comprehensive, efficient, and accessible medical services for police personnel and their families nationwide.

It noted that Eze, a distinguished clinician, dental surgeon, and administrator with over 27 years of service, brings vast experience and professionalism to the role.

According to it, ‘born in Umuahia, Abia State, and hailed from Agbudu in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, AIG Eze holds a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, and a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Benin.

‘Eze has served in several formations across Oyo, Ekiti, Rivers, the Federal Capital Territory, and Lagos, where she contributed immensely to the advancement of police healthcare services and officers’ welfare’, the statement read in part.

While congratulating the senior officer on her appointment, Egbetokun urged her to bring her clinical expertise and administrative acumen to bear in making the new directorate a model for excellence within the Nigerian security sector.

He described the establishment of the Directorate of Force Medical Services as a ‘strategic investment’ in the well-being and productivity of police officers, noting that improved healthcare for personnel is vital to sustaining operational efficiency and professionalism across the Force.

Borno State Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening access to healthcare for children across the state.

UNICEF Health Specialist, Dr Hassan Saidu Malgwi, stated this while addressing young champions of the Adopt-A-PHC-Naija Challenge in Maiduguri on Thursday.

Dr Malgwi said every child born in Borno State and across the North-East deserves access to immunisation and essential healthcare services to survive and thrive.

According to him, UNICEF will continue to leverage its partnerships and influence to expand healthcare access and intensify efforts to combat child-killer diseases such as polio, malnutrition and other preventable illnesses affecting children.

‘Today, we celebrate a remarkable achievement and your tireless efforts, which have brought us closer to a future where every child in the North-East is protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.

‘This three-month challenge has demonstrated the power of youth-led advocacy, partnership, volunteerism, innovation and community-driven solutions. Through your creativity, passion and dedication, you have reached the unreached, mobilised communities and inspired a new wave of champions for child health,’ Malgwi said.

He added that the participants had helped identify and support zero-dose children, ensuring they received the vaccines needed for healthy development.

‘This is a monumental step towards a healthier and more equitable future for our region. UNICEF commends each of you for your unwavering commitment to this cause. Your energy is contagious, and your impact will be felt for generations to come,’ he added.

Dr Malgwi further urged the young participants to continue championing the rights of every child to a healthy start in life, noting that the initiative aligns with one of the pillars of the Borno State 25-Year Development Plan.

He expressed appreciation to the Government of Canada for supporting the challenge and reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to working with the Borno State Government and other partners to improve the wellbeing of children.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Borno State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Prof Mohammed Arab Alhaji – represented by Fati Ali, Director of Disease Control and Immunization, said the state government remains fully committed to strengthening primary healthcare as the foundation of an equitable health system.

‘Through the Borno State Primary Healthcare Development Board, we continue to expand access, improve service delivery and ensure that every child, mother and family can reach a functional, trusted and youth-friendly health facility,’ she said.

She noted that the Adopt-A-PHC-Naija Challenge reflects the spirit of collaboration and innovation that drives the state’s healthcare vision.

The challenge, implemented by the Foundation for Alternative Learning in Underserved Communities with support from UNICEF and the Government of Canada, mobilised and trained 30 youth advocates who worked across 10 primary healthcare centres in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere.

Their activities reached about 900,000 individuals through house-to-house mobilisation, radio broadcasts and digital storytelling to dispel myths and promote trust in vaccination.

‘Over 11,900 caregivers were directly engaged, and our communities recorded a 44 per cent increase in routine immunisation uptake, surpassing the project’s 25 per cent target. These are not just statistics, they represent real children now protected,’ she said.

Prof Arab commended the young advocates for their dedication, saying they had demonstrated that with the right support, young people could drive measurable impact in public health.

The new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas, on Thursday formally took over leadership of the Nigerian Navy, promising to strengthen the fight against crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, and other maritime crimes affecting the nation’s economy.

Speaking at the Navy Headquarters in Abuja during the handover ceremony, Abbas acknowledged that despite significant progress, Nigeria’s maritime domain still faces threats such as oil theft, sea robbery, illegal fishing, and drug trafficking, which endanger national security and economic stability.

Outlining his priorities, the naval chief said his tenure will focus on improving maritime security, boosting fleet capacity through renewal and technology, enhancing personnel training and welfare, and deepening collaboration with other security agencies.

He said, ‘I am not unaware that our maritime environment remains threatened by a scourge of crude oil theft, sea robbery, illegal bunkering, illegal unreported and unregulated fishing and drug trafficking.

‘These crimes not only undermine our national economy and energy security, but also threaten the livelihoods of our coastal communities and the economic stability and prosperity of our dear nation.

‘To confront these challenges decisively, my tenure will be guided by a clear and actionable strategic approach, focusing on strengthening maritime security and combating illegalities, enhancing the operational capability of our fleet through aggressive fleet renewal use of technology, prioritising training and personnel welfare, as well as fostering inter-agency synergy, regional and international collaboration.’

Abbas described his appointment as a privilege and pledged to serve with dedication, integrity, and loyalty to the country.

‘It is with humility and gratitude to God that I stand before you today as the 23rd Chief of the Naval Staff. I am eternally grateful to the President and Commander-in-Chief, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for finding me worthy to lead the Nigerian Navy,’ he said.

He also praised his predecessor, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Nkechukwokala, for his leadership and contributions to the Navy’s progress.

Abbas urged naval personnel to uphold the service’s values of integrity, professionalism, and teamwork, stressing that discipline and accountability will remain central to operations.

‘I promise to lead from the front and ensure that your welfare remains a top priority,’ he said, assuring Nigerians that the Navy will continue to protect the nation’s waters and support the development of the blue economy.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, on Thursday called on Nigerian youths to take active leadership roles in shaping the country’s democracy.

He reaffirmed the parliament’s commitment to supporting youth leadership by actively reviewing legislative frameworks to reduce the financial barriers to political participation, enhance youth representation in party structures, and create institutional pathways for youth-led civic innovation.

Kalu gave the charge while delivering the keynote address at the opening of the 2025 CiTech Summit organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) to mark the 10th anniversary of World Youth Skills Day.

He said this could be achieved through digital innovation and civic participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Represented by Hon. Muktar Shagaya, the Deputy Speaker noted that the event themed: ‘Road to 2027: Leveraging Digital Innovation to deepen Citizen participation and inclusive governance’, is timely as Nigeria’s future depends on harnessing its vast digital potential to build an inclusive, transparent, and technology-driven democratic system.

He lamented that despite Nigeria’s projected 103 million internet users and over 205 million active mobile connections, representing 90.7 per cent of the population, the country still struggles with significant digital inequality.

The Deputy Speaker, who chairs the committee on constitution review, assured that the committee has been working assiduously to advance electoral reforms and will enact legal frameworks to provide oversight, and champion the reforms necessary to deliver a credible, digitally-enabled, and inclusive 2027 election.

Kalu said: ‘It is with profound honour and a deep sense of responsibility that I stand before you today to deliver the keynote address at this landmark CiTechSummit 2025. As we commemorate the 10th anniversary of World Youth Skills Day under the global theme ‘Youth Empowerment through AI and Digital Skills,’ we gather not just to celebrate potential, but to commit ourselves to the urgent national task of leveraging digital innovation to deepen citizen participation and build a truly inclusive democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.

‘Distinguished delegates, Nigeria is a nation of immense digital potential, with 103 million internet users, 205.4 million active mobile connections representing 90.7% of our population, and a youth demographic that comprises over 60% of our people..These numbers should position us as a continental leader in digital democracy.

‘Yet, we are simultaneously a nation of severe digital disparities: only 45.5% internet penetration nationally, and a staggering reality that only 23% of rural communities have internet access. This dichotomy defines our 2027 challenge. The answer lies not in technology alone, but in a comprehensive strategy that combines infrastructure investment, regulatory compliance, institutional reform, human capacity development, and unwavering political will.

‘Permit me to speak directly to the legislative imperatives before us. As Chairman of the House Committee on Constitutional Review, I have the distinct privilege and profound responsibility of leading one of the most consequential reform exercises in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

‘Our mandate is clear: to review, refine, and strengthen the constitutional and legal frameworks that govern our democracy, with particular attention to electoral integrity, federalism, gender inclusion, and institutional accountability.

‘The Committee has been working assiduously to advance electoral reforms. We are committed to ensuring that the Electoral Act 2025/2027, currently before the National Assembly, incorporates exactly this. These legislative reforms are urgent, actionable, and non-negotiable.

‘The House Committee on Constitutional Review is committed to completing this work and ensuring that these provisions are enacted into law well before the 2027 electoral cycle begins. Democracy cannot thrive on goodwill alone; it requires enforceable legal frameworks that compel compliance and punish malfeasance.

‘Distinguished young leaders, this summit is fundamentally about you. As digital natives, you possess the tools and the mindset to leverage technology in ways that can profoundly influence democratic processes. You have demonstrated this power through civic tech innovations and through your relentless demand for accountability. Now is the time to translate that energy into institutional power.

‘The National Assembly is committed to supporting youth leadership. We are actively reviewing legislative frameworks to reduce the financial barriers to political participation, enhance youth representation in party structures, and create institutional pathways for youth-led civic innovation.

‘Nigeria must leverage its high mobile penetration to create a low-barrier, hybrid access model for civic participation while simultaneously securing and optimising its high-stakes digital electoral infrastructure. We must transform civic tech from symbolic tracking to influential governance reform.

‘We must protect digital rights while securing digital systems. We must empower youth not as beneficiaries, but as architects of the democracy they will inherit. As Chairman of the House Committee on Constitutional Review, I pledge to you that the National Assembly will do its part.

‘We will enact the legal frameworks, provide the oversight, and champion the reforms necessary to deliver a credible, digitally-enabled, and inclusive 2027 election. But we cannot do this alone. We need your innovation, your energy, your accountability, and your vote. The road to 2027 is not paved with wishful thinking; it is paved with strategic action, institutional reform, and collective commitment.

‘Let us walk this road together, leveraging digital innovation not as an end in itself, but as a means to the ultimate end: a Nigeria where every citizen, regardless of location, gender, or socioeconomic status, has a voice, a vote, and a stake in the democratic future.’

Ten university lecturers and researchers from various tertiary institutions in Nigeria have been announced as the new Fellows of the Nigerian Young Academy (NYA).

They are: Dr. Ismail Odetokun (University of Ilorin), Dr. Chinwe Chukwudi (University of Lagos), Professor Idika Idika (University of Nigeria, Nsukka), Dr. Kaisan Usman (Ahmadu Bello University), Dr. Abubakar Khaleed (Ahmadu Bello University), and Dr. Saheed Adio (Obafemi Awolowo University).

Others include Dr. Temitope Sogbanmu (University of Lagos), Dr. Akeem Dauda (Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, Katsina), Professor Cosmas Ogbuka (University of Nigeria, Nsukka), and Dr. Peter Okoli (Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi State).

‘We proudly announce 10 members of the Nigerian Young Academy (NYA) who have recently transitioned to the prestigious status of Fellow of the NYA,’ the Academy said in a statement.

‘Their dedication and contributions to their fields of research reflect the vibrant spirit of our academy,’ it added.

The body noted that their dedication and commitment would remain forever engraved in the history of the Academy.

Reacting to the development, Dr. Ismail Odetokun said the new rank is in recognition of their modest contributions to the body so far.

Odetokun, an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ilorin, said the fellowship rank would spur him and other scholars to make a meaningful impact on the Academy and academia as a whole.

The Nigerian Young Academy serves as a unified platform for interaction among brilliant young researchers in Nigeria (not above the age of 40 at the point of entry) from various research disciplines and regions of the country.

Major General Waidi Shaibu, on Thursday, assumed office as the 25th Chief of Army Staff COAS of the Nigerian Army with a pledge to consolidate and build on the remarkable legacies of his predecessor, while enhancing synergy among security agencies and government institutions to strengthen national security.

Speaking at the handing and taking over ceremony between him and his outgoing COAS, and the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, at the Army Headquarters, Abuja, Gen Shaibu assured that he would carefully review the current security situation and respond swiftly to evolving threats, emphasizing his commitment to improving operational efficiency and troop morale.

The new COAS commended Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede for his outstanding leadership, mentorship and unwavering support to the Nigerian Army.

He further lauded the achievements of Gen Oluyede, particularly in the areas of equipment procurement, infrastructural development and the ‘Soldier First’ concept, which prioritised troop welfare and operational readiness.

He saluted the courage, passion, resilience and discipline of the troops in the field and reaffrmed that their sacrifices remained the cornerstone of the collective success of the Service.

He appreciated President Bola Tinubu for finding him worthy of the new position and promised to serve the Nation with all his abilities in ending the insurgency activities in the country.

In valedictory remarks, Gen Oluyede expressed profound appreciation to President Tinubu for his visionary leadership and for the privilege to serve as COAS and now as CDS.

He commended the officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication, diligence and sacrifice in the discharge of their duties, urging them to extend the same loyalty and commitment to the new COAS.

According to him, ‘The mission remains the same – to ensure the security of lives and defend the territorial integrity of our nation,’

Earlier in his remarks, the immediate past Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Ibrahim, extolled the exemplary leadership of the outgone Chief, describing him as a selfless and visionary leader whose contributions to the Nigerian Army will be remembered by posterity.

The ceremony featured the signing of the handing and taking over notes, decoration of the new Chief with the Army Headquarters insignia, inspection of the quarter guard and group photographs with principal staff officers and field commanders.

It was a bleak Thursday for some motorists on the Lagos- Ibadan Expressway a policeman and four other people died in a ghastly truck accident on Kara Bridge, Isheri, Ogun.

Others that sustained serious degrees of injury have been moved to the General Hospital by the rescue team comprising the officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Police Force and Lagos State Transportation Management Authority (LASTMAN).

Due to the seriousness of the collision, one of the trucks climbed the side rail of Kara Bridge while its head fell off into Ogun River.

Other two trucks that cut fire immediately were burnt beyond recognition, while other cars involved have been moved out of the expressway.

Eyewitnesses said the truck driver and two other assistants were drowned in the river with the truck head.

Others’ account said that an 18- seater bus with passengers also plunged into the river.

As at the time of filling the report, there’s no rescue for the drowned and truckhead.

No one can say exactly when the accident occurred as some claimed 4.am, other said it was 2am.

One of the officials of LASTMAN met at the scene of the accident, said that additional crane is on the way for rescue operation, adding that the major truck that blocked the entire expressway, outward Lagos, has been removed.

The accident resulted into prolonged traffic both inward and outward Lagos.

For people going out of Lagos, the traffic, which started from Kara Bridge, spread beyond Otedola Bridge, Grammar School Bus Stop on Ojodu- Berger road.

Up till now, the whereabout of the driver that drove the truck is unknown.

Speaking to our correspondent, a LASTMAN official, who identified himself simply as ‘ Mr. Joshua,’ said the accident involved six trucks that collided.

‘Almost 4 people died at the spot. But we will continue to do the investigation to confirm what actually happened, that caused the whole accident.

‘The accident happened around 2a.m. So that’s the only thing I can say briefly. When we got to the spot, we discovered that some people already dead, several others also injured.

‘The whole truck was blocking the entire road. But as LASTMAN official, we came down here with our logistic equipment to recover part of the leftovers.

‘As I’m talking to you now, another crane is on its way. 90-tonne crane capacity is moving closer to move all other articulated vehicles out of the bridge,’ Joshua said.

One of the FRSC officials, Sunny, described the particular truck that the head fell into River Ogun as a hit-and-run truck that packed on the bridge before three other trucks collided with it and cut fire.

He said that official statement is yet to be released about the accident, hence he declined to talk further

One of the policemen attached, Mrs Sholly, said the accident occurred around 4am, confirming that four dead bodies, including a policeman died in the accident, while the injured have been moved to the hospital.

She also said that four trucks were involved, while five cars affected by the truck accident have been moved out of the expressway.