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The Federal Government in partnership with the European Union (EU) have inaugurated a National Programme Steering Committee (NPSC) to oversee the pound 40 million Education and Youth Empowerment in Northwest Nigeria (EYEPINN) programme.

The programme, which is being implemented in Jigawa, Kano, and Sokoto States, aims to tackle out-of-school children, facilitate teacher development, and promote youth skills acquisition in the Northwest region.

The committee, chaired by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and co-chaired by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, will meet annually to provide strategic guidance, with a secretariat handled by the EU Technical Assistance Team (EU-TAT). Also, quarterly technical meetings are planned to monitor progress closely.

Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja, during the official inauguration of the committee, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Abel Enitan, praised the EU’s unwavering partnership and investment in Nigeria’s education sector, which have continued to improve access, equity, quality, and system resilience.

The Permanent Secretary, represented by the Director of Poly Education and Allied Institutes, Dr. Usman Ejeh, said, ‘The EYEPINN project represents one of the most strategic interventions aimed at addressing the persistent challenges of out-of-school children, teacher capacity development, safe learning environments, and skills acquisition for youths in Nigeria’s Northwest region.

‘The EU’s continued support through programmes such as EYEPINN and Expand, Integrate and Strengthen Systems (EISS), reflects a shared commitment to empowering our young people and ensuring that every child, irrespective of gender or background, has the opportunity to learn and thrive.’

Highlighting the committee’s role in ensuring accountability and integrating results into national policies, he added, ‘The committee serves, not only as a platform for oversight, but also a forum for strategic dialogue to ensure that the collective efforts of all partners are coherent, complementary, and impactful. The success of EYEPINN depends on how well we collaborate, federal, state, and local governments, working hand-in-hand with our international partners.

‘We must ensure that every Euro invested translates into measurable impact, better learning outcomes, empowered teachers, safer schools, and a more resilient education system that leaves no child behind.’

In her remarks, Team Leader, Human Development, European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Leila Ben Amor Mathieu, highlighted the programme’s significance as the delegation’s first standalone education initiative. ‘This is the EU Delegation to Nigeria first project solely on education. It is our flagship project. We hadn’t had any before. We really wanted it to be designed in tune with the ministry and to serve the needs of Nigerian people,’ she said.

Stating that the EU is committed to remaining a very strong partner to Nigeria, as shown in its commitment for the period of 2021-2027, she said, ‘We have about pound 800 million for that period only on national programmes, plus another several hundreds that benefit Nigeria, but out of regional programme windows.’

Stating that the project aims to address existing gaps in basic education, she said, ‘This is a pound 40 million project that we fund through UNICEF, Plan International, DIME, and also some technical assistance provided to the ministry. We would have loved to add secondary education, but we stopped at basic education, in particular targeting out-of-school children, nomadic education. We worked with the Quranic schools.’

Confident that the project should start delivering results, she added: ‘So, now we should start to see results and be able to deliver results. We have our partners from the World Bank that are also in charge of checking the impact of what we do.’

UNICEF’s Chief of Education, Vanessa Lee, described the programme as timely, ‘It came at a critical time in Nigeria’s education reform progress to support both the Federal and the State Ministries of Education and Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) and State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) in transforming the education system.’

Stating UNICEF’s continued commitment to getting every child learning in Nigeria, she added, ‘We continue to lead and support in the area of digital data transformation, education financing, reducing the number of out-of-school children, especially through establishing integrated Quranic centres and learning centres, scaling up foundational literacy and numeracy with the government, and providing teachers with school-based professional learning and learning through play teacher professional learning.’

Country Director of Plan International, Dr. Charles Usie, lauding the EU’s broad support across Nigerian sectors, including education, health, said, ‘Today is a special day for the EU and for all of us because what this programme has done is actually to bring hope to a lot of children who probably will still have been left on the streets, with no support and with no help.’

Country Director, Save the Children International, Duncan Harvey, added, ‘This is indeed an important step that will encourage and improve the leadership of the overall programme. Every child, no matter their status, no matter where they are living, no matter their gender, ability or disability, every child deserves the right to quality basic education.’

Governor Similanayi Fubara-led Rivers State Executive Council has cancelled a N134 billion contract for the reconstruction of the State Secretariat complex in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The contract, awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) during the period of emergency rule under Vice Admiral Ikot Ete Ibas (rtd), was among the projects reviewed at the council’s meeting on Thursday.

The Council also directed the company to refund the N20 billion mobilisation fee it had received for the project.

In addition, the Council approved a six-member committee led by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, to evaluate and make recommendations for the construction of Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across the state to support external examinations.

The Council further instructed the flood committee, also chaired by the Deputy Governor, to take immediate steps to address flooding in parts of the state. Residents were urged to avoid blocking drainage channels to prevent waterlogging during the rainy season.

The agrarian community of Ayogwiri in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State was thrown into relief on Thursday after local vigilantes rescued a 12-year-old girl kidnapped a few days earlier by suspected herdsmen on a farm road.

The teenager was abducted on October 10 while returning from the farm with her mother and other women.

Tribune Online gathered that the victim was rescued unhurt by vigilantes from Ayogwiri and nearby villages. It was also learnt that no ransom was paid, while one member of the gang responsible for the abduction was arrested.

However, the atmosphere remains tense in Aiyegunle, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, where a retired headmaster, Eliaser Olorunloju, was kidnapped around the same time but is still in captivity.

Olorunloju, who was abducted six days ago, remains with his captors, who are reportedly demanding N4 million ransom.

In a related incident, a woman identified as Mrs. Alao managed to escape from her abductors after raising an alarm while they attempted to take her away.

Olorunloju was seized near a settlement around Ayetoro along the Igarra-Uneme-Nekhua-Ibillo road while returning to Ugboshi-ele from Igarra, where he had gone to make photocopies of documents for his son’s school resumption.

A resident, Kayode Alabi, said the community is living in fear and urged the government and security agencies to intervene. He added that most residents now rush home before 4 p.m. daily to avoid being kidnapped.

Reports from nearby Ugboshi-Afe said a farmer who went to his farm around 4 p.m. on Wednesday has not returned. A search team later found only his shirt and shoes, raising concerns among villagers.

Alabi said, ‘The daring posture of these kidnappers is alarming and terrifying. We are living in fear every day.

‘We are appealing to security agencies and the Edo State Government to strengthen security across Akoko-Edo to safeguard lives and restore confidence.

‘Ugboshi-Afe remains in a state of confusion as the search for the missing farmer continues.’

The Development Agenda for Western Nigeria Commission (DAWN), the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ibadan, and other stakeholders have emphasised the importance of building a self-sustaining economy to drive job creation and infrastructure development across Nigeria.

They made this known during a joint public lecture titled ‘Contemporary Yoruba Elites and the Bystander Effect’ held at the University of Ibadan.

Participants at the event noted that revisiting traditional systems and values could help boost socio-economic growth, which has declined in recent years.

In his presentation, Professor Olutayo Adesina of the Department of History, University of Ibadan, said it was time for Nigeria to begin developing an economy capable of creating opportunities for young people.

He explained that the country owes its youth a more prosperous future that everyone must work to achieve.

‘The resources available to us are immense. On the continent of Africa, we have the hardest-working, most resilient, intelligent, and ambitious youth population. They are extremely bright and globally competitive.

‘At this stage of our development, we need to start building a self-sustaining economy that can provide employment for our children. Let us generate knowledge of progress and development.

‘It is incumbent on all of us to wake up, empower our youths, and redirect their minds towards driving sustainable development, thereby reducing poverty in this country.

‘Let Yorubaland lead and encourage other regions to wake up. We should no longer allow those who attain high office through forged documents to dictate the direction of our youth. Let us stand together to steer this and support the younger generation with our strength and spirit.

‘After all, Israel has transformed the desert into farmland, generated electricity from its expressways, and China has advanced; its youth study abroad and return home.

‘However, our own circumstances continue to raise further questions. What do our higher educational institutions teach? What do we do with the knowledge produced? We have the knowledge, resilience, and the can-do spirit. All we need now is to innovate and ignite new ideas that will take us beyond the ordinary.

‘To motivate effort and foster extraordinary capacities, we must boost finances and enhance our productive processes. We need to act now.’

Adesina added that Nigeria is at a critical point in its history and that leaders must focus on governance rather than showmanship.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the DAWN Commission, Dr. Seye Oyeleye, said the Yoruba Historical Conversation, which has been ongoing for nearly a decade, was designed to ‘connect our past to the present in order for us to have a future.’

‘When we talk about Yoruba Historical Conversation, what we are trying to do is to remind the present generation of our history, teach and lecture them; let them even interrogate our history. That will then give them the conviction that the Yoruba were once proud people, and going forward, they will be able to lift their shoulders that they are from a proud race.

‘In the past, government removed history from schools. Thankfully, they have returned it. But we have been filling that gap over time, saying that as much as possible, though the government made a mistake in removing history, as a regional commission, we took it upon ourselves to teach the young ones of our history.

‘If you don’t know your history, indeed you cannot have a future. One of the most important subjects when you go abroad in the countries that we called saner climes is that they teach and cherish their history.

‘This is what we do when we bring notable historians and academicians, who have graced the platform of Yoruba Historical Conversation to come and tell us about who we are, who we once were, and where we ought to be as a people.’

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has dismissed claims that the recent defections of some South-East governors and lawmakers to the All Progressives Congress (APC) will help the ruling party capture the region ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking to reporters in Abuja on Thursday, Obi said Nigeria operates a democracy, not a military regime where people or states can be ‘captured.’

According to him, ‘The people will ultimately decide where to go, not governors or senators. No party will capture or win any state just because it has a governor.’

While reacting to the defection of Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, and the alleged plan by the APC to secure the South-East for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, Obi stated the governor’s decision must be taken based on his political calculations.

He said, ‘Peter Mbah is a good friend of mine. And I believe that as governor, he must have taken his decision based on his own political views and calculations.

‘As for the alleged plot to capture the South-East, we are not in a military time when you capture people. You are a leader; you tend to do the right things for them to follow you. So I don’t think anybody is capturing anywhere. The government needs to do more if it wants the people to support it.’

Recall that Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, along with members of the State House of Assembly, resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday barely 24 hours after Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, also defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Following the recent presidential directive for a downward review of the earlier fares announced for the 2026 Hajj, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Thursday met with officials of State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards to harmonise the exchange rate to be used for all Hajj 2026 cost computations.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima, on Monday last week, informed NAHCON management that, following the strong performance of the Naira against the dollar, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had directed that the 2026 Hajj fares be reviewed downward.

NAHCON had earlier announced N8,118,333.67 for intending pilgrims from the Maiduguri/Yola zone, comprising Adamawa, Borno, Taraba and Yobe states, while those from other northern states would pay N8,244,813.67.

Intending pilgrims from southern states are to pay N8,561,013.67. Muslim faithful from the zone paid N8,784,085.59 for the 2025 Hajj.

Speaking at Thursday’s consultative meeting, NAHCON Chairman/CEO, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, called for unity in the assignment for Nigeria’s Hajj operations to succeed again in 2026.

He not only reiterated but also appealed to state executive secretaries to take the issue of medical screening for their intending pilgrims seriously, given the importance Saudi Arabia attaches to it.

The commission disclosed that efforts were ongoing to negotiate reductions in certain cost components, such as cargo handling charges, to ease the financial burden on intending pilgrims.

However, the Hajj Commission emphasised that service providers’ rates would not be arbitrarily reduced, as that could affect the quality of services pilgrims are expected to receive. The providers, it noted, may only offer services commensurate with payments made.

The meeting recommended a separate engagement with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to reduce its charges on pilgrims, while the board member representing the CBN in NAHCON, Dr Adetona Sikiru Adedeji, pledged to convey NAHCON’s request to the CBN on the possibility of reducing the 2% charge imposed on pilgrims’ transactions.

NAHCON Commissioner in charge of Policy, Personnel Management and Finance (PPMF), Aliu AbdulRazak, announced at the meeting that Professor Usman had approved the transfer of funds to the CBN as they were being received from the states, in order to take advantage of the favourable exchange rate.

Meanwhile, NAHCON informed the state boards at the meeting that the space received for Nigerian pilgrims at the Masha’ir (holy sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah) on the NUSUK Masar portal was actually 66,910 slots for the 2026 Hajj, as against the 95,000 earlier allocated to Nigeria.

A statement by NAHCON Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations, Fatima Sanda Usara, stated that the implication of this was that while 95,000 slots were allocated to Nigeria, the actual number that could participate in the 2026 Hajj was 51,513 for states and other officials, while 15,397 would go to licensed tour operators.

According to her, ‘It was revealed that Saudi Arabia reduced Nigeria’s camp slots to this figure of 66,910 on the portal due to underutilisation of slots in the previous year.

‘The Commissioner of Operations, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, revealed that earlier allocations will be reversed based on each state’s utilisation during the 2025 Hajj as well.’

She added that NAHCON requested states to submit the number of registered pilgrims to confirm if it aligns with the commission’s projections for pilgrim registration, to facilitate commensurate planning.

She further stated that states were reminded of the new deadline of 21 December for remittances, adding that each state may set an internal deadline to ensure all funds were received and transferred to NAHCON before the deadline.

‘To ensure timely payments, NAHCON will embark on nationwide sensitisation for states and pilgrims to highlight the urgency and importance of meeting the deadline,’ she stated.

In another development, NAHCON announced that this year’s Hajj would adopt the standard international luggage policy, allowing each pilgrim two 23kg checked-in bags and one backpack as hand luggage.

The commission also reiterated Saudi Arabia’s strict medical requirements for pilgrims and reemphasised that individuals with organ failure, neurological or psychiatric disorders, dementia, pregnancy, active cancer undergoing chemotherapy, tuberculosis, or other communicable diseases would not be allowed entry into the Kingdom.

The new measures introduced by Saudi Arabia, according to the board member representing the Ministry of Health on the NAHCON board, Dr Saidu Dumbulwa, were aimed at reducing the risk of disease transmission, mortality, and the healthcare burden on Saudi authorities.

He therefore recommended that medical screening should henceforth be conducted only by designated hospitals, and that specific persons of integrity should be authorised to sign off on medical certifications, which would then be countersigned by the state’s Chief Medical Director to curb forgery.

NAHCON then informed the states that visa issuance would be linked to the medical certificates, which would be verified at the point of entry, warning that all medical regulations must be strictly adhered to, as any violation would hold Nigeria collectively accountable.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has restated his administration’s commitment to participatory governance through inclusive budget planning.

Makinde made this known in a message delivered on his behalf by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, during the Stakeholders’ Consultative Meeting on the 2026 Budget held at Ajaawa Township Hall, Ogbomoso Zone.

The event, organised by the Oyo State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, provided a platform for citizens, traditional rulers, community leaders, and development partners to share their input on the upcoming budget.

Prince Oyelade highlighted some of the governor’s recent approvals, including the rehabilitation of major road networks across Ogbomoso North and South – projects earlier listed in previous budgets but now receiving direct executive attention.

He also noted the governor’s approval to convert LAUTECH Teaching Hospital security staff from contract to permanent employees, describing it as a step that has brought relief to many families.

‘Governor Seyi Makinde has proven time and again that he leads with compassion, vision, and action. Every region of the state, including Ogbomoso, continues to feel the positive impact of his people-first governance,’ said Prince Dotun Oyelade, Commissioner for Information.

Oyelade assured residents that the government remains committed to improving security, stressing that peace and stability are key to the region’s growth.

The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof. Musibau Babatunde, also addressed the gathering, underscoring the importance of citizen involvement and civic responsibility. He urged residents to continue engaging with government programmes and to support development efforts through regular tax payments.

‘Let me assure you that Governor Seyi Makinde has your interest at heart. This administration is driven by the needs and aspirations of the people,’ he assured.

Those present included Mr. Ayanleke T.J, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning; Hon. Sanjo Adedoyin, Majority Leader of the Oyo State House of Assembly; and Oba Adeyeye Oyetunji, who hosted the event alongside other royal fathers.

Also in attendance were religious leaders, security agencies, traditional chiefs, and representatives of community and professional organisations from across the zone.

The host, Hon. Seun Ojo, Chairman of Ogo-Oluwa Local Government, thanked the governor for sustaining participatory governance, noting that the people of Ogbomoso Zone are proud of the administration’s inclusive approach.

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately review and withdraw the recent list of 175 convicts granted presidential pardon, describing its composition as unconstitutional and morally questionable.

Falana made the call following the announcement that the pardons were approved on the recommendation of the Prerogative of Mercy Committee, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

According to him, while the President is constitutionally empowered under Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution to grant pardons, reprieves, and commutations for offences created by an Act of the National Assembly, the inclusion of offenders convicted of state crimes violates this provision.

‘The federal government should withdraw and review the list of pardonees without delay in the interest of justice and national morality,’ Falana said.

He further advised that the committee should recommend to state governors to grant pardon to those convicted of state offences, as provided under Section 212 of the Constitution.

The list reportedly includes politically exposed persons, drug offenders, armed robbers, terrorists, and individuals convicted of homicide and fraud-related offences.

A Cross River State High Court sitting in Calabar has dismissed an application by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) seeking to strike out a N500 million defamation suit filed against it by a sales representative of Drugfield Pharmaceutical Limited, Prince Fajulugbe Adeshola Temitayo.

The NDLEA, through its counsel, C. F. Iyoyo, had filed a preliminary objection, arguing that the matter was statute-barred under the Public Officers Protection (POP) Act and should not be entertained by the court.

Ruling on the objection on Wednesday, Justice Bassey T. Ebuta held that the issue of jurisdiction would be determined alongside the substantive suit during the hearing on its merits.

‘The decision will be taken at the conclusion of the hearing of the case. If the objection succeeds, it will dispose of the matter. The case shall therefore proceed to hearing,’ Justice Ebuta stated.

In his objection, Iyoyo contended that the alleged defamation occurred on October 1, 2023, and that the three-month statutory window for instituting a suit against a public officer had long expired, rendering the case incompetent. He further argued that the NDLEA acted within the scope of its lawful duties and without malice or fraud.

However, counsel to the claimant, E. E. Osim, urged the court to dismiss the objection, arguing that the POP Act cannot shield public officers who act in bad faith, breach the Constitution, or exceed their lawful authority.

Osim maintained that the NDLEA’s actions violated his client’s constitutional rights and amounted to defamation, insisting that the case should be heard on its merits.

Following the ruling, Justice Ebuta adjourned the matter to November 4, 2025, for the commencement of the hearing.

Prince Fajulugbe, through his counsel, had filed the suit (No. HC/305/2024) alleging that an NDLEA publication on October 1, 2023, falsely branded him as a ‘drug peddler.’

According to him, the agency’s statement, titled ‘Wanted Kingpin, Chadian, Grandpa Arrested Over London-Bound Shipment, 4 Tons of Drug,’ included his name and photograph, linking him to drug trafficking activities.

He claimed that the publication, which was widely circulated in both print and online media, severely tarnished his image, disrupted his career, and subjected him to public ridicule.

The claimant, who holds three master’s degrees, is seeking N500 million in damages for alleged defamation of character.

American media personality, socialite, and businesswoman, Kim Kardashian, has opened up about the end of her marriage to Kanye West, saying the relationship at times could be ‘toxic.’

Speaking on the Call Her Daddy podcast in an episode released Wednesday, Kardashian said her marriage to West, who now goes by Ye, reached a point where there was a ‘lack of stability’ that left her feeling unsafe.

‘There was just a lot of things that I wouldn’t deal with,’ she said of her relationship with the rapper and fashion designer.

‘I didn’t like the feeling of. someone talking bad about my kids’ grandmother, aunts,’ added Kardashian, referring to her mother Kris Jenner and sisters Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall and Kylie.

‘If someone feels that way, then, you know, we shouldn’t be together,’ she said.

The two married in 2014 in a lavish ceremony in Italy, and Kardashian filed for divorce in 2021.

Kardashian said she remembered ‘just not feeling safe, not even physically just like maybe emotionally or even, you know, financially.’

She recalled times when West, who has spoken about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and later with autism, gave away the couple’s five Lamborghinis during mental health episodes.

‘I didn’t know. what you’re going to get when you wake up,’ she said. ‘And that’s like a really unsettling feeling.’

‘Lack of stability was a big thing,’ added Kardashian, who said she tried to support West but eventually grew frustrated.

‘I think when someone has like their first like mental break, you know, you want to be super supportive and you want to like help figure that out and you want to really get into that with them and be there for them,’ she said.

‘But I think that. when someone isn’t willing to make changes that I think would be super healthy and beneficial, it makes it really hard to continue on in a relationship that can be toxic,’ added Kardashian, who said she thought carefully about how leaving West would affect their four children North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm.

‘You really have to take your time and wait and see if there’ll be changes. But once you get to a place where you feel like it’s not going to change or get better, then you have to make. some serious choices on what you’re going to do,’ she said. ‘And that’s like a really hard reality to face, you know?’