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Vice President Kashim Shettima has attributed the success of Nigeria’s 2026 Hajj operations to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decisive interventions, saying the Federal Government’s support helped the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) deliver a seamless exercise.

Shettima spoke yesterday in Abuja when he received the comprehensive report of the 2026 Hajj operations from the NAHCON board, led by its Chairman, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf.

The Vice President said the commission demonstrated renewed capacity and professionalism during the exercise, noting that NAHCON would remain critical to Nigeria’s Hajj administration despite the ongoing transition in Saudi Arabia from the traditional government-to-government arrangement to a business-to-business model.

He particularly commended President Tinubu for intervening at a critical stage of preparations and operations to address challenges confronting the commission and Nigerian pilgrims.

‘And I must thank Mr President for decisively coming to the rescue of NAHCON. We want to thank him for the support that culminated in such a highly successful and seamless operation,’ Shettima said.

He also praised the NAHCON leadership, particularly Yusuf, for what he described as the confidence and capacity demonstrated during the exercise.

According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said the commission’s management displayed professionalism and an ability to work collectively with its board and other stakeholders.

‘I am very proud of the NAHCON chairman. He has shown capacity and exhibited a very high sense of professionalism and the willingness to carry on board members,’ the Vice President said.

He urged the commission to sustain the momentum as preparations for future Hajj exercises begin, particularly against the backdrop of fundamental changes being introduced into the organisation of the pilgrimage.

Shettima said although Hajj operations were increasingly moving from a government-to-government framework to a business-to-business model, government institutions would continue to have an important role in protecting the interests of Nigerian pilgrims and ensuring hitch-free exercises.

He said NAHCON would consequently remain central to coordinating stakeholders and championing Nigeria’s interests within the evolving Hajj management system.

Earlier, Yusuf said the successful conduct of the 2026 pilgrimage was made possible by the executive support provided by President Tinubu and the Vice President, particularly measures aimed at cushioning pilgrims from financial and logistical pressures.

He said the administration’s ‘critical, compassionate policy interventions, particularly in stabilizing foreign exchange access, securing the basic travelling allowance, and mitigating sudden spikes in aviation fuel significantly relieved the financial burden on a multitude of pilgrims.’

According to the NAHCON chairman, the interventions helped keep the pilgrimage accessible to Nigerians despite difficult international economic conditions and geopolitical uncertainties that posed challenges to Hajj planning and operations.

Yusuf also credited Shettima’s direct leadership and guidance with strengthening coordination among agencies and other stakeholders involved in the exercise.

He said the commission was able to ‘harmonize collaboration across stakeholders to deliver what has been widely adjudged as a highly successful, seamless operation.’

‘From early arrangements and timely airlift to logistical management within MACA, Nigerian pilgrims were treated with utmost dignity,’ he added.

The presentation of the comprehensive report formally reviewed NAHCON’s management of the 2026 exercise and came as the commission turns attention to future pilgrimages under the changing operational framework.

Also at the meeting were NAHCON Commissioner of Policy, Personnel, Management and Finance, Alhaji AbdulRazak Aliu; Commissioner of Operations, Alhaji Anofi Elegushi; members representing the six geopolitical zones on the commission’s board and other officials.

Governor Dapo Abiodun has approved the appointment of Mrs. Olubunmi Omotayo Oso as Secretary of the Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), a statement issued by the Head of Service, Mr. Iskeel Olanrewaju Saka, said.

The appointment, according Saka, was aimed at strengthening leadership continuity and improving operational efficiency in the state’s basic education administration.

Saka said the appointment was made in accordance with the Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board Law, 2005, and established procedures for appointing qualified officers to senior positions in the state public service.

He charged Oso to deploy her wealth of experience and professional expertise to advance the implementation of the state’s education policies and contribute to the realisation of the ‘Building Our Future Together’ agenda of the Abiodun administration.

‘Born on November 21, 1972, Oso joined the Ogun State Civil Service on June 11, 1999, as an Education Officer II.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education and a Master’s degree in Education Administration and Planning.

‘Before her appointment, she was the Director of Public Schools in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and a member of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), the statement said.

The Adamawa State Police Command has rescued a 12-year-old girl, Mercy Kefas, who was reported missing in Guyuk Local Government Area of the state.

The command also arrested a 20-year-old woman, Jamila Yusuf, suspected of abducting the girl.

The police spokesperson, SP Suleiman Nguroje, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

Nguroje said the girl’s mother, Mrs Mary Felix of Birsinsin in Guyuk LGA, reported the incident at the Guyuk Divisional Headquarters on September 18, 2026.

According to the statement, the girl was later sighted in the company of an unknown woman heading towards the Balanga/Talasse axis.

The command said it launched a coordinated search operation and circulated information to neighbouring communities and relevant formations.

It added that the efforts led to the rescue of the girl and the arrest of the suspect around the Talasse border area.

The police said Yusuf remained in custody, while the rescued girl had been reunited with her family.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Dr. Akinola Awodeyi-Akinsehinwa, has advised members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, against utterances and actions capable of heating up the polity as political activities gather momentum.

Awodeyi-Akinsehinwa, in a statement issued on Friday, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has attained mid-term in office and what is expected of key stakeholders is to close ranks and support his administration to consolidate on its achievements.

He noted that what Nigerians expect at this time is delivery of more dividends of democracy and not political bickering capable of distracting the President.

According to him, the Progressive Governors as leaders of the party in their respective states and the FCT Minister as a key member of the Tinubu administration, should channel their energies towards delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda.

‘Nigeria is going through a delicate process of economic recovery and reform. This is not the time to heat up the polity with unnecessary rivalry and political showmanship. We should allow the President to focus and finish strong,’ he said.

The APC chieftain appealed to all stakeholders to put national interest first and avoid distractions that could derail the administration’s efforts at rebuilding the economy and restoring public confidence.

He stressed that the unity of the ruling party remains its greatest strength going into 2027, warning that any crack in the ranks of governors and strategic allies like the FCT Minister would only embolden the opposition and create needless tension among party faithful across the country.

No candidate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State is permitted to travel out of the country before next year’s general election, party chairman Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi said yesterday.

He said the party would not also underrate other opposition parties in the state, urging the party faithful to gird their loins.

Ojelabi spoke during the inauguration of the Tinubu-Hamzat Campaign Council at the party secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja, where he charged the committee members to show dedication and commitment.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is the chairman of the Advisory Committee of the elaborate committee. Former Defence Minister of State Senator Musiliu Obanikoro is the Director-General.

The deputy governor and governorship candidate, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, who justified President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid, said he has lived to expectation in the last three years.

Former Deputy Governor Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, who spoke on behalf of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) leader, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, said Lagos APC has a competent governorship candidate in Hamzat, urging Lagosians to vote for him.

‘We have the sign of victory ahead of the poll. The next governor is very competent. He served in various capacities. He is a man of great character. He will not disappoint Lagosians. We have to work properly and cooperatively to achieve victory,’ Ogunleye stressed.

At the ceremony were Senators Wasiu Eshiloku (Lagos Central), Dr. Idiat Adebule (West) and Tokunbo Abiru (East), House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, his deputy, Monisola Meranda; Dr. Yomi Finnih, former Finance Minister Wale Edun, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, Hon. Bamigbose, Mrs. Yinka Olusanya, Olawale Oshun, Cardinal James Odunmbaku, Babatunde Ishiak, Dr. Tola Kasali, Bode Oyedele, Funso Ologunde, Lanre Ogunyemi, Fokasade Abimbola Salu, Sesan Daini and Seye Oladejo, the party’s publicity secretary.

Ojelabi said party members have resolved to work together after the hostility of primaries, adding that the opposition is disappointed by the unity and brotherhood of the ruling party.

He said the campaign committees have been carefully constituted to deliver victory for the candidates at the polls.

The chairman said the flag bearers are men of capacity and candour who will cooperate with the committees in the local mobilisation of voters.

Ojelabi, who said Lagos APC would be targeting five million votes, warned against complacency, saying that opposition parties cannot be taken for granted.

He said: ‘No candidate is allowed to travel outside the country until after the general election.’

Ojelsbi added:’Let our campaign be devoid of hatred, thuggery and violence.’

Obanikoro said 2027 elections demand discipline, commitment and organisation, adding that no party member should treat it as a simple assignment.

He advised party members to put personal grievances and disappointments behind them, adding that they should work as a team, speak with responsibility and prosecute the campaign legally.

Obanikoro added: ‘Unity must be our strength.’

Hamzat said ‘we don’t want jesters as president, a man who does not know the difference between a loan and borrowing. It is not about emotion; it is about data, about record.’

The deputy governor said party members should campaign confidently because the government midwifed by APC has performed.

Hamzat said Lagos under the APC is the first sub-national unit to have successfully built a rail infrastructure; a feat that eluded Carlifornia in the United States.

Describing Lagos as a unique state, he said:’33 percent of GDP of Nigeria is from Lagos. Our state is too important to be subjected to trial and error in the hands of those who are struggling to understand the geography and people of Lagos.’

Hamzat said out of the 7.3 million that registered to vote in Lagos, APC should attract between three and four million votes.

Justifying President Tinubu’s second term bid, he said:’The President has stabilised the economy of Nigeria for the first time. We have £7.9 billion trade surplus with America. It will keep going like that. It is due to agric and uria. Lekki Trade Zone is playing a role.

Hamzat frowned at the opposition’s criticisms of the infrastructure battle, particularly the coastal roads, saying that they are not serious.

Hamzat praised the president for the renovation of the airports, saying that it is creating millions of jobs.

‘For the first time, we are fighting terrorism and prosecuting kidnappers. The image of Nigeria is better in the international community. He has done fundamental things: tax reforms. The last was the withholding tax of 1938.

‘We must go out to vote, call our friends and neighbours to vote for APC. On June 16, we should vote for the president, our senatorial and 24 House of Representatives candidates. We should also ensure that our 40 House of Assembly candidates win.’

In what organisers describe as the largest assembly of the Kwararafa peoples in modern Nigerian history, more than 150 royal fathers, serving governors and over 2,500 delegates will converge in Abuja, on Saturday, for the Kwararafa Peoples Assembly, themed ‘The Splendour of the Kingdom’.

The event, titled ‘The Splendour of the Kingdom: The Ancient Truths, The New Dawn,’ is expected to be graced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the distinguished guest of honour.

The occasion would also mark the formal public launch of the Kwararafa Development Forum (KDF), a non-partisan civic body aimed at driving collective economic transformation, cultural preservation and policy advocacy for descendants of the historic Kwararafa Confederacy.

The one-day assembly will feature the largest single gathering of Kwararafa traditional rulers since the founding of the Nigerian federation, including over 85 paramount rulers and more than 150 first-class chiefs and traditional council heads from across the Kwararafa nationalities.

The Executive Governor of Taraba State is the convener, while the Aku Uka of Wukari, His Royal Majesty, will serve as chief host.

Chairman of the Central Planning Committee, Alhaji Ahmadu Oga Aliyu Onawo, the Andoma of Doma, announced the assembly at a press conference in Abuja.

He said the gathering would provide an opportunity for the descendants of the historic Kwararafa Confederacy to reflect on their shared heritage and articulate a common development vision within the Nigerian federation.

According to him, the Kwararafa peoples, including the Jukun, Idoma, Igala, Nupe, Ebira, Tarok, Alago, Eggon and Kuteb, among others, were historically linked to a political formation that flourished around the Niger-Benue confluence between the 14th and 18th centuries.

He said the assembly would not be a cultural festival or political rally, but ‘a statement of civilisational intent’ and a platform for discussing unity, security, economic equity and development.

Among the activities scheduled for the event is the premiere of a documentary on the history of Kwararafa.

The documentary, he said, was filmed across five states and draws on historical research and oral accounts from community elders.

The forum, he said, would also unveil the Kwararafa Handbook, a publication containing the history, constituent peoples, economic assets and development priorities of the Kwararafa region.

Onawo said copies of the handbook would be presented to the President and the Aku Uka of Wukari.

The organisers will further present the Kwararafa Development Agenda to the Federal Government.

The document, he explained, would outline the region’s resources, needs and proposed contributions to national development.

A communiqué, to be known as the Abuja Declaration, is also expected to be issued at the end of the assembly.

The declaration, he said, will state the forum’s position on issues affecting Nigeria, including national unity, security, economic inclusion and the role of the Kwararafa peoples in the federation.

Onawo described the planned attendance of over 150 traditional rulers as a significant development, saying it would mark the first time such a large number of traditional authorities from the Kwararafa family would meet under one roof.

He said the forum’s objective was to bring together diverse peoples spread across five of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones around a common heritage and shared future.

‘Diversity without organisation is merely dispersion,’ he said, adding that the assembly would demonstrate what collective organisation among the Kwararafa peoples could achieve.

Bariga Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, in continuation of its commitment to improved basic education, distributed school furniture and learning materials to 3000 pupils of 22 public primary schools in the council area.

The event was the third and fourth editions of the local government’s ‘ Back to School ‘ programme under the leadership of the Executive Chairman, Hon Adedeji Bukola Omope.

The intervention, according to the council chairman, is part of her administration’s efforts to support parents in the current economic situation and to ensure that there is no record of out-of-school children in the council area.

Each beneficiary received a school uniform, bag, socks, Mathematical set, exercise books, writing and other learning materials

The ceremony held on Thursday at the Bariga Stadium attracted government officials, teachers, parents, traditional rulers, community leaders and stakeholders in the education sector

Speaking at the event, Hon Adedeji urged the pupils to make judicious use of the items provided to them for enhancement of their performance academically.

She reiterated her commitment to education development, stressing that investments made in our children would go a long way in shaping the future of the country. She added that all 30 public primary schools in the council area have been covered and thereby reached over 5000 pupils.

She admonished the students to take their studies seriously to achieve their future aspirations.

In a goodwill message, the immediate past Council Chairman and the APC Somolu Federal Constituency Candidate, Hon Kolade Alabi, said the initiative is a three-in-one programme that he commended because it provides wider benefits.

According to Alabi, the intervention addresses the educational needs of children, provides succour to parents and creates economic opportunities for local artisans.

He explained that he was delighted that local Artisans were those who produced the uniforms, printed exercise books, furniture and other items, which is a boost to the local economy.

He further advised the pupils to make good use of the opportunities and face their studies

A teacher at Alubarika Nursery and Primary School in Bariga, Mr. Rasi Idowu Rasheed, expressed appreciation to the Executive Chairman of the Council, noting that the intervention would greatly support teaching and learning in all the schools.

On behalf of the beneficiaries, Favour Yalabu, a pupil of Igbeinadun Primary School, thanked the council chairman for the gesture and promised that she and co-students would make good use of the materials given to them

Other dignitaries at the occasion are Hon Babatunde Adesida, Vice Chairman, Council Leader, Hon Wasiu Balogun, councillors, APC House of Assembly Candidate, Somolu Constituency 2, Hon Idowu Alli Balogun, market men and women,