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The Bauchi State High Court has introduced family courts to protect children’s rights in line with the Bauchi State Child Protection Law, 2023.

Mrs Amina Garuba, Chief Magistrate in the state, disclosed this in Bauchi in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday.

Garuba is the judge of Family Court 1 at the Magistrates’ Court level.

She said the courts had the mandate to adjudicate on issues relating to adoption, fostering, custody and emergency cases, among others.

Garuba said some cases could be referred to Sharia Courts for onwards hearing, where necessary.

‘One High Court and one Magistrates’ Court have been given the mandate to hear all issues relating to children.

‘The courts are to protect children, whether they are in conflict with the law or otherwise,’ she said.

The Chief Magistrate said the judges would undergo training in behavioural sciences to enable them to better understand children’s attitudes and behaviour.

She added that the family courts were also mandated to ensure that children and other clients were protected from public exposure to prevent discrimination and safeguard their future development.

Garuba said the courts would also handle criminal cases involving children.

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal, with 84.70 per cent of candidates scoring five credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics.

Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, announced the release of the results on Thursday at a news conference held at the council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State.

He formally declared the 2026 SSCE Internal results released to the public, urging candidates to continue their academic pursuits with renewed hope and determination.

According to Wushishi, a total of 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, comprising 682,352 males and 695,696 females.

He said 1,371,992 candidates eventually sat for the examination, comprising 678,903 males and 693,089 females.

Wushishi disclosed that 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent of those who sat for the examination, obtained five credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics.

He, however, disclosed that 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent, obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

The examination was conducted across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as six foreign countries: Benin Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Niger Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Saudi Arabia.

The examination was held from June 15 to September 4, 2026.

Wushishi said the results were being released 63 days after the conclusion of the examination, following the completion of all processes of marking, verification and quality assurance.

He described the 2026 examination cycle as one of the most challenging for the council, saying it tested its systems, processes and readiness.

He said the council remained committed to ensuring that certificates issued to candidates reflected their true academic performance and were not obtained through impersonation, manipulation or other forms of examination malpractice.

On examination malpractice, the NECO boss disclosed that 1,406 candidates were involved in various forms of malpractice in 2026, representing a 64.74 per cent decrease from the 3,878 cases recorded in 2025.

He attributed the reduction to the council’s sustained efforts to strengthen examination security and quality assurance.

Wushishi also disclosed that 1,334 candidates with special needs participated in the examination.

He said the figure included 640 candidates with hearing impairment, 149 with visual impairment, 84 with albinism, 94 with autism, 136 with low vision and 231 candidates with adermatoglyphia.

The NECO registrar expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, particularly President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, for their support for the council.

He also commended security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), as well as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other institutions for their support during the examination.

Wushishi said candidates could access their results through the NECO website using their examination registration numbers.

He assured stakeholders that the council would continue to uphold the integrity and credibility of its examinations.

After more than five decades of lying undeveloped, the long-abandoned Ima gas field has finally received an $800 million Final Investment Decision (FID) from AMNI International and TotalEnergies, opening the way for one of Nigeria’s major offshore gas developments.

The project, located in OMLs 112 and 117 off the coast of Rivers State, is expected to deliver up to 350 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (MMscfd) at plateau and produce first gas by the end of 2028.

The development is also expected to supply about one-third of the feedgas required for Nigeria LNG’s Train 7 expansion, strengthening the country’s gas supply outlook and creating a new stream of economic activity around the project.

The Federal Government and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) yesterday described the FID as a major demonstration of the impact of recent reforms in the oil and gas industry and a fresh vote of confidence in Nigeria’s investment environment.

The Ima field was discovered in 1973, but despite its significant gas resources, remained undeveloped for over 50 years.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, reacting to the FID, said the development showed that Nigeria could convert its enormous natural gas resources into investments, jobs and economic opportunities when the right commercial environment was created.

‘For more than 50 years, the gas beneath Ima remained a resource with enormous potential, but potential alone doesn’t create jobs, finance businesses or improve the lives of the people,’ Tinubu said in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

‘Our responsibility has been to create the conditions that turn Nigeria’s natural resources into productive investments and economic opportunities.’

The President said his administration would continue to unlock the country’s gas resources to power industries, expand exports, create jobs and support economic growth.

The Ima FID becomes the fourth major gas project to reach investment decision under the Tinubu administration, following the Iseni, Ubeta and HI gas projects.

The development is being positioned by the government as evidence that the policy and fiscal reforms introduced in the oil and gas sector are beginning to revive projects that had remained commercially stalled.

Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, said the history of the Ima field illustrated the difference between having resources underground and creating the conditions required to develop them.

‘Nigeria has never lacked resources. The challenge has been creating the commercial and investment conditions required to move those resources from beneath the ground into projects that employ Nigerians, create opportunities for Nigerian businesses, generate revenues and support economic growth,’ she said.

According to her, the project also reflects the increasing capacity of indigenous companies to participate in large-scale upstream developments.

AMNI, a Nigerian independent exploration and production company, holds 60 per cent of the project, while TotalEnergies holds 40 per cent and is the operator.

The project is also expected to have significant local economic impact, with about 60 per cent of its workforce projected to come from host communities, including Bonny, Finima and Andoni in Rivers State.

Adding to the significance of the investment, Nigerian financial institutions are providing about 77 per cent of the project financing, demonstrating increased participation by domestic banks in financing major oil and gas developments.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, described the FID as a major milestone for Nigeria’s gas sector and a strong vote of confidence in the country’s energy investment potential.

He attributed the development to reforms and Executive Orders approved by President Tinubu to improve competitiveness, strengthen the investment climate and accelerate project delivery.

Ekpo said the project would add substantially to Nigeria’s gas production capacity and support the government’s objective of using natural gas as a catalyst for industrialisation, energy security and economic growth.

At the FID ceremony in Abuja, NUPRC Chief Executive Officer, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the development was a product of consistent policy direction and committed partnerships.

‘Today’s success is attributable to His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu,’ Eyesan said.

He pledged that the upstream regulator would continue to remove regulatory bottlenecks confronting investors.

‘As the chief regulator in the industry, we will enable business, we will unplug obstacles. The President has set the path for us, and we are determined to follow through,’ he said.

The Ima field lies in 8-10 metres of water offshore Rivers State.

TotalEnergies Managing Director, Mathieu Bouyer, said the company’s investment of more than $600 million represented confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

He projected that the project could generate between $2 billion and $4 billion in value over its lifetime, depending on international gas prices.

The Kano State Consumer Protection Council (KCPC) has sealed NUCCY GLOBAL INDUSTRIES LTD over alleged violations of consumer protection regulations.

The Council said the action followed a complaint over the quality and accuracy of information provided on some of the company’s products, particularly claims about the power capacity of machines manufactured by the firm.

The Executive Secretary of KCPC, Dr Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, said manufacturers, companies, and traders had a responsibility to respect consumer rights by providing accurate and essential information about their products before purchase or use.

According to the Council, investigations revealed allegations that the power capacity of some machines did not correspond with the specifications stated on their packaging.

KCPC said it followed due process and obtained a court order authorizing the closure of the company pending further investigation.

NUCCY GLOBAL INDUSTRIES LTD manufactures machines used for grinding, water processing, and other related purposes.

Dr Muhammad urged members of the public to report products or business practices that could pose risks to consumers, assuring them that the Council would take appropriate action to protect their rights and interests.

He also called for continued support for the Kano State Government under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in its efforts to promote responsible business practices, strengthen industrial standards and improve the business environment in the state.

He said the Council would sustain monitoring and inspection activities across markets, shops, and other business premises to ensure that products offered for sale comply with relevant standards, are not expired, and contain accurate information to enable consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.

The Council urged manufacturers and traders to comply with all applicable consumer protection laws and regulations in the state.

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has explained why it took 63 days to release the results of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal.

Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, said the results were released 63 days after the examination ended because the council had to complete the processes of marking, verification and quality assurance.

Wushishi explained this on Thursday at a news conference held at the council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State, where he announced the release of the 2026 SSCE Internal results.

He said the 2026 examination cycle was one of the most challenging for the council, adding that it tested its systems, processes and readiness.

The examination was conducted from June 15 to September 4, 2026, across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as six foreign countries – Benin Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Niger Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Saudi Arabia.

According to Wushishi, a total of 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, comprising 682,352 males and 695,696 females.

He said 1,371,992 candidates eventually sat for the examination, comprising 678,903 males and 693,089 females.

Wushishi disclosed that 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent of those who sat for the examination, obtained five credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics.

He, however, said 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent, obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

The NECO boss also addressed examination malpractice, saying the council recorded 1,406 cases in 2026.

He said the figure represented a 64.74 per cent decrease from the 3,878 cases recorded in 2025.

Wushishi attributed the reduction to the council’s efforts to strengthen examination security and quality assurance.

He said the council remained committed to ensuring that certificates issued to candidates reflected their true academic performance and were not obtained through impersonation, manipulation or other forms of examination malpractice.

Wushishi also disclosed that 1,334 candidates with special needs participated in the examination.

He said the figure included 640 candidates with hearing impairment, 149 with visual impairment, 84 with albinism, 94 with autism, 136 with low vision and 231 candidates with adermatoglyphia.

The NECO registrar formally declared the 2026 SSCE Internal results released to the public and urged candidates to continue their academic pursuits with renewed hope and determination.

He expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, particularly President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, for their support for the council.

He also commended security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), as well as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other institutions for their support during the examination.

Wushishi said candidates could access their results through the NECO website using their examination registration numbers.

He assured stakeholders that the council would continue to uphold the integrity and credibility of its examinations.

The Delta State Police Command has confirmed the rescue of a 48-year-old woman who was kidnapped on Wednesday in Ovade Forest, Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state.

It also confirmed the arrest of 54 suspected cultists in Eku, Ethiope East; Obiaruku, Ukwuani; and Ubulu-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Areas, for cult-related activities.

Spokesman of the command, SP Bright Edafe, in a statement on Thursday, said that, acting on a distress call regarding the kidnap of the woman (name withheld), the Divisional Police Officer in Oghara led operatives of the division, the Quick Response Squad, vigilantes and hunters into the forest to rescue her.

‘During the operation, about four suspected kidnappers engaged the team in a gun duel but were forced to retreat, abandoning the victim, who was rescued unhurt.

‘The operatives pursued the fleeing suspects, during which one unidentified suspect was found lifeless, while another, Abubakhar Sani, was apprehended with gunshot injuries.

‘Both of them were later confirmed dead at the hospital.

‘One dagger, a NIN slip, OPay Verve card, Tecno mobile phone and other personal effects were recovered.’

Edafe said the victim was stable and undergoing debriefing, while efforts to apprehend the other fleeing suspects were ongoing.

The statement further revealed that on September 19, 2026, operatives of the Abraka Division, supported by personnel of the State Intelligence Department (SID) and local vigilantes, stormed a suspected cult initiation gathering in Eku and arrested 30 suspects, including one female.

It said preliminary investigation indicated that the gathering was allegedly connected with the initiation of new members into the Black Axe Confraternity.

‘The suspects were transferred to the Command Anti-Cult Unit (CACU), Sector 2, Ozoro, for further investigation.’

According to the statement, further intelligence developed from the investigation led the Commander, CACU Sector 2, Ozoro, and his operatives to Obiaruku the following day, where 20 additional suspects, comprising 15 males and five females, were arrested over suspected cult-related activities.

In another development, four male suspected members of the Supreme Vikings and Eiye confraternities were arrested in Ubulu-Uku on September 20, 2026, in connection with a suspected cult-related killing.

The suspects, Okwudili Ozah, 34; Chekwube Onwuka, 18; Onyebe Emmanuel, 19; and Ozoremenem Izuchukwu, 21, have been handed over to operatives of the Command Anti-Cult Unit (CACU), Asaba, for further investigation.

Edafe disclosed that one locally made single-barrel cut-to-size gun, one live cartridge and a quantity of substance suspected to be cannabis were recovered during the operation, while the victim was taken to a medical facility, where he was confirmed dead. His remains were deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.

Edafe further said investigation was ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the killing and the individual involvement of the suspects.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Samuel E. Erale, commended the operatives and other security stakeholders involved in the operations.

He reiterated the command’s resolve to sustain intelligence-led operations against kidnapping, cultism and other violent crimes, warning criminal elements to desist or face the full weight of the law.

He assured residents that the command would continue to dismantle criminal networks, recover illegally held weapons and bring perpetrators of violent crimes to justice.

Cross River State governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has described editors as custodians of public truth and indispensable guardians of democracy, urging them to remain courageous, ethical and steadfast in advancing Nigeria’s development.

In a goodwill message to the Nigerian Guild of Editors on the occasion of its conference in Enugu State, Otu said the gathering represented ‘a grand convergence of consciences, ideas, experience and patriotic commitment.’

The governor, who conveyed the warm felicitations of the government and people of Cross River State through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity and Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Linus Obogo, noted that the conference went beyond a routine professional assembly. ‘It is a coming together of the custodians of public truth, the sentinels of accountability, and the skilled hands that refine the first draft of history into a credible record for generations yet unborn,’ he stated.

Emphasising the strategic place of editors in nation-building, Otu said they occupied ‘a sacred place in the architecture of every thriving democracy.’ According to him, editors operate at the crucial intersection of information and understanding, determining ‘not merely what the nation reads, but how it reflects, reasons and responds.’

He praised the editorial profession for illuminating the public space through sound judgement, courage, balance and fidelity to facts. ‘Through sound judgment, courage, balance and fidelity to fact, you illuminate the public square and help society separate substance from noise, truth from falsehood, and hope from despair,’ the governor said.

Otu observed that the conference was taking place at a consequential moment when Nigerians were seeking reassurance, direction and renewed confidence in the country’s promise. While acknowledging that technology had expanded access to information, he warned that it had also ‘multiplied misinformation, sharpened division and tested the ethical foundations of journalism.’

Against that background, the governor described the editor as ‘an indispensable compass: calm amid turbulence, discerning amid confusion, and steadfast amid pressure.’ He urged the Guild to formulate strategies for strengthening professional standards, protecting press freedom, rebuilding public trust, nurturing younger journalists and ensuring that technological innovation served truth rather than undermined it.

‘Nigeria needs an editorial community that remains fearless without becoming reckless, critical without becoming cynical, and influential without surrendering its independence,’ Otu declared. He added that Cross River State cherished the press as ‘a vital partner in governance, social progress, peace-building, and the continuing work of perfecting our union,’ while saluting the Guild’s leadership and members for their invaluable contributions to national development.

The governor also commended the government and people of Enugu State for receiving the editors with warmth and gracious hospitality, describing the Coal City as a fitting venue renowned for enterprise, learning, culture, resilience and political history. Wishing the delegates fruitful deliberations and safe journeys, Otu prayed: ‘May every session kindle insight, every encounter build bridges, and every resolution enlarge the frontiers of truth, justice, unity and responsible citizenship.’.

The presidential campaign of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) candidate and Governor of Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde, has expanded its grassroots mobilisation in Abuja, with the campaign team taking its ‘Reset Nigeria’ message to some markets and communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Makinde/Daura 2027 Daily Mobilisation Team took the campaign to Nyanya Market and other parts of the FCT late on Wednesday, engaging traders and residents on their concerns, expectations and aspirations ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The team said the engagement was aimed at listening to the people and communicating Makinde’s vision directly to Nigerians at the grassroots, particularly those whose daily activities contribute to the economy.

According to the team, ‘politics is about people,’ adding that the interaction at Nyanya Market provided an opportunity to listen to traders who ‘keep our economy moving.’

It said the feedback from the market indicated a desire among Nigerians for a government that would listen to their concerns and deliver on its promises.

The team said the mobilisation was not limited to seeking electoral support but was also intended to build a platform for dialogue with citizens ahead of the 2027 election.

Makinde, who has been campaigning on the ‘Reset Nigeria’ agenda, recently outlined four broad areas of focus for his proposed administration: the economy, education, security and socio-political development.

He said his administration would seek to make the economy more productive and competitive through investment in skills, knowledge and increased economic activity.

The candidate also said a government under his leadership would pursue reforms in the petroleum sector to ensure that Nigeria’s crude resources provide measurable benefits to citizens, while rejecting a return to the old fuel subsidy arrangement.

The governor has called for greater transparency across the petroleum value chain, including crude production, domestic allocation, refining, transportation and distribution.

The campaign team said it would continue taking the ‘Reset Nigeria’ message to different communities, stressing that the campaign was being built through direct engagement with citizens.

‘We aren’t just campaigning; we are building a foundation for 2027, one handshake and one conversation at a time,’ the team added.

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has called on educational stakeholders to embrace the mother tongue as the primary language of instruction in early childhood education, describing fears surrounding its implementation as ‘exaggerated at best.’

Governor Otti made the assertion on Wednesday in Lagos while delivering an address at the 24th Annual Lecture/Symposium of the Fafunwa Educational Foundation (FEF) and the 19th Annual Post-Doctoral Awards in Education.

Speaking on this year’s theme, ‘What Does The Research Say?: Mother Tongue Instruction And The Future Of Early Education In Nigeria,’ Otti, who chaired the event, urged policymakers to look past individual biases and confront the practical limitations of the policy rather than rejecting it outright.

‘If research says that early learners do better when instructions are passed through the vehicle of indigenous languages, my preference would be to identify and address the probable limitations to teaching pupils in their native languages,’ Otti stated.

The Governor highlighted the global success of countries like China, India and South Korea, where foundational education is driven by native languages, noting that their indigenous systems have directly shaped their economic and technological breakthroughs on the global stage.

‘If children and professionals in China suffer no disadvantage from learning in Mandarin, just like their counterparts in India or South Korea who started their learning in indigenous languages, then the fears against the use of indigenous languages for early-stage education in this part of the world may be exaggerated,’ he argued.

Otti praised the foresight of the late Professor Aliu Babatunde Fafunwa – Nigeria’s first professor of education and former Minister of Education – whose pioneering research decades ago demonstrated that children learn more effectively when taught in their mother tongue.

While acknowledging real challenges to the system, such as a shortage of skilled bilingual instructors and regional limitations, the Governor expressed optimism that the insights from the symposium would transcend intellectual debate and actively guide national policy decisions.

Other speakers at the event, including Prof Francis Egbokhare of the University of Ibadan and Prof Angelina Kioko of the United States International University-Africa, Kenya, also underscored the great impact the use of mother tongues would have on early childhood education.

The Federal Government recently banned mother tongue instruction, citing an ostensible decline in student academic performance. However, conference participants sharply disputed this claim.

They noted that the Nigerian Academy of Education has explicitly denied the existence of any empirical evidence linking native-language instruction to poor academic results.

Instead, stakeholders argued that the policy’s past failures resulted from weak, half-hearted implementation, chronic underfunding, insufficient teacher training and a lack of instructional materials.

Prof Egbokhare, a keynote speaker, specifically argued that Nigeria’s persistent learning crisis stems directly from a fundamental mismatch between the language of instruction and the learners’ native language.

‘What appears to be poor academic performance may actually reflect language barriers rather than intellectual limitations,’ he asserted.

The scholar warned that sidelining indigenous languages inflicts severe cultural damage, leading to a permanent loss of traditional wisdom and local worldviews.

The event also featured a panel session, presentation of post-doctoral awards to three scholars and the unveiling of a new book, Babs Fafunwa: A Mini-Biography for Youngsters, authored by celebrated writer, Prof Okey Ndibe.

Dignitaries in attendance included the Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Jamiu Alli-Balogun, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the state’s Ministry of Tertiary Education, Dr Adeniran Kasali.

Also present were Prof Sheri Ndibe, who represented her mother, the widow of Babs Fafunwa (Dr Doris Fafunwa), and students of Babs Fafunwa Millennium Senior Secondary School, Ojodu.

Participants at the event extolled the virtues of the late Babs Fafunwa, describing him as a great researcher, scholar and astute administrator.