Category: Daily Trust

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called for the suspension of examinations at all Nigerian Law School campuses following alleged harassment, intimidation and exclusion of female Muslim students wearing hijab from examination halls.

The Islamic human rights organisation also demanded an investigation into the incidents, which reportedly occurred during the final examinations for candidates seeking admission to the Nigerian Bar on Saturday, October 31, 2026.

MURIC warned that it would mobilise parents, Muslim youths and other stakeholders for peaceful protests across Law School campuses nationwide if its demands were not met.

The Nigerian Law School had not responded to the allegations in the statement at the time of writing.

The organisation’s position was contained in a press statement issued on Sunday by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

According to Akintola, several hijab-wearing female candidates were allegedly prevented from entering examination halls in different parts of the country because of their religious attire.

He said some candidates were reportedly made to stand outside examination halls for about an hour and were only allowed to enter after removing their hijabs.

‘There was harassment and intimidation of hijab-wearing female Muslim students in some Law School examination halls across the country yesterday, Saturday, October 31, 2026,’ Akintola said.

‘Hijabites who came hoping to sit for their call-to-bar final examinations were disallowed from entering the examination halls. In some places, they were forced to remain standing outside for about one hour until they removed their hijabs before they were allowed to enter and start the examination.’

The MURIC director said the organisation received numerous telephone calls, text messages and online messages from distressed candidates, their parents and concerned Muslims during the incidents.

‘While this was going on, our office was inundated with telephone calls, text messages and chats. We heard the cries of traumatised candidates, the lamentations of distressed parents hundreds of kilometres away from the examination centres and the agitation of concerned Muslims around the country,’ he said.

Describing the alleged incidents as an infringement on the candidates’ rights, Akintola said the organisation strongly condemned what it considered an unjustifiable disruption of their educational and professional pursuits.

‘MURIC strongly condemns the wanton disruption of the lawful educational pursuit of innocent Muslim ladies. It is crude, irrational and sadistic,’ he said.

The organisation expressed particular concern that ‘it is the Law School, the bastion of law education and the centre of legal excellence, that is involved in the denigration of court pronouncements.’

He cited Section 38(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the freedom to manifest and propagate religious beliefs.

MURIC also referenced the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Lagos State Government and Ors v. Asiyat Abdulkareem, which it said affirmed that banning or restricting the hijab amounted to discrimination.

The organisation further argued that the alleged treatment of the candidates violated Section 42 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom from discrimination.

Akintola also cited Section 34(1)(a), which protects the dignity of the human person and prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment.

‘The forceful undressing of our daughters at Law School examination centres in Nigeria is an open contravention of Section 34(a), which upholds the dignity of the human person by declaring authoritatively, unequivocally and emphatically that no person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment,’ he said.

Troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA have rescued 11 kidnapped victims in two separate operations in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi.

The Acting Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, North West, Capt. Sinivie Tamuno, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

Tamuno said the first operation occurred on Friday, following a distress call about terrorists blocking the Ribah-Dirindaji road.

He said the terrorists were attempting to invade Ribah town when troops of Sector 2 responded to the distress call.

According to him, troops discovered that the terrorists had fled with seven residents upon their arrival.

He said the troops pursued the fleeing terrorists towards Rambo village, forcing them to release the captives under sustained pressure.

‘The rescued victims were Sa’adu Bala, 53; Nura Musa, 25; Dantami Yahyi, 57; Nasiru Muhammad, 21; Abdulakeem Abubakar, 23; Abdulahi Maikudi, 32; and Zaki Gambo, 56.

‘The victims, all indigenes of Ribah, had been reunited with their families,’ he said.

Tamuno said another operation occurred when troops conducting routine patrols in the Wasagu-Falfala area came under fire from terrorists.

He said the terrorists had laid an ambush along the troops’ route before opening fire on the advancing security personnel.

He added that the troops responded with superior firepower, forcing the attackers to flee in disarray.

‘During a follow-up search, the troops discovered four kidnapped victims abandoned by the fleeing terrorists.

‘The rescued victims were identified as Lawali Ali, 20; Samaila Shaibu, 14; Kasimu Shaibu, 20; and Aliyu Bala, 18,’ he said.

Tamuno said the rescued victims, who were residents of Wasagu village, had been handed over to the village head.(NAN)

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has condemned what it described as a ‘sustained, coordinated and state-sponsored assault on democracy, freedom of association and the constitutional right of Nigerians to political participation under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.’

The Council said the unfolding incidents across the country went beyond ordinary political rivalry, alleging that they represented a disturbing pattern of intimidation, harassment and suppression of opposition voices.

These are calculated ‘atrocious actions skewed to scare Nigerians ahead of the general elections.’

In a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the ADC-PCC recalled a series of incidents, including ‘attacks on its leaders and members in Kaduna, the reported assault on its Sokoto State governorship candidate, Alhaji Munir Dan Iya, by operatives of the Sokoto Marshals along Airport Road, Sokoto, and alleged attacks on other opposition figures.’

ADC also cited the reported demolition of its governorship campaign office in Kebbi State and the alleged denial of a campaign venue in Enugu State to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi.

The Council further referenced the reported attacks on the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, and other opposition voices, describing the incidents as part of what it called an ’emerging pattern of political intolerance.’

According to the ADC-PCC, the alleged attacks, denial of campaign venues, arrests, harassment and intimidation of opposition figures raise serious concerns about the state of democratic freedoms and political pluralism in Nigeria.

The Council maintained that no government, regardless of its political or institutional strength, could successfully suppress the democratic aspirations of Nigerians, recalling that popular resistance contributed to the collapse of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s third-term agenda.

ADC also argued that President Tinubu and the APC enjoyed the benefits of political participation and opposition politics when they were outside government, insisting that those same democratic freedoms must be guaranteed to all political parties and their members.

The ADC-PCC expressed concern over the continued detention of its Vice Chairman and former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, alleging that he was being unlawfully held and denied his right to bail.

It warned that the circumstances surrounding his detention would not weaken the party, adding that the international community was watching developments in Nigeria.

‘The world is watching, and the burden of this illegality rests squarely on those responsible,’ the Council stated.

The campaign council further alleged that financial inducements were being deployed to compromise individuals and weaken opposition ranks, but insisted that Nigerians would not surrender their constitutional rights for monetary or material benefits.

The ADC-PCC called on Nigerians to remain committed to defending democratic values, freedom of association and the right to political choice, regardless of political affiliation.

??In a display of political alignment, a high-powered coalition featuring High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), Osun State Governor Senator Ademola Adeleke, and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola has set an ambitious target of 1.5 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Osun State.

?The alliance unveiled their goal at the weekend in Osogbo, the state capital, during the official inauguration of the state and local government chapters of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement.

At the event, Tompolo donated 30 operational vehicles alongside a substantial cache of campaign materials.

?Delivering his keynote address through Chief Kestin Pondi, Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Tompolo who serves as the Grand Patron of the movement urged Osun residents to rally behind President Tinubu as a son of the South-West.

He challenged the electorate to deliver between 90 and 100 percent of the total votes cast to guarantee the seamless continuation of the administration’s economic reforms.

?’We are in Osun State canvassing for votes for a man who has done so well for the South-West because we believe in his reformation agenda,’ Tompolo stated through his representative.

He highlighted early structural reforms, enhanced federal revenue allocations to state governments, prompt salary disbursements, and macroeconomic stabilization efforts as compelling reasons for continuity.

?’Most leaders would have delayed tough reforms until a second term, but President Tinubu initiated his immediately because he puts Nigeria first,’ Tompolo added.

?Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, represented by Deputy Governor Kola Adewusi, characterized the alliance as a ‘Rainbow Coalition’ transcending traditional party boundaries to ensure a decisive victory for the President.

?Adeleke commended Tompolo for launching the nationwide advocacy drive and implored political stakeholders to bury past rivalries.

?’Our unity of purpose and shared determination to secure Mr. President’s re-election is clearly demonstrated by this gathering of supporters across party lines,’ Adeleke noted.

‘All coalition partners must set aside historical political antagonisms and work together to deliver between 1.5 and 2 million votes for Mr. President.’

?Reinforcing the message, Marine and Blue Economy Minister Adegboyega Oyetola represented by the APC 2026 governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji emphasized that support for President Tinubu has broadened beyond traditional party lines.

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has expressed deep sorrow and profound shock over the death of the Executive Chairman of Zaki Local Government Area (LGA), Malam Masud Umar, who reportedly died in a tragic motor accident at Konkiyal Village in Darazo LGA of the State.

Daily Trust gathered that the late Chairman was on his way back to Zaki LGA after attending an Allied people’s Movement (APM) Party stakeholders’ meeting convened on Sunday when the unfortunate incident occurred.

In his condolence message signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Mukhtar Gidado, Mohammed described late Umar as a dedicated public servant, committed grassroots politician and compassionate leader whose contributions to public service and community development will remain indelible in the history of Bauchi State.

The governor said that before his election as Executive Chairman of Zaki LGA, late Umar served as the Director-General of the Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), where he demonstrated remarkable commitment to emergency response, disaster management and humanitarian interventions across the state.

Mohammed said, ‘His tenure at SEMA was characterised by dedication to alleviating the sufferings of vulnerable citizens and providing timely interventions to communities affected by emergencies and other humanitarian challenges.

‘As Executive Chairman of Zaki Local Government Area, he continued to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to grassroots development, particularly through initiatives aimed at empowering youths and women, improving livelihoods and promoting inclusive development within his local government.’

The governor noted that although Umar’s tenure as Chairman was relatively brief, his passion for service, accessibility to the people and commitment to improving the welfare of his constituents distinguished his leadership.

The governor further observed that his death was not only a devastating loss to his immediate family and the people of Zaki Local Government Area but also to the entire Bauchi State, particularly the public service and local government administration, where his experience, dedication and contributions will be greatly missed.

While praying for the peaceful repose of the soul of the departed, Governor Mohammed urged his family, political associates, friends and the people of Zaki LGA to find strength and comfort in Almighty Allah during the difficult moment.

‘May the Almighty Allah grant his soul eternal rest and give all those he left behind the fortitude to bear this great loss.’ the governor prayed.

Recent revelations that more than 300 containers of critical electricity equipment imported by the Federal Government remained stranded at Nigerian ports for years have exposed the administrative bottlenecks and institutional inefficiencies undermining efforts to improve electricity supply across the country, experts have said.

The equipment, some of which have reportedly been trapped in the ports for close to two decades, were procured under various government-funded and development-partner-supported electricity projects, including the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) donor-funded projects and the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI).

Despite their importance to the country’s electricity infrastructure, the equipment have been unable to reach their intended destinations because of unresolved import documentation, disagreements over duty exemptions, mounting shipping demurrage, port charges and bureaucratic delays involving government agencies.

President Bola Tinubu has consequently directed the immediate clearance of the stranded containers, a move that has generated mixed reactions among stakeholders in the power sector.

While some experts have welcomed the directive as a demonstration of political will to address longstanding challenges in the electricity industry, others believe the development exposes years of institutional failures that cannot be resolved through presidential orders alone.

What power minister said

Minister of Power, Olasunkanmi Joseph Tegbe, who disclosed the presidential directive after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House, expressed dismay that equipment meant to strengthen the country’s electricity infrastructure could remain abandoned at the ports for such an extended period.

Tegbe said: ‘Those containers are not empty. It is appalling to see that we find ourselves in such situations.

‘They were imported by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Power/Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) under various power projects over the years.’

However, industry experts said the circumstances surrounding the stranded equipment reveal structural weaknesses in government procurement, importation and project implementation processes.

Nigeria has an installed electricity generation capacity of approximately 13,014.40 MW to 13,625 MW, while available or generated power fluctuates between 4,000 MW and 5,403 MW.

This was largely attributed to ageing or inadequate infrastructure to support transmission and power distribution.

It would be recalled that the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) recently recovered abandoned power equipment worth billions of naira from various seaports across the country, following an intervention by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NDPHC, Jennifer Adighije, said during a visit to the NPA in August that the released items were in 110 abandoned containers and 216 packages.

Some experts called for a critical evaluation of the equipment in order to retrieve those that are still useful.

A former Chief Technical Officer, Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) and MD/CEO, Idfon Power Engineering Consultants (iPEC) Limited, Engr. Idowu Oyebanjo, said the situation arose when the projects were awarded to contractors at low cost without demurrage.

According to him, some of the contracts are structured on Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) Lagos terms, meaning the equipment are delivered to the Lagos port without sufficient arrangements to ensure their prompt clearance and transportation to the project sites.

He explained that the difficulties begin even before the containers arrive in Nigeria, as critical import documentation and duty exemption approvals are often not completed before shipment.

Oyebanjo stated that upon the arrival of the containers and notification sent to the shipping agents, the agents approach TCN to obtain an Import Duty Exemption Certificate (IDEC).

However, TCN would reportedly inform them that the relevant file was with the Ministry of Power, while the ministry, in turn, would say it was with the Ministry of Finance.

He added that the Ministry of Finance often views the imported equipment as potential revenue for the government and consequently seeks to impose a five per cent import duty.

He noted that such equipment should ordinarily benefit from the relevant government exemptions, considering that they were imported specifically for public electricity infrastructure projects.

According to him, some of the consignments arrive without properly processed Form M, the mandatory import declaration form; Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR); Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) certification; and Import Duty Exemption Certificate (IDEC).

These omissions, he said, leave the equipment exposed to additional clearance requirements and charges.

Oyebanjo said the situation becomes more complicated after the containers spend 90 days at the ports without clearance.

He disclosed that a particular batch of 22 containers accumulated liabilities of N483.88m because of the conflicting classifications and the continued accumulation of shipping charges.

Providing details of the contents of the containers, Oyebanjo said they include critical electricity infrastructure approved by the Federal Executive Council for various transmission projects.

Among the equipment are 300 Mega Volt-Ampere (MVA), 330/132/33 kilovolt (kV) transformers intended for Ikeja West, Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) spares, 33kV double-circuit lines for Katampe and materials for the proposed Super Grid.

He said some of the equipment had remained in the ports for about 20 years.

Oyebanjo alleged that the prolonged delays had also created opportunities for an auction racket, claiming that some overtime cargo were auctioned to cronies at about 10 per cent of their value before being resold to TCN.

‘How to avoid recurrence’

To prevent a recurrence, he recommended the establishment of a dedicated TCN desk at the Nigeria Customs Service, rather than leaving the process entirely within the purview of the Ministry of Finance.

Such a desk, he said, should operate with pre-approved duty waivers to ensure that documentation and clearance arrangements are completed before the equipment arrive in the country.

He also called for a change in the procurement structure for future electricity projects, recommending that all new contracts adopt Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) arrangements, under which contractors would be responsible for delivering equipment to the project sites rather than simply bringing them to Lagos ports under CIF terms.

On his part, a power expert, Engr. Ibrahim Sulu said since 2016, presidential approvals have cleared stranded power equipment again and again, only for it to pile up.

He said the country needs a standing rule that does not depend on whoever is minister, adding that all contracts are Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) to the project site, with the contractor bearing demurrage.

A power stakeholder, Duru Oguzie, expressed dismay over the prolonged abandonment of the equipment, describing the situation as evidence of a lack of patriotism among some Nigerians entrusted with managing public resources.

He criticised the Nigeria Customs Service for allowing the equipment to remain stranded for years when they could have been released earlier for use in the country’s electricity infrastructure.

He described the development as a show of shame, arguing that the equipment had lost much of its potential value to the country because of the prolonged delays.

Oguzie urged the Federal Government to maintain zero revenue charges on the stranded electricity equipment to ensure their immediate release.

He argued that the government should prioritise the national interest and the potential benefits of deploying the equipment rather than focusing on revenue collection from assets already procured with public funds or development financing.

However, another stakeholder, Saka Mohammad, questioned the political narrative surrounding the presidential directive.

He said the applause generated by the presidential directive was undeserved because the clearance of the equipment should be viewed within the broader context of the government’s responsibility to address the longstanding weaknesses in the power sector.

He maintained that the Federal Government should take more proactive measures to ensure that the problems responsible for the abandonment of critical electricity equipment do not recur.

However, energy expert Rasheed Adeleke described the clearance of the stranded equipment as a positive development that could support improvements in the electricity sector.

He lamented that the equipment had remained trapped at the ports for almost two decades, saying the situation exposed the persistent institutional failures and unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles slowing the development of Nigeria’s power infrastructure.

Beyond the stranded equipment, concerns have also been raised about the direction of the country’s transmission infrastructure development and the feasibility of some newly announced projects.

A competent source with knowledge of the industry said, ‘Now, as elections approach, the President has promised Nigerians that he will fix the power sector and end estimated billing. He even challenged Nigerians not to vote for him if he fails to deliver on these two promises.

‘They have now introduced the East-West transmission project without publishing the necessary details, technical studies or implementation plan. Yet, they claim it will be completed in two years and add 14,000MW to the national grid. This is being presented to Nigerians without adequately explaining the technical and commercial realities.’

The source added, ‘Electricity is not generated simply by making political promises. It requires properly coordinated investments in generation, transmission and distribution, supported by credible technical studies, financing and implementation capacity.

‘Without addressing these fundamental issues, the promise of adding 14,000MW in two years raises serious questions about the feasibility and credibility of the project.’

The recurring incidents of building collapse in Nigeria has again raised questions on structural and regulatory supervision in the real estate sector.

Checks by Daily Trust show that about N4.6 trillion has been lost to building collapse which led to the destruction of goods and valuable items.

Additionally, between January 2020 and June 2026, Nigeria recorded dozens of building collapses that killed hundreds and injured many more. Nationwide, more than 650 collapses have killed over 1,600 people since 1974, according to figures the Federal Government cited last month.

Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital accounts for over half of all recorded incidents. High-profile collapses there in 2021, 2022 and 2024 claimed dozens of lives and destroyed livelihoods.

Consequently, incidents continue to climb: residential blocks, commercial properties and even schools have given way, often during heavy rains or while occupants slept.

These are not isolated tragedies but symptoms of systemic failure in materials quality, regulation and enforcement.

Experts attribute these incidents to substandard block-moulding combined with defective materials , unprofessional construction practices, inadequate supervision and the push to cut costs

In Nigeria, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), state works ministries and local councils are mandated by law to regulate and and ensure that building materials are up to standards

N4.6trn lost

The Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCFIN), in partnership with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and the Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) has set up an initiative to curb building collapses, noting that Nigeria is currently lossing trillions

Speaking at the induction of the inaugural cohort of CEFFI professionals, Dr Iliyasu Gashinbaki, President and Chairman of the Governing Council of CIFCFIN, said the initiative stemmed from disturbing findings in a 2026 engineering study.

According to Gashinbaki, the study identified 111 validated building-collapse incidents in Nigeria between 2015 and 2025.

He said the incidents resulted in 321 deaths and 344 injuries, representing an average of approximately 32 deaths and 34 injuries annually within the dataset.

Gashinbaki added that fire-related losses were equally sobering.

He said a recent analysis of documented incidents between 2022 and 2025 estimated at least N4.6 trillion in destroyed goods, property and business assets.

He said this amounted to roughly N1.15 trillion annually across the dataset.

Gashinbaki said the figures demonstrated the need for Nigeria to move from reactive responses to evidence-based investigation and accountability.Buy Maps

He said the CEFFI initiative would bring together engineering, forensic science, law, regulation and investigation to strengthen the response to engineering failures.

He said a recent analysis of documented incidents between 2022 and 2025 estimated at least N4.6 trillion in destroyed goods, property and business assets.

He said this amounted to roughly N1.15 trillion annually across the dataset.

Gashinbaki said the figures demonstrated the need for Nigeria to move from reactive responses to evidence-based investigation and accountability.Buy Maps

He said the CEFFI initiative would bring together engineering, forensic science, law, regulation and investigation to strengthen the response to engineering failures.

‘Where there is suspected negligence, fraud, malpractice or deliberate compromise of safety, properly conducted forensic engineering can preserve the technical evidence required,’ he said.

He urged regulators, project owners, contractors, professional bodies and law-enforcement agencies to ensure that engineering failures did not end with repairs, abandonment or silence.

Gashinbaki said the initiative would help promote safer infrastructure, stronger institutions, better stewardship of public resources and the protection of human life.

Only recently, Daily Trust reports that one person was injured after a five-storey building under construction partially collapsed on Durban Street, Wuse II, Abuja.

The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, confirmed the incident, which occurred at about 6:30 pm on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

In a statement issued by its Press Unit, the agency said its Abuja Operations Office received an alert about the collapse and immediately activated relevant emergency response agencies.

NEMA said the FCT Fire Service and its AYA Emergency Response Ambulance Bay team were among the responders mobilised to the scene to coordinate search and rescue operations.

The agency confirmed that no life was lost in the incident, while the injured worker was evacuated to a nearby hospital for medical attention.

What can be done

Two measures matter most. First, criminal and civil liability must extend to manufacturers, suppliers and complicit professionals where negligence leads to collapse, with State Houses of Assembly legislating penalties stiff enough to deter, alongside whistleblower protection.

Second, SON must move from paper standards to street-level enforcement: mandatory certification for block producers, regular market sampling and lab testing, and tighter import checks. Supporting this, local councils should license and inspect block-moulding sites, publishing lists of certified producers and revoking licenses for repeat offenders.

Approval processes must include mandatory on-site inspection at foundation, lintel and roof stages, not just at submission – with inspectors trained, equipped and rotated to reduce corruption. Digital permit platforms publishing inspection status would add pressure that paper files cannot.

Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have rescued a kidnapped tanker driver, identified as Usman Abubakar, in the state.

The victim was reportedly kidnapped along the Benin-Lagos Road by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on October 31, 2026.

It was gathered that the victim and his motor boy were heading from Lagos towards Kano State when some armed men emerged from the bush at Ugbogun, along the expressway, and intercepted the vehicle.

The gunmen reportedly kidnapped the driver and whisked him into the bush, while his motor boy, identified as Imran Sokoto, escaped.

The Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, said the victim had been rescued by the police.

She said the police received information that a tanker driver had been kidnapped by gunmen along the Benin-Lagos Highway and whisked into the bush.

Ikoedem said the police mobilised a security team to Morgan Forest for a bush combing operation aimed at rescuing the victim.

She said the hoodlums, on sighting the police, opened fire on them, prompting the officers to respond and in the process, the suspects fled into the bush with bullet wounds, abandoning their captive.

She added that the victim was rescued unhurt and continued his journey.

The head of a student group said a campaign of high school blockades would restart from today (Monday), adding the government’s proposals did not go far enough.

On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people, including high school and university students, took to the streets across France for a third consecutive weekend of protests.

Some high schools will be blockaded from Monday, when students return from a two-week holiday, said Pierre Sourzat, head of the ‘Lyceens!’ group.

‘It will be more significant from Tuesday, but we know that some schools will be blocked as early as tomorrow (Monday),’ he told broadcaster RMC on Sunday.

‘We support all our comrades who are blocking their schools from tomorrow,’ he added.

France’s protest movement against soaring prices emerged from weeks of demonstrations by high school students protesting deteriorating learning conditions and inequality.

On Monday, the government announced a series of measures aimed at addressing student protesters’ demands, including replacing the university admissions platform and providing loans for school renovations.

Students said the proposals did not go far enough.

On Saturday, Sabrine Kharbach, spokeswoman for the Union Etudiante (Student Union), said blockades of universities and high schools would take place on Tuesday and Thursday.

President Emmanuel Macron has called for classes to resume in a calm manner, arguing that ‘young people have been heard’.

Sourzat countered that ‘the president hasn’t listened to us’.

‘It’s smoke and mirrors,’ he said. ‘There’s a bit of polish on the surface, but once you scratch beneath it, there’s nothing there.’

Sourzat said the proposed overhaul of the university admissions platform, long criticised for its lack of transparency, failed to address the shortage of places in higher education.

He also dismissed the government’s plan to reduce class sizes as insufficient, noting that it would apply only to 10th-grade classes.

‘We were asking for all year groups,’ he said.

With the eurozone’s second-largest economy on the brink of recession and under pressure to rein in its debt, the government has limited scope to appease student protesters through additional spending.

Columnist and public affairs analyst, Zayd Ibn Isah, is among the literary personalities expected to speak at the 45th International Convention and Conference of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), holding in Abuja.

Ibn Isah is listed as a panelist at the four-day gathering, which commenced on October 29 and ends on November 1, 2026, at the Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village, Mpape, Abuja.

The author has two books to his credit – ‘We Are All Guilty’, a moving drama that captures the intrigues and underlying corruption hindering the development of the most populous African country, and ‘The Nigerian Spirit Is Special’, a compilation of his articles published across Nigerian newspapers in about half a decade.

The foreword of Isah’s second book was written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whose popular ‘My Watch’, was reviewed by the young author.

Isah’s works have appeared on Nigerian newspapers such as THISDAY, Guardian, Daily Trust, Vanguard, PREMIUM Times, TheCable, among others.

Daily Trust reports that the theme of this year’s ANA convention is, ‘Literature, National Security and the Place of Nigeria in the World’.

The theme reflects growing conversations about the role of creative expression in addressing societal challenges, promoting national cohesion and shaping Nigeria’s international image.

The event brings together writers, academics and other stakeholders in the literary and creative industries to examine the intersection of literature, security and national development.

Other featured participants include Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji, Vice Chancellor of the African School of Economics, Abuja, who is billed to deliver the keynote address.

Also listed as panelists are Squadron Leader Alexander Emmanuel Ochogwu, PhD, and Toyin Adewale-Gabriel, while Odoh Diego Okenyodo will moderate the session.

The convention is hosted by ANA President, Dr Usman Akanbi, with Dr Bukar Usman as chairman of the occasion.

Founded on June 27, 1981, at a conference convened by the late literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe, at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, ANA has played a significant role in promoting Nigerian literature and providing a common platform for writers across the country.

Its founding conference attracted prominent Nigerian literary figures, as well as Kenyan writers Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Gacheche Wauringi.

The association’s constitution, aside from promoting literary works, identifies the protection of authors’ professional interests, preservation of oral literature, development of indigenous intellectual talents and promotion of a humane and egalitarian society among its objectives.

The association has also engaged with national security concerns through its 2017 partnership with the STRADA Development Initiative, which established the ANA Programme on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism.

At the ongoing convention, the connection between literature and security has featured prominently in discussions.

Earlier at the gathering, keynote speaker Prof. Adedimeji argued that national security should extend beyond military protection to include human security, social justice and freedom of thought.

He also described literature as an early-warning mechanism and a form of informal diplomacy, stressing the importance of protecting Nigeria’s national narrative.

The convention features speeches, literary performances, panel discussions, workshops and an awards dinner, among other activities.