Category: Nigerian Tribune

Something deeply unsettling is unfolding across Northern Nigeria. Every Northerner, regardless of political party, ethnicity, religion, or state, must confront the same urgent question: are we preparing for the Nigeria that is already taking shape?

This is not another blame game about poverty, insecurity, failing schools, out-of-school children, erratic electricity, or crumbling roads. These problems are real, but beneath them lies a deeper worry: Nigeria is changing, and Arewa appears dangerously unprepared.

Some of these changes are no longer theoretical. Electricity is becoming more decentralised. State police, once dismissed as impossible, is moving closer to legal and operational reality. Every geopolitical zone now has a regional development commission. Abuja is beginning to recognise that Nigeria’s regions have different challenges and require different solutions.

So, where is the Arewa plan?

This is not an argument for blaming Abuja or presenting the North as the source of Nigeria’s problems. It is a call for Northerners to look beyond daily political quarrels and prepare for tomorrow. Across the federation, states and regions are recognising that old centralised habits can no longer serve the country. The question is whether Arewa is thinking strategically or simply reacting to each new crisis.

Take the regional development commissions. The North-East Development Commission, established in 2017, has gained years of experience in education, healthcare, roads, housing and support for displaced persons, even as insecurity limits its work. The North-Central Development Commission has also established its management structure.

The North-West, with seven states and enormous economic potential, has instead been distracted by disputes over leadership, offices and allowances. The Senate recently questioned the commission over nearly N943 million reportedly spent on board allowances while executive directors remained unappointed. Whatever the explanations, the larger point is clear: an institution created to plan development must not become a battlefield over positions and privileges.

A development commission should ask where the region will be in 10, 20 or 30 years. What will become of Kano’s industries? How will the seven states connect their economies? How can agriculture become productive and profitable? How will electricity reach farms, factories, schools and hospitals? What is the response to water shortages, desertification, climate change and rapid population growth? These questions should dominate our public discourse, not who controls which office.

The North-Central deserves particular attention. It sits at the heart of Nigeria and has enormous agricultural, mineral, water, industrial and logistical potential. It also includes the nation’s political capital. The commission’s mandate covers infrastructure, agriculture, industrialisation, education, health, water, electricity and regional development.

Its leadership is now talking about moving the region from fragmented state-level efforts towards a coordinated regional economy, with agriculture and agro-processing, minerals, infrastructure, digital connectivity, small businesses and economic corridors among its priorities. That is the kind of thinking the wider North needs. The test is whether these ideas will become a genuine strategy or merely another way of distributing projects among states.

Can Benue’s agricultural strength connect with processing centres and markets elsewhere? Can Niger’s energy and water potential support industry? Can Nasarawa and Plateau’s mineral and agricultural resources be developed responsibly? Can Kogi, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory become part of a network linking the North to the South? The answers will determine whether the North-Central becomes merely Nigeria’s geographical middle or a major economic bridge.

Electricity offers another warning. The Electricity Act 2023 opened the way for states to regulate their own electricity markets and participate more directly in generation and distribution. By July 2026, 16 states had completed the transition, including Kogi, Niger, Plateau and Nasarawa.

The North may not be entirely absent, but how many Northern states have a clear electricity plan understood by their people? How many have identified industrial clusters requiring dedicated power? How many are discussing solar, gas, hydro and mini-grids with investors? Electricity is no longer something states can simply wait for Abuja to provide. The law has changed. Our thinking must change with it.

The same applies to policing. Nigeria is moving towards a federal and state policing structure. This should be a major Northern conversation. What should policing look like in Zamfara, Kaduna or Kano? Who will recruit officers? Who will appoint commanders? How will complaints be investigated? How will state and federal police cooperate? How can political capture be prevented?

The North has valuable experience with community-security arrangements, especially in areas affected by banditry and insurgency. But experience is not the same as preparedness. The region arguably has the greatest need for state policing, yet its institutional readiness remains weak. That contradiction should worry us.

Transportation is another test. The South-West is exploring existing rail corridors for passenger and freight services, linking transport with logistics, agriculture and industry. The point is not that the South-West has solved its problems. It is that regional thinking is taking shape.

What is the Arewa equivalent? Where is the strategy linking Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Maiduguri, Jos and Abuja? How will crops move from farms to processing centres and markets? How will the region connect its dry ports, airports, rail lines and commercial cities? Some ideas exist separately, but what is missing is a sustained conversation joining them into one regional economic plan.

The North has enormous assets: land, livestock, minerals, a youthful population, major markets, universities, historic commercial cities and proximity to the Sahel. Yet insecurity, poor human capital and weak infrastructure are undermining these advantages. The greatest contradiction is that the region is agriculturally important but increasingly food-insecure.

The answer cannot be another promise of fertiliser or tractors. The North needs a complete agricultural economy built on security, irrigation, improved seeds, extension services, storage, processing, rural roads, electricity, credit, insurance, livestock development and reliable markets. Agriculture must move from subsistence to industry.

The human crisis is equally urgent. Out-of-school children, maternal deaths, drug abuse, unemployment, poverty and insecurity are connected. A child who is not in school today may become an unemployed and frustrated young person tomorrow. Frustration can feed crime; crime drives investment away; lack of investment creates more unemployment. This cycle will not be broken by speeches alone.

Arewa needs a serious, non-partisan development compact involving governors, lawmakers, traditional rulers, academics, businesses, professional bodies, civil society and young people. Its purpose should be a practical 20-year plan with measurable targets: more children in school, lower maternal mortality, reliable electricity, connected roads and railways, functioning agro-processing zones, more jobs, and clear responses to policing, climate change and desertification.

We must stop confusing Arewa solidarity with a development strategy. Northerners can belong to different parties and support different candidates. But roads, schools, electricity and security do not belong to any party. Development must not wait for political agreement.

The North-East can turn reconstruction into long-term transformation. The North-West can move beyond institutional quarrels and build a development engine worthy of its population. The North-Central can use its agricultural, mineral, water and logistical strengths to become an economic bridge for the country. Together, the three zones must think beyond their separate commissions because banditry, desertification, markets, migration and transport do not respect state boundaries.

The most important question is not whether Arewa is disadvantaged. It is whether Arewa is prepared for decentralised electricity, state policing, regional transport, a changing agricultural economy, rapid urbanisation, climate shocks and millions of young people entering the labour market.

It is not too late. But the North does not need another declaration of unity. It needs a programme of preparedness: leaders willing to plan beyond the next election, institutions focused on results, and citizens prepared to demand delivery.

What kind of Arewa do we want our children to inherit, and what must we begin doing today to build it? The future will not wait for Arewa to organise itself. If we do not prepare, we should not be surprised when the future arrives and finds us unready.

Mother luck was the saving grace of about 70 mourners whose boat capsized on Saturday at Buruku River in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State.

It was gathered that the people, numbering about 70, had gone for a burial ceremony and, while returning, the wooden boat in which they were travelling capsized.

Confirming the incident in a telephone interview on Saturday, the Chairman of the local government, Raymond Zege, said that the victims were mourners from neighbouring Gboko LGA.

According to him, the mourners had embarked on the journey by boat, but the engine of the boat developed a fault while they were still on the water.

According to him, the situation became difficult as the passengers were struggling to manoeuvre the boat and remain afloat.

Unfortunately, due to overloading and the weight of the wooden boat, it was reported that the boat and the other boat that came to rescue the passengers sank.

He said: ‘They are people from Gboko LG, they went for a burial to cross to other side but on their way back they overloaded the boat and the engine failed, you know most of them are not conversant with water sound and they became panic and in the process began to struggle.

‘But before they could get to the other boat coming to rescue them they ran into water waves and the weight of the boat made it to sink, as at time of talking we don’t know the exact figure that are missing.’

He added: ‘There are over 70 people on board but we have not seen about six persons.’

The chairman, however, raised concerns about safety compliance among commuters, adding that authorities had provided life jackets for commuters, with the intention that every person using the boat crossing should wear one.

‘But the enforcement of life-jacket has become difficult because some passengers always complain about health-related discomfort or other reasons for not wearing the jackets.

‘This has made enforcement difficult for maritime personnel.’

Earlier, in a statement, the Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Denis Iyaghigba, said that he had received preliminary reports of the unfortunate boat mishap.

According to the Commissioner, the preliminary information available to him showed that the boat was ferrying passengers when a strong water current swept it into an abandoned barge at a corner of the river, consequent upon which the boat tumbled.

‘I wish to assure members of the public, particularly families of those who may have been aboard the boat, to remain calm and await verified information from the appropriate authorities. No effort will be spared to ensure their safety.’

The All Progressives Congress (APC), Taraba State chapter, on Saturday launched the Door-to-Door Movement to facilitate the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Agbu Kefas.

The Nigerian Tribune reports that the event also featured the unveiling of 28 campaign vehicles for the movement.

Founder/Convener of the PBAT Movement, High Chief Oweizide Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), explained during the occasion in Jalingo that the effort is to coordinate support across polling units for President Bola Tinubu and all APC candidates in the 2027 general election.

While calling on Tarabans to support the APC for continuity, High Chief Tompolo assured that re-electing President Tinubu and Governor Kefas would not just attract development but build a Taraba of the people’s dream.

Meanwhile, Gov Agbu Kefas assured of his administration’s efforts to attract more development if re-elected in 2027.

Earlier, the state APC Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Bawa, stated that massive coordination at ward level was already being conducted to ensure the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Agbu Kefas.

A political movement of young professionals drawn from across the 52 wards of Kwara Central senatorial district, under the aegis of the 52-Youth Coalition, has pledged its support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in the forthcoming general elections.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Saturday, the group, led by the Deputy Central Coordinator, Issa Abdulgafar Arikewuyo, however, said that they would vote for candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state in the general elections.

The group, who said that state politics must serve the people, added that public resources must be treated as a trust, not a personal estate.

‘This is our position as the 52-Youth Coalition. We are supporting the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu because, among the options currently available, none has demonstrated that he is better than him.

‘Besides, we believe President Tinubu also deserves the time required to consolidate the policies and reforms his administration has begun.’

However, the youth group said that their support for the President at the national level does not extend to this state government’s record, saying: ‘Here in Kwara, we are working to deliver victory for the candidates of the Rainbow Coalition, the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidates for the governorship and the National Assembly.

‘We strongly believe Kwara needs fresh air in its leadership and governance. We cannot continue to reward a government defined by insecurity, waste, absenteeism and intolerance for accountability within its own ranks.

‘We, therefore, call on all Kwarans, young and old, across the 16 local government areas, to vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the presidential election, and for the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party in the governorship and National Assembly elections in 2027.

‘Politics must serve the people. Public resources must be treated as a trust, not a personal estate. And the future of Kwara must be bigger than the interests of one man and his inner circle.’

Arikewuyo also said that the Coalition will continue to engage citizens across the 52 wards of Kwara Central district and work with young people across Kwara South and Kwara North districts around issues of governance, accountability, security, economic opportunity and democratic participation.

Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has appointed six zonal coordinators to spearhead his 2027 campaign organisation and drive his ‘Reset Nigeria’ agenda nationwide.

Makinde, the presidential candidate of Allied People’s Movement (APM), disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja by Richard Ihediwa, Director, Strategic Communications for the Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation.

The newly appointed zonal leaders include High Chief Dr. Eddy Olafeso for the South-West, Mr Habu Muazu for the North-East, and Sen. Ibrahim Tsauri for the North-West.

Completing the line-up are Dr. Bode Ojomo for the North-Central, Mr Akadiaha Ebitu for the South-South, and Sir Obi Okechukwu for the South-East.

According to the campaign organisation, the leaders were selected to leverage their political experience alongside the National Campaign Management Committee (NCMC).

Their primary objective is to mobilise citizens for a vigorous, issue-based push toward the Jan. 16, 2027 polls.

‘The zonal coordinators bring their wealth of experience, capacity and political connections in working with the National Campaign Management Committee and the national leadership of the Party to mobilise Nigerians and drive a vigorous, issue-based and people-oriented campaign,’ the campaign organisation stated.

Makinde, according to the statement, expressed gratitude for the growing solidarity from the public and assured that additional campaign appointments will be revealed soon.

He also urged supporters to stay focused as the party worked to bring a new lease of life to the country.

‘The presidential candidate urges all Nigerians to remain focused and steadfast as we work hard to reset and bring a new lease of life to our nation,’ the statement read.

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has urged Nigerians to verify the status of investment schemes and fund managers before committing their hard-earned money, warning against unlicensed operators and Ponzi schemes promising extraordinary returns.

Managing Director/Chief Executive of the NDIC, Thompson Oludare Sunday, gave the warning on Wednesday, at the corporation’s Special Day, during the 21st Abuja International Trade Fair, organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture.

Sunday said Nigerians should keep their money in licensed and regulated financial institutions, noting that the collapse of Ponzi schemes had repeatedly demonstrated the severe financial and emotional consequences of entrusting funds to unregulated operators.

‘There are still Nigerians who keep substantial funds outside the formal banking system or entrust their savings to unlicensed fund managers, attracted by promises of extraordinary and unrealistic returns,’ he said.

According to him, the consequences of such decisions could be devastating, urging potential investors to pause, ask questions and verify the legitimacy of an investment opportunity before committing their funds.

‘If an investment promise sounds too good to be true, Nigerians should pause, ask questions and verify before committing their money,’ Sunday said.

He stated that the NDIC, as a critical pillar of Nigeria’s financial safety-net architecture, was working to strengthen confidence in the banking system through deposit guarantee, bank supervision in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria, failure resolution and bank liquidation.

Sunday said the corporation enhanced deposit insurance coverage in 2024, raising the maximum insured limit to ?5 million per depositor per Deposit Money Bank and Mobile Money Operator, and ?2 million per depositor for Microfinance Banks, Primary Mortgage Banks and Payment Service Banks.

He said the enhanced coverage provided full protection for more than 98 percent of depositors across insured institutions, helping to protect households, small businesses and vulnerable depositors from the immediate consequences of bank failure.

For depositors whose balances exceed the insured limits, he said the NDIC continued to pay liquidation dividends from recoveries of debts owed to failed institutions and the disposal of their physical assets.

The NDIC boss said the Corporation had also deployed technology, including the Bank Verification Number, Single Customer View framework and NIBSS infrastructure, to accelerate the reimbursement of depositors of failed banks.

‘Today, verified depositors of failed banks receive their insured deposits within days of bank closure,’ he said.

Sunday said the NDIC had repositioned itself from being merely a payer of claims after bank failures to a ‘Risk Minimizer’ focused on identifying vulnerabilities early and preventing institutional problems from escalating into systemic crises.

He listed Risk-Based Supervision, an enhanced Differential Premium Assessment System, the Single Customer View Framework, distress resolution tools and the Bank Liquidation Management System among initiatives introduced to strengthen the Corporation’s institutional framework.

The NDIC chief also urged Nigerians to make use of the Corporation’s upgraded website launched on September 19, 2026, describing it as a one-stop digital gateway for depositors and other stakeholders.

He further noted the platform provides information on deposit insurance coverage limits, claims processing and institutions insured by the NDIC, while its Quick Action Bar gives users access to services including filing claims, checking banks, reporting failed banks and accessing frequently asked questions.

The website also features an artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistant designed to provide faster access to information, he added.

Sunday stressed that technology and regulation alone could not guarantee financial security, describing financial literacy as ‘the first line of defence’ for depositors and business owners.

He advised businesses and members of the public to strengthen their financial literacy, use digital financial services responsibly, maintain sound financial practices and seek guidance from relevant regulatory institutions when necessary.

‘The more informed the public becomes, the stronger our collective capacity to build a resilient financial system,’ he said.

Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has assured residents of the state that his administration will use the next four years to consolidate its achievements and intensify efforts to improve their standard of living.

Adeleke gave the assurance on Thursday while addressing the people of Osun State at Fakunle Comprehensive High School, Osogbo, during activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary and the presentation of prizes to winners of the 2026 Osun State Essay Competition.

The Governor thanked the people of the state for their participation in the just-concluded governorship election, saying their large turnout and determination contributed to the successful conduct of the poll.

He pledged that his administration would work with renewed determination to address areas requiring further attention, while consolidating gains recorded in education, healthcare, infrastructure and agriculture.

According to him, his administration’s development agenda is centred on the people, stressing that government programmes must ultimately translate into improved quality of life for citizens.

Adeleke said significant attention had been given to the education sector through the improvement of schools, provision of learning facilities and recruitment of teachers.

He also cited Osun’s fifth position nationally in the 2026 NECO Senior School Certificate Examination as evidence of progress in the sector, noting that the state moved up from seventh position in the 2025 ranking.

The Governor congratulated participants and winners of the 2026 Osun State Essay Competition, as well as their teachers and parents, saying the initiative would encourage young people to think critically and contribute ideas to the development of the state and country.

On healthcare, Adeleke said his administration had continued to strengthen primary healthcare delivery, improve health facilities and expand access to health insurance and other medical interventions.

He added that road construction and rehabilitation, bridge projects, water systems and other infrastructure interventions remained central to his administration’s development agenda.

The Governor further said the state was supporting farmers through improved agricultural inputs, mechanisation and access to markets, stressing that agriculture must serve as both a means of feeding the population and creating wealth for families and communities.

While acknowledging that challenges remained, Adeleke said the achievements recorded so far demonstrated that the state was moving in the right direction.

He described the people of Osun, particularly its youths, farmers, entrepreneurs, teachers and workers, as major assets to the state’s development, expressing confidence that a peaceful, prosperous and self-reliant Osun was achievable.

The Governor also used the Independence Anniversary to call for peace and unity among Nigerians, regardless of political, religious or social differences.

He urged citizens to resolve disagreements peacefully, noting that meaningful development could not take place without peace and stability.

However, the state Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Dr Bashir Tokunbo Salami, also quoted Adeleke as saying that the future of Nigeria depended largely on how the country treated its young people, urging government and other stakeholders to provide quality education, create opportunities, support talents and give youths reasons to build their future in the country.

He called on Nigerians to renew their hope in the country and recommit themselves to building a nation where every child would have a fair opportunity, hard work would be rewarded and citizens could live with dignity.

The Governor concluded by assuring the people of Osun that his administration would continue to listen to their concerns and pursue policies and programmes aimed at improving their lives.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has felicitated with FCT residents on Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, urging them to support government reforms and sustain the development drive in the capital territory.

In his independence anniversary message on Wednesday, Wike said the theme of this year’s celebration, ‘From Reforms to Stability: Consolidating Nigeria’s Renewed Hope for Shared Prosperity’, reflects an opportunity for renewal and sustainable growth.

‘We acknowledge the challenges that have faced our nation in the past 66 years, but also see a great opportunity for renewal and sustainable growth. We are very optimistic that the future is brighter. We have a President who is intentional about prioritising the well-being of the citizens and has brought unprecedented development to the FCT,’ he said.

The minister described the FCT as a symbol of national unity where Nigerians from all tribes and faiths live and thrive in peace, noting that the administration’s mission is to transform Abuja into a world-class capital city.

He said the administration has invested heavily in critical infrastructure, road networks, public transportation and tackling urban sprawl to ensure development reaches every part of the territory.

‘This administration has totally transformed the road network of the FCT from the city centre to the remotest rural parts, providing world class roads equipped with drainage and solar lighting, thereby putting an end to both inaccessibility and insecurity in far-flung settlements,’ Wike said.

He added that ultramodern bus terminals have been built in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, with plans to extend to Kuje, Bwari and Gwagwalada to provide safe transportation.

Wike said the FCTA is also improving access to quality healthcare and education across all area councils, revitalising schools and primary health centres.

He assured residents that security remains a top priority, with intensified surveillance, enhanced community policing and deployment of modern technology to combat crime.

The minister urged residents to remain law-abiding, support government initiatives and protect public infrastructure from vandalism.

On the 2027 general elections, Wike enjoined residents to vote for progressive and visionary leaders who will sustain the infrastructural revolution in the FCT.

‘As the nation prepares for the forthcoming general elections in January 2027, I enjoin you all to see it as an opportunity to vote in progressive, visionary leaders that will sustain and expand the infrastructural revolution that has commenced in the FCT,’ he said.

He called for peaceful coexistence and unity, saying the anniversary should remind Nigerians of what can be achieved with shared purpose.

‘Let this anniversary serve as a reminder of what we can achieve when we work with a shared purpose and a unified vision. Together, we will build an FCT that we can all be proud of – a beacon of hope and prosperity for the entire African continent,’ Wike added.

Kogi State Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project has commenced the distribution of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards to 12,112 adolescent girls enrolled as second-cohort beneficiaries under the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) component of the project.

The distribution exercise, being implemented across the three senatorial districts of Kogi State, is designed to facilitate beneficiaries’ access to their designated financial channels and ensure that eligible adolescent girls are adequately reached under the CCT intervention.

The CCT component is one of the interventions of the Kogi AGILE Project aimed at supporting adolescent girls to remain in school, transition successfully, and overcome some of the financial barriers that may affect their education.

Speaking during the exercise, the State Project Coordinator (SPC), Kogi AGILE Project, Alhaji Ahmed Tijani Oricha, reiterated the project’s commitment to ensuring that eligible beneficiaries receive the necessary support under the programme.

He explained that the distribution of ATM cards represents an important stage in the implementation of the CCT intervention, as it provides beneficiaries with the financial access required to receive the support provided under the programme.

Alhaji Oricha urged the beneficiaries and their parents or guardians to make responsible use of the intervention, stressing the importance of the support in promoting girls’ education and encouraging beneficiaries to remain committed to their studies.

He also called on school principals, parents, community stakeholders, and other relevant actors to support the successful implementation of the programme by ensuring that beneficiaries are properly guided and protected throughout the process.

The CCT Lead, Kunle Mumini, said the second cohort comprises 12,112 eligible adolescent girls whose ATM cards are being distributed as part of efforts to strengthen the delivery of the CCT intervention.

According to him, the distribution is being organized across the three senatorial districts to improve accessibility, reduce the burden of traveling long distances for beneficiaries, and ensure that the exercise reaches eligible girls across the state.

He further encouraged beneficiaries and their parents to cooperate with officials during the exercise and ensure that all required procedures are followed for proper documentation and accountability.

The commencement of the second-cohort ATM card distribution builds on the experience of the first cohort of the CCT intervention, which targeted 13,359 adolescent girls in all transitioning classes across Kogi State.

The first cohort was designed to support girls at critical transition points in their education, particularly as they move from one level of schooling to another. The continuation of the intervention with a second cohort underscores the project’s broader focus on improving girls’ access to and retention in education.

Some beneficiaries who spoke during the exercise expressed appreciation for the support, noting that the intervention would provide additional encouragement for them to remain focused on their education.

Parents and guardians also welcomed the initiative, with some describing the CCT support as an important intervention for families facing financial challenges associated with keeping their daughters in school.

School principals and administrators participating in the exercise similarly emphasised the importance of collaboration among schools, parents, communities and the AGILE Project in ensuring that the intervention achieves its intended objectives.

The distribution exercise is expected to continue across the three senatorial districts, with project officials working with relevant stakeholders to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries under the second cohort are adequately reached.

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Nigeria has appointed Mr S.D. Kum as its new Head of National Office (HNO).

His appointment takes effect on Friday, 2 October 2026.

Until his appointment, Mr Kum served as the Senior Deputy Registrar and Head of Test Administration at WAEC Nigeria.

He succeeds Dr Amos Dangut, who was appointed Registrar of WAEC International in mid-June this year.

Dr Dangut, who served for nearly three years as the HNO of WAEC Nigeria and is now set to lead the council at the regional level, will also officially assume his new role on Friday, 2 October 2026, at the council’s international headquarters in Accra, Ghana.

Mr Kum steps into his new leadership role with extensive operational and field experience gathered across various Nigerian geopolitical zones.

He previously served as WAEC Branch Controller and Zonal Coordinator for several regional offices, notably overseeing operations in places including Rivers State.

While serving as Zonal Coordinator, Mr Kum was reported to have been the primary enforcer of the Nigeria Examinations Committee’s (NEC) anti-malpractice directives.

He gained significant prominence in 2022 when he officially issued de-recognition letters to 35 secondary schools in Rivers State indicted for mass cheating and examination malpractice.

Throughout his career, he has frequently collaborated with state ministries of education, secondary school principals and civil security outfits to design effective examination timetables, ensure smooth coordination and maintain secure testing environments.