Category: Nigerian Tribune

The national president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Archbishop Francis Wale Oke, has urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to tackle insecurity, economic hardship, corruption and illicit drug trafficking in the country.

Oke, in his Independence Day message to Nigerians to mark the nation’s 66th anniversary, also called on citizens to reflect on the state of the country and rededicate themselves to building a peaceful, united and prosperous Nigeria.

The message, contained in a statement issued by the Media Bureau of the PFN, congratulated Nigerians on the anniversary while acknowledging the progress recorded by the country over the past 66 years.

According to him, the Independence Day celebration should not only be a time of thanksgiving and rejoicing, but also an opportunity for Nigerians to engage in ‘deep and honest reflection’ on the nation’s challenges.

‘For 66 years, we have seen much and achieved much. The progress we have made cannot be denied, but the challenges before us cannot be ignored,’ he said.

Oke identified peace and security as essential foundations for national development, urging the government to ensure the protection of every Nigerian irrespective of location, ethnicity or region.

He called for intensified action against banditry and terrorism, particularly in forests and other areas used as hideouts by criminals.

‘We must remove the bandits and terrorists from our forests and bring them and their financiers to justice. The Federal Government must do more and do it now,’ the PFN president said.

On the economy, Oke expressed concern over the worsening hardship confronting Nigerians, urging both the Federal and state governments to take stronger measures to improve citizens’ welfare.

He said Nigeria’s abundant human and natural resources should be deployed for the benefit of the wider population rather than a privileged few.

The PFN president also advocated the review of existing laws and the enactment of new legislation to create an enabling environment for businesses, while calling for aggressive industrialisation to expand the nation’s productive capacity and improve living standards.

Oke described corruption as a major threat to democratic governance, saying it had weakened accountability, transparency, justice and public trust.

‘Governments at all tiers-whether national, state or local-need to try harder and tackle it headlong and wipe it out so that every Nigerian will enjoy the dividends of democracy,’ he said.

He further expressed concern over the production and trafficking of illicit drugs in Nigeria, particularly the danger posed to young people.

He urged the authorities and citizens to intensify efforts to protect the younger generation from the menace.

Oke appealed to Nigerians across ethnic, religious and social divides to unite in building a nation founded on peace, justice, love and righteousness.

‘Nigeria can be great again, but we must all play our parts,’ he said, stressing that the country’s progress depended on the collective responsibility of its citizens.

He urged Nigerians to think, speak, and act in ways that would promote national development and accelerate progress, while calling for continued faith in God and commitment to the ideals of the nation’s founding fathers.

The Village Head of Aujarawar Alkali in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State, Alhaji Ahmad Yakubu, has reportedly been killed by his abductors.

Ahmad was abducted on Tuesday night, September 17, 2026, when gunmen reportedly stormed the community and took him away.

His body was later recovered from a shallow grave in Danladin Gezawa, where his abductors were said to have buried him after killing him.

Musa Garba, a resident of Gezawa, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with News Point Nigeria.

Garba said the abductors subjected the village head to severe torture before his death, alleging that one of his legs was cut off and his hands were tied behind his back.

‘I attended the funeral prayers today (Wednesday) at around 3pm. The assailants tortured the village head to death by cutting off one of his legs and tying his hands behind him. He was brutalised until he died,’ Garba said.

He added that the abductors subsequently buried the remains in a shallow grave in Danladin Gezawa.

‘Four days later, some villagers discovered the grave and raised the alarm,’ he said.

According to Garba, the deceased’s wife identified the remains, which were taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

He said the remains were subsequently buried after the hospital authorities reportedly determined that they had begun decomposing.

Police authorities in Kano State have yet to issue an official statement on the reported abduction and killing.

The Director of the Institute for Industrial Technology (IIT) in Lagos, David Okechukwu, has called for greater investment in technical and vocational education, saying Nigeria needs a skilled and ethically grounded workforce to drive industrial development and address youth unemployment.

Okechukwu made the call while speaking on the state of the country’s technical and vocational education, youth unemployment, and the impact of IIT, which marked its 25th anniversary last year, stressing that technical skills remained critical to the country’s economic transformation.

According to him, Nigeria’s industrial sector could not afford to entrust expensive equipment to inadequately trained personnel, as poor technical competence could result in equipment breakdown, business losses and reduced productivity.

He said the institute’s approach combined technical training with ethical and moral education to ensure that young people not only acquired skills but also understood how to deploy them responsibly.

‘When you give a young Nigerian a skill, he can do many things with that skill, but you have to give him the ethical foundation to be able to use that skill well,’ Okechukwu said.

He explained that IIT had developed a model that combines technical education with multi-skilling, industry exposure, entrepreneurship and ethical training.

According to him, the multi-skilled approach is designed to make graduates more versatile in the labour market, enabling them to diagnose and solve problems that cut across different technical areas.

He said students also undergo an advanced learning phase involving in-company training, which he described as similar to an internship but with closer supervision by the institute.

‘Students have to go through the advanced learning phase, which is the in-company training. They have to be properly monitored. They report back to the school so that we can get a feel for how they are performing,’ he said.

Okechukwu added that the institute continued to support its graduates through its alumni association, including assistance with employment opportunities.

He said some graduates had secured employment even before completing their industry placements, while others had gone on to establish businesses, occupy management positions or pursue further education.

On youth unemployment, the IIT director said technical education could help address the problem by equipping young people with skills to provide services and establish enterprises rather than relying exclusively on salaried employment.

He, however, stressed that technical competence must be complemented by business and entrepreneurship training.

‘People have to start their own enterprises, start their own businesses, and you can’t just start something without having the skill to start that,’ he said.

Okechukwu also called for a more strategic approach to expanding technical education across Nigeria, arguing that simply replicating the same training institution in every state might not produce the desired result.

He said training programmes should be designed around the economic activities and industrial potential of individual states.

‘If you say replicating each state, it’s not about putting it in each state. It is about what this state is good for, what are the businesses that thrive in this state,’ he said.

He suggested that states with strong agricultural, industrial or craft-based economies should develop technical programmes tailored to those sectors.

On the cost of technical education, Okechukwu said the sector required substantial investment because effective training depended on equipment, workshops and competent instructors.

He disclosed that some equipment in the institute’s automation laboratory cost about $60,000 per unit, underscoring the financial requirements involved in providing practical technical education.

He also called for greater capacity utilisation and more efficient deployment of infrastructure rather than relying solely on large campuses and extensive land.

The director said regulators also had an important role to play in creating an environment where institutions providing effective technical education could expand and contribute to national development.

He acknowledged ongoing efforts by government agencies to promote technical skills, including the development of the National Skills Qualification framework, but urged stronger collaboration between government and institutions already delivering technical training.

Okechukwu further disclosed that IIT’s model had attracted interest beyond Nigeria, noting that the institute had supported the establishment of a technical school in Nairobi, Kenya.

He said the institute’s experience had also attracted international attention, including interest from Germany in accessing skilled workers trained in Nigeria.

Earlier, a policy researcher, who participated in the discussion, raised questions about the scalability of IIT’s model and whether it could be expanded across Nigeria and other African countries.

Responding, Okechukwu reiterated that expansion should be based on the specific economic needs of each location rather than simply reproducing the same model everywhere.

He said partnerships with organisations interested in education and skills development could provide opportunities to scale the model.

On the role of the African Development Foundation, Okechukwu clarified that IIT was initiated by the US African Development Foundation and distinguished it from the Nigerian organisation with a similar name.

He said the foundation also initiated what became Lagos Business School before the institution was later ceded to the Pan-Atlantic University Foundation.

Okechukwu said the foundation continued to support IIT because of the need to change the perception that technical education was meant for people who could not pursue conventional academic education.

He argued that technically trained personnel would be needed to operate and maintain sophisticated equipment in sectors including manufacturing, automobile production and refineries.

He said the challenge extended beyond providing equipment, as institutions also needed competent instructors and enough students willing to pursue technical careers.

‘People don’t want to come for technical education,’ he said, adding that perceptions around blue-collar work remained a significant obstacle to the expansion of the sector.

He called for a change in societal attitudes towards technical careers, noting that skilled technical workers play an important role in industrial production and maintenance.

On the adoption of artificial intelligence in technical education, Okechukwu said IIT was considering how emerging technologies could be incorporated into its training, while noting that the institute’s primary mandate was technical education rather than research.

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, exercising the progressive power of mercy as enshrined in section 212(1)(d) of the Nigerian Constitution, has set free nine inmates serving various jail terms to mark Nigeria’s 66th anniversary.

The inmates are serving various jail terms in correctional centres across Adamawa and one is serving in Plateau State.

In a statement signed by the chief press secretary to the governor, Mr. Humuashi Wonosiko said the pardon granted to the convicts was to give all of them a second chance.

The Governor also commuted the death sentence of a tenth inmate to life imprisonment.

‘This pardon was part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, adding that the decision takes immediate effect.’

Those pardoned are Abubakar Dajo, held at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Jos; and Zabadi Ayuba and Salvation Nyamso, both at the Numan Custodial Centre. Six others, namely Amir Idris, Mohammed Saidu, Yaro Sambo, Buhari Salisu, Urube Samuel and Bamaiyi Amos, were ordered discharged from custodial centres in Jimeta, Ganye, Guyuk, Yola Old and Kojoli.

According to the statement, the Governor acted on the recommendation of the State Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy,

The state government has concluded all necessary legal and administrative formalities with the Nigerian Correctional Service, clearing the way for the immediate release of the beneficiaries and their smooth reintegration into society.

The gesture, the statement said, underscores the principle that correctional justice is not only about punishment, but also about rehabilitation, reform and the possibility of a second chance. It is also expected to help ease congestion in correctional facilities while strengthening the return of reformed inmates to their communities.

For the families of the nine pardoned inmates, the Governor’s decision is far more than an official pronouncement. It means the return of loved ones, renewed hope and a fresh beginning on Nigeria’s Independence Day.

As Adamawa joins the nation in celebrating 66 years of independence, the Governor’s gesture adds a humanitarian dimension to the occasion, with a message centred on mercy, rehabilitation and second chances.

About 18 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), along with other travellers, have reportedly been kidnapped along the Onitsha-Owerri Road in Imo State by suspected gunmen.

According to an eyewitness account, two commercial buses reportedly conveying passengers from Lagos to Owerri were intercepted by suspected kidnappers during the morning hours.

The attackers were said to have forced the occupants, including the drivers, out of the vehicles before taking them away.

The eyewitness further alleged that the incident was not limited to the two buses, as other vehicles plying the route were reportedly affected.

Some passengers travelling in other vehicles were also said to have been taken away during the attack.

Tribune Online learnt that the precise number of persons allegedly abducted remains unknown. However, the identities of the victims, the exact location where they were taken and their current whereabouts are still unknown.

Meanwhile, the reported incident has heightened concerns among road users, particularly travellers moving between Lagos, Onitsha and Owerri.

Motorists and passengers are urged to remain vigilant while relevant security authorities work to establish the facts surrounding the reported attack and determine the whereabouts of those allegedly taken.

Among the kidnapped victims were corps members from Oyo State travelling to their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Abia State through Imo State for their three-week orientation programme.

The incident occurred at around 6:30 a.m. on Thursday. The source added that the corps members departed from Samonda, Ibadan, at about 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday and later stopped over in Imo State, where they spent the night.

The source said the corps members and other travellers were intercepted by the gunmen on Thursday morning while continuing their journey to Abia State.

The Imo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Okoye Henry, when contacted, said he was already working on a press statement by the Imo Police Command.

The Lagos State government says it is implementing a pound 410 million Omi-Eko project to establish a modern, integrated public inland waterways transportation system.

Special Adviser on Blue Economy to the Lagos State Governor, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, disclosed this recently at the 2026 Transport Correspondents Association of Nigeria (TCAN) summit, in Lagos.

Emmanuel said the project was designed to complement the state’s urban mobility system, improve connectivity for waterfront communities and expand access to economic opportunities.

He said more than 540,000 people currently lived in waterfront communities, with many depending on water transport for mobility, livelihoods and economic activities.

According to him, congestion, rising transport costs, limited road space, environmental concerns and inadequate connectivity informed the state’s decision to strengthen water transportation.

‘Water transport can provide alternative corridors and reduce journey times, citing the Ikorodu-Falomo route as an example.

‘The journey from Ikorodu to Falomo, which can take more than one hour by road, could be completed in about 25 to 30 minutes by water,” he stated.

He said the state was strengthening regulation, safety oversight, ferry terminal development, navigation, professional standards and stakeholder engagement to support the sector.

The special adviser added that public awareness was important, as some residents remained reluctant to use water transportation because of fear and limited familiarity with waterways.

He said the Omi-Eko project followed a two-year pre-feasibility study conducted with support from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD).

‘The pound 410 million project involves the European Investment Bank, AFD, European Union and Lagos State Government, with financing comprising loans, grants and counterpart funding.

‘The European Investment Bank will provide pound 170 million, AFD pound 130 million, the European Union pound 60 million grant and Lagos State Government pound 40 million.

‘The remaining pound 10 million is expected from private-sector participation, particularly investment in the ticketing system,” he said.

He said the five-year project would establish 15 structured ferry routes, dredge about 140 kilometres of waterways, upgrade 25 ferry terminals and provide 78 modern electric ferries.

Emmanuel said the vessels would carry up to 440 passengers, while the project would provide passenger facilities, fleet maintenance infrastructure, improved navigation channels and climate-resilient infrastructure.

He said a Vessel Industry Transition Programme was being developed to integrate informal-sector operators into the emerging formal water transportation system through integration or buyout arrangements.

The special adviser stressed that safety remained the foundation of the programme, with emphasis on regulatory enforcement, crew competence, vessel standards and emergency preparedness.

The dispute between a domestic carrier, Xejet, and the Aviation Ground Handlers Association of Nigeria (AGHAN) has entered a critical stage as the latter has withdrawn ground handling services from the airline.

AGHAN said it directed its members to withdraw ground handling services from XeJet Airlines over outstanding debts of about N300 million.

The association said the decision was necessitated by the airline’s alleged failure to honour agreed payment plans, despite repeated efforts by its members to recover the outstanding debts.

Consequently, the withdrawal of handling service adversely affected Xejet, forcing the airline to divert some of the check-in luggage of its passengers on another domestic airline.

A statement jointly signed by AGHAN president Olaniyi Adigun and vice President, Bashir Ahmed, claimed that while several domestic airlines had complied with payment arrangements reached with ground handling companies, XEJet, on the other hand, remained ‘recalcitrant’.

AGHAN threatened that its members would continue to deny services to the airline until its outstanding obligations were settled.

The association added that XEJet’s management had also allegedly failed to engage its members in negotiations over the debts as at Wednesday this week.

‘We decided to direct our members to withdraw services from XEJet Airlines because it has, over time, failed to meet up with its payment plans. Our members have made every effort to ensure that the airline complied, but its management has been recalcitrant,’ it alleged.

‘We can’t continue to operate like this. Why are some companies not willing to pay for services rendered to them? This is intentional. It is affecting our members at all cadres. We need to increase our equipment, while also boosting the welfare of our staff, but we can’t do this when some organisations are not willing to pay for services rendered to them.’

‘As it stands, the company owes our members about N300 million. Hence, we have instructed our members to withdraw services from the airline and this has been complied with 100 per cent, the statement read in part.

The handlers warned that they would take similar action against any other airline that failed to honour agreed payment plans for services rendered.

The group, however, regretted the operational and financial challenges confronting businesses in the aviation sector, but said ground handling companies were also exposed to the same economy.

The latest development followed an earlier seven-day ultimatum issued by the association to some domestic airlines with outstanding debts.

Recall that the association had earlier directed affected airlines to settle at least 75 per cent of their outstanding obligations or risk suspension of ground handling services.

According to the association, the ultimatum followed an executive meeting with its members to address the growing indebtedness of airlines to ground handling companies.

The group said that it suspended the three after some of the affected airlines presented payment plans and commenced steps towards settling their obligations.

XEJet, the association said, failed to comply with the agreed arrangements, leading to the latest directive by AGHAN for its members to withdraw services from the airline

The National Universities Commission [NUC] has called for stronger feedback from employers and industry to ensure that university curricula remain responsive to labour-market needs and equip graduates with relevant entrepreneurial and practical skills.

Executive Secretary of the NUC, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, made the call in Abuja, at a two-day Entrepreneurship Institutional Readiness Workshop, organised by the commission in collaboration with the British Council.

Ribadu, who was represented at the workshop by the Director, Research, Innovation and Information Technology, Mal. Lawal Mohammed Faruk, also urged universities to increase investment in innovation hubs and adopt data-driven assessments to guide curriculum review and improve entrepreneurship education.

He stressed that entrepreneurship should not be treated as an isolated course or activity, but as a holistic enterprise embedded across university systems.

He said the commission has established benchmarks for monitoring Entrepreneurship Development Centres in universities, with emphasis on quality control, effective mentorship, sustainable funding and stronger university-industry partnerships.[EDCs]

Ribadu recalled that entrepreneurship education received a major boost following the Federal Government’s directive for universities to establish functional EDCs, leading to a significant expansion of entrepreneurship education across the Nigerian University System.

He said that whereas only about seven institutions had standardised entrepreneurship courses at the time, the sector had since evolved with a clearer operational framework for quality assurance.

The NUC boss said the commission had continued to support universities through funding, capacity building, infrastructure and staffing interventions.

He added that recent curriculum reforms under the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards [CCMAS] had provided universities with greater flexibility to respond to emerging skills needs.

Ribadu noted that 30 per cent of the CCMAS curriculum content was left to the discretion of individual universities, allowing them to introduce high-demand practical skills such as software engineering, data analytics and sustainable business models.

He said assessment was also moving beyond conventional theoretical examinations to practical outcomes, including prototyping, pitching and business-plan execution.

The Executive Secretary reaffirmed the NUC’s commitment to compliance and assessment visits to ensure that entrepreneurship programmes remained relevant to industry and capable of helping graduates transition from job seekers to job creators.

He further emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among universities, employers and industry in shaping entrepreneurship education and ensuring that graduates acquire competencies required in the world of work.

Speaking at the workshop, the facilitator, Mr Daniel Emenahor, who supports international partnerships between British and Nigerian universities, said the programme was designed to facilitate practical solutions for strengthening entrepreneurship education in Nigerian universities.

The British Council Nigeria representative, Ms Donna McGowan, commended the NUC for its leadership in advancing entrepreneurship education and sustaining its partnership with the council.

She urged universities to use the opportunity to strengthen entrepreneurship education and make it an integral component of institutional development.

McGowan said universities had an important role not only in preparing young people for employment but also in enabling them to develop innovative solutions to societal challenges and create opportunities for others.

She said the major challenge was to move entrepreneurship beyond being merely a centre, course, competition or annual event to becoming an integral part of university operations.

She disclosed that the framework being explored at the workshop focused on six interconnected dimensions: Strategy, Environment, Partnerships, Pedagogy, Implementation and Impact.

According to her, a university could have a renowned entrepreneurship centre, but without institutional support, meaningful partnerships, appropriate teaching approaches and measurable outcomes, its impact would remain limited.

She therefore urged participants to examine existing practices, identify what works and the barriers confronting their institutions, and develop practical actions that could be implemented.

A major highlight of the workshop was the presentation and validation of the new Operational Guidelines for Entrepreneurship Development Centres in Nigerian Universities by the lead resource person and Professor at the University of Ibadan, Prof. Gbemisola Oke.

Oke said the guidelines had undergone several reviews and consultations involving the NUC and the British Council, resulting in what she described as a more streamlined framework.

She said the document provided guidance on the definition and functions of EDCs, staffing, infrastructure, funding sources, monitoring and evaluation.

The professor said the guidelines positioned EDCs within a university-wide entrepreneurship ecosystem rather than as standalone units, with every part of the university expected to contribute to entrepreneurial learning and development.

She said the objectives of the guidelines included providing a uniform national framework for EDCs, embedding entrepreneurial competencies across academic programmes in line with the CCMAS and global frameworks, strengthening university-community and university-industry linkages, and institutionalising a culture of innovation, monitoring and evaluation.

Oke said the framework drew from global best practices, including the European Entrepreneurship Competence Framework and the Triple Helix Model of University-Industry-Government collaboration, while being adapted to Nigeria’s Agenda 2050, the National Development Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals.

She explained that the new approach represented a shift from a centrally taught, standalone entrepreneurship course to a cross-cutting capability integrated across disciplines.

The framework, she said, would cover the full cycle from research and invention through intellectual property protection, licensing, commercialisation and revenue generation.

She added that assessment under the new guidelines would increasingly focus on practical outcomes such as patents, prototypes and business creation, supported by appropriate intellectual property policies, infrastructure and incentive mechanisms.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has been honoured with the ‘Workers Minister of the Decade Award’ for his outstanding leadership and commitment to workers’ issues.

The award was presented to the minister during the 2026 National Pre-Retirement Summit (NPS 2026), held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.

The presentation was led by veteran labour leader Comrade Chief Godwin Abumisi, president of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, alongside Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Presenting the award, the organisers described the recognition as a reward for ‘outstanding leadership and commitment to workers’ issues,’ acknowledging the minister’s contributions to matters affecting workers and pensioners.

The recognition formed part of activities at the two-day summit, which brought together representatives of more than 100 public and private sector organisations to deliberate on retirement planning, financial preparedness and post-service wellbeing.

The summit, convened by XEM Consultants Limited, was held under the theme: ‘Own Your Retirement: From Planning to Action’.

The event provided a platform for stakeholders from government, organised labour, the private sector and other institutions to examine strategies for preparing workers for a secure and productive retirement.

The ‘Workers Minister of the Decade Award’ adds to the growing recognition of Keyamo’s engagement with labour and workers’ concerns in the course of his public service.

The minister, who received the award in the presence of labour leaders and other stakeholders, expressed appreciation for the recognition and reaffirmed the importance of protecting the dignity, welfare and rights of workers, both during their active service and in retirement

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that 9,324,349 young Nigerians were newly registered during the 2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercises, as it unveiled nine returning and new Youth Ambassadors to deepen youth engagement ahead of the 2027 general election.

Chairman of the Commission, Prof Joash Amupitan, SAN, made the disclosure at the investiture ceremony of newly appointed Youth Ambassadors in Abuja on Wednesday, 30 September 2026. He was represented by National Commissioner, Prof Rhoda Gumus.

Amupitan said the figure underscored the growing importance of youth participation, stressing that the active involvement of young Nigerians was vital to strengthening democracy.

‘This figure reinforces the critical role of active youth participation in Nigeria’s electoral process, which also helps in shaping electoral outcomes and strengthening public confidence in the democratic process,’ he said.

He said the appointment of Youth Ambassadors was a deliberate step to strengthen the connection between the Commission and the youth population.

‘We believe that youths are more likely to engage with electoral information when it is communicated through credible, relatable and influential voices within their communities and social networks,’ he said.

He urged the ambassadors to use their influence to raise voter awareness, promote peaceful participation, counter misinformation and uphold integrity and impartiality.

In his welcome address, National Commissioner and Chairman, Outreach and Partnership Committee, Prof Kunle Ajayi, called on the ambassadors to speak against electoral violence and manipulation and promote accurate information.

Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, represented by Deputy Director, Network and Social Mobilisation, Mrs Lami Bature, urged the ambassadors to promote electoral awareness and peaceful participation and join the fight against misinformation and electoral violence.

Director-General, National Orientation Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, represented by Director, Civic Values and Democracy Education, Dr Olukemi Afolayan, also urged the ambassadors to promote civic responsibility and electoral integrity.

Director, Gender and Inclusivity Department, Mrs Lakunuya Dorothy Bello, said the Youth Ambassadors Initiative, established in 2014, connects the Commission with young Nigerians through credible youth figures to promote voter education and responsible digital engagement.

Deputy Director, Inclusivity, Haj Habiba Abdulkareem Jatto, said the initiative would strengthen partnership with influential young Nigerians and promote greater participation.

The nine ambassadors, drawn from the movie, music and comedy industries, are Amal Umar, Christopher Yohanna (Uncle CY), Alex Kool Ibeh (Mr Kool), Mike Godson, Emmanuel Ikubese, Seun Ajayi, Ibrahim Tukur Bello (Disability Is Not Inability), Sunday Agbaji and Thompson Ukeki.

Highlights included the presentation of certificates, plaques and ambassadorial mufflers, and the administration of the Oath of Commitment.

In a related development, INEC presented a Certificate of Return to the winner of the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency bye-election held on 19 September 2026.

The Certificate was presented to the Member-elect, Hon Kallamu MaiJama’a, by the National Commissioner supervising Gombe State, Rear Adm Jamila Abubakar Sadiq Malafa (rtd), at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

MaiJama’a commended the Commission, describing the exercise as free, fair and credible.