National

By TDR

Soldiers attached to the 133 Special Forces Battalion in Azare, Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State, have accused their Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. A.K. Kachalla, of compelling troops stationed at checkpoints to remit weekly financial “returns” of as much as ₦500,000, with the threat of redeployment for those who fail to comply.

The allegations were disclosed by several military sources who spoke with newsmen on condition of anonymity on Wednesday.

According to SaharaReporters, one of the sources said soldiers are frequently posted to checkpoints on major routes such as Kano Road, Maiduguri Road, Dambam, and Jama’are, where they are allegedly expected to collect money from motorists and passengers.

“Soldiers will be deployed to a checkpoint to be collecting money from passengers and a commanding officer will be waiting for return of ₦500,000 every week,” the source alleged. “If the soldiers didn’t meet up with the demands, they will change them immediately from the checkpoint and bring new soldiers.”

Another source described the alleged practice as entrenched, adding that it started shortly after Lt. Col. Kachalla assumed command of the battalion.

“Since this CO took over, things have gone from bad to worse,” the source said.

The same source complained about deteriorating living conditions within the barracks, particularly irregular power supply.

“Apart from the extortion at checkpoints, we don’t have regular electricity supply anymore. We only have light for about four hours out of 24 hours.”

The soldiers also alleged that water supply in the barracks has broken down, which they said has created serious hardship for their families.

“There is no water in the barracks. Women are suffering seriously just to get water for daily use,” one soldier said.

They compared the current situation with conditions under a former commander, Lt. Col. P.O. Mukoro, who is now a colonel.

“We remember during Lt. Col. P.O. Mukoro, now Col. P.O. Mukoro, we enjoyed 24 hours light and water everywhere,” a source said. “He is one of the best commanding officers the unit has ever had, and we are still missing him till now.”

The soldiers called on the military authorities to step in without delay.

“We are calling on the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, for the removal of Lt. Col. A.K. Kachalla as the Commanding Officer of 133 SF BN,” one source said.

They also urged the military high command to order an independent investigation into the alleged extortion linked to checkpoint postings.

“The issue of checkpoint deployment return must be properly investigated,” another source said. “This is damaging the image of the Army and destroying morale among soldiers.”

By Uzair Adam

The Presidency has dismissed concerns about President Bola Tinubu’s health, saying he remains fit and is carrying on with his state visit to Türkiye as scheduled.

The assurance was given on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, who said the President moved from the ceremonial welcome in Ankara straight into planned bilateral engagements with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other top Turkish officials.

According to Dare, the meetings are focused on strengthening diplomatic ties and widening cooperation between Nigeria and Türkiye in key areas such as defence and security, trade and investment, energy and overall economic development.

He noted that the seamless flow of activities reflects the growing relationship between both countries and Nigeria’s renewed diplomatic drive under the Tinubu administration.

Addressing enquiries about a brief incident involving the President, Presidential Spokesperson Bayo Onanuga clarified that Tinubu only lost his balance momentarily after stepping on an object.

He explained that the President stepped on a metal on the floor, which caused a slight loss of balance, stressing that it was “not a big deal” and should not be exaggerated.

Onanuga added that it was “a mere stumble, not a fall,” and urged the public to ignore attempts to sensationalise what he described as a fleeting incident.

The Presidency maintained that President Tinubu remains in good health and fully engaged in all official activities during the visit.

By Anwar Usman

The Defence headquarters revealed on Monday that the Investigative Panel established to investigate 16 officers of the armed forces, alleged to have been indicted for acts of indiscipline, acts contrary to service regulations, and other breaches, has concluded its investigations, adding that the officers will face a military Court Martial.

Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, made this known  in a statement in Abuja.

Recall that the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had, in October 2025, announced the arrest and detaintion of the officers, saying that the investigations had now been completed in line with established military procedures and extant regulations.

Major Gen Uba said the investigation examined all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel and identified a number of officers with cases to answer, including allegations bordering on plotting to overthrow the government.

He said such actions were inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards expected of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

He reiterated that the measures being taken were “purely disciplinary and part of internal institutional mechanisms to preserve discipline, cohesion and operational effectiveness within the ranks”.

Uba further noted that, “the commitment of the Armed Forces to professionalism, loyalty and respect for constitutional authority, assuring the public that due process and fairness would be strictly observed throughout the proceedings”.

Reports revealed that the detained officers included a Brigadier-General, a Colonel, four Lieutenant Colonels, five Majors, two Captains, a Lieutenant, a Lieutenant Commander from the Nigerian Navy and a Squadron Leader from the Nigerian Air Force.

Sources familiar with the development said most of the officers belong to the Infantry Corps, Signals Corps, and Ordnance Corps.

By Muhammad Sulaiman

Nigerian businessman and philanthropist Abdul Samad Rabiu has announced substantial financial incentives for the Super Eagles following their impressive victory over Algeria, a win that has lifted national morale and secured Nigeria a place in the semi-finals.

In a congratulatory message released on Friday, Rabiu praised the team for making the nation proud and pledged USD $500,000 to the players should they win the semi-final, with an additional USD $50,000 for every goal scored in that match.

He further stated that if the Super Eagles go on to win the final, he would reward the team with USD $1,000,000, alongside a bonus of USD $100,000 per goal scored in the final.

Rabiu described the players as symbols of national pride and unity, expressing confidence in their ability to carry Nigeria forward in the tournament.

He ended his message with a call for continued excellence, reaffirming his pride in the team and the country.

The announcement has been widely welcomed by fans, adding extra motivation as the Super Eagles prepare for the decisive stages of the competition.

By Muhammad Sani Ilyasu

I woke up to a video circulating on social media by a former Kano State anti-corruption czar, giving his opinion about scholarship beneficiaries on why they had no moral right to identify with Kwankwasiyya. It is important to clear the air. Much of what is being said comes from people who were never inside the scheme and never lived the consequences.

Let me state this clearly and upfront: I do not identify with Kwankwasiyya. I disengaged from the movement in 2020. What follows is not partisan advocacy. It is testimony.

Criticism of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and scholars associated either rightly or wrongly with his ideology has become fashionable. But much of that criticism is detached from the lived realities that shaped those associations, especially the horrible experience of Kano State scholarship beneficiaries. I write as one of them.

Yes, the scholarships were funded with Kano State resources. But at no point—none that I can recall—were beneficiaries compelled to support Kwankwaso politically. There was no loyalty test, no ideological oath, no expectation of political repayment. In fact, many scholars openly opposed him. I personally recall frequent debates with colleagues who were supporters of Ibrahim Shekarau, many of whom never gave Kwankwaso any credit for the scholarship. Most of us were indifferent, credit was never the issue.

The lesson however came in 2015. That was when Abdullahi Ganduje assumed office—and when all of us, including Kwankwaso’s fiercest critics among the scholars, learned the brutal difference between right and privilege. Tuition payments were halted. Upkeep allowances disappeared. Return-ticket funds were withheld. Scholars were stranded and pushed into destitution in foreign countries.

Some waited over eight years to receive their certificates after the scheme was abruptly terminated. In some cases, parents died without ever seeing the academic fruits of sacrifices they had made.

As if that were not enough, scholars were publicly discredited—labeled products of “substandard universities,” their academic legitimacy questioned to justify administrative neglect. Throughout this period, Kano State went silent.

Religious leaders. Business elites. Civil society organizations. The same voices that now moralize and gaslight scholars looked away. The only “crime” of the scholars was that Kwankwaso started the program.

If, as some critics claim, the scheme was merely a vehicle for siphoning public funds, a simple question remains unanswered: why was Kwankwaso never prosecuted—and why were scholars punished instead? Why were entitlements withheld if the beneficiaries were not the accused?

What makes the silence more damning is that this neglect extended beyond foreign scholars. Until the return of a Kwankwasiyya-led government, even undergraduate scholars sent to private universities within Nigeria—and to Egypt and Cyprus—were denied certificates. For postgraduate students, the delay was damaging. For undergraduates, it was life-shattering: no certificate meant no employment, no future.

In all those years, only one political current consistently raised the issue and demanded settlement: Kwankwasiyya. This is the context critics conveniently ignore.

What they now describe as “indoctrination” or “blind loyalty” was, in reality, a rational response to abandonment. You cannot withdraw education, dignity, and future—then later shame people for gravitating toward the only structure that acknowledged their suffering.

That is not principled criticism. It is double standard. Scholars were not pushed toward Kwankwaso by manipulation. They were pushed there by neglect and even for those of us who have long moved on, that historical truth remains intact—uncomfortable, inconvenient, and undeniable.

Gaslighting scholars for the choices they made under abandonment is not moral courage.
It is hypocrisy.

Muhammad writes from Baltimore Maryland and can be reached at msaniiliyasu@gmail.com.

By Lawal Dahiru Mamman,

While the nation, parents, and income earners are still debating the legitimacy of the Tax Laws rolled out by the Federal Government due to “alterations” in some sections and their broader implications, final-year senior secondary school students have other things to worry about. A case of different strokes for different folks.

A student called and, after exchanging pleasantries, he said, “Is it true we’re going to write WAEC exams with computers? We have a computer lab at our school, but it can accommodate only about 30 students at a time, and not everyone offers computer studies. Some people I know don’t even have any in their schools.” He is familiar with how computers work, but was looking out for others, and his concerns are legitimate.

The Senior Secondary School Certificate exam, conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), is held in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Gambia, and Nigeria. WAEC announced plans to shift from traditional paper-and-pencil tests to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for Nigeria’s 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), affecting about 2 million students across 23,554 schools.

The rollout begins with this year’s edition, tentatively scheduled from 24 April to 20 June 2026, with the aim of improving integrity, reducing malpractice and ensuring results are released 45 days after the exam, with digital certificates available within 90 days. 

WAEC’s Head in Nigeria, Amos Dangut, revealed that 1,973,253 students (979,228 males and 994,025 females) will participate, covering 74 subjects and 196 papers. According to him, the digital exams will feature unique question papers for each of the 1,973,253 students as part of efforts to uphold academic integrity.

To support students, the examination body says it has introduced digital learning tools, such as the WAEC E-Study Portal, the E-Learning Portal, and WAEC Konnect. These platforms offer past questions, marking schemes, and performance analysis. 

Despite these promising statements, the young student’s apprehension is not an isolated case. It is the silent and loud cry of thousands of students across Nigeria. While the shift toward digitalisation is a progressive move intended to curb examination malpractice and speed up the release of results, the infrastructure on the ground tells a different story. 

In many suburban and rural schools, the “digital revolution” feels like an ancient myth. It was only last year that Nigeria crossed the 50% broadband penetration mark, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) 2020–2025.

We can also recall that, in May 2025, some students in Asaba, Delta State, took some of their exams using torchlights. The Minister of Education promised to “investigate” the situation, and Nigerians are still waiting for the outcome. But the substance of the matter is, can schools that lack the ability to purchase electric bulbs to light classrooms build rooms and stock them with computers before this year’s test commences?

Students in urban centres may not be affected; both at home and in school, they’re exposed to computers and the Internet. But introducing a computer-based exam to a student who has never used a mouse or sat in front of a steady power source creates an unfair playing field.

The House of Representatives learned of this development in early November and asked WAEC to halt it, citing concerns that it could lead to widespread failure and disadvantage students in rural areas with limited access to computers and the internet. Lawmakers suggest deferring it for at least three years to allow sufficient time for proper infrastructure and capacity building.

Interestingly, WAEC, through the Nigeria National Office Head, confirmed in the last week of the same month that “its plan to introduce a fully Computer-Based Test (CBT) system for the 2026 WASSCE for school candidates is firmly on track”, assuring the public that a key concern regarding travel has been addressed: “No candidate will have to travel more than 2km from their location to take the exam. This assurance is based on a new school mapping strategy.”

The transition to digital examinations cannot succeed through pronouncements alone. If the examination body insists, there must be clear communication to students through their schools and other stakeholders on a step-by-step strategy for this rollout, because students have registered and the examinations are underway.

Issues such as the delivery model must be addressed. Will the exam be fully digital across all subjects, or will it follow a hybrid model, with practical and essay-based subjects remaining on paper for now? Is it going to be JAMB-style? If essays are not retained, this well-intentioned effort could end up being a disaster for all parties involved.

What is the plan to equip public schools at 2km intervals with functional computer laboratories and consistent power solutions, such as solar energy? This must be considered carefully, as our reality shows that students across Nigeria study on bare floors and in other dilapidated conditions.

There must be a nationwide programme for “Mock CBT” exams to familiarise students in underserved areas with the software interface before the actual harvest of grades begins. In this case, even teachers in such areas must be trained to ensure adequate supervision.

In today’s world of artificial intelligence, big data, and other emerging technologies, digitalisation is inevitable, but it must be inclusive. If the goal is to improve the integrity of education, no student should be penalised for their geographical location or economic status.

Without adequate information, one may not be able to speak for The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Ghana, but here in Nigeria, WAEC and the Federal Government must speak clearly on how they want this to happen, because if the questions raised above cannot be answered with clarity, we should as well heed the advice of the lawmakers in the green chamber.

Lawal Dahiru Mamman writes from Abuja and can be reached at dahirulawal90@gmail.com.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

Governor Alex Otti has signed the Senior Citizens Bill into law to improve the welfare of elderly residents in Abia State. The legislation forms part of a broader set of executive bills recently assented to by the governor.

The new law establishes a framework to support senior citizens aged 60 and above, granting them access to monthly stipends, free medical care, and other social welfare benefits. The initiative is designed to enhance the quality of life of older persons and provide sustained social protection.

The policy has been widely commended by stakeholders and civil society groups, who describe it as a progressive step toward inclusive governance and social responsibility. Government officials say implementation modalities are being developed to ensure the effective and transparent delivery of benefits.

Governor Otti’s action reflects his administration’s commitment to social reforms and the strengthening of welfare systems for vulnerable groups in the state.

By Ibrahim Yunusa

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has officially resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing the need for purposeful leadership, clarity of direction, and improved service delivery.

In a letter dated December 29, addressed to the Chairman of the PDP in Ampang West Ward, Mangu Local Government Area, Governor Mutfwang expressed that the current political reality necessitated a shift in platform.

He wrote: “Given the realities of the moment and guided by my commitment to purposeful leadership, clarity of direction, and service delivery, I am compelled to seek an alternative political platform.”

Rumours of the governor’s potential defection had been circulated, with reports suggesting he had been in talks with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

His official exit from the PDP appears to confirm those earlier speculations.

By Muhammad Abubakar

The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has officially unveiled its new institutional logo, formally marking its transition from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to a newly established revenue authority.

The unveiling ceremony took place in Abuja on Wednesday and was announced in a statement by Dare Adekanmbi, special adviser to the chairman of the NRS.

Speaking at the event, Zacch Adedeji, executive chairman of the NRS, described the new brand identity as a major milestone in the ongoing reform of Nigeria’s revenue administration framework, reflecting a renewed mandate and institutional vision.

Adekanmbi noted that the service became operational after President Bola Tinubu signed the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act 2025 in June, paving the way for the transition from FIRS to NRS.

The new logo, officials said, symbolises efficiency, accountability, and a modernised approach to revenue generation in Nigeria.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Nigeria was thrown into darkness on Monday after the national electricity grid experienced another system failure following a sharp drop in power generation.

Findings showed that the disruption occurred at about 3 pm when major power stations supplying electricity to the grid suddenly lost generation, forcing the system to shut down.

Data obtained from industry sources indicated that electricity output earlier rose to about 4,800 megawatts on Monday. The figure later fell steeply to 139 megawatts as of 3 pm, which triggered the collapse of the grid.

The immediate cause of the failure was not confirmed at the time of reporting. However, the incident happened while the Nigerian Independent System Operator was working to increase electricity supply after recent gas shortages that followed cases of pipeline vandalism.

Checks further revealed that as of the time this report was filed, all 22 power plants connected to the national grid had dropped off from electricity generation.

The development left several parts of the country without power supply, as distribution companies struggled to restore electricity to affected areas.

More details are expected as authorities continue to assess the situation.