By Anwar Usman

The Nigerian Air Force has announced the commencement of applications for its Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) 34/2025.

The announcement was made via the NAF’s official X handle (formerly known as Twitter) on Tuesday, invites applications across a wide range of professions, including engineering, medical, and cyber specialities, reflecting the force’s evolving needs in modern warfare.

Interested candidates can apply for free online from August 27 to October 7, 2025, through the official NAF recruitment portal: https://nafrecruitment.airforce.mil.ng.

According to NAF, candidates must possess the following requirements to qualify:

Applicants must be Nigerian citizens by birth.

Applicants must be between the ages of 20 and 32 years; Medical Doctors (consultants) could be between the ages of 25 and 40 years at the time of application.

The exercise is not for serving personnel desiring Branch Commission. Therefore, personnel above 32 years of age are not to apply.

A serving personnel must be recommended by his/her Commanding Officer/Commander, must have served for 10 years and attained the rank of Cpl.Applicants must not be less than 1.66 m tall for males and not less than 1.63 m tall for females.

The announcement further revealed that, applicants must be free of any previous conviction(s) on criminal grounds by a court of law.

The Force added that applicants must be medically, physically and psychologically fit and must meet the Nigerian Air Force medical and employment standards.

Interested applicants must possess a minimum of Second Class Upper Division and Upper credit for HND holders and must possess a NYSC Discharge Certificate or Letter of Exemption.

The Zonal General Aptitude Test will hold on a date to be revealed on the NAF Recruitment Portal. Only successful applicants will be invited for the Selection Interview, the statement concluded.

By Muhammad Abubakar

The African Union (AU) has officially endorsed the Equal Earth map projection this month, marking a shift away from traditional world maps that many critics say distort the size of Africa and other regions in the Global South.

Developed in 2018 by cartographers Tom Patterson, Bernhard Jenny, and Bojan Šavrič, the Equal Earth projection aims to present landmasses in their true proportions while maintaining a visually appealing shape. Unlike the widely used Mercator projection, which significantly shrinks Africa relative to Europe and North America, the Equal Earth map shows the continent’s actual scale.

“The Equal Earth map restores dignity to Africa’s representation,” said an AU spokesperson. “It reflects the continent’s real size and importance in the world.”

Supporters argue that adopting the Equal Earth projection will help challenge Eurocentric biases in education, media, and policy discussions. The AU plans to encourage member states to introduce the map in schools and official publications.

Cartographers say the Equal Earth map strikes a balance between scientific accuracy and accessibility, offering a fairer perspective of the world’s geography.

By Uzair Adam

The Kano State Coordinating Office of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), a World Bank–supported programme, has commenced a two-day training for 200 livestock extension agents and advisory service providers on modern livestock production strategies.

The training, which began on Tuesday at the Kadawa Mechanisation Institute in Garun Malam Local Government Area, is aimed at equipping extension agents to support the adoption of improved breeds through selection, breeding and artificial insemination techniques, as well as the proper management of forage resources and feed formulation.

In his welcome address, the State Project Coordinator of L-PRES, Dr. Salisu Muhammad Inuwa, described the training as a strategic step towards transforming the livestock sector in Kano.

He said the project aims to increase productivity, strengthen resilience, and promote sustainable practices that would uplift farmers and improve livelihoods.

Dr. Inuwa was quoted as saying,“You, the extension officers, are the bridge between research, policies, innovations, and the farmers in our communities.

The knowledge and skills you gain here will help our livestock keepers adopt improved breeds, better management practices, and modern feeding techniques.”

Speaking on behalf of the state government, Dr. Bashir Sunusi, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, who represented the Commissioner, Dr. Danjuma Mahmood, said Kano has invested heavily in agriculture, including the recruitment of over 1,000 extension workers and expansion of irrigation facilities.

He noted that extension agents remain the frontline soldiers of agriculture and urged participants to take the training seriously.

“Extension work is not theory; it is practical. When extension agents are well trained and equipped, they can support farmers to achieve higher yields, improved livestock production, and better access to markets,” Sanusi said.

Also speaking, Gambo Isa Garko, an extension officer with L-PRES, said the project is expected to transform livestock production in the state, particularly in meat, milk, and poultry output.

He added that the initiative would also establish livestock centres where farmers can access feed, veterinary services, and advisory support.

According to him, L-PRES is building a database of livestock farmers through profiling, which will enable targeted interventions.

“We are going to transform Kadawa into a practical school for livestock where farmers will learn from one another through farmer-to-farmer interaction, which makes adoption of new practices easier,” he explained.

Speaking on behalf of the participants, Ibrahim Adamu Aliyu commended the organisers for providing what he described as a timely and practical training.

He said the knowledge gained will enhance their capacity to deliver advisory services to farmers more effectively.

“This training is equipping us with modern techniques that will help us address the challenges faced by farmers, especially in adopting improved breeds, better feeding systems, and disease control measures.

“We are committed to taking this knowledge back to our communities and ensuring that it translates into tangible results for farmers,” Aliyu said.

The training includes lectures on extension strategies and models for reaching farmers, livestock production and breeding, artificial insemination, animal feed formulation, and pest and disease control, among others.

By Fatima Badawi

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, popularly known as ASUU, has organized a massive peaceful protest to express its strong disapproval of the government’s insincere promises and failure to fulfill agreements made to university lecturers.

Members of the union from Bayero University branch came out early this morning, marching around sections of the school while holding placards with inscriptions calling the government’s attention to do the needful.

While a TDRHausa correspondent was speaking with a senior official of the union, the official explained that there are numerous issues the government has failed to address for university lecturers, and the lecturers have been patient, but it seems their patience has run out.

Among the issues highlighted by the official include;

1) Lack of attention to the plight of lecturers.
2) Withholding the salaries of university lecturers because they went on strike, even though the law allows university lecturers to do so.
3) Failure to fulfill hundreds of promises the government made to improve the condition of universities and carry out reforms.
4) Withholding earmarked funds (Earned Academic Allowances) that university lecturers have been demanding from the government for years, and the government made several promises but broke them.
5) There is also the major problem of university lecturers’ salaries, where some of the lecturers have become pitiable, because even a professor’s salary is not enough to solve basic life problems, not to talk about medical expenses and school fees for their children, let alone their worry about academic pursuits.

Hundreds of union members came out for this massive peaceful protest, men and women, and it was done calmly but with concerns on how the government has neglected the welfare of lecturers across the country and broke all promises made.

This kind of protest is being held across all Nigerian universities to express strong displeasure against this injustice from the government.

TDR

TDRHausa

By Abba Murtala

In Northern Nigeria today—from Kano to Katsina, Kaduna to Abuja, Gombe to Adamawa and beyond—prostitution is being redefined, repackaged, and repurposed in ways our society is yet to grasp or confront fully. Once seen as an explicit, stigmatised trade practised by women living in brothels or in the fringes of urban society, prostitution has now assumed a form that is more discreet, deceptive, and dangerously normalised.

The new face of prostitution no longer resides in dingy motels or poorly lit street corners. She may very well be your neighbour’s daughter or your daughter, your cousin, your niece, or even your girlfriend (wives, too, have been reported). She lives at home, speaks decently, dresses modestly in public, attends school or has a small job, and blends perfectly into her conservative community. Yet, she is actively engaged in transactional sex.

This new wave of commercial sex work is cloaked in deception. Unlike the “traditional” prostitutes who often migrated far from their family homes to avoid shame and suspicion, these girls remain within the comfort of their homes. The family remains unsuspecting; society remains blind. They are not seen as sex workers, and they don’t identify as such. But the reality is, they sell their bodies to men—usually for money, phones, rent, trips, and more.

Who Are the Clients?

They are not their peers. Young men, even those with questionable morals, typically frown at paying for sex, especially with women their own age, especially since there is the looming risk of exposure. The real clients, therefore, are middle-aged and elderly men—the “uncles.” These men, often above 50, use their financial power to exploit vulnerable young girls. Many are married, influential, and sometimes respected members of the community. They book hotels, arrange flights, and fund the lavish lifestyles of these girls, all in exchange for sexual gratification.

They are the shameless engines driving this trade, creating demand and sustaining the illusion. They are the reason a girl from a struggling family can suddenly afford the latest iPhone, expensive clothes, designer handbags, and weekend trips to Lagos, Abuja or Dubai.

How Does It Happen?

It starts with a desire—often triggered by poverty, peer pressure, or social media fantasies. The girl feels a pressing need for money, attention, and a lifestyle far beyond her family’s means. She may resist menial jobs or honest work, not because she is lazy, but because those options won’t fetch her the quick cash she believes she deserves.

Then comes the network. A friend introduces her to someone. A “pimp”—male or female—slides into her DM. The network is simple but effective—a few conversations, a meeting, a test run. Then the money starts flowing. Once she gains footing, she establishes a base of loyal clients—uncles who can be called upon for any service, at any time, for the right price.

Her life becomes a web of deception. School hours, “friend visits,” or supposed job responsibilities become covers for interstate flights, secret hotel bookings, and clandestine transactions. The richest among them reportedly offer services like anal sex, which are in high demand by some of these predators.

Who Are These Girls?

They are typically from low-income or struggling homes. They reject being categorised as “poor” in public, and they will go to great lengths to appear middle-class or affluent. Many of their families are unaware. In some extreme cases, parents even give silent consent, as long as the money keeps flowing home.

Their greatest assets? Physical beauty, curvy figures, and the naivety that predators exploit. These girls have no business with brothels or street corners. They have gone digital. They operate through WhatsApp groups, TikTok algorithms, and private Facebook pages. With just a few clicks, they are matched with high-paying clients—sometimes in entirely different states.

Why Poverty Is Not an Excuse

Many will point fingers at poverty. But we must be careful not to romanticise or rationalise prostitution as a legitimate response to hardship. Poverty is real, yes—but so is integrity. There are girls in the same communities who, despite hunger and hardship, have chosen honest paths. They work as waitresses, hairdressers, salesgirls, and tutors. They manage small businesses, survive on tight budgets, and still hold their heads high.

Prostitution, especially in this form, is not a product of poverty alone—it is often a product of greed, laziness, entitlement, and a corrupt value system. The growing belief that one must “look rich” or “live big” regardless of how the money is made is at the core of this moral collapse.

Religious warnings are being ignored. Even when confronted, some girls say, “Allah will forgive.” But repentance requires remorse and a firm commitment to change—not a continuous indulgence in sin while hiding behind religious phrases.

The Role of Social Media

Social media is a major culprit. The platforms intended to connect and educate have become virtual marketplaces for the flesh trade. TikTok glorifies vanity, consumerism, and “soft life” narratives. WhatsApp becomes the digital brothel where clients and sex workers finalise deals. Facebook hosts secret groups where sex work is promoted in coded language.

The constant bombardment of luxury lifestyles, body flaunting, and materialism fosters insecurity and desperation among impressionable girls. The result? An endless race to fake perfection—even if it means trading dignity for money.

The Damaging Effects

 • On Families: Many families remain oblivious, and by the time they discover the truth, the damage is irreversible. Reputations are destroyed. Trust is lost.

 • On Society: The normalisation of secret prostitution threatens the very foundation of our cultural and moral values. When immorality becomes invisible, it becomes unstoppable.

 • On Marriages: This trend contributes to rising distrust in relationships and marriages. Husbands are becoming suspicious, wives are growing insecure, and divorce rates are climbing.

 • On Public Health: Increased sexual activity with multiple partners, often without protection, raises the risk of STDs, including HIV/AIDS. Yet, this danger is seldom discussed.

 • On Religion: The erosion of fear of Allah and the disregard for Islamic teachings show how deep this problem runs.

Critical Questions We Must Ask

 • How did we get here?

 • Who failed our girls—parents, clerics, or the government?

 • Why is society silent?

 • What kind of men are sleeping with girls young enough to be their granddaughters?

 • Will we allow another generation to grow up in a society that calls evil “smartness” and shamelessness “hustle”?

Final Warning

This is not a rant. It is a wake-up call. What we are witnessing is not just immorality—it is moral suicide. If we continue to ignore this, we risk raising a generation that believes fornication is business, pimps are mentors, and prostitution is hustle.

Let the uncles be warned: your lust is destroying the daughters of the land. Let the girls know: no amount of iPhones or Dubai trips will cleanse the burden of shame you’re carrying. And let the parents rise: your silence is no longer innocent—it is complicity.

May Allah guide us all, amin.

Abba Murtala, FCH DK, wrote from Gombe via abbamurtala8@gmail.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Canadian photojournalist Valerie Zink has announced her resignation from Reuters, accusing the news agency and other Western outlets of “justifying and enabling the systematic assassination of 245 journalists in Gaza.”Zink, who contributed to Reuters for eight years with her photographs widely circulated across the globe, said she could no longer remain linked to the organisation.

She argued that Reuters had failed in its journalistic duty by amplifying Israeli narratives while neglecting the plight of reporters under attack in Gaza.In a statement shared on social media Tuesday, she criticised Reuters’ coverage of the August 10 killing of Palestinian journalist Anas Al-Sharif.

“When Israel murdered Anas Al-Sharif, together with the entire Al-Jazeera crew in Gaza City on August 10, Reuters chose to publish Israel’s entirely baseless claim that Al-Sharif was a Hamas operative – one of countless lies that media outlets like Reuters have dutifully repeated and dignified,” Zink said.

She noted that Reuters’ stance had not shielded its own staff from Israeli attacks.“Reuters’ willingness to perpetuate Israel’s propaganda has not spared their own reporters from Israel’s genocide.

Five more journalists, including Reuters cameraman Hossam Al-Masri, were among 20 people killed this morning in another attack on Nasser hospital.

“It was what’s known as a ‘double tap’ strike, in which Israel bombs a civilian target like a school or hospital; waits for medics, rescue teams, and journalists to arrive; and then strikes again.”

Zink said responsibility for such killings also rested with Western outlets that repeated official talking points without scrutiny.

She referenced journalist Jeremy Scahill’s assessment, stating that “every major outlet – from the New York Times to the Washington Post, from AP to Reuters – has served as a conveyor belt for Israeli propaganda, sanitizing war crimes and dehumanizing victims, abandoning their colleagues and their alleged commitment to true and ethical reporting.”

According to her, this failure of duty has directly contributed to the unprecedented number of journalist deaths in Gaza.

“By repeating Israel’s genocidal fabrications without determining if they have any credibility – willfully abandoning the most basic responsibility of journalism – Western media outlets have made possible the killing of more journalists in two years on one tiny strip of land than in WWI, WWII, and the wars in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, and Ukraine combined, to say nothing of starving an entire population, shredding its children, and burning people alive,” she said.

She also accused Reuters of turning its back on Al-Sharif despite his Pulitzer-winning work for the agency.

“The fact that Anas Al-Sharif’s work won a Pulitzer Prize for Reuters did not compel them to come to his defence when Israeli occupation forces placed him on a ‘hit list’ of journalists accused of being Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants,” she said.

“It did not compel them to come to his defence when he appealed to international media for protection after an Israeli military spokesperson posted a video making clear their intention to assassinate him following a report he did on the growing famine. It did not compel them to report on his death honestly when he was hunted and killed weeks later.”

Zink added that she now felt only grief and shame in carrying a Reuters press pass.

“I have valued the work that I brought to Reuters over the past eight years, but at this point I can’t conceive of wearing this press pass with anything but deep shame and grief,” she said.

She vowed to dedicate her future work to honouring Gaza’s fallen journalists. “I don’t know what it means to begin to honour the courage and sacrifice of journalists in Gaza – the bravest and best to ever live – but going forward I will direct whatever contributions I have to offer with that front of mind.”

At least 20 people, including five journalists, were killed on Monday after Israeli strikes hit al-Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials.

The Guardian reported that the dead included Hussam al-Masri, a Reuters cameraman; Mariam Abu Dagga, a freelance journalist with the Associated Press; Mohammed Salam of Al Jazeera; and Moaz Abu Taha, who worked with NBC. Another Reuters photographer, Hatem Khaled, was severely injured.

Footage aired by al-Ghad TV showed civil defence workers and journalists in orange vests attempting to recover al-Masri’s body when they themselves came under fire. In their final moments, the rescuers raised their hands for protection before being struck.

By Anas Abbas

Fear has enveloped residents of Zango Biyu in Rimin Gado Local Government Area of Kano State following the gruesome killing of two children in separate incidents over the weekend.

The daily post gathered that the first victim, five-year-old Muhammad Gambo, was found dead on Sunday morning.

Eyewitnesses said his mother had sent him to a nearby shop to buy powder worth ₦50, but the shopkeeper turned him away because the money was insufficient.

Instead of returning home, Muhammad reportedly set out for his grandparents’ house but was ambushed on the way.

A community member, Laminu Ahmad, described the shocking discovery.

“His mother sent him to buy powder, but the shopkeeper rejected the money. On his way to his grandparents’ house, some wicked people stopped him and slaughtered him like a ram,” Ahmad said.

He added that many residents suspect the killing was ritual-related.

“We suspect ritualists because there was no blood on the ground. They must have collected it in a bowl and even cleaned the knife before fleeing,” he lamented.

While the community was still mourning Muhammad, tragedy struck again.

A 13-year-old girl, Fatima Sule, was found dead in her family’s residence at Dandinshe Quarters, Dala Local Government Area.

Witnesses said she was strangled, her neck broken, and her body hanged on a window.

Her distraught mother told reporters that she had left her children at home and asked them to join their elder sister later.

“Before I returned, I received a call that Fatima had been killed,” she said in tears.

The back-to-back killings, which occurred between Saturday and Sunday, have left residents in shock and fear, as such incidents are unprecedented in the area.

The Kano State Police Command reportedly allowed the immediate burial of the victims after preliminary investigations.

Security operatives have since launched a manhunt for the culprits.

Efforts to reach the command’s spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, were unsuccessful, as his phone was switched off at the time of filing this report.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has signed a bill into law creating 13 new Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

Speaking during the signing ceremony at the Government House on Monday, Governor Yahaya explained that the initiative aligns with the 1999 Constitution and was designed to address the growing population while promoting grassroots development.

The new LCDAs and their administrative headquarters are: Akko North (Amada), Akko West (Pindiga), Balanga South (Bambam), Billiri West (Taal), Dukku North (Malala), Funakaye South (Tongo), Gombe South (Bolari), Kaltungo East (Wange), Kwami West (Bojude), Nafada South (Birin-Fulani), Pero-Chonge (Filiya), Yamaltu East (Dadinkowa), and Yamaltu West (Zambuk).

Governor Yahaya stressed that the long-term advantages of creating the new councils outweigh the costs involved.

He said, “Like the creation of Gombe State in 1996, these LCDAs will usher in a new era of progress for our communities and the state at large.”

An interim management committee and a transition technical team led by the deputy governor will oversee the establishment of the councils.

By Uzair Adam

The Kano State Government has refuted reports alleging the diversion of N6.5 billion from the state treasury, dismissing them as “false narratives orchestrated by the opposition to tarnish the image of the administration.”

The rebuttal follows a report by Daily Nigerian on August 22, 2025, which claimed that the Director-General of the Government House Protocol Directorate, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim Rogo, was linked to an alleged diversion of public funds already before the High Court.

In a statement issued on Monday, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Director General of Media and Publicity at the Government House, maintained that all financial dealings of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) strictly adhere to budgetary guidelines and established financial regulations.

“Every cash outflow into MDAs is duly budgeted with clear codes in the state’s fiscal policy. No government official accesses public funds without a defined purpose,” Bature stated.

He noted that the Protocol Directorate is responsible for logistics, welfare, and official engagements of the governor and visiting dignitaries, explaining that about 95 per cent of its functions involve financial transactions conducted with government approval.

The statement stressed that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration would not allow the integrity of its officials to be undermined by political propaganda.

“The Yusuf administration remains committed to financial prudence, transparency, accountability, and zero tolerance for corruption. We will not allow our aides’ reputations to be destroyed by deliberate blackmail from unpatriotic elements,” it said.

The government reaffirmed confidence in Rogo’s credibility, describing the allegations as unfounded. It added that all officials, including the Director-General of Protocol, are open to scrutiny by anti-graft agencies when required.

It further accused political opponents of sponsoring the allegations as part of a smear campaign ahead of the 2027 elections.

“These claims are nothing but fiction designed by desperate politicians relying on propaganda to remain relevant,” the statement noted.

The government also pointed to alleged financial mismanagement under former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s administration, citing withdrawals of over N20 billion between February and May 2023. It referenced the dollar-video scandal as evidence of what it called “eight years marred by corruption.”

While pledging transparency, the government warned it may pursue legal action against those spreading misinformation.

“No propaganda, fabricated claims, or media trials will derail our determination to serve the people with honesty and accountability,” the statement added.

It concluded by noting that it would not comment further on the matter since it is already before a competent court.

By Anwar Usman

The Peoples Democratic Party has officially confirmed Umar Damagum as its substantive National Chairman.

At the party’s 102nd National Executive Committee meeting on Monday, the party agreed that Damagum, who has served as Acting National Chairman for over a year, be elevated to substantive Chairman ahead of the National Elective Convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Kamaldeen Ajibade, administered the oath of office to him.

Details shortly…