DISU ASSUMES DUTY AS ACTING INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE

The acting Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, assumed duty on Wednesday, which followed his decoration by President Bola Tinubu earlier in the day.

Former IG, Kayode Egbetokun, who was appointed on June 19, 2023, resigned his position on Tuesday, citing family reasons, paving the way for Disu’s appointment.

Disu took his first salute as Inspector-General from members of the Quarter Guard and police officers at the Force Headquarters after returning from the Villa at about 4:25 p.m.

Egbetokun and Disu then proceeded to the official handover ceremony.

In his remarks, Disu thanked the President for the confidence reposed in him, noting that the Nigeria Police Force possesses the capacity to address prevailing security challenges.

He said the Force is endowed with brave and professional officers whose institutional knowledge, passion and resilience have enabled the country to overcome difficult security situations.

The acting IG, however, acknowledged existing challenges within the Force, including a trust deficit with communities, outdated systems, resource gaps and instances of misconduct.

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HUMAN-RIGHTS ACTIVIST SOWORE TALKS TAUGH ABOUT FORMER IGP EGBETOKUN

Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has said that the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun as the Inspector General of Police, IGP, is an acknowledgment that his tenure was never legal.

 He alleged that Egbetokun, during his tenure, tried to arm-twist the police.

 Sowore said during an interview with reporters on Wednesday, stating that the ex-IGP used force on policemen asking for better welfare.

 Recall that Egbetokun resigned from his position as the Inspector General of Police on Tuesday, following the submission of his letter citing pressing family considerations. #

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INEC VOWS TO INVESTIGATE EMPLOYEES FOUND WANTING OF SHORTFALL

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Joash Amupitan, has said that employees of the agency who were responsible for shortfalls recorded in Kuje and Kabusa during the Federal Capital Territory elections will be investigated.

 He said the workers would be punished if found guilty.

 According to him, the transporters who were responsible for the delay in the movement of logistics to the Kwali area council will also be blacklisted.

 Amupitan stated this while reviewing the FCT polls at a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.

The meeting is being held exactly four days after the conduct of the Federal Capital Territory council elections and by-elections in Rivers and Kano state on Saturday. #

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JAMB PROJECTS N23.8 BILLION NAIRA IGR, EXPANDS UTME CENTRES TO 1,000

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, on Wednesday declared before the Senate that it is targeting N23.8bn as internally generated revenue for the 2026 fiscal year, which is a N4bn increase over its 2025 projection.

The revenue projection formed part of the agency’s 2026 budget estimates presented to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund.

The presentation was made by a Director in the office of the Registrar, Muftau Bello.

Providing a breakdown of the proposal, the JAMB representative disclosed that N6bn from the projected revenue would be remitted to the Federation Account as operating surplus.

The agency also gave an account of its 2025 budget performance, informing the committee chaired by Senator Muntari Dandutse that it generated N18.5bn as IGR during the fiscal year and remitted N4bn to the Federation Account as operating surplus.

On preparations for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, the director disclosed that 1,000 examination centres had been created across the country, significantly higher than the fewer than 800 centres utilised in 2025.

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GOVERNOR MAKINDE, KWANKWASO MEET IN IBADAN

The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, had a closed-door meeting with the National Leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Rabiu Kwankwaso, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

A brief video shared by Oyo Affairs on Wednesday confirmed the presence of the two political figures at the venue, just as the footage showed Makinde arriving and exchanging greetings with Kwankwaso and other attendees.

The development comes weeks after Makinde and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, visited the Uphill Mansion of a former Military President, in Minna, Niger State, in a move widely linked to early political consultations ahead of the 2027 general election.

Kwankwaso recently returned to Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport following what the NNPP described as “strategic international engagements” in India.

Kwankwaso’s return also follows reports of a proposed bill before the United States Congress in which he was named among individuals recommended for targeted sanctions over alleged religious freedom violations in Nigeria.

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ADELEKE’S AIDE THREATENS SUIT OVER ALLEGED ILLEGAL CALL RECORDING

The spokesperson to the Governor of Osun State Governor, Olawale Rasheed, has accused the Chief Executive Officer of a company, Sa’adat Bakrin-Ottun, of unlawfully recording and circulating a telephone conversation involving the governor’s Chief of Staff, Kazeem Akinleye.

In a statement obtained in Osogbo on Wednesday, Rasheed defended Akinleye’s role in the re-verification of the initial payroll audit conducted by Sally Tibbot for the state government.

Bakrin-Ottun had, during a programme aired on TV and in a video clip circulating on social media, played a voice recording in which a male voice was heard angrily raining curses on another person.

She claimed the voice was that of Akinleye, recorded after a disagreement over the implementation of her firm’s payroll audit findings.

Reacting, Rasheed alleged that the consultant recorded and circulated the conversation without authorisation and with the intent to malign the Chief of Staff.

Rasheed therefore insisted that the governor and his Chief of Staff upheld due process, the rule of law, labour regulations and anti-corruption statutes in handling the staff audit matter.

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KANO STATE SETS MARCH 1 FOR SECOND TERM BREAK

Kano State Government has announced Sunday, March 1, as the official start date for the Eid al-Fitr holiday for all public and private primary and post-primary schools in the state.

The announcement, made on Wednesday through a statement by the Director of Public Enlightenment, Kano State Ministry of Education, Musbahu Aminu Yakasai, aligns with the approved 2025/2026 academic calendar, which indicates that the second term will end on Saturday, February 28.

The State government also urged Parents and guardians are urged to ensure that pupils in boarding schools are conveyed home by the early hours of Friday, 27 February 2026, to facilitate a smooth transition into the holiday.

According to the Director of Enlightenment, further outlined that boarding school pupils and students are expected to resume on Sunday, March 22 while day students will resume on Monday, March 23, 2026.

He added that the second term will start on March 22 and end on Saturday, April 18.

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FG-NIGERIA STRENGTHENING MINING REFORMS TO ATTRACT GLOBAL INVESTMENT

The Federal Government of Nigeria has said it is strengthening policy and regulatory frameworks in the solid minerals sector to attract global investment and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in mining.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Faruk Yabo, stated this during a stakeholders’ workshop aimed at assessing Nigeria’s compliance with the African mineral governance framework on Wednesday in Abuja.

Yabo said the engagement serves as an integration platform for Nigeria as it seeks to strengthen its participation in continental and global mining ecosystems.

According to him, the workshop brought together stakeholders from government institutions, the private sector and academia to deliberate on the future of the sector.

He noted that strengthening regulatory systems would improve access to financing, technology transfer and investor confidence.

The permanent secretary added that improved governance and credible sectoral data would position Nigeria competitively among African mining nations.

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18 EGYPTIANS MISS AFTER DEADLY BOAT CAPSIZE NEAR GREECE

Egypt said Wednesday that 18 of its citizens were still missing after a migrant boat capsized, killing four people, off the Greek island of Crete last week.

It said the wooden boat was carrying 50 people, including four minors, when Greece’s coast guard was alerted.

Greek authorities then directed a commercial vessel to the area for a rescue operation.

According to Greek public broadcaster ERT, an accident occurred when the commercial vessel approached the migrants’ boat.

As the passengers tried to climb up ladders into the rescue vessel, a sudden movement caused the wooden boat to capsize.

Egypt’s foreign ministry said that 21 Egyptians were on board the boat when it capsized, three of whom have been found dead while the rest remain missing.

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CHELSEA, WEST HAM GET £625,000 FINE AFTER LATE-GAME BRAWL

Chelsea have been fined £325,000 and West Ham £300,000 following a mass confrontation during their Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge in January, 2026.

Recall that the incident erupted in added time after Chelsea forward João Pedro reacted to a shove from West Ham winger Adama Traoré on Blues defender Marc Cucurella.

Players from both sides became involved in heated scenes before referee Anthony Taylor dismissed Hammers defender Jean-Clair Todibo following a lengthy VAR review for grabbing João Pedro by the neck.

As reported by BBC Sport on Wednesday, in a statement, the Football Association said it was alleged that Chelsea FC failed to ensure its players didn’t behave in an improper and/or provocative way around the 95th minute.

An independent regulatory commission described the flashpoint as a serious incident involving a number of Chelsea players.

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