Former Senator Shehu Sani has kicked against the Federal Government`s plan to appoint a civilian Director-General to lead the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). While generally welcoming the sweeping reforms approved by President Bola Tinubu, Sani argued that the country`s security challenges make strict military orientation for corps members more crucial than ever. The former Kaduna Central lawmaker took to social media to voice his concerns:" Reforming the NYSC is a good idea but we must not discard that element of military training. The DG of the NYSC should remain a soldier. In a nation facing serious security challenges, there is the need for even more rigorous military training at this material time." Sani’s comments follow President Tinubu`s approval of a comprehensive modernization of the youth scheme to align with modern national development and improve participant welfare. Day-to-day administration will transition to civilian management, while the military will continue to secure corps members nationwide. The Minister of Youth Development and the Attorney-General of the Federation have been directed to immediately update the NYSC Act to reflect the new framework. The program will introduce tech-driven mobilization, strict risk-management protocols, and an innovative six-week orientation focused on digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and specialized career development.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has declared that banditry, terrorism, and other violent crimes are completely alien to the teachings of Islam. Speaking at his palace in Sokoto while hosting the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Stream I members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the Sultan, who also serves as the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), emphasized that Islam is built on peace, justice, and the sacredness of human life. He maintained that the religion strictly forbids the killing of innocent people and commands its adherents to live in harmony with people of all faiths. The traditional ruler strongly condemned the practice of profiling ethnic or religious groups based on the actions of lawbreakers, insisting that wrongdoers must be identified solely as criminals. “Give them their proper name: criminals. Don’t call them Fulani, Tiv, Yoruba, Muslim, or Christian,” the Sultan stated. “Criminality has no religion or ethnicity. Evil people exist everywhere and should be treated as such. Whether a suspect bears a Christian, Muslim, Yoruba, Fulani, or Hausa name is immaterial. Once you commit a crime, you are simply a criminal.” Addressing the youth corps members, the royal father admonished them to remain security-conscious, respect the cultural values of their host communities, and actively drive national development. He further charged them to disregard negative stereotypes about Sokoto State, assuring them of the safety and hospitality of the people. Warning against the dangers of fake news, he urged the youths to verify any information before sharing it on social media. “If you amplify only negative stories and ignore the good happening around you, you help evil to thrive,” the Sultan added. “But when you tell the truth about what you have seen, you help humanity.”

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has threatened to shut down filling stations nationwide. This follows government attempts to enforce price controls on fuel amid accusations of exploitation. Marketers argue these curbs are unfair in a deregulated sector, especially after suffering massive financial losses. Despite global crude oil prices dropping to roughly $72 per barrel, Nigerian retail prices remain high between text N1210 and text N1300 per liter in Abuja. The Minister of Petroleum Resources and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) have warned marketers to drop pump prices to reflect the global oil decline. IPMAN reports that marketers have lost text N10 to text N15billion in recent weeks because they are forced to sell off older, higher-priced stock at lower competitive rates. IPMAN spokesperson Chinedu Ukadike stated that the government cannot dictate retail prices without considering how much marketers paid for their supplies. By attempting to enforce price control measures, Ukadike argues the government is directly violating the Petroleum Industry Act. If authorities push forward with these penalties, IPMAN intends to immediately halt operations across the country.

Popular Afrobeats artist Mr Real has strongly criticized First Lady Oluremi Tinubu over her recent comments advising struggling Nigerians to take up petty trading to survive the ongoing economic hardship. The controversy stems from a public statement by Mrs. Tinubu, who urged citizens to embrace small-scale businesses such as selling roasted corn, bean cakes (akara), and peanut cakes (kulikuli), arguing that these trades require minimal startup capital. Reacting to the suggestion, the "Legbegbe" hitmaker slammed the First Lady`s remarks as detached and insensitive to the realities of everyday Nigerians. Taking to his verified Instagram page, the singer stated that he would rather resort to a life of crime than engage in the suggested petty trades. "I go rather join bandit than to sell kulikuli and akara," Mr Real wrote in Pidgin English. The musician further mocked the federal government`s controversial approach to handling insecurity. He noted that if he became a bandit, he would exclusively target the political class, confident that the state would offer him a soft landing if caught. "My target will be only politicians. At least if I am caught, they will rehabilitate me," the singer added, referencing the government`s ongoing amnesty and rehabilitation programs for repentant insurgents. The First Lady`s comments continue to spark intense debate across social media, highlighting growing public frustration over inflation and the rising cost of living.

The Federal Government has announced plans to abolish the "disarticulation policy" that separates Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) from Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), following startling data revealing that over 20 million pupils drop out before attaining senior secondary education. The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the UBEC Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee. He stated that the policy, which mandates separate principals and facilities for JSS and SSS, has failed to achieve its core objectives. Dr. Alausa highlighted a severe structural imbalance within the public school system, noting that Nigeria currently operates 80,000 public primary schools against just 15,000 junior secondary schools—a stark one-to-eight ratio. "We have 20 million dropouts from primary school to JSS. Where are those students?" the Minister questioned, pointing out that the disparity has led to massive overcrowding in junior schools while leaving senior secondary facilities grossly underutilised, particularly in Kaduna and other northern states. The Minister strongly criticised the policy for creating administrative inflation at the expense of educational quality."This disarticulation policy has failed. We will phase it out. We can’t be creating positions because we want to create a director level for people while we harm our education system. It’s about doing what is best for every Nigerian child."— Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education. The proposal to formally dismantle the policy will be presented at the upcoming meeting of the National Council on Education. Alausa emphasised that the policy reversal aims to expand school access, bridge the transition gap, and drastically improve learning outcomes nationwide. In a parallel development, the Minister inaugurated a special committee, chaired by Prof. Rashid Aderinoye, to oversee the immediate completion and operationalisation of Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools, and Alternative Schools funded by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). Despite heavy federal investments in hundreds of these specialized institutions across the country, many remain incomplete or empty without learners. Dr. Alausa condemned the situation as a massive waste of public resources and directed the committee to ensure these facilities are swiftly handed over to state governments to begin active learning. Nigeria continues to grapple with one of the world`s highest populations of out-of-school children, highly concentrated in rural and conflict-affected regions. Education experts maintain that resolving this persistent crisis requires a dual approach: halting structural policy failures and ensuring all completed school infrastructure is fully staffed and functional.

African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore declared that no force on Earth can stop a revolution in Nigeria, moments after a Federal High Court granted him a ₦200 million bail. The human rights activist made the remarks before being returned to the Kuje Correctional Centre, where he will remain until his strict bail conditions are met. Justice Mohammed Umar admitted Sowore to bail under severe terms, requiring:Two sureties, including a recognized traditional ruler from his home community.An Abuja property owner to co-sign the bail bond.The immediate surrender of his international passport to the court. Sowore has been held in custody since June 22, 2026. His arraignment and ongoing prosecution stem from allegations that he publicly referred to President Bola Tinubu as a criminal. Refusing to back down, Sowore addressed reporters directly before his transfer back to prison. "There is no force on earth that can stop this revolution," Sowore said. "We warned them, but they didn’t listen. I was granted ₦200 million bail. They have always been after my passport. When we get to that bridge, we will cross it."

PORT HARCOURT — A Nigerian woman has successfully completed a gruelling 144-hour marathon reading of the Holy Bible in a bid to enter the Guinness World Records. Habibat Salawudeen Ihiovi-Jack, a member of the Summit Bible Church, concluded her six-day continuous reading session on Monday, June 29, at the Novotel Hotel in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The faith-driven initiative, tagged “144 Hours in the Word,” commenced on June 22. Supporters, church members, and well-wishers monitored her progress via live digital timers as she read aloud from a lectern. Under strict Guinness World Records guidelines, Salawudeen was required to read continuously, with only brief, strictly timed breaks permitted for basic human needs. According to her senior pastor, Dr. Andy Osakwe of Summit Bible Churches Worldwide, the initiative was conceived as a spiritual project to exalt the scriptures rather than a mere pursuit of global recognition. Salawudeen reportedly spent four years preparing for the endurance feat, tracing the roots of her preparation back to June 2022. Her attempt follows a major milestone in Nigerian reading records. In 2024, Ibadan-born reader Samson Ajao secured the Guinness World Record for the longest marathon reading aloud after clocking an unprecedented 215 hours, eclipsing the previous 124-hour record held by Kyrgyzstan’s Rysbai Isakov. Salawudeen’s 144-hour performance has been documented and submitted. The achievement now awaits official verification and confirmation from the Guinness World Records management team before it can be formally integrated into the global record books.

WASHINGTON — The United States Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship, delivering a major defeat to the administration`s immigration agenda. In a decisive 6-3 ruling, the nation`s highest court protected the long-standing legal principle that anyone born on American soil is automatically a U.S. citizen. The right to citizenship by birth is explicitly guaranteed under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. President Trump had attempted to bypass this constitutional clause by issuing an executive order on the very first day of his second term in office. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, strongly reaffirmed the historical intent of the amendment. “Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights — to freely participate in our political community," Roberts stated. "The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to ‘every free-born person in this land’. We keep that promise today.” The high court`s ruling follows a string of legal challenges for the administration. Lower federal courts had already placed the executive order on hold while the case moved through the judicial system. The decision also highlights a growing rift between the president and the judiciary. Trump has publicly criticized the Supreme Court in recent months, particularly following an adverse ruling on tariffs. Despite having appointed three of the nine sitting justices, the president had openly anticipated this specific legal loss, repeatedly lashing out at the court in the days leading up to the decision.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a historic, comprehensive overhaul of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), marking the first major restructuring of the scheme since its establishment 53 years ago. THENEWSCREDIT reports that,the sweeping reforms, approved during Monday’s FEC meeting in Abuja, will strip the military of its traditional operational leadership over the scheme, replacing them with civilian heads. Under the new framework, the military`s role will be strictly limited to providing security for corps members nationwide. Announcing the decision, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, stated that the reforms aim to reposition the NYSC into a skills-focused, productivity-driven institution. The restructuring aligns the scheme with President Bola Tinubu’s economic vision of building a $1 trillion economy. The Attorney-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Youth Development have been directed to amend the NYSC Act to provide immediate legal backing for the implementation. According THENEWSCREDIT the Minister says the approved changes will completely transform the year-long service experience for Nigerian graduates. The core updates include:Operational control shifts to civilian administration.The iconic kit will be redesigned to reflect professionalism. The traditional Passing Out Parade will be replaced by a formal graduation ceremony.Deployment processes will become entirely technology-driven. Camp time extends to six weeks, focusing on digital skills and entrepreneurship. Primary assignments will strictly match academic backgrounds.A national certification system will standardise camp facilities. The reform process began in 2025 through a collaborative review involving the Ministries of Youth, Education, and the Presidency. "This is more than a reform of an institution," Olawande stated. "It is an investment in Nigeria’s greatest asset—our young people." Originally established in 1973 after the Nigerian Civil War to foster national unity, this historic rewrite alters the fabric of the mandatory service scheme to meet contemporary economic demands.

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has accused the National Assembly of failing to perform its constitutional duty by allowing successive federal governments to breach laws regulating borrowing from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Speaking over the weekend on the need for stronger institutions and fiscal accountability, the former CBN governor slammed federal lawmakers for failing to check executive excesses despite clear legal limits on government borrowing from the apex bank. Emir Sanusi explained that the law permits the Federal Government to borrow a maximum of five per cent of the previous year’s revenue from the CBN. He alleged that this provision was repeatedly violated without any action by the legislature. “The law said you cannot lend more than five per cent of last year’s revenue. That law was broken with impunity. Where was the National Assembly? For eight years, the National Assembly was silent,” Sanusi said. He argued that the legislature cannot function as an independent arm of government if it fails to hold the executive accountable. “The legislature is supposed to make laws and ensure those laws are obeyed. If it cannot stand up to the executive, then it simply becomes an extension of the executive rather than an independent institution,” he stated. Reflecting on his tenure as the apex bank boss, Sanusi recalled how he faced intense legislative scrutiny over minor issues while massive fiscal infractions went unnoticed later on. “I was summoned before the National Assembly more than 20 times over minor matters relating to the Central Bank. I was questioned, harassed and challenged. Yet, for eight years, when the borrowing law was being violated, the same lawmakers remained silent.” The former CBN governor maintained that Nigeria’s current economic challenges could have been drastically reduced if public institutions had consistently enforced the law and demanded accountability. He added that building stronger democratic institutions and enforcing greater oversight remain essential to preventing similar fiscal problems in the future.