Minister of Youth Development Ayodele Olawande has told young Nigerians they will not need political connections, influential relatives or personal access to government officials to secure a place at the 2026 National Youth Confab. Olawande said the 360 delegates expected to physically attend the conference in Abuja will be selected from young Nigerians who register through the official online portal, rather than being nominated by politicians. “You don’t need to know me,” the minister said while addressing journalists at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday. He said neither he

nor other political office holders would be allowed to handpick delegates, insisting that the process was deliberately designed to limit political interference. Olawande also pushed back against concerns that the conference could become another avenue for political patronage ahead of the 2027 elections. According to him, politicians should concentrate on politics while young Nigerians interested in the Confab should simply register and participate through the established process. The minister said the government wanted credible young people to take part based on their interest and ideas rather than who they know.

The official Confab platform says the programme is primarily open to Nigerians aged 18 to 35, with organisers targeting equal representation of men and women while encouraging participation by persons with disabilities. Registration is scheduled to close on September 20, while virtual engagements will run from October 5 to 21. The physical conference in Abuja is scheduled for October 26 to 30. But Olawande said the government's plan goes beyond simply gathering young Nigerians for another conference. He said recommendations from the Confab would be separated according to the institutions

responsible for implementing them. Issues requiring executive action would be sent to the relevant government authorities, legislative proposals would go to the National Assembly, while recommendations involving the judiciary would be directed accordingly. Olawande said the implementation process is expected to begin from November. “Enough of documentation,” he said, arguing that the government did not want the outcome of the conference to end up as another report sitting on a shelf. The National Youth Confab will focus on six major areas: governance and political participation, entrepreneurship and job creation, education

and skills, technology and digital innovation, climate and energy, and security and social cohesion. Olawande said the wider objective is to give young Nigerians a direct opportunity to bring forward their own ideas and proposed solutions to national problems. The conference is one of the major youth-focused programmes being coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development under Olawande. The official Confab platform describes the initiative as an attempt to move youth participation beyond consultation towards involvement in policy development and implementation. For Olawande, however, one of the first tests

will be whether the selection process lives up to his promise that a young Nigerian should not need to know the minister, a politician or anyone in government before getting an opportunity to participate.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has distributed sensitive electoral materials ahead of Saturday’s by-election for the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency in Gombe State. The distribution exercise was conducted at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) facility in Gombe, with political parties, security agencies and other stakeholders present to witness the process and promote transparency in the handling of the materials. The by-election, scheduled for Saturday, September 19, 2026, is expected to attract more than 495,000 registered voters across Gombe, Kwami and Funakaye Local Government Areas. INEC has continued to intensify

preparations for the election, including the deployment and training of ad hoc personnel who will participate in the conduct of the poll. The electoral commission has also provided training on the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), election-day procedures, the handling of electoral materials and the transmission and viewing of election results. The distribution of the sensitive materials marks another key stage in the commission’s preparations for the poll, with the materials expected to be moved to designated locations ahead of election day. Security arrangements have also been

strengthened across the constituency to safeguard voters, electoral officials, materials and other participants in the electoral process. INEC has urged voters and political actors to conduct themselves peacefully and comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act throughout the election. The commission reiterated its commitment to conducting a transparent, credible and orderly by-election, while calling on stakeholders to support a peaceful electoral process. The Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency seat became vacant following the death of its former representative, necessitating the by-election to elect a new member of the House of Representatives.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the prosecution of any government official found culpable in the deaths of suspected illegal miners who died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State. The President said accountability remained paramount in the administration of justice, stressing that no Nigerian should die in government custody as a result of negligence. The directive followed the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners arrested during enforcement operations against illegal mining activities in Niger State. The incident, which occurred while the

suspects were being held in NSCDC custody, has prompted investigations by both the Federal Government and the Niger State Government. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered a comprehensive investigation into the deaths and suspended the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, pending the outcome of the probe. The NSCDC Commandant-General, Professor Ahmed Audi, also directed the suspended commandant to report to the corps' national headquarters in Abuja to appear before the investigative panel. Other senior officers responsible for operations, mining, legal affairs, intelligence and investigations in the Niger

State Command were similarly directed to appear before the panel. The NSCDC said officers found to have violated the law, operational procedures or professional standards would face appropriate administrative, disciplinary or criminal action. Meanwhile, the Niger State Government has constituted a committee of inquiry to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The committee is expected to establish what happened to the detainees and identify any lapses or misconduct that may have contributed to the incident. Forensic examinations and autopsies are also expected to help determine the precise cause of death.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under investigation, with different accounts emerging. Authorities have indicated that a possible disease outbreak was being considered, while reports from a surviving detainee raised concerns about overcrowding and poor ventilation at the detention facility. The incident has generated public concern and protests in Minna, with demonstrators demanding transparency and accountability. President Tinubu's directive underscores the Federal Government's position that officials entrusted with the custody of suspects must be held accountable for their welfare and safety. The ongoing investigations are expected to determine whether negligence,

violations of detention procedures or other factors contributed to the deaths and whether criminal liability should be established against any officials involved.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the recruitment of ad hoc personnel for the 2027 general elections, opening its online application process to eligible Nigerians across the country. The recruitment exercise is expected to provide the temporary workforce required to support the conduct of the elections, with INEC planning to deploy more than 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across over 176,000 polling units nationwide. The 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold

on February 6, 2027, according to INEC's published election schedule. According to the recruitment notice, the INEC Portal for Recruitment of Election Staff (INECPRES) opened at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, September 18, 2026, and is scheduled to close at midnight on Wednesday, November 18, 2026. The recruitment covers several categories of election personnel, including Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), Presiding Officers (POs), Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs), Registration Area Centre (RAC) Managers and Registration Area Technical Support (RATECH) personnel. Who Can Apply? Eligibility depends on the position being sought, educational background, employment

status and the applicant's institution. Categories of potential applicants include: - Serving members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC); - Eligible former NYSC members; - Students of Federal and State tertiary institutions; - Eligible Federal and State Government employees; - Permanent staff of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs); - Qualified INEC personnel; - Eligible ICT personnel; and - Personnel attached to institutions designated to host Registration Area Centres. INEC advises applicants to carefully review the eligibility requirements for their preferred position before commencing the application. Requirements for Supervisory Presiding

Officers The SPO category is open to eligible personnel from the Federal Public/Civil Service and Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Public-sector employees within Grade Level 10 to 14 may qualify, subject to the conditions prescribed by INEC. Serving NYSC members are also included among potential applicants, while former corps members may qualify where they meet the applicable conditions. The recruitment guidelines identify former corps members who completed their service in 2024, 2025 or 2026 among the categories that may qualify, subject to the stated requirements. Requirements for Presiding and Assistant Presiding

Officers The PO and APO categories include eligible students of Federal and State tertiary institutions as well as certain government employees. The eligibility requirements vary according to the applicant's educational level and employment status, with different salary-grade requirements applying to some categories. Applicants are therefore advised to confirm the specific criteria for the position they intend to apply for before submitting their forms. Requirements for RAC Managers The Registration Area Centre Manager position is primarily connected to schools and other institutions designated to serve as RACs or Super RACs. Heads

of schools or eligible staff members of institutions hosting RACs may qualify, subject to INEC's requirements, including the applicable Grade Level 07 and above condition. Requirements for RATECHs RATECH, which stands for Registration Area Technical Support, is designed for applicants with relevant ICT and technical backgrounds. The category includes eligible INEC ICT personnel at the state and headquarters levels who are not engaged in other duties, as well as qualified IT students of Federal and State tertiary institutions. Former corps members may also qualify where they meet the applicable requirements.

How to Apply for INEC Ad Hoc Staff Recruitment Interested applicants are required to: 1. Visit the official INEC website and access the INECPRES recruitment platform. 2. Read the instructions and eligibility requirements carefully. 3. Select the position for which they qualify. 4. Complete the required registration details. 5. Provide accurate personal, educational and employment information. 6. Supply all other required information. 7. Review the information entered to ensure it is correct. 8. Submit the application. 9. Keep their registration

or application details for future reference. INEC's official website provides access to its election-staff recruitment information and other electoral services. Application Deadline The recruitment portal opened at 8:00 a.m. on September 18, 2026, and applications are expected to close at 12:00 midnight on November 18, 2026. Applicants are advised to complete their applications well before the deadline to avoid possible last-minute technical difficulties. INEC said its IT Service Management operates a 24-hour helpdesk to handle enquiries relating to the recruitment platform. Applicants experiencing difficulties can contact the commission through the

0700-CALL-INEC vanity number or email inecpress@inec.gov.ng. The commission has urged prospective applicants to rely on its official platforms for accurate information and to carefully check the eligibility requirements before applying.

A tortoise believed by the Alaafin of Oyo's palace to have lived for about 420 years has died after becoming one of the ancient palace's best-known attractions. The tortoise, popularly known as Baba, died after falling ill and refusing food, according to a statement from the palace. Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Bode Durojaiye, said Baba had since been buried. The claimed age is based on palace oral history and has not been independently established through scientific dating. According to the palace, Baba's history could be traced

to Oyo-Ile, the ancient capital of the Oyo Empire, before the tortoise was brought to the present Alaafin's palace in Oyo. Baba was said to have lived through the reigns of successive Alaafins and was regarded as part of the cultural heritage inherited by each monarch. The palace described the tortoise as more than a pet, saying it had become part of the oral history of the Yoruba people. Over the years, Baba became a tourist attraction, with visitors travelling to the palace partly to see the animal because of

its reported age and unusually long association with the institution. Two palace officials were responsible for caring for the tortoise. The palace said its diet included watermelon, corn pap wrapped in leaves and grass. Baba reportedly became ill on Monday and stopped eating before dying. The palace said the tortoise was affectionately called “Baba”, a Yoruba word commonly used for an elderly or respected man, because of its perceived age. The animal was regarded in palace tradition as one of Oyo's oldest living symbols and was cared for by successive

monarchs. The current Alaafin, Oba Akeem Owoade, inherited Baba as part of the historic palace environment after ascending the throne. The death removes one of the more unusual living attractions associated with the Alaafin's palace and the cultural history of the ancient Oyo Kingdom.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday met with French President Emmanuel Macron during a private dinner at the Élysée Palace in Paris, France. The meeting, disclosed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a post on Friday, highlighted the longstanding diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and France and the two countries’ commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation. Photographs released from the dinner showed President Tinubu with President Macron and France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, at the French presidential palace. Although details of the private discussions were not immediately

made public, the engagement comes against the backdrop of growing political, economic and cultural ties between Nigeria and France. According to France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, relations between the two countries have expanded significantly, particularly in the economic and cultural sectors. France describes Nigeria as an important partner because of its demographic, economic, cultural and political significance in Africa. The two countries have also maintained high-level engagements in recent years. Tinubu paid a state visit to France in October 2024, while French authorities have identified Nigeria as France’s

leading trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa. The latest meeting therefore provides another high-level platform for the two leaders to maintain diplomatic engagement and discuss areas of mutual interest. The private dinner took place in Paris on Thursday, September 17, 2026.

Dr Jadesola Taiwo Babatola has been appointed as the seventh substantive Registrar and Secretary to Council of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, for a five-year tenure. The Governing Council of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, has approved the appointment of Dr Jadesola Taiwo Babatola as the institution’s new Registrar and Secretary to Council. His appointment, which was approved at the end of the Council’s regular meeting on Thursday, September 17, 2026, will take effect from Monday, October 5, 2026, and run for a period of five years. Babatola becomes the seventh

substantive Registrar of the university. Until his appointment, Babatola served as a Deputy Registrar at EKSU. He has also previously held the position of Registrar and Secretary to Council at the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), Ondo, the Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe, Bayelsa State, and Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo. The new Registrar began his career at the institution in 2001 when he joined the services of the then University of Ado-Ekiti, now Ekiti State University, as an Administrative Officer I. He rose to the rank of Deputy Registrar

in 2015. His professional career has spanned university administration, higher education management and public service. He also served as a Commissioner in the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board and was the Global Alumni President of the university. Babatola holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the then Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti, obtained in 1990. He later earned a Master of Science degree in Political Science, specialising in Public Administration, from the University of Ibadan in 1997, and a PhD in History and International Studies from Ekiti State

University in 2019. He is also affiliated with several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Institute of Management, Chartered Institute of Administration, Institute of Management Consultants, Institute of Corporate Administration, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, Association of Nigerian University Professional Administrators and Association of University Administrators in the United Kingdom. Babatola attended Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti, for his secondary education before proceeding to university. His academic and professional interests have included university administration, public administration, management and higher education. He has also maintained a longstanding connection with EKSU. The university’s alumni association

records him as its national president between 2007 and 2010. The appointment returns Babatola to the institution where he began his career and comes after his previous administrative responsibilities at other tertiary institutions. His return to EKSU follows his tenure as Registrar and Secretary to Council of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, which lasted from 2021 to 2025, after which he returned to Ekiti State University as a Deputy Registrar. Babatola is married to Chief Mrs Modupe Babatola and has grown-up children. His five-year tenure as Registrar is expected to commence

on October 5, 2026.

Nollywood actress Toyin Abraham has distanced herself from the Lagos State All Progressives Congress Campaign Council, after her name appeared on a list of entertainers named to its Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate. The campaign structure released on Thursday listed Abraham alongside several actors and musicians ahead of the council's scheduled inauguration in Lagos on Friday, September 18. But the filmmaker subsequently said she was not a member of any campaign council and asked the public to disregard her inclusion. "I'm not a member of any campaign council," Abraham said

in a statement shared on her Instagram Story. She added that she had recently made clear her decision to stay out of politics. The campaign council list released by the Kadri Obafemi Hamzat Media Centre had named several figures from Nigeria's entertainment industry. They include veteran actor Jide Kosoko, actresses Eniola Badmus and Bimbo Akintola, and Fuji musicians Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, Abass Akande Obesere and Adewale Ayuba. According to the published structure, Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture Toke Benson-Awoyinka was named director of the Entertainment and Creative

Economy Directorate, while Kosoko was listed as co-director and Badmus as deputy director. Other actors and entertainers included on the list include Adebayo Salami, Saheed Balogun, Bukky Wright, Fathia Balogun, Yinka Quadri and Small Doctor. Abraham's statement means she has publicly rejected her own inclusion in the campaign structure. No explanation had been publicly issued at the time of this report explaining why her name appeared on the list despite her stated position. Abraham has previously spoken publicly about politics, including her support for President Bola Tinubu during the 2023

presidential election. Her latest statement, however, says she does not intend to participate in the current campaign council.