FG to Increase Infrastructure Investment in North-East

The Federal Government has announced plans to increase investment in critical infrastructure across Nigeria’s North-East to accelerate economic and human development in the region.

Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Ahmadu, made the announcement on Tuesday in Maiduguri while speaking to journalists after inaugurating a fertility centre and an ensuite maternity ward at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).

The facilities were constructed and equipped by the North East Development Commission (NEDC) as part of its intervention in the region’s health sector.

Ahmadu said the Federal Government, through the NEDC, was implementing several projects aimed at addressing infrastructure deficits and improving living conditions across the North-East.

He noted that sustained government investment was essential to stabilising the region after years of insurgency and supporting long-term development.

The minister also disclosed that his ministry had spent billions of naira on various people-centred programmes through the NEDC.

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum commended the NEDC for its interventions in the state, particularly the recent procurement of an MRI machine for the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

South Korea, US Scale Back Joint Military Drills After Trump Order

South Korea and the United States have reduced the duration and scope of their annual joint military exercises following an order from US President Donald Trump to significantly scale back the drills.

The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which began on August 17, was originally scheduled to last 11 days. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the exercise will now end on August 21, reducing it to five days.

Some combined field training and live-fire exercises have also been reduced, cancelled or replaced with computer simulations. US defence officials said the changes would maintain essential military readiness and training objectives.

The decision followed Trump’s order to reduce the US role in the exercises. Trump cited his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and also linked the move to South Korea’s decision not to participate in the US-Israel war against Iran.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said neither South Korean nor US officials had been informed in advance about Trump’s decision. He suggested the move could be intended to pressure Seoul on several issues, including its position on the Iran conflict.

North Korea has strongly opposed US-South Korea military exercises for years, describing them as preparations for an invasion. Pyongyang again condemned the drills and said it would continue exercising what it called its right to self-defence.

Meanwhile, Trump said Kim Jong Un had responded to his recent outreach, although he did not reveal details of the communication. Reports also say Trump has discussed meeting Kim in person later this year during a possible trip to Asia.

The United States currently has about 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea as part of its defence commitment to the country.

Japan and Australia have expressed concern about North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes and stressed the importance of continued security cooperation among the United States, South Korea and Japan.

Kidnappers Arrested After Chasing Escaped Victim in Benue

Security operatives in Benue State have arrested two suspected kidnappers after they allegedly pursued a female victim who escaped from their hideout in Ado Local Government Area.

The victim, identified as Mrs Ekuma, was among five people reportedly abducted on Friday while returning from Idelle Market in neighbouring Oju LGA.

According to the Benue State Government’s Special Adviser on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har, Ekuma escaped from the kidnappers’ forest hideout around Utonkon district and raised an alarm.

Personnel of the Benue State Civil Protection Guard, Ado Command, immediately launched an operation to rescue the woman and track down her abductors.

Har said the suspects, identified as Usman Shuaibu and Aliyu Drahu, were arrested after allegedly chasing Ekuma when they discovered that she had escaped.

The suspects were initially taken to the CPG zonal headquarters in Otukpo before being handed over to the Otukpo Police Division for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The government said the arrests were part of ongoing efforts to dismantle kidnapping networks and improve security in communities affected by insecurity across Benue State.

NANS Appeals to Tinubu to Release Withheld Osun LG Allocations

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone D, has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the continued withholding of statutory allocations meant for the 30 local government areas in Osun State.

In an open letter issued on Tuesday, following the August 15, 2026 governorship election, the students’ body urged the President to ensure that the funds are released through a lawful, transparent and accountable process.

NANS said the election, which saw Governor Ademola Adeleke secure re-election, should mark a new beginning for governance in the state.

The association noted that more than ₦200 billion in statutory allocations had reportedly accumulated as withheld funds by the middle of 2026, with additional funds expected to accrue monthly.

According to NANS, the issue goes beyond politics, as local governments provide essential services affecting students and their host communities, including roads, sanitation, healthcare, water supply, security and youth development.

The students urged Tinubu to direct relevant federal institutions to address any legal or administrative obstacles preventing the release of the funds.

NANS also called on the local governments to ensure that, once released, the funds are used for visible development projects, particularly in communities hosting tertiary institutions.

The association stressed that releasing the funds should not be regarded as a victory for any political party, but as a step towards strengthening constitutional governance and grassroots development.

“Let politics give way to governance. Let the funds reach the people,” NANS said.

Man Found Dead at Charlton Athletic Stadium

A man was found dead at The Valley, the home stadium of London-based football club Charlton Athletic, on Tuesday morning.

Police were called to the stadium following an incident in the early hours of Monday. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Charlton Athletic said the death remains under investigation and confirmed that the club is assisting the authorities with their enquiries.

The club urged anyone with information or who may have witnessed the incident to contact the police, quoting reference 2809/18AUG.

Charlton Athletic expressed its condolences to the deceased man’s family, friends and loved ones, while also asking for privacy for those affected.

The club said there was no suggestion of wrongdoing on its part and praised its staff for their professionalism in responding to the distressing incident.

Kano Launches ₦27.8bn ICT, CBT Project Across 44 LGAs

The Kano State Government has awarded contracts worth ₦27.8 billion for the construction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across the state’s 44 Local Government Areas.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mohammed Tajo-Othman, disclosed this on Tuesday during the contract award ceremony in Kano.

He said the initiative would expand access to digital learning, computer-based examinations and technology skills, particularly for young people in rural communities.

According to the commissioner, each centre will be equipped with 300 computers, high-capacity internet infrastructure and uninterrupted power supply supported by the national grid, solar energy and standby generators.

Tajo-Othman said the project is expected to be completed within 16 to 18 weeks, describing it as the first project of its kind to provide ICT and CBT centres across every local government area in the country.

The centres will also support examinations conducted by bodies including JAMB, WAEC and NECO, while providing facilities for digital skills training and creating employment opportunities.

The commissioner said the state government and local government authorities would conduct regular inspections to ensure that the projects meet the required standards.

The contractors awarded the projects include Odaleg Properties and Constructions Limited, Aytaam Construction Limited, Trusted Development, KODAK PRIME, VIND R&D Partnership Limited, and Cornerstone Construction & Engineering Limited.

Vivid R&D Partnership Limited will serve as the project consultant responsible for overall supervision and quality assurance.

US Democrats Criticise Trump Over Reduced Military Drills With South Korea

US President Donald Trump is facing growing criticism over his decision to substantially reduce joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea.

Several Democratic lawmakers accused Trump of weakening a longstanding alliance and sending the wrong signal to US allies and rivals.

Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, described the decision as “inane”, warning that it could suggest that US commitments to its allies are negotiable.

Reed said China and Russia would closely watch how the US treats its allies and could use the decision to assess Washington’s resolve in future confrontations.

Trump announced the policy on Sunday, saying he had ordered the Pentagon to significantly scale back military drills with South Korean forces. He linked the decision to his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s refusal to join the US-Israel war against Iran.

Trump said he had asked South Korea whether it wanted to participate in efforts to denuclearise Iran, but Seoul declined.

The US and South Korea have maintained a major defence partnership for decades under the 1953 Mutual Defence Treaty. Their joint military exercises are considered an important part of efforts to deter North Korean aggression.

Democratic Senator Andy Kim also criticised Trump, saying decisions concerning joint military exercises should be made through consultation between Washington and Seoul rather than announced unilaterally on social media.

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal described the move as dangerous for regional stability and accused Trump of appearing to favour North Korea’s authoritarian leadership.

The decision has also drawn criticism from Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who argued that reducing the exercises could allow North Korea to free up troops to provide greater support to Russia in its war against Ukraine.

North Korea has continued developing its military capabilities and conducting missile tests despite pressure from the United States and its allies.

Trump previously held three meetings with Kim Jong Un between 2018 and 2019, but the diplomatic engagements failed to produce a lasting agreement on North Korea’s nuclear programme.

The latest decision comes as the Trump administration shifts greater US strategic attention away from the Asia-Pacific region, while Washington faces growing military and diplomatic pressures elsewhere.

23-Year-Old Man Arrested Over Alleged Killing of Mother in Ondo

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 23-year-old man, Samuel Akoade, for allegedly killing his 60-year-old mother, Mrs. Olufunke Amoo, in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday, August 16, 2026.

According to the police, the woman was found in a pool of blood at her residence with deep machete wounds on her body.

Police officers from the Ore Division responded after receiving a report of the incident. A machete suspected to have been used in the attack was recovered at the scene.

The suspect allegedly fled before the arrival of the police but was later arrested following a manhunt by security operatives.

The deceased’s remains have been deposited at a mortuary, while the suspect remains in police custody.

The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Akure, for further investigation.

The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, CP Felix Ohagwu, ordered a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensure that justice is served.

Police also urged members of the public to promptly report suspicious activities in their communities.

Lens stun PSG 1–0 to win French Champions’ Trophy

Lens have defeated Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 1–0 to win the French Champions’ Trophy, denying the French champions a second trophy within five days.

Florian Thauvin scored the decisive goal in the 32nd minute, finishing at the back post after PSG failed to clear Matthieu Udol’s cross. Despite Lens being reduced to 10 men before half-time following Kyllian Antonio’s dismissal, PSG were unable to find an equaliser.

PSG dominated possession during much of the match but struggled to create clear scoring opportunities. Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser made several important saves, while Desire Doue struck the crossbar before the break.

PSG coach Luis Enrique admitted his side deserved more from the match but congratulated Lens for their performance.

The situation worsened for PSG late in the game when Portugal defender Nuno Mendes was shown a straight red card for elbowing Lens wing-back Michal Skoras.

The victory marks an impressive start for Lens under new coach Dino Toppmoeller and adds the French Champions’ Trophy to the French Cup they won in May.

PSG will now turn their attention to the defence of their Ligue 1 title, beginning at home against Rennes next week.

Cameroon Make History, Defeat Malawi 3–0 in WAFCON Final

Cameroon have made history by winning their first-ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title after defeating Malawi 3–0 in the 2026 final in Rabat, Morocco.

The Indomitable Lionesses dominated the first half, scoring all three goals before the break.

Marie Ngah Manga opened the scoring before Naomi Eto doubled Cameroon’s lead with an impressive finish. Ngah Manga then completed her brace to give Cameroon a commanding 3–0 advantage at half-time.

Cameroon remained solid after the break, protecting their lead to secure a historic victory and finally lift the continental trophy after several near misses.

The triumph ends Cameroon’s long wait for the WAFCON title. The team had previously finished runners-up three times, with their most recent final appearance coming in 2016, when they lost 1–0 to Nigeria.

Veteran forward Gabrielle Onguene, 37, was part of that 2016 final and made a late substitute appearance in Rabat. Her appearance marked her eighth WAFCON tournament, making Cameroon’s historic triumph even more memorable.

For Malawi, the final was a landmark achievement as it was their first-ever appearance in the WAFCON final. Despite their impressive campaign, they ultimately finished as runners-up.

Cameroon’s victory marks a historic moment for the country and establishes the Indomitable Lionesses among Africa’s women’s football champions.

Wani Minista a ƙasar Isra’ila Ya Bukaci A Rinka Kashe Falasɗinawa 30 zuwa 40 a Gaza Kowane Dare.

Ministan Tsaron Cikin Gida na Isra’ila, Itamar Ben-Gvir, ya yi kira da a kashe Falasɗinawa tsakanin 30 zuwa 40 a Gaza a kowane dare, ciki har da mutanen da ba sa haifar da barazana kai tsaye a lokacin.

Ben-Gvir ya bayyana hakan ne yayin wata tattaunawa da tsohon fursunan Isra’ila, Rom Braslavski. Ya kuma yi kalaman da suka janyo suka, inda ya ce wasu Falasɗinawa “ba su cancanci rayuwa ba”.

Ministan ya soki matakin Firaministan Isra’ila Benjamin Netanyahu na rage hare-haren soji a Gaza karkashin yarjejeniyar tsagaita bude wuta, yana mai neman a dawo da kisan gilla da aka kai wa wasu mutane da ake zargi.

Ben-Gvir ba shi da ikon bayar da umarnin kai tsaye ga rundunar sojin Isra’ila, amma yana cikin majalisar tsaron Isra’ila da ke taka rawa wajen tsara manufofin tsaro da yaki.

Ya kuma bayyana goyon bayansa ga Falasɗinawa su bar Gaza na dindindin tare da kafa sabbin matsugunan Isra’ila a yankin.

Kalaman nasa sun sake jawo suka daga masu rajin kare hakkin bil’adama da masana shari’ar kasa da kasa, wadanda suka yi gargadin cewa tilasta wa Falasɗinawa barin Gaza na iya zama laifi na korar al’umma daga gidajensu.

Adeleke Ya Lashe Kananan Hukumomi 19, yayin da APC Ta Samu 11 a Zaben Gwamnan jihar Osun.

Gwamnan Jihar Osun, Ademola Adeleke, na jam’iyyar Accord, ya lashe kananan hukumomi 19 daga cikin 30 na jihar a zaben gwamnan da aka gudanar ranar Asabar.

A daya bangaren, dan takarar jam’iyyar APC, Bola Oyebamiji, ya samu nasara a kananan hukumomi 11.

Adeleke na jiran Hukumar Zabe Mai Zaman Kanta ta Kasa (INEC) ta yi sanarwar karshe bayan kammala tattarawa da tantance sakamakon zaben a ranar Lahadi.

Jam’iyyun siyasa 15 ne suka shiga takarar, sai dai manyan fafatawar ta fi kasancewa tsakanin jam’iyyar Accord ta Adeleke da APC.

Dan takarar African Democratic Congress (ADC), Najeem Salaam, ya zo na uku da tazarar kuri’u mai yawa, inda ya samu kuri’u 14,989.

Ana sa ran jami’in da ke kula da sanar da sakamakon zaben, Mataimakin Shugaban Jami’ar Tarayya, Oye-Ekiti, Farfesa Joshua Ogunwole, zai bayyana wanda ya yi nasara a cibiyar tattara sakamakon INEC da ke Osogbo.

Yadda zaben ya kasance:

Adeleke ya samu gagarumar nasara a kananan hukumomi da dama, ciki har da Ede South, Ife North, Ife Central, Osogbo, Ife East, Ifelodun, Iwo da Ede North.

A gefe guda kuma, Oyebamiji na APC ya samu nasara a kananan hukumomi kamar Ilesa East, Boripe, Irepodun, Irewole, Atakumosa West, Atakumosa East, Olaoluwa, Ife South da Olorunda.

Sakamakon ya nuna cewa an samu gasa mai tsauri a wasu kananan hukumomi, inda bambancin kuri’un da aka samu tsakanin ‘yan takarar ya kasance kadan a wasu wurare.

Dubban masu kada kuri’a da aka tantance sun fito rumfunan zabe daban-daban domin kada kuri’unsu a kananan hukumomi 30 na jihar.

Ana sa ran INEC za ta tabbatar da wanda ya lashe zaben gwamnan Jihar Osun a hukumance bayan jami’in zaben ya kammala sanar da sakamakon karshe.

WASSCE 2026: Education Group Gives WAEC 14-Day Ultimatum, Threatens Legal Action

An education advocacy organisation, the Initiative for School Excellence and Education Foundation, has threatened to take the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to court over concerns surrounding the credibility of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results.

The group has given WAEC 14 days to address concerns raised by candidates regarding the computer-based examination and the processing of their results.

The organisation is demanding that WAEC preserve all examination records, allow affected candidates access to their electronic examination records, and subject the computer-based examination and result-processing systems to an independent verification exercise.

The demands followed growing concerns on social media over alleged glitches and irregularities in the 2026 WASSCE results. WAEC, however, recently defended the credibility of the results, saying they were produced through established marking, moderation and auditing procedures.

The foundation’s lawyers, led by Chinwe Onubogu of Zuriel Law Practice, sent a letter dated 14 August 2026 to the Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office in Lagos.

The group wants WAEC to preserve electronic and documentary records, including candidates’ responses, examination-session records, audit trails, server and application logs, scoring databases, result-generation records and reports of technical problems or interruptions.

It also wants affected candidates to have access to information showing how their final grades were calculated, including records of any manual corrections, adjustments or reprocessing that may have affected their results.

The foundation further called for an independent review involving experts in educational assessment and information technology to determine whether WAEC’s computer-based examination platform and result-processing system operated accurately and consistently.

According to the group, the proposed review would not interfere with WAEC’s academic judgment but would assess whether the technological and administrative systems used to generate the results functioned reliably.

WAEC released the 2026 WASSCE results on 5 August 2026. The council said 1,950,726 candidates eventually sat for the examination, while 1,834,695 candidates, representing 94.05%, had their results fully processed and released.

WAEC also reported that 1,200,514 candidates, representing 61.54%, obtained credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

The council withheld the results of 167,486 candidates, representing 8.59%, over alleged examination malpractice.

The education group says WAEC must respond to its demands within 14 days, failing which it intends to proceed with litigation.