The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), on Wednesday, announced successful candidates for enlistment into Air Force BMTC 46/2025.

Announcing the successful candidates in a statement on Wednesday, the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the names of successful candidates have been published on the official Nigerian Air Force recruitment portal.

“The candidates whose names appear on the published list were successful at the selection interview and are to report to the NAF Military Training Centre (MTC), NAF Base, Kaduna, on Sunday, 19 July 2026, to commence training,” the statement said.

It said all successful candidates are required to report with the originals and photocopies of their credentials, as well as other items specified in the instructions.

Candidates are advised to carefully review all instructions provided on the recruitment portal before reporting.

The statement further added that the Nigerian Air Force recruitment exercise is entirely free of charge.

Successful candidates and members of the public were advised to beware of fraudsters and refrain from making any payment to individuals or groups claiming to facilitate recruitment or enlistment into the force.

Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu, along with Hon. Francis Shoga, has urged supporters of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign to adopt a more proactive approach.

They made this appeal in Abuja on Monday while addressing their followers, emphasizing the need for members to enhance grassroots mobilization in support of Tinubu.

They asserted that politics is not a pursuit for those who remain passive, stressing that now is the time to organize, mobilize, and convey their message to every street, community, and household.

Seyi Tinubu encouraged supporters to become “communicators, educators, mobilizers, and ambassadors of hope” by engaging with Nigerians through facts, empathy, and responsible leadership.

In his remarks, Shoga stated, “We must inform, engage, and empower Nigerians with clarity, facts, and conviction.

“Our mission is clear. Our target is 10 million votes. Our strength lies in our people. And our time is now. These 10 million votes will not be secured through slogans or social media; they will come from genuine individuals, established structures, meaningful engagement, and diligent work at the grassroots level.

“If you believe in this movement, bring someone into it. Get involved. Get organized. Get to work.

“History will one day inquire what we did when we had the opportunity to serve. Let our response be straightforward: we stood up, we organized, we worked, we mobilized, and we delivered,” he added.

Some former executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Misau Local Government Area of Bauchi State have defected to the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), citing dissatisfaction with the leadership and internal affairs of the ruling party.
The defectors announced their decision at a gathering coordinated by Hon. Maiwada Bakoji Misau and Hon. Shehu Dubagari Misau, describing the move as a “political awakening” aimed at promoting justice, fairness and inclusive leadership in Bauchi State.

Speaking on behalf of the group, the former APC officials said their decision to leave the party was driven by what they described as a lack of internal democracy, poor leadership and the neglect of grassroots members.

“We are joining the PRP because politics should be about service to humanity, empowerment and meaningful development,” the group said.

The new members pledged to mobilise support for the PRP ahead of the 2027 general election, expressing confidence in the party’s vision and leadership.

Welcoming the defectors, PRP leaders assured them of equal opportunities and active participation in the party’s activities.

They also reaffirmed the party’s commitment to justice, unity, transparency and people-oriented leadership, urging members to remain united as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.

The Director General (DG) of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, in disaster risk management, research, capacity building and institutional resilience.

 

Mrs. Zubaida Umar gave the assurance on Monday, 13th July, 2026, while receiving the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, who led the university’s management team on a courtesy visit to the NEMA Headquarters in Abuja.

 

Welcoming the delegation, the Director General assured the university of NEMA’s commitment to scaling up the existing partnership between the two organizations. She said that partnerships with academic institutions are critical to strengthening evidence-based disaster management, advancing research and innovation, and building national resilience.

 

Mrs. Zubaida Umar said that NEMA has continued to reposition disaster management in Nigeria by placing greater emphasis on disaster risk reduction, early warning dissemination, public awareness, preparedness and resilience-building, rather than relying solely on emergency response.

 

She explained that the Agency has also sustained nationwide sensitisation campaigns, strengthened collaboration with State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), and promoted the establishment and effective functioning of Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) to enhance community-based disaster risk management.

 

She emphasized that disaster management begins at the community level and underscored the importance of collaboration with tertiary institutions in promoting disaster risk education, climate resilience, environmental sustainability, emergency preparedness, research and institutional capacity development.

 

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, commended the Director General, NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar for her exemplary leadership and the remarkable progress recorded by NEMA in disaster management and humanitarian coordination.

 

He described Mrs. Zubaida Umar as one of the university’s distinguished alumni whose professionalism, integrity and dedication to public service continue to bring pride to the institution.

 

Prof. Ahmed explained that the visit was also to appreciate NEMA’s longstanding support for the ABU Centre for Disaster Risk Management and Development Studies, which has trained professionals serving in disaster management institutions across Nigeria.

 

He said the university was seeking to deepen its collaboration with NEMA in research, capacity building and disaster risk reduction to address the growing complexity of disasters associated with climate change, rapid urbanisation and other emerging risks.

 

He also appealed for the Agency’s support in strengthening emergency preparedness within the university, particularly in addressing risks associated with ageing infrastructure, erosion, fire incidents and other hazards.

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to the welfare, security and well-being of Corps members serving in the state, describing them as critical partners in the government’s development agenda.

Governor Ododo gave the assurance while receiving the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, at the Government House in Lokoja.

Congratulating the Director General on his appointment, the Governor expressed confidence in his leadership, saying his tenure would be remembered for reforms that would further strengthen the Scheme and enhance its contributions to national development.

He assured the NYSC leadership that his administration would continue to provide a safe, secure and conducive environment for Corps members throughout their service year in Kogi State, stressing that the security of every resident and visitor, including Corps members, remains a top priority of his government.

Governor Ododo disclosed that he had personally visited the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Asaya on several occasions to assess its condition, noting that his administration places premium on firsthand evaluation of projects rather than relying solely on reports.

He announced that the state government had concluded plans to undertake a comprehensive renovation and upgrade of the orientation camp to improve its infrastructure and position it among the best in the country. According to him, consultants had already been engaged and architectural designs were being prepared for the project.

On the payment of the monthly state allowance to Corps members, Governor Ododo expressed surprise that this had not been sustained, describing the development as unacceptable. He immediately directed the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development to work with relevant government officials to review the matter and ensure prompt action, stressing that Corps members deserve adequate support and encouragement while serving the nation.

He further appealed to the NYSC to deploy more teachers and medical doctors to Kogi State to strengthen service delivery in critical sectors. The Governor noted that his administration had introduced attractive incentives, including special allowances for medical personnel, to improve healthcare delivery across the state.

The Chairman of the Kogi State NYSC Governing Board and Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Monday Aridaojo Anyebe, commended Governor Ododo for prioritising the welfare of Corps members. He noted that the Governor recently inaugurated the State NYSC Governing Board, describing the development as a landmark achievement in the history of the Scheme in Kogi State.

Anyebe added that the Governor has consistently demonstrated his commitment to the Scheme through improved welfare packages, transportation support, enhanced camp feeding, prompt intervention in infrastructure challenges and the planned comprehensive renovation of the orientation camp.

In his remarks, the Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, commended Governor Ododo for his unwavering support for the Scheme, particularly in the areas of security, infrastructure and Corps members’ welfare.

He described Kogi as one of the safest states for Corps members, noting that all the state’s 21 local government areas currently receive Corps members owing to the government’s effective security architecture.

The Director General also lauded the Governor for inaugurating the State NYSC Governing Board and appealed for sustained collaboration between the state government and the Scheme to further enhance service delivery and the welfare of Corps members.

Gunmen had opened fire at people after a funeral in north-central Nigeria killing eight, Police said Monday.

The attack occurred in the early hours of Sunday in the Otukpo-Nobi community of Benue state. Five others were wounded, state Police spokesperson Udeme Edet said.

It wasn’t clear what triggered the attack. Herders and farmers have often clashed over resources in Benue, a key food-producing state in Nigeria. Last year, 150 people were killed in the Yelewata community.

Edet said thatched houses and a motorcycle were also set ablaze, adding that more officers have been deployed in the area.

Amnesty International Nigeria said at least 10 people were killed. Police in Nigeria often report more conservative casualty figures.

The rights group said protests by youth in the aftermath of the attack showed that people have had enough and seek an end to raids and abductions that have made “life a hell” in many parts of Benue state.

“The government must live up to its main obligation of protecting lives and property,” the group said.

A faction of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, led by its National Chairman,  Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe has successfully uploaded credentials of its presidential, vice presidential and national assembly candidates on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC portal.

Nafiu, who disclosed the development in a statement he issued on Sunday, didn’t give details of the faction’s candidates whose names were submitted to the commission.

“The African Democratic Congress, ADC, under my leadership, has successfully completed the upload of our Presidential, Vice-Presidential, and National Assembly candidates on the INEC portal for the 2027 General Elections”, he said.

He said the party under his leadership is focused on fielding credible, competent, and people-centered candidates for the 2027 elections.

“This achievement demonstrates our Party’s firm commitment to safeguarding the interests of our founding and legacy members in the face of anti-democratic tendencies.

“As a Party, the ADC remains resolute in its mission to field credible, competent, and people-centered candidates who will provide purposeful leadership, promote good governance, and bring hope to the Nigerian people”, he added.

Ahead of the 2027 general election, the issue of religion has taken a new dimension in Niger State, with Christian leaders openly challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, over what they described as years of political marginalisation.

Their latest demand that Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago should field a Christian deputy governor if he seeks a second term has reignited conversations about inclusion, internal party democracy, zoning, consensus politics and religious representation in the state’s political landscape.

While the APC has yet to openly take a position on the issue, Christian groups insist that the agitation goes beyond religion and is rooted in what they described as the need for equity, fairness and inclusive governance.

The agitation did not begin today

The latest demand by the Coalition of Concerned Christian Stakeholders, CCCS, did not emerge overnight. It follows months of complaints by Christian groups over what they described as shrinking political representation in Niger State.

The first major public push came on May 20, 2026, when the Niger State Christian Voice in Politics and Governance, led by its Convener, Habila Daniel Diko, accused the APC of sidelining Christian aspirants during the National Assembly primaries.

The group alleged that consensus arrangements and zoning were used to edge out Christian aspirants, warning that the development could deepen religious imbalance and discourage especially Christian youths from participating in politics.

It also expressed concern over the fate of the Deputy Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Afiniki Dauda, alleging that she came under pressure during the primaries.

At the time, the group warned that if the situation was not addressed, Christians could lose what remained of their representation in the state’s political leadership.

Weeks later, former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism and APC chieftain, Jonathan Vatsa warned that the party risked alienating Christian voters if it retained another Muslim-Muslim governorship ticket in 2027.

The campaign gathered further momentum last week when the Coalition of Concerned Christian Stakeholders formally demanded that the APC reserve its deputy governorship ticket for a Christian.

Addressing journalists in Minna on Tuesday, 8 July, 2026, the coalition’s Secretary, Comrade Jude Johnson, flanked by Vatsa and other members, said the demand was not aimed at promoting religious division but at ensuring justice, fairness and inclusive governance.

“We demand a Christian deputy,” the coalition declared, arguing that leadership in a diverse state like Niger, comprising Christians, Muslims and adherents of traditional religions, should reflect the composition of its people.

The coalition maintained that Christians had supported Governor Bago’s election in 2023 but said continued support for his second-term ambition would depend on whether the party addressed what it described as the growing imbalance in political representation.

It also urged the governor to consider a Christian from Niger East (Zone B), arguing that the zone has qualified party members and a significant Christian population.

Representation by the numbers

A review of the current composition of major political offices in Niger State helps explain why the issue has resonated within the Christian community.

The offices of Governor, Deputy Governor, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Secretary to the State Government and Chief of Staff are all occupied by Muslims.

The state’s three senators are Muslims, just as its 11 members of the House of Representatives are also Muslims.

In the 27-member House of Assembly, only three lawmakers are Christians, while the Deputy Speaker, Hon Afiniki Dauda remains the highest-ranking Christian political office holder.

However, following the APC primaries, she is not expected to return to the Assembly.

At the local government level, only one of the state’s 25 chairmen is a Christian.

Similarly, only three of the 30 commissioners are Christians.

To members of the coalition, the figures reflect what they described as a steady decline in Christian representation in elective and appointive positions.

They maintained that Christians account for about 45 per cent of Niger State’s population and therefore deserve greater inclusion in governance.

Looking back

For many of those behind the campaign, the current debate is rooted in history.

Since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, Dr. Shem Zagbayi Nuhu remains the only Christian to have served as Deputy Governor of Niger State.

He served under the late Governor Engr. Abdulkadir Abdullahi Kure of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) between 1999 and 2007, a period many Christians say gave them a stronger sense of political inclusion.

Former Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu served with Ahmed Musa Ibeto as his deputy throughout his two terms in office (2007–2015).

During that period, political analyst, Bala John said Christians occupied key positions at different times, including the offices of the Secretary to the State Government and Chief of Staff, while about six commissioners were Christians.

He also noted that Christians had stronger representation in the House of Assembly and that the administration sponsored Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem, just as it sponsored Muslim pilgrims to Mecca.

According to him, “The concern today is not that Christians never had representation. Many simply believe that the level of inclusion has reduced under the current administration.”

Responding to questions from journalists on why Christians remained largely silent during the eight years (2015 to 2023) of former Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, Vatsa said efforts were made to produce a Christian deputy governor then.

According to him, the APC leadership had proposed Mr. Sunday Kolo, who later became Commissioner for Solid Minerals, as deputy governor, but the arrangement did not materialise.

“We proposed a Christian-Muslim ticket and Sunday Kolo was picked. That was the party’s suggestion, but it did not happen, instead, it was given to Ahmed Mohammed Ketso,” Vatsa said.

He argued that the development reflected what he described as the erosion of party supremacy in Nigeria, adding that decisions within political parties were increasingly being influenced by powerful interests rather than party structures.

Vatsa maintained that his position on religious balance in politics was not new, insisting that he had consistently spoken out on the issue at both the state and national levels.

According to him, he did not remain silent when the APC presented a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket comprising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2023 general election.

“I never kept quiet. I spoke when the Muslim-Muslim ticket was adopted at the national level, and I have continued to speak on issues of fairness, inclusion and reports  on my comments on it are in the public domain,” he said.

One of the defining moments of the briefing came when a journalist questioned the coalition’s timing.

The journalist asked why Christians remained largely silent throughout the eight years of the Abubakar Sani Bello administration and why they were not more active during party congresses, local government elections and the recent APC primaries.

Vatsa acknowledged that Christians had not always been politically organised.

“Yes, we were docile,” he admitted, adding: “but it is better late than never. We are awake now.”

The coalition, however, maintained that Christians did participate in the political process, alleging that several aspirants were persuaded to step down during the APC primaries, thereby limiting Christian representation among the party’s candidates.

More voices join the debate

Also lending his voice, an APC member, Iliya Garba from Wushishi local government said the demand for a Christian deputy governor was not intended to promote religious division but to ensure fairness, inclusiveness and a sense of belonging for all segments of Niger State’s population.

He maintained that equitable representation strengthens unity and reinforces confidence in the democratic process.

Similarly, Secretary of OAIC, a bloc of the Niger State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Sunday Olayinka Ojimi, said Christians had been largely excluded from governance under the present administration.

According to him, Christian aspirants who enjoyed the support of their constituents were allegedly persuaded to step down during the APC primaries, leaving the community with little representation in elective offices.

“The truth is that Christians in the state are not being carried along in this administration.

“Even where our candidates were popular and the electorate wanted them, they were asked to step down

“At the state level, we are not carried along, and even at the local government level we have only one chairman.

“All we are asking for is the position of deputy governor to ensure equity, fairness and proper representation,” Ojimi said.

Offering another perspective, political analyst, Bala John urged political leaders to view the issue beyond religion, saying balanced political appointments have historically contributed to peaceful coexistence and public confidence in governance.

What is at stake?

For members of the coalition, the issue goes beyond who becomes deputy governor.

They argue that governance should reflect the diversity of the people and that inclusive representation promotes unity, trust and peaceful coexistence.

Vatsa warned that if opposition parties field a Christian deputy governorship candidate, while the APC retains another Muslim-Muslim ticket, many Christian voters could reconsider their political choices.

“We may not be able to control our people,” he said.

Meanwhile, efforts to obtain the reaction of the Niger State Government yielded limited responses.

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, Ibrahim Bologi, told DAILY POST that he was not aware of the issues raised by the coalition and advised this reporter to contact the Commissioner for Information and Orientation.

When contacted, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Obed Nuhu Nana, declined to comment on the coalition’s demands.

“As a critical stakeholder, I am not aware of the coalition that you’re talking about. The only Christian group I know was inaugurated, I was invited and I gave my blessings,” he said.

Nana, however, noted that Jonathan Vatsa was free to express his personal views.

Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Niger State chapter of the APC were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to the party’s Publicity Secretary, Musa Sarkinkaji, were not responded to before this report was filed.