A grassroots forum of voters in Kogi State, under the aegis of the Ijumu Voters Forum, IYF, has cautioned former Senator Dino Melaye, urging him to desist from attacking leaders in the state.

This followed the former lawmaker’s recent outburst against some persons holding political offices at the federal level.

According to the group, Melaye did not significantly impact the lives of the people of Kogi West to have the moral ground to criticise others.

The grassroots voters’ forum in Kogi West, in a statement signed by its coordinator, Hon. Eleta Kelvin Oluseyi, on Monday, said the former Senator lacks the moral authority and public record required to criticise other public office holders.

According to the forum, Melaye’s years in public office were marked by noise rather than results, drama rather than development, and controversy instead of service.

“Leadership is measured by impact, and by that standard, his record falls short of what the people of Kogi West deserved,” the statement said.

“Melaye became more widely known for public stunts and political quarrels than for meaningful contributions to his constituency.

“The former Senator earned national nicknames that turned him into a spectacle rather than a statesman.”

The Chief of Army Staff of Benin Republic and the Chief of the National Guard have been released after being held hostage during Sunday’s failed coup attempt.

Security analyst Brant Grant confirmed their freedom in a statement posted on X on Monday.

“The Beninese Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Staff of the National Guard have been freed after they were taken hostage by the mutineers during the coup yesterday,” he wrote.

Their release comes as President Patrice Talon, in a nationwide broadcast, announced that his government had restored full control following the unrest.

Talon and several senior military officials were earlier seized in Cotonou by mutinous soldiers led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri.

The incident adds to a series of recent coups and attempted takeovers recorded in West Africa, including in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Guinea-Bissau.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has released a detailed guide for candidates preparing to register for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

This is as the board outlines the required steps, important warnings, and common challenges encountered during profile code generation.

The update was published on the Board’s official X handle on Sunday.

In the announcement, JAMB emphasised that candidates must ensure all personal information—especially those linked to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)—are accurate before registration begins.

Profile Code Generation

“Ensure your details on NIMC and others, i.e., O’Level/A-Level results, are the same. Send: NIN (leave one space) your 11-digit NIN number to 55019 or 66019. For example, NIN 00000011111 to 55019/66019,” it stated.

JAMB further warned that once a profile code is generated, it cannot be changed, as the candidate’s biodata is automatically retrieved from NIMC’s database.

Here is the step-by-step registration procedure.

The Board outlined the following steps:

1. Visit an approved centre:

Candidates are to proceed to the nearest JAMB office or an accredited CBT centre to begin registration.

2. E-PIN vending:

Candidates should only purchase e-PINs from authorised channels such as banks, approved vendors, and recognised online platforms.

3. Use the correct template:

JAMB stressed: “Ensure that you are given the correct registration template to fill out.”

4. Final submission:

All applicants must cross-check and confirm every detail before final submission at the centre.

Important Tips for Candidates

JAMB also issued several precautionary guidelines:

1. Candidates should make all necessary corrections with NIMC early (name, date of birth, gender, state of origin) and confirm that the updates reflect on their NIMC portal.

2. GSM numbers and email addresses used for registration are unique identifiers—they must be functional, correct, and not shared.

3. Candidates experiencing biometric issues must visit the nearest JAMB office.

4. A dual-screen system must be used during registration so candidates can verify their photographs and biometric data in real time.

Common Challenges in Profile Code Generation, Solution

JAMB also addressed the most frequent errors students face:

1. “Record Not Found”

Solution: Visit the nearest NIMC office for validation.

2. “Wrong Parameter”

This means the message format was incorrect.

Solution: Resend using the correct format: NIN 00000011111.

3. “Your NIN has already been registered with GSM number…”

This indicates a previous profile code request.

Solution: Retrieve the SIM card originally used and resend the request.

4. “Unable to verify your NIN at the moment [NIMC: UNKNOWN]”

Solution: Wait and try again later.

The 2026 JAMB UTME form will be on sale from January to March 2026.