Author: CSNews

NELFUND Slams Fake Claim That Loan Defaulters Face Life Imprisonment

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has dismissed as fake news a circulating image claiming that President Bola Tinubu announced life imprisonment for students who fail to repay their education loans after graduation. In a post on its official X account, NELFUND shared the doctored image, which purportedly showed the front page of a newspaper dated Thursday, May 27, 2027, and urged the public to disregard the claim entirely. The fabricated headline read that all students who fail to repay their loan after graduation would go to jail for life, a claim NELFUND stamped with a large red fake overlay to counter its spread. The Fund noted it has previously issued clarifications dismissing similarly fabricated circulars, including false notices about suspended upkeep payments and claims that beneficiaries must begin repayment while still in school. NELFUND was established under the Student Loans Access to Higher Education Act, signed into law by President Tinubu and re enacted in 2024, and administers interest free loans to eligible Nigerian students in public tertiary institutions. Under the law, repayment becomes due two years after a beneficiary completes the National Youth Service Corps programme, and only when the beneficiary is gainfully employed, with monthly deductions capped at 10 percent of gross income and unemployed beneficiaries able to seek extensions through a sworn statement.

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942 Forest Guards Graduate In Plateau, Charged To Defend Nigeria’s Forests With Vigilance

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shuaibu, has charged 942 newly trained forest guards from Borno State to combine vigilance with diligence as they assume duty as the first line of defence in protecting the nation’s forests. The charge was delivered at the graduation ceremony held at the shooting range of Maxwell Khobe Cantonment in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, marking the conclusion of six weeks of intensive training. The training covered physical fitness, surveillance and weapons handling, preparing the 942 graduates to commence duties aimed at protecting forests and curbing criminal activities within forested areas. Representing the Chief of Army Staff, the General Officer Commanding 3 Division, Major General Maxwell Dangana, expressed concern over the increasing encroachment of criminal elements into forests, describing them as valuable natural resources requiring protection. He urged the forest guards to discharge their responsibilities with diligence and professionalism, while respecting the fundamental rights of citizens in the course of their duties. The newly trained guards later demonstrated their skills in weapon handling and physical fitness, drawing applause from dignitaries and other guests present at the ceremony.

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Katsina Leadership Doubles Down On Empowering Women And Youth Through Enterprise

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed State leadership in Katsina has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women and young people through entrepreneurship, describing their economic participation as central to the growth of the state’s economy. Speaking at the fourth CEOs Round Table Summit and Exhibition organised by the Initiative of Innovative Youthpreneurs Sustainable Development in Katsina, officials stressed that empowering women is not only about supporting individuals and families but an investment in the state’s economic future. The state’s focus, according to officials, rests on providing three critical links for successful entrepreneurship, capacity, market and finance, noting that access to funding alone is not enough without the skills to manage businesses and access to viable markets. Katsina is also investing in skills acquisition, vocational training, agriculture and enterprise development to help young people convert their ideas into productive livelihoods, with officials noting that such opportunities also help reduce idleness and strengthen security. Entrepreneurs were encouraged to embrace technology, mentorship and innovation while modernising traditional trades and developing markets for products made in Katsina, as part of a broader push toward sustainable economic growth. Organisers of the summit were commended for creating a platform connecting entrepreneurs with business leaders, mentors and new opportunities, with officials pledging continued support to help residents become job creators rather than job seekers.

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Troops Rescue Two Kidnap Victims And Arrest Suspect In Nasarawa And Benue

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke, have rescued two abducted victims and arrested a suspected kidnapper in separate operations carried out across Nasarawa and Benue States. According to a statement signed by the Acting Media Information Officer, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, troops of Sector Two arrested a suspect identified as Adamu Lamu at Agyaragu in Nasarawa State, following information provided by a victim who had earlier escaped his abductors. The victim, Nehemiah Elisha, later sighted one of his suspected abductors at a market in Agyaragu and immediately alerted troops deployed in the area, leading to the suspect’s swift arrest and handover to the police for further investigation. In a separate operation on September 6, troops of COAS Intervention Battalion XI rescued a kidnapped victim, Vincent Nyado, along the Umene Torkula Road in Benue State, after finding him tied and abandoned by the roadside. Preliminary information indicates Nyado had allegedly been abducted by suspected terrorists who fled into surrounding bushes on sighting the approaching troops, abandoning their victim in the process. Operation Whirl Stroke said it remains committed to stemming the rising tide of violence across the North Central region and Taraba State, urging members of the public to continue providing credible and timely information to security agencies.

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Ernest Bai Koroma Returns Home To Sierra Leone After Two Years In Nigeria

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed Former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma has returned to his country after more than two years of temporary stay in Nigeria, marking the conclusion of a lengthy diplomatic process. Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, accompanied Koroma to Freetown on the instruction of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, according to an official statement on the development. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also joined the delegation accompanying Koroma back to Freetown, lending additional weight to the diplomatic gesture surrounding his return. The statement, signed by Dr Magnus Eze, Special Assistant on Communication and New Media in the office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, described the return as marking the successful conclusion of a regional diplomatic and confidence building process. Koroma had relocated to Nigeria in January 2024 following engagements by the Economic Community of West African States aimed at promoting peace, stability and political understanding in Sierra Leone. His return closes a significant chapter in the regional effort to manage political tensions in Sierra Leone, with Nigeria’s role in the process being held up as an example of ECOWAS diplomacy at work.

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Troops Storm Terrorist Enclaves In Sokoto, Seize Machine Gun And Ammunition

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed Troops of the Special Intervention Battalion 7, Sector Two, under Operation Fansan Yamma, have dislodged terrorists and recovered a machine gun and other high calibre weapons during clearance operations in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The operation formed part of ongoing offensive efforts to clear terrorist enclaves and deny criminal elements freedom of action across the North West region. According to a statement by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 8 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, troops advanced through identified threat enclaves including Manu, Alkasim and Kandam villages, as well as the Magarya Forest axis. At the Magarya Forest enclave, troops engaged the terrorists with superior firepower, forcing them to abandon their positions and flee deeper into the forest. Follow up operations and a thorough search of the area led to the recovery of significant arms, ammunition and mobility assets, including a PKT machine gun, AK 47 rifles, a large quantity of belted ammunition and motorcycles. Troops have maintained a strong operational presence in the area to ensure the continued security of surrounding communities following the successful clearance operation.

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IGP Disu Tours 23 Barracks, Promises Better Living Conditions For Officers And Families

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Inspector General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has conducted a comprehensive inspection of 23 police barracks across the country to assess the living conditions of personnel and their families and identify priority areas requiring intervention. The exercise covered residential quarters and other welfare infrastructure, with the IGP engaging directly with personnel and residents while assessing the condition of facilities on the ground. The inspection provided a broad picture of existing welfare challenges, highlighting areas requiring urgent attention, rehabilitation and sustained investment across the barracks visited. IGP Disu reiterated that personnel who dedicate themselves to the protection of lives and property deserve decent and conducive living conditions, describing improved welfare as integral to building a motivated and effective police force. The Nigeria Police Force said it remains committed to improving welfare and living conditions for its personnel and their families through sustained investment in accommodation and other support systems. The exercise is expected to inform ongoing police reform efforts, with the leadership emphasising evidence based assessment and practical interventions in addressing infrastructure gaps across the force.

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El Kanemi Warriors Draw First Blood In Continental Clash With Real Bamako

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed El Kanemi Warriors earned a crucial first leg victory in the CAF Confederation Cup, defeating AS Real Bamako in Maiduguri in a result that strengthens Nigeria’s continental presence in this season’s competition. El Kanemi Warriors 1 – 0 AS Real Bamako Coach Aliyu Zubair said his side would not relax despite the advantage, insisting the team will fight to the last whistle in the return leg as they look to secure passage to the next round. The win adds to a growing list of positive results for Nigerian clubs on the continental stage this season, with El Kanemi now holding a slender but valuable cushion heading into the second leg. Zubair’s men will need to manage the away trip carefully, knowing that a single slip could hand the tie back to the Malian side on home turf. For now, the Maiduguri faithful have reason to celebrate, with the team’s continental campaign still very much alive after a disciplined defensive display backed by a clinical finish at the right moment.

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NAF Graduates 459 Regiment Personnel To Sharpen Force Protection Muscle

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Nigerian Air Force has graduated 459 Regiment Personnel, comprising 10 officers and 449 airmen and airwomen, following specialised training at the Regiment Training Centre in Kaduna, in a ceremony held on September 4, 2026. The graduation underscores the Service’s commitment to developing the personnel required to meet evolving national security challenges, particularly around the protection of critical military and national assets. Speaking at the event, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, represented by the Chief of Training at Headquarters NAF, Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Dari, emphasised that effective force protection is critical to sustaining airpower projection and safeguarding Service and national assets. He reaffirmed the NAF’s commitment to deliberate training and mission oriented force development aimed at generating agile, resilient and combat ready forces, noting that the enhanced capability is expected to support ongoing counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations. For Nigerians, the graduation represents another step toward a more capable, responsive and resilient Air Force committed to safeguarding lives and contributing to a safer and more secure country. The graduates were charged to uphold discipline, courage, teamwork and vigilance as they return to their respective units to begin applying the skills gained during training. The Commandant of the Regiment Training Centre, Air Vice Marshal Isaac Subi, expressed confidence that the training would enhance the graduates’ contributions to operational effectiveness, reaffirming the Centre’s commitment to quality professional military training going forward.

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