News
We’re Searching for Leah, Others Daily, Says Military
The Defence Headquarters, Abuja, has said that troops of Operation Lafiya Dole in the North-East region conduct rescue missions daily to rescue Leah Sharibu, the remaining Dapchi schoolgirl, and other abducted persons in the Boko Haram captivity.
The DHQ on Monday noted that its troops were treading with caution in order not to jeopardise the lives of the victims, noting that the Boko Haram and the Islamic State West African Province fighters had their enclaves in the “Tumbums, which are islands between Nigeria, Niger Republic, Chad and Cameroon.”
The Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, stated this at a press conference on the joint operations coordinated by the armed forces nationwide.
Nwachukwu added that Operations Safe Haven, Hadarin Daji, Thunder Strike, Whirl Stroke and Delta Safe in the North-Central and South-South regions had led to the rescue of 1,048 kidnapped victims and arrests of 48 suspected kidnappers.
The DHQ’s spokesman said, “The Boko Haram terrorists are not holding any territory in the North-East. The Boko Haram and the ISWAP fighters have been pushed into the Tumbums, which are islands between Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon, where they have their enclaves and come out to infiltrate the public and carry out attacks on soft targets.
“Terrorists abduct people and attempt to raise funds to support their illicit activities. Unfortunately, we still have the case of Leah (Sharibu) and I want to assure you that the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have been relentless in ensuring that these people are released.
“The troops are on aggressive patrols; rescue missions conducted on a daily basis. But the fact is that the troops have been very cautious because these persons are already in the hands of the terrorists and any careless or reckless move may result in the annihilation of the persons to ward off the troops. So, it is a very complex operation and requires time.”
The DHQ spokesman noted that with the Yuletide, the armed forces were aware that criminal elements “may take an advantage” but the military was working to make the season safe and secure.
The Punch
By Eric Elezuo
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has announced the kickoff of the 2026 West African Second-term School Certificate Examination, saying it would be computer-based, and decrying the decline of male participation as against their female counterparts.
The Council made the disclosure on Monday, while addressing the media at its National Office in Yaba, Lagos, on steps so far taken to ensure a hitchfree 2026 Examination.
In his address, the Head of National Office, Mr. Jacob Josiah Dangut, remarked that the 2026 computer-based WASSEC, started on April 21, 2026 with practical test papers, stressing that the nitty gritty parts of the exercise will kick off on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, therefore the reason for the sensitization of the Nigerian public on the exams.
He noted that nearly two million candidates registered to sit for the examinations.
In his words, “A total of 1,959,636 candidates from 24,207 schools enrolled for the examination.
“Of this number, 958,564 candidates (48.92%) are male, while 1,001,072 candidates (51.08%) are female. This reflects an increase in female participation and a decline in male participation compared to last year.”
Dangut called on policy formulations to take the matter serious so as to reinvent the urge for education among the malefolks.
Meanwhile, Dangut informed the public that candidates are being tested in 37 subjects across 97 papers, supervised by about 29,000 senior secondary teachers nominated by state ministries of education.
Dangut said the rise in computer-based entries followed the successful debut of the format in 2025, with more schools and offshore institutions adopting it for its efficiency and alignment with global standards.
The 2026 exercise will run through to June 19th.
The simmering political battle in Rivers State appears to have taken a fresh turn, following the screening of aspirants for the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly primaries, with several loyalists of Governor Siminalayi Fubara failing to make the party’s final list.
In a development already stirring political intrigue across the state, former Obio/Akpor council chairman Chijioke Ihunwo and serving lawmakers Sokari Goodboy and Victor Oko-Jumbo — all widely regarded as strong allies of Governor Fubara — were among those not cleared by the party’s screening committee for various reasons.
Political observers are interpreting their failure to scale through as more than just a routine internal party exercise. They say it is the latest signal of the deepening political fault lines in Rivers, where Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Minister Nyesom Wike, remain locked in a prolonged struggle for political supremacy.
On the other side of the divide, the list of cleared aspirants appears to favour established political figures and returning lawmakers, largely seen as loyal to the Wike camp.
Among those cleared are:
Maol Dumle
Major Jack
Enemi Alabo George
Tonye Smart Adoki
Tekenari Granville
Their emergence is being viewed as a reinforcement of the influence of the former governor within the APC structure in Rivers State.
The screening exercise, announced by Rivers APC publicity secretary Chibike Ikenga, comes at a politically sensitive time, with alignments already forming ahead of future elections and control of the Rivers State House of Assembly remaining a critical battleground.
For many political watchers, the outcome raises fresh questions: Is the APC in Rivers consolidating into a single power bloc? And does this effectively shut the door on Fubara’s loyalists seeking alternative political platforms?
Fubara, elected under the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023, joined the APC last year, following a political dispute with Wike.
The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has been factionalized ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The rival factions emerged after its chairman, Governor Hope Uzodimma, was reportedly removed on Thursday.
While Uzodimma insists that he remains PGF chairman, Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun and his Kwara State counterpart, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, are reportedly leading a separate faction.
Another bloc within the forum has reportedly queued behind the duo of Abiodun and AbdulRazaq.
The development, which comes amid growing political realignments within the ruling party, marks a significant crack in the ranks of APC governors ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to reports by Arise TV, details surrounding the disagreement remain unclear, but sources within the party said tensions have been building over internal leadership control and strategic positioning ahead of the next election season.
As of the time of filing this report, none of the factions had made an official clarification regarding the alleged division.
